Lovebirds

ALREADY?

Two weeks into school and people are already talking about homecoming. About dresses and themes and the spirit week that introduces the dance, but most importantly: who's. taking. who.

"I've had at least two guys start talking to me out of the blue," Edith recalls, "It's like nobody remembers that I always go to dances by myself. There's no way I'm breaking tradition my last year here."

They walk through the hall, feeling like fish in a larger school as they follow the flow of movement. Spencer's headed to Anthropology, Edith to Microeconomics.

"Do you know their names?"

"No. They told me once, but I was trying to ignore them so—politely ignore them! Don't look at me like that. I'm not interested; how should I react?"

Spencer shrugs. "There has to be a middle ground between ignoring someone and leading them on."

Flipping her hair over her shoulder, "let me know when you find it, m'kay?"

Spence laughs, standing a little taller as they turn the corner, "I'll do that."

"I assume Vinent's taking you?" Edith doesn't miss the smile that overtakes Spencer's face; captures her lips and turns her cheeks pink. Four years and she's still smitten.

"Like you said: tradition."

"Right," with a cynical brow raised. "My class is here. See you at lunch!" With a sideways parting hug, Edith enters the room. Hair flowing behind her, chin held high, Spencer watches from the hall as eyes raise from desks to watch her entrance.

Shaking her head in admiration of Edith's confidence, Spencer continues on; continues on to find Hugo Callet walking down the hall in the other direction. His eyes find hers, alight with some grand idea, and she stops in her tracks, eying him warily.

"What?" He asks when close enough.

"I don't like that look."

Hugo rolls his eyes and scoffs. But the smirk stays as his inspired gaze returns to her.

"I was only going to ask if you're coming to the match tonight. It's against Jorie Township."

"I guess I can go. As long as I don't have too much homework... why are you asking?" Still uneasy in his excitement.

But he merely shrugs, glancing at his feet. "Vincent just asked me to ask you if you're coming or not. He's in my next class; said he forgot to ask this morning."

"Right," I concede.

"So um," and he lifts his eyes from the ground to look around the hall. At the streams of people circulating around them with mild annoyance. "Great. I'll see you later then." Hugo flashes a smile, then leaves.

Smiling, Spencer carries on as well, more excited for the game than anyone would know. And as she settles into her seat for anthropology, she hears herself asking the boy who sits beside her if he's going tonight as well.