Finding Obsidian

26 - Eight Days of Debate

Our dance ended as quickly as it had begun.

Rian was, of course, a god when it came to pretty much everything. Dancing was no different. I felt like I was floating on air.

As for me, I'd been to my share of formal parties in France. I could hold my own when it came to dance. I was actually quite good, if I did say so myself.

Since we were clearly set for the dance portion of the ball tomorrow, Prof didn't force us to practice for too long. Instead, he focused on teaching us how to make casual conversation (which was aimed more at Rian than me), as well as who we should and shouldn't avoid at the ball. It was all pretty standard stuff, and the practice was over in no time. 

Prof seemed satisfied with our progress, and wished us luck for the real thing tomorrow. Adrian simply winked at me, as did Rikki. I still had no idea how to feel about that.

Finally, it was time for us to go home. Ever since our too-intimate dance earlier, I'd been avoiding looking at Rian for too long or too intensely. I was confused enough at it was; I didn't need him hypnotizing me and jumbling things up any further.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow," I said to him as I walked by. I was eager to leave Branbury Hall, and being around him wasn't helping. 

He caught my arm on my way out, and I resisted the urge to pull it away. I hadn't forgotten the painful beginnings of an episode I'd felt in the car ride here, and I didn't really feel like collapsing into a ball of pain and trauma with others still milling around.

"What is it?" I asked.

He hesitated. Whatever he was about to say, it seemed serious. "Hanna," he began, shifting his weight. "I . . ."

I frowned and turned to face him fully. He looked almost nervous, which was about as unlike Rian as it could get. "Is something wrong?"

He didn't speak for a moment. My frown deepened, and his hand moved as if to reach out. But before it could get very far he stopped, and his hand swung back to his side. "No," he said finally, angling himself away from me. "It's nothing. I'll see you tomorrow." And then he strode past me, out of the room.

I huffed. Do you see what I mean? The boy delighted in confusing the hell out of me. It was a wonder I'd even managed to last this long without spontaneously combusting.

♛

Half an hour later, my heels were kicked off, my dress was neatly packed away, and I was snugged into an oversized sweatshirt with a pint of Ben & Jerry's ice cream. 

A hesitant knock came at the door, and without looking up from the fudge brownie deliciousness in my lap, I called, "enter!"

Rokim and Lisa pushed their way in through the unlocked door, and I grinned at them around a mouthful of icy goodness. Rokim raised an eyebrow at me. "Enter?" he echoed.

I nodded sagely. "I'm feeling a little Lord of the Rings right now."

He cocked his head confusedly. "A bit obsessive and prone to drama," I explained. 

"Ah."

"So sit!" I gestured to the couch, where I was currently curled up. "We're binging all the seasons of Brooklyn Nine-Nine. I need my Jake and Amy action."

"Nice," Lisa said agreeably, flopping down next to me. Words didn't need to be said to know that things were fine between us. Rokim, however, remained standing.

"Although that sounds fun," he said quickly. "Do you wanna talk about, you know, tomorrow?"

I frowned, purposefully misunderstanding the question. "You mean the ball? Nah, I've got that handled."