SOKEEFE VS FITZPHIE, kotlc

judgement

"Dex?"

"Go away Stina, I already told you, I'm sorry, you don't have to keep reminding me how much I screwed up-"

"Dex, it's Biana."

Cold silence followed- Biana couldn't remember the last time they were alone like this, but she was pretty sure it was back when they were dating...

"Did Stina send you?" Dex piped up, sounding a little hopeful. But his voice melted just as fast as he added, "If so, tell her I don't want her-"

"No- no, I..." Biana gulped and twisted the silver doorknob of his room. "I saw her. And Tam."

His eyebrows shot up from where he lay sunken in between his pillows. "Like... studying? As partners?"

Biana bit her lip nervously. "Like..."

"Oh. Okay."

"I was wondering," Biana continued anxiously. "Since- since I'm dating Tam, if you two got into some sort of fight....? Or maybe you said something?"

Dex blinked.

"I said something to Tam I shouldn't have," Biana mumbled to her feet. "I was just wondering if you did the same."

"I'm... sorry." Dex cleared his throat. "Sorry about you and Tam. But two things: one, I'm not talking to or about Stina after what you told me. And two: if that means that you can't be with Tam, I'll help you two in that way. But not by... by going out with Stina again."

A beat of silence followed.

"Thank you Dex," Biana whispered. "I feel like... you know.... after you got together with Marella... you know our friendship was kinda..."

"Yeah."

"And I'm sorry about that," Biana added quietly, staring into those periwinkle eyes she knew she'd never be able to look at the same way.

"I know." And Dex offered her the first real smile that Biana had seen in a while- the one with dimples -as he added, "Me too."

_____________

"I can't believe the nerve of you!"

A load of cold water splashed onto his bangs, sending water dripping down his nose and onto his tunic. He glared at Linh.

"I wasn't 'doing anything' with Stina," Tam announced indignantly. "I was... helping her out."

"Yeah well, Stina has her own boyfriend. She doesn't need you-"

"She does, she got into a fight with Dex-"

"But you didn't get into a fight with Biana, did you?" Linh countered and Tam deflated back into the shadows. He'd never seen his sister quite this mad- except maybe with their parents.

His silence said enough.

"See?" Linh demanded triumphantly. "The poor girl was probably off to drop some desserts or something by her house and she sees her boyfriend and her ex's girlfriend kissing-"

"We weren't kissing!"

Linh rolled her eyes. "Totally."

"I swear, she was just pouting about Dex and I was there to help her... as a friend... and we started talking about abilities and stuff and-"

"I'm fine with you dating whoever you want to date," Linh cut in, raising an eyebrow that made it clear that she most certainly wasn't. "But... if you're breaking up with Biana, make that clear to her before you... do stuff."

"I'm not broken up with Biana!" Tam argued...

"I'm sure she'd be delighted to hear that from you then," Linh retorted coldly.

Something in Linh's glare made it clear that a rain cloud would be following him around for the rest of the week.