The Purple Haired Craze

In Which Anton Deals With A Petty Spat

They didn't speak for the rest of the week. Val had to go to Liv's room to get her hair fixed up and she didn't spend any time with the other Dead Men until Anton approached her the day before the Winter Ball in the library.

"Skulduggery is going with China to the ball tomorrow," he said simply.

Valkyrie looked up from the book on elemental magic that Alexis had given her to read as teaching material. "Should I care?"

"I do. I hate her."

"So why are you telling me?"

"Because he likes you."

Val turned to look at him properly. "No he doesn't. That's why I said no when he asked me initially. Why are you even talking to me? You never talk."

"He's with the wrong person," he said simply. "I hate China. Never liked her. I like you. You're not like China."

"I appreciate the vote of confidence but Skulduggery is with China at the moment, so how is your opinion going to help?"

"You need to talk to him."

"I need to talk to him?"

"Yeah, he doesn't get that you said no because he is not known to be a dedicated person. You are selfish, but in a good way and you had every right to say no. He, however, is selfish to a point that it is difficult to tell him no because he will react like a spoilt child. You are, so far, the only person who has ever stood up to him in that way, and therefore you have the capability to change him for the better."

"And how do I do that?"

"Keep talking to him. Explain why you said no."

Valkyrie rolled her eyes at him, turning back to the book.

"I've been talking to Liv. You need to talk to him."

"You asked her out."

"I like Liv. She is a lovely girl. She tells me her problems. I help her."

"Okay, and she has told you to talk to me about what to do with Skulduggery."

"Yes."

Valkyrie sighed. She knew that it would take a lot for Liv to intervene, so something couldn't be right. "Fine. I'll talk to him this evening, if he comes back to the dormitory before eleven for once."

"I'll make sure he does."

Sure enough, that evening, Anton dragged Skulduggery to room four-hundred and thirty-two, where Valkyrie was waiting at precisely ten thirty.

"Managed to get him," he said briskly, shoving the protesting green eyed teen into the room. "Be nice to each other. I want you two to be talking to each other again before tomorrow breakfast or you'll face my wrath."

They both nodded, slightly frightened by the threat, knowing Anton held by his promises.

They sat opposite each other on their own bed, Skulduggery almost glaring at her, but curiosity getting the better of him. Valkyrie kept trying to make eye contact with him, although kept breaking away.

"He wanted us to talk," Skulduggery said after a while.

"Yep."

The silence was unbearable and they both fidgeted, Valkyrie tugging at her bed sheets, Skulduggery with the seams in his clothes. Finally, he asked, "Why did you say no?"

"Because you basically said that you dated all the girls in the school, said they were boring and I didn't want to be the last one of a string of ex-girlfriends that have had their hearts broken by you."

"Oh. Right."

"Understand now."

"Yeah, I probably shouldn't have mentioned how much I date whilst asking you out."

"No, maybe not." Looking up, Valkyrie noticed that Skulduggery was smiling. Then she was smiling, and then they were laughing their heads off."

"Would it change things if I apologise for my insensitivity?"

"Well, it would definitely be an improvement seeing as you are the most self-centred idiot in the entire school."

"Well, I apologise."

"Thank you. I apologise for overreacting."

"Would you still be willing to go to the Winter Ball with me?"

Valkyrie looked at him slightly incredulously. "Aren't you going with China?"

"Well, not exactly. She suggested that I go with her, seeing as you backed out and she felt sympathetic, which is surprising because she is never sympathetic. I never confirmed that I would go with her so, if you want, I will tell her no."

"I haven't prepared at all for this ball! You expect me to go like this?"

"Your nightgown would be lovely," Skulduggery blurted out. He then flushed a bright red. "I did not just say that.

Valkyrie had blushed equally as red. "That was not was I was expecting to hear."

"No, it wasn't something I had been planning to say."

"Right. You look at me in my nightgown often?"

"Perhaps we shouldn't go into that."

"Maybe not."

"So, will you?"

Valkyrie gave him a look. "Get me a dress for tomorrow evening and I'll be there."

"Count on it."