In Which Shahira Is Stunned by the Seriousness

December 17, 1189

"I can't say I was expecting you today." Especially not now that the school had closed for the holiday season! Aldhein didn't have any pressing assignments for which he needed Shahira's help, and she doubted he had much interest in getting a head start on the next term's work. It was possible he just wanted to keep his memory fresh, maybe. Yes, that had to be it. "What do you want to work on? Grammar? Algebra? Latin?"

"Latin?" Aldhein snorted. "God, Shahira, our break just started! I don't want to do homework today."

"Then it makes no sense as to why you're here. You only ever want to see me when you want help with homework."

"Or maybe I only ever want help with homework when I want to see you."

Heh. What a kidder. "You don't have to flatter me. You know I'm happy to help--and we both know you need all the help you can get if you want to get into university."

"And maybe I only want to go to university because you want to go to university."

"Right. And I'm the Queen of the Upper Nile." Ass. "Seriously, why are you here?"

"Well, if you put it like that, your majesty--" He grabbed her hand and shuffled nearer. A vein in her arm twitched. Might have had something to do with the fluttering in her gut. "--I was wondering if you'd like to attend Hal Indruion's Christmas party with me."

Huh. It hadn't quite occurred to her that he might have been serious. "Really."

"Really. Is it so hard for you to believe I'd want to go to a party with the smartest, kindest, prettiest girl I know?"

Not so much as it was to believe he wanted to go with her. "Rennie gets better grades than me, you know. And no one's prettier than Lyssa."

"So you say." There was a hint of sadness in his smile, as though it hurt that she didn't quite agree with him. Yet, he kept on smiling. "But you'll notice I'm not asking Rennie or Lyssa."

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