“So,” I said, trying to decide what the best route for breaking through the discomfort was. I landed on the ball, because it was truly the only thing worth noting at that moment. “I think your dancing will be fine for the ball. I can teach you more about elite customs though. The more knowledge you have, the better.”
“You know me, all learning is good learning.” Her tone was stilted, almost pained. She kept her back to me, slowly cutting pieces of her plants off for the batch of shift. Her knees were sinking into the thick, crunchy snow, her cloak damp.
“Do you need me to do that so you can go back inside and get warm?”
“No, I’ve got it.”
Silence once more followed the forced conversation, making my head ache.
Sighing, I got back to work. Maybe I’d been wrong. It was pretty impossible that she’d want someone like me, after all. How did I fix it, then? What would possibly make it better?
I could just admit it. Tell her I was completely consumed by her and just let her turn me down. That had to be better than this odd limbo. Strange how it had felt like a good place to be before.
“Tershetta, I need to tell you something.” Her head snapped up, a thick, green stem falling from her hands.
“Hey, Az!” My head whipped to the right, Desi standing there with a smile on her face and bags in her hands.
“Who’s that?” Nova asked, her tone sour.
Great, I was getting my hopes up again.
“That’s Desi,” I offered, standing up and walking towards the lone woman. “Who brought you here?”
“Jonah, duh. I have your outfits! Commander Maitoza had them sourced for you both.” She held up the long, cotton bags, waving them slightly. Huffing, I took them out of her hands, gesturing for her to follow.
“Let me guess, bysourcedyou mean a rebel stole them from the Harmens’ home?”
“What I said sounded better.” Desi left my side, heading straight for Nova, who stood in front of her garden with damp trousers and a downturned mouth. “Hi! I’ve heard a lot about you from, uh, the commander!”
Smooth.
Nova glared at Desi as she approached, not introducing herself or even saying hello.
Stars, if you’re listening, please let Nova be jealous right now. I promise you’ll get a show from me a lot sooner if she is.
“I’ve heard nothing about you. How do you know Altair?” Nova crossed her arms, her jaw jutting out slightly.
“Az? I met him when he first joined the rebellion. We’ve been friends ever since. You know, you’ve technically met me before, but you were unconscious.” Leave it to Desi to say something like that. Taking extra long strides, I made my way to the pair.
“How about we go inside?” I suggested.
“Unconscious?” Nova shoved my outreached hand away, looking between Desi and I. “What does she mean?”
“You know, Desi, some people live their lives without being a pain in the ass.” Desi only smiled wider, as if being a nuisance was a gift. “Desi was the one who healed you. I wasn’t supposed to tell you because we wanted you to have time to rest, as I said before.”
“Liar! I knew you weren’t capable of healing like that!” Nova jabbed her finger into my chest as she spoke. “Thank you forsaving my life, Desi. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I think I should go bathe.”
A handful of furious stomps and a slammed door later, Desi and I were alone outside.
“She’s very pretty.”
“Of course you’d say that, you’re sleeping with her sister,” I hissed, being sure to keep my voice low.
Desi laughed, shaking her head. “They really don’t look that much alike. Not to us. We know their faces too well.”
“Why are you lumping me in with you? I don’t even look at Nova like that.”
A snort escaped her nose and echoed off the overcast sky. “She’s right, you are a liar.”
