Page 74 of Derivation

“Yeah?”

“I didn’t know it was a curse word until she told me, but the face she made was–” Sarai stopped.

“Was what?” Enya asked, sitting down next to her.

“Nothing,” she said as she shook her head.

“You know, I’m not as aloof and out of it as I appear sometimes, Sarai.”

“I never said you–”

“I was there when you dropped her off at the station.”

“Huh?”

“In Amsterdam. I went with you, remember?”

“Yeah. Why?”

“You went inside with her when someone asked me for directions. I helped them and waited for you, but when you came back out, you seemed different. You had this moment where your shoulders were up and then down.”

“I shrugged?”

“No, you kind of looked like Eeyore,” Enya said. “Sad. You were sad. Then, it was like something changed, and your shoulders went all the way back up to your ears. You put on a brave face, walked over to me, and said you were ready to hit the grocery store like nothing had happened at all.”

“Nothing had happened. I dropped someone off at the train station.”

“Someone you liked, Sarai.” Enya patted her on the knee. “And by some miracle, that same someone is here. She lives with us, and you could actually talk to her about what you’re feeling instead of hiding away in your bedroom all the time.”

“I wasn’t hiding away.”

“Yes, you were.”

“Fine. Maybe I was. But only because Arlowe has been all over her this week, and it’s been annoying the shit out of me. She told me she wasn’t interested in Gabi, but then what the hell, you know?”

“I don’t think she is.”

“Well, they’re out together tonight, and–” She stopped when she heard it. “Shit. I think they’re home.”

“I’m going to bed,” Enya said. “I don’t have the energy to sit through whatever is about to happen. Will you just keep it down if you’re going to argue with Arlowe?”

“I’m not going to argue with her,” she replied.

“Sure; because that’s never happened before.”

Enya stood and walked down the hall toward her room. The front door opened a second later, and only Gabi walked through it before she closed the door behind her and turned to notice Sarai on the couch.

“Oh, hey. You’re up?”

“Yeah, I was watching something. Enya just got home, and we were talking, but she went to bed.”

“What were you watching?” Gabi asked.

“Nothing, really. Just mindlessly staring at the TV.”

“Why were you doing that?” Gabi asked with a laugh.

“How was your date?” she blurted out before she could stop herself.