the sharing

[instar]

Trouble is not back at school on Monday. At lunch, Bella sits with Andi who sits with Robin who sits with Ethan.

Comments

[aeskhyne]

"Cheesecake," he agrees.

[instar]

"Oreo cheesecake?"

[aeskhyne]

"Your wish is my command," he says, eyes sparkling.

[instar]

"Pfff."

[aeskhyne]

His grin fades to a sappy little smile.

[instar]

Lunch proceeds.

After gym, Bella waits for the room to clear, then says to Trouble, "So, I'm guessing it's your stepdad, who's in it."

[aeskhyne]

"Got it in one."

[instar]

"And Andi can't know this because it involves knowing a relatively innocuous fact about your family other than 'he probably isn't the result of parthenogenesis'."

[aeskhyne]

"That's about the size of it," says Trouble.

[instar]

"Do you know anything about the organization that I might not?"

[aeskhyne]

He shrugs. "Nope. Why, do you want me to?"

[instar]

"I want to figure out what's going on without touching it. I don't really fancy you touching it either, though."

[aeskhyne]

"Hey, if somebody's gonna be touching something nasty, I've got the practice."

[instar]

"That's kind of a grotesque thing to say."

[aeskhyne]

"Yep."

[instar]

"Well, I don't imagine I have any particular sway over you, and if you do decide to go poke it with a stick, and your personality survives the experience, I would be a willing audience for anything you learned."

[aeskhyne]

"You got it," says Trouble. "If I go poking, I'll tell you what squeaks."

[instar]

"Thanks."

[aeskhyne]

"Who else am I gonna tell, right?"

[instar]

"You could conceivably not feel interested in telling anyone."

[aeskhyne]

He shrugs. "Yeah. But I wanna tell you."

[instar]

Bella nods.

"Be careful, if you go poking it."

[aeskhyne]

"What's the worst that could happen?"

[instar]

"Your brain could get eaten, reportedly."

[aeskhyne]

"Could be fun, depending how."