the group

[instar]

Gym. Yoga. Mat. Corner.

Comments

[hold_infinity]

Robin snorts. And follows the boys out of the gym.

[instar]

"Bye."

And Bella goes to meet her sister and head home.

[aeskhyne]

The next day, Trouble comes up to Bella after gym.

"Hi!" he says cheerfully.

[instar]

"Hi. What's up?"

[aeskhyne]

"Ethan made a friiiiiiend," he says, grinning. "It's adorable! He's nice to her for no reason! And she kicked my ass at poker."

[instar]

"Good for her."

[aeskhyne]

"And now Ethan wants her to be friends with Andi, but he can't just put them in the same room and say 'make friends' like he did with me and her, so he asked me to ask you to help."

[instar]

"I can suggest to Andi that she invite Robin to do stuff, but why does Ethan have an interest in setting that up?"

[aeskhyne]

"Because he thinks it'd make Robin happy. I told you, he's nice to her for no reason. He has feelings. Friend feelings," Trouble says happily.

[instar]

"This is really unprecedented, huh?"

[aeskhyne]

"Extrrrrrrremely. It makes me happy," says Trouble.

[instar]

"Even though you're not the one he's being nice to."

[aeskhyne]

Trouble shrugs. "I get to snuggle him and be happy about it, he doesn't mind, Robin thinks it's cute, he likes that Robin thinks it's cute. Works for all three of us."

[instar]

"That," says Bella, "is a peculiar setup. But okay, I'll mention to Andi this afternoon, she can see if Robin wants to go to a movie with her or something."

[aeskhyne]

"Great," says Trouble. "Thanks!"

[instar]

"Have you got Robin's number for me to pass along? She's new, won't be in the school directory."

[aeskhyne]

"Yeah."

In Ethan's handwriting, no less, not that Bella would be especially likely to know the difference.

[instar]

Indeed she would not. She pockets it. "This is an interesting game of hearsay we're playing, isn't it."

[aeskhyne]

He shrugs. "Yeah, I guess."

[instar]

"Well, see you tomorrow." And off she goes.

[pandion]

That afternoon, Robin gets a phone call.

[hold_infinity]

Robin answers the phone!

"Hi!"

[pandion]

"Hi! It's Andi. I wanted to know if you want to go to see Freaky Friday with me? It's still out in a couple theaters."

[hold_infinity]

"Yeah, all right," says Robin. "Why not."

[pandion]

"Cool, should I ask my mom for a ride or what?"