AN – There should be awkwardness this chapter.
Sarid sat in the carriage, riding to the school with Flint, who sat smiling at her.
Under her outer coat she wore the girl's uniform, a skirt over slacks, her hair hung down and was unevenly cut, so it was a bit shorter in the back and got longer as it went forward, to where the longest point reached her jaw. As well, she had on navy eye shadow and brown mascara, gloss on her lips and blush dusted on her cheeks. She sat stiffly, staring forward.
"Relax, Sarid." Flint told her. "You look lovely."
"…" She gulped, the carriage stopping.
"Before you go in, I want you to open this." He told her, holding out the gift that Asher had tried to give her. She stared at it a moment, then hesitantly took it, unwrapping it.
It was a book, a rare one, on architecture.
She looked over it, her lips barely parting, then opening it, looking over the pages that had all kinds of tips and advice on advanced architecture, from mathematical formulas to designs.
Slowly, she closed it, then hugged it to her.
"…Thank you." She told him. He smiled at her, and she climbed down out of the carriage, going into the school building, taking off her over coat when she entered, then walking down the halls, holding her bag to herself and staring at the floor with great intensity.
"Is that Sarid?" Someone whispered.
"Yeah, that's Sarid."
"Why is he dressed like that?"
"Is he wearing make-up?"
She walked faster, reaching her class, going in.
"Sarid!" Hannah greeted, looking up at her, everyone else doing the same. The boys got looks of confusion, save for Asher, whose eyes went wide.
Sarid felt heat come to her face, and so she went and sat in her seat, staring at the top of it, when a hand smacked down on the top of her desk.
"Well, well, well…" Lance said. "I never took you for a transvestite."
"…I'm not." Sarid told him, not looking up.
"What's the matter?" He asked smugly. "Too scared to look me in the eye?"
Sarid slammed her hands down on her desk and stood, looking Lance right in the eye, making him back away.
"I am a girl, you dense buffoon." She told him. His eyes went wide, his jaw dropping, Drew and Crew having the same reaction.
Reginald burst out laughing.
"What's so funny?" Xanos asked.
"Lance!" Reginald laughed. "He's been beaten up who knows how many times by a girl!"
The other classmates started laughing, Lance's face flushing red with anger and embarrassment.
"This is your fault!" He told Sarid accusingly.
"How?" She asked calmly.
"If you hadn't of interfered in my business, none of those time would've happened!"
"Then you shouldn't have bullied other people."
"It's your fault!"
"No, Lance. It's yours."
He took a large breath through his teeth, then drew back his fist and shot it towards her, she blocking and palm-heeling him in the face, able to feel some kind of crackling on her palm, Lance being thrown back against the wall, blood leaking from his nose, which he took, then letting out a horrible noise of pain.
Pip rushed in, seeing the sight before him.
"What happened?" He asked.
"Lance tried to pick a fight with Sarid!" Danel told him.
"LANCE!" Pip yelled, looking at him, then going over to him and pulling him up, Lance still clutching his bleeding nose. Pip pulled him from the classroom, Drew and Crew following him, everyone else cheering.
"D'you think he'll get expelled?!" Crow asked excitedly.
"I hope so!" Leo told him.
"If he does, party at my place Friday!" Sparkle said. Her classmates cheered, Sarid looking over at them, seeing Asher was staring at her with wide eyes, she looking away, heat coming to her face. She sat down again, people excitedly talking about what to do if Lance was expelled, when Pip came back in.
"Is he expelled?!" Xanos asked.
"I don't know, I just took him to the doctor and told the headmaster what happened." Pip told them.
"Aw…" Everyone went in unison, save for Asher, who was still staring at Sarid.
"Well, anyways, we have new seating arrangements!" Pip told them, to their surprise. "Now then, sitting at this first desk here is Sarid, Leo behind her…"
He listed off the names, everyone sitting where Pip told them to, with three extra seats in the back where Lance, Drew and Crew were to sit. Sarid sat in her seat awkwardly, as Asher sat beside her, also awkwardly.
When history was done, they all began walking toward Merlyn's class, Sarid able to hear Hannah and Asher behind her.
"Why didn't you tell me he was a she?" Asher asked.
"She asked us not to tell anyone." Hannah told him.
"…I…I think all of this makes sense…I'd be upset if she thought I wasn't a boy."
"Ash, that's not why she did what she did."
"What?" He asked.
Sarid hid her face against her bag.
They arrived at Merlyn's class, going in and sitting at their station, both Asher and Sarid doing so awkwardly, occasionally glancing at each other. Class started, and they were doing the lab, trying not to make eye contact.
"Hey, could one of you hand me soil sample three?" Hannah asked.
Sarid reached for it, Asher doing the same, their hands touching.
They both went stiff, freezing.
"…" Sarid felt herself starting to shake, though she couldn't move to bring her hand away, to her misery, until Hannah reached across, pulling Asher's hand away, both of them looking away, heat coming to their faces.
Maybe I should go back to private tutoring...
They didn't speak to each other during lunch, sitting as far away from each other as possible, and they sat awkwardly during the rest of the day. During training they didn't look at each other, instead just running through katas on opposite sides of the gym, while a worried Flint watched.
After training, Asher rushed out, Sarid quickly drying and dressing herself.
"Sarid, have you and Asher spoken at all?" Flint asked.
"No sir." Sarid told him. He sighed, watching her with a worried look.
This continued through the week, when the news reached the entire school.
"LANCE IS GONE FOR GOOD!" Xanos yelled, running into Pip's classroom.
"REALLY?!" Danel asked, everyone perking up.
"Yeah! He got expelled!" Xanos told him.
The class cheered, throwing papers in the air, Reginald jumping up on his desk and dancing.
"WOOOO!" Leo cheered, people jumping around and dancing, Hannah hugging Asher and he spinning her around. Sarid let out a breath of relief, now that her friends were free of him.
"PARTY AT MY PLACE TONIGHT!" Sparkle yelled, people cheering. Sarid stared down at her desk, when she felt an arm around her then, looking to see Leo having an arm around Asher as well, bent over to do so.
"Are you two coming?" He asked.
Sarid looked at Asher, and he looked at her, their eyes locking and their faces turning red.
"U-uh…" Asher sounded.
"Great!" Leo told them. "I'll see you both there!"
They watched him go, then looked down at their desks.
"Good afternoon~!" Mortimer sang as he walked in. "Isn't today wonderful?"
"HECK YEAH!" Crow yelled.
"Lance is gone!" Danel cheered. "Ya-hoo!"
The day went by, Sarid finishing class and going to training with Asher in complete silence, both of them walking stiffly. They went through training, doing katas like how they had all week, Flint watching with worry. When they finished, Asher grabbed his things and sped walked out, Sarid buttoning up her shirt.
"Sarid, you and Asher need to talk." Flint told her.
Sarid went stiff, freezing.
"…I mean, uh…" Sarid managed to say. "…We have an understanding, and…um…"
She racked her mind for what to say, to no avail.
"…" Flint sighed, putting on his coat. "Well, let's go home."
"Yes sir." Sarid said, following him out. They rode back in silence, arriving home and going in, Sarid going up to her room and changing into new casual clothes, which the girls had gotten for her. She changed into a white turtle neck, with a baby blue dress with a belt over it and jeans, lacing up her combat boots. After doing so, she went down to supper, eating and getting up to go to her room when-
"Sarid?" Flint asked.
"Yes sir?" She asked, looking back.
"Thank you for the kukri knife." He told her. "It's very nice."
"Yes sir, you're welcome." She told him, then going up to her room. She looked at the clock, then got nervous about the idea of going to the party, as she knew Asher would be there.
Should I stay here or should I go, or…?
She fidgeted.
Hnnnnnn… She whined. Why did this happen?! Things are just MORE awkward between us! Ugh…I JUST WANT THINGS TO BE NORMAL!
She fell down on her bed, staring up at the drapery above it.
Hng…
Nevertheless, she ended up going.
She arrived, wearing a new over coat that stretched down to her knees, being navy in color and double-breasted. Going up the stairs, she rang the bell for the door, a maid opening the door.
"Good evening." Sarid told her, presenting her invitation.
"Yes ma'am, please follow me, Miss Sarid." The maid told her, stepping aside to let her in. Sarid stepped in and the maid took her coat for her, then showed her to a sitting room with food and a bowl of punch, her classmates enjoying themselves. Music was playing, some of her classmates dancing.
"Thank you, ma'am." Sarid told the maid, who nodded with a small smile, then went on her way. Looking back at the scene before her, Sarid hugged herself, the bag on her belt heavy.
Why did I come? She wondered. I just want to run back to the estate…!
"Sarid!" Hannah called. She looked, seeing her sitting with Asher.
NOPE NOPE NOPE NO ABSOLUTELY NOT, NOPE NOPE NO NO NO.
"C'mon, Sarid!" Sparkle said, appearing behind her. She took Sarid by the elbow and pulled her along, going over to where Hannah and Asher were sitting, each of them on high-backed, two-person sofas, a coffee table between them. Sparkle sat next to Hannah, leaving the only other seat next to Asher, who sat stiffly, looking away. Sarid merely stood.
"Come on, sit down!" Hannah told her.
"I'm fine." Sarid told her. Someone suddenly pushed her, making her stumble. To catch herself, she turned so that she landed in the seat, seeing Reginald dancing away, having a crap-eating grin on his face.
REGINALD, I'M GOING TO HURT YOU. Sarid thought. She started to stand, when Leo came over, standing by the coffee table, leaving her no room to escape.
…Did…
DID THEY PLAN THIS?!
"So, Sarid, how are you doing?" Hannah asked.
"…Fine. You?" Sarid asked.
"Fine, fine…" Hannah said.
Sarid sat stiffly, an uncomfortable silence in the air.
"Say, Asher, where did you find that book for Sarid again?" Hannah asked him. He fidgeted, looking at her with a red face.
"N-nowhere…just happened upon it…"
"That's a lie!" Hannah told him. "You looked everywhere for that book!"
Sarid felt heat rush to her face, looking away.
"W-w-well, uh…" Asher stammered. "I mean, uh, I really did just happen upon it…"
"After quite a bit of looking, it sounds like." Leo said.
"Yeah!" Sparkle agreed. "Wasn't that nice of him, Sarid?"
Sarid's face was red, she too stiff to nod.
"…Y…yes."
Asher's face got a little bit redder.
A slow song came on.
"Wanna dance, Sparkle?" Leo asked.
"Sure!" Sparkle said, getting up and taking his hand as they walked off.
"Why don't you two dance together?" Hannah asked Sarid and Asher.
Sarid felt herself freeze up.
"Uh, well…" Sarid started.
"I, um, don't know the waltz!" Asher told her.
"That's a lie!" Hannah told him. "You told me you asked Sarid to teach you back at the dance!"
Asher's face got redder, Sarid wringing her hands.
"Th-that doesn't mean…that…I'm, you know, good at it!" Asher told her.
"Practice makes perfect!" Hannah told him.
"…Then can I dance with you?" Asher asked.
Sarid relaxed some.
"Nope! I told Reginald I'd save him a dance." Hannah told him, then standing. "So if you'll excuse me…"
She walked off, leaving them alone in the corner.
They sat stiffly, Sarid nervous out of her mind.
I could walk away. Should I walk away? Would that be mean? Or…AGH! WHAT DO I DO?!
"…" They sat in silence, when Sarid remembered her bag.
She reached back and opened it, pulling out the gift that was neatly wrapped with green paper and a golden bow.
She got more nervous the more she stared at it, when she suddenly threw it into Asher's lap and got up, speed walking away. People danced in front of her, blocking her path, she trying to maneuver around them, only for them to move in front of her again, stopping her where she was.
Hng…Think of a way out!
She looked at the wall, then walked back toward the wall opposite the door, then turned and charged, running at an angle toward the wall, up onto it and back onto the floor, bypassing everyone and running out of the room, back to the foyer and found her coat, putting it on as she ran down the front steps, when she felt someone catch her hand.
Looking back, she saw it was Asher.
"…" They stared at each other, both of them stiff. Asher drew his hand back, rubbing the back of his head.
"Uhm…thanks." He told her, not looking at her. She looked away, heat coming to her face.
"It's no trouble…" She told him.
They stood in silence for a short bit.
"…I'll, uh, see you at school…?" Sarid asked.
"Yes! Right, yes…" Asher said. "…Have…have a good weekend!"
"Yes, you too." Sarid told him, then rushing down the rest of the steps and disappearing into the night. She walked halfway back to the estate, the carriage coming along and she climbed into it, riding the rest of the way back. When she arrived, she climbed down out of the carriage and went into the manor, Flint sitting in the foyer chair.
"You left early?" Flint asked.
"…Yes sir." She admitted, Flint getting a worried look.
"Why?" He asked.
"…Asher was there." She muttered.
"Sarid, that's no reason to run." He told her.
"I tried avoiding him, but it was as if everyone there was trying to push us together." Sarid explained.
"…I see." Flint said. "Well, it's cold out, why don't you go up to your room and sit by the fire before going to bed?"
"Yes sir." Sarid nodded, as she was cold. She went up to her room, changing into her pajamas and sitting by the fire, nestled down in the chair. After sometime, she ended up falling asleep, waking up tucked in bed the next morning.
The weekend went by, as did Monday, Sarid, Flint and Asher finishing training, Asher speed walking out and Sarid getting her bag.
"I'll be in a meeting for a bit." Flint told her, she looking at him. "I'll be back to the estate later."
"Yes sir." Sarid said, nodding. She left, going to the carriage and riding back to the estate.
Later…
Sparkle smacked her hand against the chalkboard.
"Okay! Planning for Operation: Get Together is underway!" She said to the room with her classmates minus Asher and Sarid, along with Pip, Mortimer, Merlyn, Flint and Washington. "We are all here because we share a common goal: to see Sarid and Asher become a courting couple!"
"Yeah!" Esmeralda cheered.
"Excellent enthusiasm!" Sparkle told her. "The first plan made by my classmates and I unfortunately failed, since Sarid can apparently run across walls for a short distance! The floor is open to suggestions!"
"We lock them in a room?" Reginald asked.
"Absolutely not." Flint told him.
"Agreed." Washington agreed. "Besides, I'm sure Sarid would just kick down the door and escape."
"She would and can." Flint told him.
"Drat." Reginald remarked.
"What if we set them up for a romantic moonlight stroll?" Danel asked.
"Sarid would book it outta there." Hannah told him.
"She is a fast runner." Flint told her.
"Okay!" Sparkle said, picking up a piece of chalk. "We've identified an obstacle: Sarid running away!"
She wrote it on the board, then looked back at them.
"Any ideas on how to fix this?" She asked.
"…What if we just took away that option?" Leo asked.
"What do you mean?" Merlyn asked.
"There's a new attraction in town called an escape room." Leo told him. "You have to solve puzzles in order to escape it, and the door is reinforced so that you can't just break it down to escape."
"…That could work." Flint said.
"I don't know, Asher's very good at solving puzzles." Washington said. "He'd just solve them quickly then run."
"What if was extremely advanced so it took time for them to escape?" Crow asked.
"Yea!" Ada agreed. "If it was like that, they'd have to spend time together!"
"Hm." Washington hummed. "That's true, but there's no guarantee that they'd actually talk to each other."
"That's a good point." Faye said.
"Th-then w-w-what do w-we do?" Rooster asked.
"…I dunno!" Sparkle said. "Why are they like this?!"
"…What if they didn't know they were with each other?" Pip asked.
"How so?" Merlyn asked.
"There's a restaurant that pairs people up with a wall between them, and then they draw the wall back." Pip explained. "We could get them there somehow…"
"As soon as they see each other, they'd bolt." Xanos pointed out.
"WHY DO THEY HAVE TO MAKE THIS SO HARD?" Sparkle asked. "If they'd just talk to each other or come together on their own, this would be so much easier!"
"Well, I'm still for the escape room plan." Leo said. "They have rooms that require two people to escape so if we put them in one of those, they'd have to communicate."
"That might work." Autumn said.
"Then let's plan for it!" Sparkle cheered.
The week went by until Friday, Sarid getting her things and about to leave English, when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Looking, she saw Ada, who smiled at her.
"Yes?" Sarid asked.
"I wanted to ask you if you wan'ed to go to a new attraction in town with the res' of us. We're going in groups of two, so I wan'ed to know if you wan'ed to pair up with me." Ada told her.
"What's the attraction?" Sarid asked.
"It's called an escape room." Ada told her. "They lock you in a room and you have to solve puzzles to escape."
"Sounds fun." Sarid told her, smiling some. "What time do I need to be there?"
"About six."
"Very well, I'll see all of you there." Sarid told her.
"Great! See you then!" Ada told her, Sarid nodding and walking out, going to the small gym for training. She arrived and got ready, going to the opposite side of the gym and going through kata, Asher already on the other side going through kata as well. They trained, then left, Sarid going with Flint to the carriage and riding it back, then changed into her casual clothes, going down for supper and ate, then put on her coat and rode into town, to the escape room building and getting out, walking in. She left her coat with the door man, then walked to the desk, where Ada was waiting.
"Hello." Sarid told her.
"Good evening!" Ada said. "Our room's ready if you are!"
"Of course." Sarid told her, a worker approaching them.
"Are you two ready?" He asked.
"Yes sir." They told him.
"Great! Follow me." He told them, he heading over to one of the hallways and going down it, they following him. About halfway down, Ada stopped.
"Hang on, I need to use the loo." Ada told Sarid. "I'll be right there, alright?"
"Understood." Sarid told her, Ada rushing off, Sarid following the worker to the room. He unlocked the door and opened it for her, she stepping in and looking around, seeing Asher looking up from one of the puzzles and right at her.
She whirled around to run, only to have the door close and hear the click of the lock.
NOOOOOOOOO-
She grabbed the doorknob and tried it, to no avail.
Slowly, she turned her head to look at Asher, seeing he was looking at her with wide eyes and a red face. Sarid then took several steps back and charged the door, kicking it, only for nothing to happen.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-
She kicked it from where she stood, to no avail.
…Why? She whimpered.
She wrung her hands, slowly turning around again to look at Asher, who had his head in his hands.
"…D…did…they uh…trick you too, or…?"
He nodded.
"H-Hannah…she, uh, said…she would pair up with me." Asher told her.
"…Ada…told me the…the same…"
There was a horribly awkward silence over them, and Sarid looked around for a way out, she saw the ventilation shaft, big enough for her to fit through.
On the ceiling.
Okay, if I get a running start, I should be able to jump off the wall and grab onto the edge, then climb out!
She did so, running and jumping off the wall, grabbing the grate, which came right off, and she dropped it. Doing it again, she grabbed the edge and pulled herself up, climbing up the shaft and into a horizontal one, this one bigger.
TO FREEDOM!
She started crawling, only to immediately hit another grate. Grabbing it, she pulled on it, only to find it was wielded to the shaft.
…Hmmm… She whined.
She crawled back in defeat, dropping down into the room.
"S-Sarid?" Asher asked, Sarid tensing.
"…It…it was uh, blocked…"
"…Oh." Asher sounded.
They sat for a time, Asher working on the puzzles, while Sarid sat in the corner, staring at her feet with intense eyes.
"…Uhm…" Asher said, his voice cracking. "I…uh…n-need some…help."
She looked up at him, seeing he was staring down at his feet, his hands on two switches.
"…Wh-what do you…you need me to do?"
"There's uh, two more switches here, and uh, I uh…can't switch them at the same time."
"R-right…" She said, getting up and going over to him, the nervousness in her spiking. Stopping beside him, he looked at the switches, Sarid reaching up and touching them.
"Three…t-two…one, now." Asher counted, both of them flipping the switches at the same time, their hands touching.
They froze, heat rushing to their faces.
They heard the door open, Sarid bolting, running out of the room and down the hallway, getting her coat from the front man and grabbing the driver from where he sat, pulling him out onto the street. They got the carriage and rode back to the estate, Sarid bursting into the foyer, seeing Flint sitting in the foyer chair, surprised at her sudden entrance.
"Everything alright?" Flint asked her.
"…I was tricked!" She told him, out of breath.
"Tricked?" He asked.
"I…I went to the escape room with Ada, and – and she told me she was going to go to the bathroom, but then, then when I went in the room Asher was there and I got locked and…I was stuck…"
"Was it the end of the world?"
"…N-no sir…"
"Well, then, what was so bad about it?" He asked her.
"…HNG!" She sounded, putting her face in her hands, surprising Flint. "I just – I don't know! I want to avoid him but I also think about him and want him to hold me, and yet whenever I'm around him I get so panicked I can't even think and…hng…"
"…" Flint smiled some, then got up and put his book aside, going to her.
"Sarid, what you're feeling is normal for a lady in love." Flint told her. "Women react to touch and sound, that's why you want him to hold you."
"…Really?" Sarid asked him.
"Really." He told her.
"…" She stood, thinking.
"Well, it's only a little after seven, so, why don't we go and talk a bit more?" He asked her. She nodded, and they walked to the sitting room, Sarid sitting in one of the chairs next to the fireplace and Flint sitting on the ottoman before it.
"So…what did you want to speak to me about?" Sarid asked.
"Well, there are some things I want you to know." He told her. "First off, don't dress to get attention."
"Sir?" She asked.
"Some women dress themselves inappropriately in order to catch the eye of a man, but that's not a good thing for either party." Flint told her. "Men react to what they see. So, naturally, he'll react to that, and inappropriate thoughts can invade his mind and he can dwell on them, which is wrong. As well, even the men she doesn't want attention from will give it to her, from creeps to elders."
"Ugh." Sarid sounded.
"Exactly." Flint told her. "So, it's good to dress modestly."
"Yes sir." Sarid nodded.
"Good." He said.
"What…what if I have…have bad thoughts?"
"Well, that depends." He told her. "Everyone has tempting thoughts. We're human, it's just part of us. However, dwelling on them is bad. The more you think about them, the more it can affect you. Thoughts become actions, after all."
"Yes sir."
"Have you had bad thoughts?"
"N-no sir, just…wanting to be near him, held…kissed…"
Flint smiled some.
"That's normal for someone who has feelings for someone." He told her. "Though it is good to set and keep physical boundaries."
"How so?"
"Side hugs are okay, as well as holding hands, but what's comfortable for the both of you will define your boundaries." He told her.
"Yes sir."
"Good, good…"
"…Um…"
"Yes?"
"…What…How should I tell him I like him?" She asked.
"Well, there are five love 'languages'." Flint told her. "Physical touch, gifts, acts of service, quality time and words of affirmation. These can be little things that you two do that shows that you can for each other. Little things are important, since anyone can do big things. As for the languages, you can figure them out for each other and do them. Yours seem to be gifts and acts of service."
"…" She thought about it, then nodded. "Yes sir."
"Good, good…" He nodded. "If you have any questions, just come and ask me, alright?"
"Yes sir."
"Good." He told her.
The weekend went by, as did Monday, Sarid, Flint and Asher finishing with training. Sarid was buttoning up her shirt, Asher tying his tie and Flint grabbed his bag.
"I have a meeting to go to." He told them. "I'll be home later today, Sarid."
"Yes sir." Sarid told him. He left then, Sarid feeling nervousness creep into her.
"…" She and Asher stood in silence, Asher putting his coat on, buttoning it up and Sarid tying on her tie.
"…So, uh…Friday was…something." Asher said.
"Y-yes, yes it was…" Sarid agreed.
"…"
"…"
"…WELL, SEE YA!" Asher said, grabbing his bag and speed walking out. As soon as he exited the gym, he smacked his hand to his forehead. WHY DID I SAY THAT SO LOUD?! She probably thinks I was glad to leave! Oh man, she's gonna hate me…
He walked through the hallway, looking out the window, seeing Sarid exit the gym out into the snow, her hair shining in the winter sun. Stopping, he watched her, she walking along, then stopping and looking down at the snow. She stood for a bit, then pulled her bag onto her back and squatted down, scooping up some snow and making it into a sphere. She then dropped it down into the snow, rolling it along so that it grew bigger.
Shifting nervously, he adjusted his bag under his arm, then walked back down the hallway. He came to a door and pushed it open into the cold air, his breath a swirling white puff before him. The snow crunched under him as he walked over toward Sarid, Asher putting his bag onto his back. She heard him approaching and looked back and saw him, she stiffening. He noticed her cheeks were rosy from the cold air, making it look like she was blushing.
Pretty… He thought.
"Hello." Sarid told him, the large snowball at her feet. "Is…is there something you need, or…?"
"…Uh, I uh…th-the snow, um…I…wanted to help you…"
"…" She looked away, blushing. "Thank you."
He blushed, then shuffled back and forth some.
"…So…what are you, uh, making?" Asher asked.
"A snowman." Sarid told him.
"Oh…" Asher sounded. They stood in silence for a moment, Asher then walking over, both of their nervousness spiking as he got closer. He pushed it with his hands, rolling it along until it got to a good size, Sarid having started on the next snowball for it. They finished their respective snowballs, and they picked up the smaller one Sarid had made, putting it on top of the larger one.
"I'll go find some sticks for the limbs." Sarid told him, going to search under the trees. Asher made another, even smaller snowball and put it on top of the other two, making a three-layered snowman. Sarid returned with the limbs, as well as some pebbles. She handed one of the limbs to Asher, and he stuck it into the snow man, Sarid putting the other one in, then using the pebbles to make a face. They put in the eyes, then started to make a smile, their cold hands touching.
They froze, their hands still touching, when after a moment Asher took her hand in both of his and rubbed it between his hands to warm it. Sarid stood there, blushing, looking at their hands, then looked up at him, and he looked at her, they making eye contact.
They stared at each other, Sarid looking away. Asher lowered her hand and he looked down at them, blushing. After a moment he let her hand go, and they stood a moment longer.
"…I'll see you later." Sarid told him.
"Y-yeah…" Asher said, Sarid turning and walking to the carriage, getting into it. She rode back to the estate, staring out the window deep in thought.
Meanwhile…
"Okay, Operation Escape was a bust, but we just need to try again!" Sparkle said, standing before the assembly of classmates and teachers.
"What if we did Pip's restaurant idea?" Hannah asked.
"I don't know, that'd be easy for her to run away from." Pip said, feeling his beard.
"Hm…" She hummed.
The door opened and Flint walked in, closing the door behind him.
"What took you so long, old timer?" Washington asked.
"I don't think we need to try so hard to get them together." Flint told them.
"Huh?" Everyone sounded.
"I just watched them build a snowman together." He explained. "They were awkward and nervous, yes, but they did it without us trying to interject. They may very well come together on their own if we just give them time to do so."
"…" Everyone watched him.
"Just a thought." Flint told them, shrugging.
"Then…what should we do?" Sparkle asked. "I mean, we wanna help them…"
"Well, we don't absolutely need to." Flint told her. "Us trying might hinder their progress."
"True…" Sparkle admitted.
"…" They sat in silence, when Ada's face lit up.
"I've got it!" She said. "But we need to wait until spring to do it."
The rest of the day passed, and the next morning, Sarid and Flint arrived at the school. When they got out of the carriage, Sarid looked over at the snowman she and Asher had made, seeing that there was a second one. Curious, she went over to it and looked at them, heat coming to her face.
Their heads were turned toward each other, smiling happily, and the branches used for their arms were downward and touching, as if they held hands.
She put her face in her hands, Flint walking over and seeing the snowmen. He smiled fondly at them, then gave Sarid a pat on the shoulder.
"It's nothing to get flustered over." He told her.
She nodded, lifting her head and lowering her hands to show that she was still blushing, though this just made Flint smile more. They walked in and then parted ways, Sarid going to Pip's class.
AN – I don't know what to write next, so I'll end it here for now.
