Author's Note: A SUPER-speedy update this time, since I've been eager to write this part for a while. And this chapter is longer than the last. Hope you enjoy! :)
"So, when are you going to tell him?"
Sinead feigned obliviousness- "Tell who what?"- but Amy didn't buy it for a second. Not that Sinead had honestly thought she would, but why not hope?
"Tell Hamilton that you have a crush on him, of course," she replied.
"But…" There was no way in the world that she was going to do that. But Amy cut her off before she could even formulate a decent excuse.
"Come on, 'but' nothing. Ian told me last night that Hamilton definitely likes you, and you know how good he is at reading people, Sinead."
Sinead was ever-so-grateful for this opportunity to switch topics. "You were talking to Ian again last night?" she teased. "Ooh, what about?"
"Seriously?" Amy sounded suddenly exasperated. "We were just talking about the usual: peace plans that the Lucians refuse to accept. Why can't their branch be as cooperative as yours?"
"Maybe because Alistair isn't leading them," said Sinead. "He loves you and Dan, so of course, he's willing to go along with your peace plans." She snickered. "But I can see why it's not working with the Lucians: 'peace plans' aren't the kind of plans Ian wants to make with you. Maybe dinner plans."
Only silence came from the other line for some time; then, with a soft cough, Amy said, "Y-you know that's just ridiculous, Sinead. And anyway, we aren't talking about me here."
She couldn't resist: "That's right. I was talking about you and Ian."
"No," said Amy, "We were talking about you and Hamilton. You like him; he likes you. So what's keeping the two of you from getting together?"
"Our branches hate each other. His family blew us up at the Franklin Institute. And he gave my brothers a nickel and a piece of lint for their birthday yesterday!"
"What?" Amy asked with a half-stifled chuckle.
"You heard me: he obviously forgot that our birthdays were on the same day and forgot to give them anything, so he pulled a nickel and some lint out of his pocket," Sinead related with a roll of her eyes. "The sad thing is, Ned was actually happy with the nickel. That is, until Ted's new guide dog, Flamsteed, took it from him and gave it to Ted. Then, Ted was happy with it."
This time, Amy laughed out loud. "That is sad," she said. "But I guess that's Hamilton for you. He means well, though. And anyway, he did get that girl Kenzie to clear your name."
"That's true," admitted Sinead. "And he is working a lot harder now. Did I tell you? Mr. Katswell told him yesterday that he has a 'B' average in his class. He looked so excited that I thought that grin might freeze on his face forever."
"That's great."
"Except for one thing: he won't need my help anymore. There's a big unit test in two days, and after that, he told me that I don't have to tutor him anymore." She felt her face fall. "He thought that I would be happy."
"But you're not," said Amy knowingly.
"No. I'm not."
A short span of silence struck them. Then, Amy said, her voice decisive, "Well, you know what that means, don't you? You need to tell him how you feel soon. Tomorrow, when you're studying for the test."
Sinead quirked an eyebrow. "And how do you propose I do that, Amy?"
There was a confident smile in Amy's tone, and that worried Sinead. "I have an idea…."
/
"All right, Hamilton," said Sinead the next afternoon, drumming her fingers in agitation against the table. With her other hand, she thrust the paper toward him. "I wrote out one more practice problem for you." She hesitated. "This is the last problem I'm ever going to make you work, you know, so you'd better get it right."
For more reasons than one…
Hamilton coupled a resolute nod with his toothy grin. "I will. This inequality stuff is easy as cake now."
And, clutching his stubby pencil in his fist, he got to work. The look of intense concentration might have made her crack a smile, if not for the swarm of anxious butterflies currently assailing her insides. She only continued tapping her fingers against the wood so that their slight trembling wouldn't be noticed.
Amy's plan wasn't bad, by any means. It was just Hamilton's reaction when he completed the problem and noticed the message that worried her. Amy seemed positive that he returned her feelings; Sinead was far less certain. What if he got upset?
Abruptly, he looked up from the problem, and suddenly, her heart felt as if it had frozen in her chest. He couldn't have finished already- there was no way.
But all he did was smile and say, "Hey, I just wanted to say thanks, by the way. For doing all this, you know."
She blinked. "You're welcome, Hamilton." But by the time she got the words out, he was looking back down at the problem on the sheet before him.
Tap, tap, tap, went her fingertips on the tabletop. Her heart had resumed its beating, and now, it was palpitating irregularly quickly. She was reaching the point where she wouldn't even mind if he turned her down, even if he was rude about it- it couldn't be any more torturous than this waiting.
Indeed, it took at least an eternity for him to lay down his pencil and return his gaze to her. She glanced down at the sheet; he had answered it correctly, she saw with another skip in her chest.
i (less than) 3u
Chewing lightly on the inside of her cheek out of nerves, she looked back up at him. "Is that right?" he asked with unreadable features. She nodded faintly.
A huge grin spread across his face, quicker than a flash of lightning. He stood up from the table, hardly noticing that he bowled over his chair onto the floor in the process, and the next thing Sinead knew, she was being enveloped in an enormous bear hug, so tight she couldn't breathe for several seconds.
At last, she managed to say, "So… you're happy?"
He released her, still beaming brightly. "Duh, I am! I got it right- and that was a super-tough problem!"
It took his words a few seconds to register. Then, she said slowly, "You mean… you're happy because you solved it? Not…?"
She stopped, and he titled his head and eyed her curiously. "Not what?"
Sinead shook her head, staring back down at the paper. "i (less than) 3u"- how more obvious could it be? She had literally spelled it out for him… and he still didn't see it?
"Look at it again," she said.
"But," said Hamilton, "You said I got it right. It's right, isn't it?"
"Well, yes," she said, "But can you just look at it again anyway?"
"Um, okay, if you say so…" His eyes fell on the problem again, skimming through his work until they reached the answer. "Okay, 'i' is less than '3u.' So… what?"
Sinead fought tooth and nail against the urge to facepalm; she lost. Slapping a hand to her forehead, she muttered, "And I honestly thought you had gotten smarter…."
"What was that?" asked Hamilton.
She sighed through her teeth. "Nothing."
"Oh. Well, in that case, are we done here? Because I kind of owe Reagan and Madison a rematch in Capture the Flag."
He looked at her, waiting for her approval. He didn't even notice the look of pure frustration on her face; he was so oblivious. She sighed again.
"Yeah. We're done here."
Author's Note: I know, I know, a disappointing ending to the scene. And sorry about the "(less than)" thing; it won't let me put the symbol. Lame. But anyway, don't worry, it ought to get better for Hamilton and Sinead soon. Hope you liked it anyway! :)
~Lily
