Finding someone to eat lunch with proved more difficult than Liam had anticipated. Vasilio was the first to make his excuses—he had a "totally not a date" with Rebecca. Mori was going somewhere—she wouldn't say exactly where—with Dustin and his crew. Sylvia, Ruth, and Jonah had a lunch meeting with the SGA. Stephanie was eating with her sister, and Liam would have felt too awkward to ask to eat with her anyways.
Chelsea seemed the most obvious option. He knew she usually ate with the other freshmen, but he thought he could detach her for some one-on-one time… if he could find her first. When he did finally catch her on the way out of the school gate, however, she was so already engaged with a large crowd of her classmates that Liam knew it was hopeless.
"What's your secret?" said Liam to the Mightyena that lounged beside the gate guard's shack. "Girls can't stay away from you?"
The shaggy Pokemon yawned and wagged its tail.
"Thanks for the advice," said Liam.
"He always g-gives good advice," said a quiet voice at Liam's shoulder.
It was Orchid. Liam immediately felt embarrassed, and wondered whether she had heard his original question.
"You up for lunch?" said Liam, trying to sound casual.
"S-sure," said Orchid, and they left out the main gate together.
They walked in silence for a while. Liam knew it was better to let Orchid choose the subject first.
"When can I b-borrow your Houndour?" asked Orchid as they passed the first shop around the corner from the school.
"When are you gonna have time to paint him?"
Orchid shrugged.
"Maybe tonight," she replied. "It might take a f-few days."
They were walking by the Traditional Ji Minority Restaurant, and Liam noticed the sound of raucous foreign voices from inside. It was the group of freshmen that Chelsea had left with, just as cheery and wild as ever, crowded around one of the low tables and (by the sound of it) having a marvelous time. Liam spotted Chelsea sitting between Marsha and John, a Ferrumian boy that Liam had talked to once or twice. Actually, "sitting" was putting it mildly—Chelsea was leaning against him, giggling and grinning at some hilarious story he was telling. He whispered something in her ear, and in response she poked him with her chopsticks, provoking another round of laughter. They elbowed each other in the ribs, then laughed again—Chelsea's freckled face turning redder and redder with her growing mirth.
The sight made Liam's stomach turn. Liam searched his memory, trying desperately to find other moments, other interactions that could clarify what he was seeing. He had watched Chez and John battling together back at fall camp, but… that had been nothing. He hoped it had been nothing. He wasn't sure anymore.
"They're s-so… loud," muttered Orchid as the laughter of the other freshmen faded from earshot.
"Yeah," said Liam.
He resolved not to think about it anymore. He was out with Orchid—a pretty, talented girl who had invited him to a school dance. He decided to focus on her.
"How long is it until Winter Ball, again?" asked Liam.
Orchid shrugged.
"It's like… December 12. Maybe? I don't know."
"Are you not excited?"
Orchid shot Liam an agitated glance.
"It's a dance," she said dismissively. "I just asked you b-because you were my friend. It's n-not that I—."
"That's not what I meant," said Liam quickly. "It just… sounds like fun. I bet the food will be good."
Orchid glanced at Liam again, and, seeing that he was being serious, visibly relaxed.
"N-noodles for lunch?"
"Sure," said Liam. "Oh, and here."
He handed Orchid the Pokeball that held his Houndour.
"Just don't level him up. I wanna be there when he evolves."
Orchid's eyes lit up.
"Can I b-borrow him again when that happens?"
"Of course," said Liam.
Orchid's hummed excitedly as she pocketed the Pokeball.