Talia was putting muffins in the oven when a girl around her age said: "So, I heard you like Skif. Vanessa said the way you bumped into him in the hall was obviously intentional!"

"What are you talking about?" Talia was puzzled

"As if you don't know! I love that innocent act! It's so attractive to guys! Gods! He'll be yours in no time! You're good! You'd think guys would be chasing you like girls chase Kris!"

Talia was still lost. "Okay. Well, um, what's your name?"

"Carlette. Carlette Burntston."

"Well, I best be setting the table. Good-bye Carlette."

"Good-bye!"

A few minutes later everyone flooded into the room for breakfast. Skif sat across from Talia. He smiled at her and she melted.

'Gods, she's right, I do like Skif. But all that wasn't intentional. Really it wasn't.' But Talia really wasn't so sure.

After breakfast Talia got a candlemark to read for a while. She went to the library and guess who was there, none other than Skif.

"Heyla. You're Talia, right. I keep running into you. Would you like to hangout in my room tonight? You know, to get to know each other if we're destined to meet so often." Skif smiled

"Um, well, okay, I guess. Sure. Why not?"