Bryce Lynch didn't understand.
More than that, he found himself in the unique position of being completely out of his depth and, stumbling slightly into the wall behind him, he tried to extrapolate how exactly he'd gotten into this predicament.
Just moments before, he'd been on top of the game. A few elementary maneuvers, and the entire news department was eating out of his hand. Heck, they were ready to declare him the best controller since...well, ever. Then the realities of life in the Newsroom had reasserted themselves and people either returned to their stations or made their way out to join whatever was left of the celebrations. Now that Censor was dumped, he could grab an extra Controller to handle whatever minor requests Edison might've had and go back to his department. He'd even been on his way there, when this girl stopped him outside the elevator.
He knew all that. It all followed a logical progression, well, all up until the girl had stopped him, then it went right to hell.
This girl who, if her babble was to be trusted, had seen him in the Newsroom, was asking him to go with her to the Sky Clearance festival.
Him.
A Girl.
The festival.
With her.
A Girl.
What was worse, he found himself nodding.
Wait, when had he decided anything? Was he going to have to listen to this drivel all night?
For all that he felt like a gaping idiot, she seemed not to notice and just smiled at him -- she'd even taken his hand. As they stepped in to the elevator, Bryce tried once again to process exactly what was happening and how it had gotten away from him. He glanced down at their hands; what she was saying wasn't any less inane, but somehow he found he didn't mind it as much.