#rivervale_lodge

"Jaymes isn't..." A huff, frustrated. "Jaymes is different."

"He's safe."

"He is" she says"I might ask a boy out myself. "

"Well, sure."

"Bet you could have any guy you wanted."

"I probably could," She admits "but , of course,if I say that i Might jinx myself. Not sure. Zane is clearly hoping I'll ask him out. He's a good dancer at least"

"And, you know..." A gesture, gently touching one of her horns.

"He's got horns?" She says "what of it?"

A sigh. "Can't say it out loud like that at school. But yeah, exactly that. I mean, you could ask one of the meathead football players, too..."

"oh right" she lowers her voice "good point. I should be more careful"

She shrugs. "We got opposite problems, in that regard - right?"

'I suppose, right of ignorance is for us both. Unless you mean you're talking about a different problem?"

"Well, that too - but I mean, I gotta learn the one, you gotta learnt he other."

""I'm not sure I follow" She admits

A shrug and she gets her books from her locker. "I know what the real world is like, you know the other stuff."

"Now that soundss more like Siv to me, but yes I suppose there is some truth to it. What are you going to do? protect me from all boys? "

A brief flush of purple. "No."

"Good, that would be tiring" She says

"But you have to be careful, you know?"

She tilts her head "I appreciate your concern. I just don't want to see ALL men or even all boys as evil lecherous things"

A frown and a shrug, amber eyes sliding away from the sidhe - not looking at her as she mumbles a soft "Yeah."

"What about Simon?" a thought

"I don't think he'd wanna go to the dance with anybody. And, I mean, you don't like him."

"I was thinking you. He might go out with you if you asked"

She wrinkles her nose. "He wouldn't wanna go. And.. I mean, he's Symon. He's my friend, he's not a boy."

"exactly, it's a great way for you to come along without any stupidd expectations."

"I don't..." She frowns, and tugs on her cardigan (not hoodie!) sleeves. "I don't wanna go to no stupid dance."

"Okay, no one is making you." She says "It was just an idea since you wanted to protect me and i'm going."

She chews on a hangnail, frowning. "You're sure you're going?"

"why wouldn't I? " She says "I like dancing. And like you hinted, what boy would say no?"

"I dunno... " A scowl. "None, I guess. You're pretty, and popular, and perfect."

"Yes, that's why the Chieftain treats me like I'm a security threat" wry "And I keep getting warned to behave, because of my perfection."

"You don't even know." A sulky glare. "You think you're the only one that has to follow rules? Or has to be warned about behaving?"

"I know they love you, they tolerate me. I'ma responslibity, you're family."

She frowns. "That's not... I was a responsibility. They took me from the Browns because of the bugs."

"That's why Jaymes took me."

"Please, the patterns are clear... he's your father. Responsibility doesn't have him park back like other girls WISH their dads would. Responsibility doesn't have him puttigg up Pagoda tree houses big enough to hold you and some monkey he's ever seen. it's love . Something Varich aren't often allowed." A thought "I think I envy you, Dagmar. How odd is that?"

"It's crazy, that's what."

A grin "A bit. But I think you should be glad he's crazy like a dad."

She bits on her lower lip, arms wrapped around her torso. "It doesn't make any sense. I don't wanna screw it up."

"I don't think you will... you'll make mistakes, but this isn't a 3 strikes you are out or wahtever they say in Basketball"

"Tanya was in, what, six placements? Sam's been in over twenty."

"yes, but she was only half a person then, and she only had fosters. You are more complete- And you have a dad. "

"Yeah. This one is better than Sam. I know that."

"It's Sam AND Dagmar, not just Sam. " She says "i've been learning about the commoner way. You lose a lot of purity, but you do gain a resilience. "

She hangs her head and shrugs.

"It's a compliment" She says

"Being Sam ain't one."

"I don't see it the way you do, sam is a survivor, and a part of you, but then, what do I know? Look, you don't have to go to the Dance just because I probably will. that's not .." A thought "That's not fair to you. I just don't know many people well, and it will be nice if some folks I do talk to are there"

She fidgets. "You have to be nice to Symon."