Aldric clenched his jaw. The muscle, which had been twitching, went rigid. His hands, which had been at his sides, became fists.
"Shut up," he said. The words, which were tight, were a warning. "That is just a rumor."
"Is it?" Lyssa said. The question, which was not a question but a provocation, was a poke at a wound that was already open.
Aldric did not answer. He walked. Faster. Away from his sister. Away from the words. Toward the classroom.
His girlfriend arrived. Yuki, who had been coming from the other direction, appeared. Her face, which was composed, was the face of a woman who did not know what was coming. Her notebook, which was in her arms, was pressed against her chest. Her eyes, which were dark and alert, found Aldric.
He grabbed her hand. The motion, which was rough, pulled her. She stumbled. Her feet, which had been steady, faltered.
"What are you doing?" she said. The words, which were surprised, were the words of a woman whose morning had just been disrupted.
