i'm just that fascinating i guess

[self_composed]

The first day Bella spends out and about with her new who's-watching-me powers, she is rather alarmed.

Maybe she's just mistaken about how much time people spend looking at reasonably pretty eighteen-year-old girls. She kills a pentagon to try it on a nearby control - who's looking at that girl over there?

Fewer people. Fewer people are looking at that random girl, and less intently. They're looking at her familiarly - they know her - or casually - they're checking her out.

[I have a spy problem,] Bella says. She makes a faintly exaggerated show of snapping her fingers in frustration and turning around. She's going back to her room to get a mirror and bobby pins and barettes, so she can spy back on the pretense of checking her hair, without making it overwhelmingly obvious that she knows what's going on.

Comments

[edgeofyourseat]

[No promises,] he chirps.

[nonbird]

[I don't discomfit quite that easily,] says Lazarus, amused.

[self_composed]

[By Alice's standards, you absolutely do,] Bella says.

[nonbird]

[And what are Alice's standards?]

[edgeofyourseat]

[Well, what kind of stuff freaks you out?]

[self_composed]

[Let me put it this way: Lazarus, when Alice found out about Bridget's power, his first instinct was to be very sorry for her, because she's missing out on his favorite thing. Alice: I have already been asked not to describe any "unsanitary" methods by which you could generate large coins.]

[nonbird]

[...Oh my,] says Lazarus.

[edgeofyourseat]

Alice laughs.

[self_composed]

[So, yes,] Bella says. [Discomfiture. It could happen to you.]

[edgeofyourseat]

Alice laughs some more!

[nonbird]

[Yes,] says Lazarus, [I think I'm getting the idea.]

[self_composed]

[Say,] says Bella. [I described Kolya as your "roommate" - but now it occurs to me that I might be mistaken? Is he your boyfriend instead?]

[nonbird]

[Well, he is my roommate,] says Lazarus. [Regardless of other concerns.]

[self_composed]

[Yes, but in English it is not customary to refer to all cohabiting people as roommates, just the ones who aren't dating or related.]

[nonbird]

[In that case, I cannot help you there,] says Lazarus.

[edgeofyourseat]

[Well, are you screwing him?]

[nonbird]

[Not currently,] he deadpans.

[self_composed]

[Okay, I suppose we've established that you don't wish to be informative,] says Bella dryly. [Since currently you are in an abandoned warehouse waiting for Libby-or-whoever to... I don't know, get out of traffic.]

[nonbird]

[Yes, thank you for reminding me,] he sighs.

[edgeofyourseat]

Alice is not so easily deterred from the previous line of questioning.

[Do you love him?]

[nonbird]

[Yes,] says Lazarus, caught somewhat off-guard.

[self_composed]

[Aww,] says Bella, unexpectedly delighted.

[nonbird]

[Who goes around asking people that?!] he wonders despairingly.

[edgeofyourseat]

[I wanted to know,] says an unrepentant Alice.

[self_composed]

[Alice goes around asking people that,] Bella says helpfully.