"Oh, nothing's wrong with him," the friend assures her. "Stellar sense of humour, adorable accent... thing is, though, he's a total ice queen. Girl's got more chance of winning the lottery than getting him to like her."

"I think it has its charms, personally."

"Are you basing this solely on him not liking you as much as you like? Because a majority of the population is, reportedly, heterosexual. Or do you have more examples?"

"Sure, but I don't think it'll do a good job of helping me not stutter when I try to talk about Czechoslovakia. Whose idea was it to name the place Czechoslovakia?"

"Czechs," says Ethan, "and maybe Slovaks?"

"I never said he doesn't fuck me," the friend points out. "I said he doesn't like me. I know they kind of sound similar, but they're really not the same thing."

"Probably those egotistical Czechs and Slovaks, naming things after themselves. They should have named the place after something pronounceable instead."

"So he's emotionally unavailable," translates Bella, "and I should possibly remind Andi that there is an entire island full of people with accents like his."

"Yeah. Ice queen. Like I said."

"And yet," says Ethan, "you just pronounced it."

"Thanks for the warning. I think she'll survive chatting and eating Tuna Surprise with him, though, so I don't think I'll literally grab her and run unless someone pulls the fire alarm. And she'd probably be the one grabbing me, in that case, I'm the one who can't run if her life depends on it."

"Yeah, but not in front of lots of people worrying about my grade."

"Suit yourself," the friend says amicably.

"Lucky," sighs Andi, and she sips her juice.

"Always do."

Yes, consuming the least questionable parts of their meals in silence, what a brilliant plan.

"Bella. I'm afraid I don't remember yours confidently enough to hazard a guess."

Andi will not be thwarted! He should talk. In his lovely accent. Hmmm. "I guess I wouldn't actually have to talk about Czechoslovakia in particular since it's American history. Is that weird for you, doing a whole year on American history?"

"Sort of comes with the territory, doesn't it?"

"I," says Ethan's friend, with immense pride and satisfaction, "am Trouble."

"I guess. Wow, if we moved to another country and went to school there I guess we'd learn all kinds of details I never think about. How come you moved here, anyway? Do you like it?"

"That isn't remotely like what I would have guessed. Nickname?"

Trouble giggles. "You bet." He tips his head back at Ethan. "He came up with it. It's my favourite."