"Brian's mailing him the stuff for me."

"That's really nice of him."

Maybe this will be fine after all.

Nod nod nod nod nod.

"How'd you approach the subject?"

"I sort of mumbled a lot and he figured it out and then he said his sister was a nurse and has to lockpick stuff off people all the time and if he got the things in the mail he'd probably take the hint and I'd be safe."

"And did he ask you out?"

"...kinda?"

"Mmhm?"

"He wants me to come back this afternoon to, like, talk. I dunno if that counts."

"It definitely counts." She beams encouragingly.

"How do you know it definitely counts?"

"We-ell, at the very least he wants to talk, which is good in and of itself, but I think if he wasn't even a little interested he might not have bothered."

"Maybe he just felt sorry for me."

"That'd explain why he got his sister to pick your locks, but I don't know if he'd've asked you to come over today if that was all."

"He could be checking up on me to make sure Ma- Mason didn't come after me or something."

"He could've done that by calling you, or by calling the school. I mean, I suppose it's not that implausible, but."

"Why would he call the school?"

"If he thought someone needed to check up on you or something, or couldn't reach you, or whatever," she shrugs.

"I guess."

"He seems nicer than Mason already, though."

Nod nod. Nod nod nod nod.

"You look pretty happy."

"I do?"

"Chipper, at least."

"I guess."