Savannah isn't even subtle about her grin. Just watching, grinning, available as backup if Mike decides to try anything violent.

Savannah bursts into helpless laughter.

"He went after me in history," says Darren, heading over to Bella. "Savannah, do you want to explain what I said? I might get rambly if I tried."

"Ha ha, sure," laughs Savannah, and then she says, "Darren was not happy with how he was talking about you and took offense and spent most of his time bludgeoning him with logic that he wouldn't pay attention to! He had metaphorical claws, it was great!"

Bells snorts. "I guess it didn't take. Well, that was unhealthily fun."

"I'm going to compare it unfavorably to arguing with a brick wall. Did you know he used the word hoarding? As a way to describe what he thought I was doing? Utterly seriously? Like I could actually manage it?!"

"There probably exist human beings who could be something-that-might-ineloquently-be-described-as-hoarded with the right kind of gaslighting. So basically he was accusing you of a nasty abuse tactic aimed at isolating me. His concern for my welfare might be charming if it... existed."

"Right, which was why I couldn't just shut him down, he wouldn't believe me about your preferences. But my point was the entire time he was using - the sort of language that was treating you like some kind of horrific prize. It was disgusting."

"I would hope I would not in and of myself be horrifying if encountered in prize format," says Bella archly.

Darren laughs. "No, not what I meant. The idea that someone could be awarded as a prize is horrific. You are lovely."

"Why thank you. Anyway, do you think your dad will let us have the car circa dinnertime?"

"If I ask nicely, I think so. If he needs it for something I can probably just make dinner and we can have something impromptu at home. If er - that doesn't bother you?"

"Doesn't bother me in principle, although I wonder how well-behaved a co-occupant of the building Savannah will be."

"I would be extremely well behaved!" says Savannah indignantly.

"Savannah. Would you, or would you not eviscerate several innocent flowers for their petals and then fling them at us?"

"... Totally would. But I would dump them on you both from above when you kissed."

"There you have it, Bella."

"So I would prefer a less invested audience, if any. Let's hope we can have the car."

Darren snorts with laughter. "Hopefully."

"Also I don't think you can really eviscerate a flower. They don't have viscera."

"Pffff. Okay, what's the best word for 'systematically rip petals off of flowers' then?"

"Dismember? Dismantle, maybe, for the cleaner term."

"Dismember tends to imply ripping off limbs, which flowers don't tend to have. Dismantle feels more robotic and doesn't quite have the flavor I was looking for."

"Disassemble probably has the same problem. Hmm."