"And yet, I imagine that if you put one there, it's probably not going to end up with its newfound problems solved."

"Depends on the slug, I guess."

"I think enough slugs are like that to make it a valid insult."

"Okay, that much I'll grant you."

"So, yeah, she has a temper. I've only seen it like once, though, she's good about--stuff like that."

"Ah. Yeah." He looks like he's considering saying more than that, but class seems like it's right about to start.

Yep. Class! Afterwards Anna-Sophia would like to know if he wants directions to his next one.

"Yeah, thanks -" He consults his timetable. "AP Calculus?"

Directions!

AP Calculus!

AP Calculus and AP English are relatively far away from each other; several other students have arrived by the time he shows up. One of them is probably familiar!

"My future wife! Hello!" he says, sitting next to her.

That gets the two of them strange looks from the other students present.

"Hello! Fancy seeing you here."

He giggles. "English was good! Anna-Sophia explained that you don't have a password! I feel like that's a really easily hackable system. Like, it's hard to guess that that's the setup, but guessing that that's the setup and being really good at bluffing are all the work that needs to be done."

"It's not really a system, I'd never done it before."

"Well, yes, but the fact that you could do it represents a security vulnerability in your friendship. Not that most people optimize their friendships for airtight security protocols, I'm just saying."

"I promise if I ever have reason to believe someone wants to infiltrate our friendship I'll tighten the OpSec."

"Good! I'm sure the members of your secret spy ring will thank you!"

"Anna-Sophia probably wouldn't actually be in my counterfactual spy ring; she'd find it stressful."

"That's just what I'd expect you to say if she was a key member of your secret spy ring!"

"If she was a key member of my secret spy ring, why would you believe her when she said we don't have a password?"

He laughs. "You got me there."

She giggles. "And that is why I counterfactually have a secret spy ring and you don't."

"The reason I don't have a secret spy ring is because I don't want one."

"True, it was your brother who suggested you join mine, not you, wasn't it."