Her mom opened the door to her room, entered, and closed it again. “Alice, Gau's here again. He's brought you some samples from the Deep Veldt as well as something he said you wanted. Something about flowers?” Alice cringed and tucked her knees to her chin. “Are you sure you don't want to see him?”
Alice's eyes clouded with tears, and she gripped the corner of her pillow but didn't roll over. “Yes,” tone blank.
“Alice, what's wrong?”
“Nothing.”
“But this is the third time he's tried to see you.” Alice didn't say a word. “Well, I'll tell him you're sleeping, but next time I'm sending him in.”
The door clicked shut as a tear fell onto her pillow. Alice rolled onto her back. What's so great about Carol? She's a fluffy make-up head who doesn't do anything but hang out with giggling nothings with less on their minds than a Flan. A pang of guilt made her throw off the blankets and sit up. She dangled her feet over the side of the bed. Hey, I can do a Paytha! I can giggle like some well-trained monkey and flutter my eyelashes! I can doll myself up and look at math problems with an empty stare!
Alice made a face and slipped out of bed, kicking at her slippers before leaning against the wall by her window to stare outside. When she saw Carol and Gau gathered underneath the tree ten feet outside her window, she grimaced and turned away, stubbing her toe on the leg of her rocking chair. She swore.
“Do you eat with that mouth?”
Alice shot Eric a glower. “Not today,” she growled. “Believe me, you don't want any of this.”
Eric examined her expression as she limped to the bed and sat down. “Whoa.”
“Considering the piss-factor in this room,” she said as she glowered at the window, “I would suggest you leave. Fast.”
Eric actually took a step backward. “Alice . . . .” He cleared his throat and tugged at the belt of his trousers before stepping forward again. “Alice, I might be taking my life into my hands, but . . . what's wrong?”
Her frown deepened. “Look out the window, if you can take the sugar-shock.”
Raising an eyebrow, he made his way to the window to look out with a shrug. “Carol's sitting under the tree with Ga--Oh.” He stepped from the window. “Got it.”
“It's hard to miss She's been throwing herself at him from the day he got here You'd think she didn't already have nearly all the guys drooling their lives away No, she's got to have him too, just to prove she can do it!”
“Geez, Alice. Carol's not that bad.”
Alice's eyes pinned him. “‘Not that bad’? One more melodious laugh and I will rip out her vocal chords!” Eric's eyes widened as he stared at her, speechless. Then there sounded the faint sound of laughter. Alice bolted to her feet. “Right. She's mine.”
Eric straightened, dashing after her to grab her arm. “I don't think that's a very good idea.”
Alice slapped Eric's hand from her arm. “Back off, Trugate.”
“Or what? You'll scratch my eyes out?”
Alice clenched her jaw and strode to her window to glare outside.
Eric stared at her a moment longer before turning to leave. A few moments later, he strode up to Carol and grabbed her by the arm, lifting her to her feet as he pointed at Gau and then at Alice's window, his mouth moving quickly. Gau stood and turned, staring toward her window for a long moment before following after Eric and Carol. Alice turned away, slipping back into bed and rolling over onto her side. Different? I'm not that different. I'm just . . . I'm just Alice.