"Tam and Tara are a couple!" Linh squealed.

"What?" I shrieked.

Dex looked startled by my squeal, but he wasn't a romantic like me. I shot out of my seat, and across the room.

"They're a couple!" Linh repeated.

They're good with each other. They're totally soulmates.

"Aw," I sighed dramatically. "They're so cute."

They really are. Tam's snarky emo persona, and Tara's need to care for everybody she loves.

"I. Am. Not. Cute!" Tam shouted, annoyed with our squeals.

He could be annoying at times, but Tara brings out a better side of him. A happier side that won't tear our heads off.

"Yes, you are very cute," Linh said. "Tara must think so."

She knew just how to say it, so that he couldn't protest without embarrassing himself, but not protesting would also be embarrassing.

"I-But-I," Tam stammered incoherently. "It's different!"

He threw his hands up in exasperation. I knew he'd come around. He's going to understand someday. In a couple centuries.

"It's okay." Linh said, patting his head the way my mom would pat mine when I did something well. "It's okay."

"Argh!" Tam screeched.

He stalked away, probably towards the animal pastures. He can vent about this to Verdi.

"Well," I said. "Spill. I want all the juicy details."

I was dying to know exactly how Tara had managed to thaw Tam's icy exterior.

"I'm outta here," Dallas muttered, walking towards the pile of mallowmelt.

"I was on a sugar high, and I told him that I liked him," Tara said. "He said the same, and well, now we're a couple."

"It couldn't have been that simple!" I said.

Well, maybe. It is Tam, after all.

"This is Tam we're talking about," Linh said. "Not Fitz. He gets all glamorous. But Tam doesn't."

Fitz did tend to worry about how his displays looked. Tam didn't care.

"True," I said. "But still. There has to be more to it."

"Well, there really wasn't," Tara said.

She seems like a private person. Maybe there really isn't anything more.

"Just like Tam," Linh added. "What you see is what you get."

"Yeah," Tara said. "Just like that."

"Oh," I said, disappointed.

"I saw you having a very animated conversation with Dex," Linh said.

I could feel my cheeks redden. Not this. I think I'm over Keefe now. But Dex, with his strawberry blond hair, and dimpled smile? I can feel myself falling for him, and there's nothing I can do.

"Oh! I," I blushed. "I was just talking about this dress design I had, with metal. I was hoping he could help."

Totally a lie, but I wasn't exactly dying to tell them. I'm worried that they'll hate me. Because Dex's parents aren't nobles. They won't, but sometimes I can't always calm these fears with logic.

"You're blushing," Tara said.

"So?" I asked, trying to cover my flaming cheeks with my hair.

I'm never teasing Sophie about her blushing again. It's really embarrassing. I have no idea what I was thinking.

"You're trying to hide it," Linh added.

"Okay, I might have a tiny crush on him," I said, staring at the ground.

Linh and Tara squealed. If it was one of them admitting a crush, I would've squealed too, but I don't know how much more embarrassment I can take.

Luckily, Dex isn't in the kitchen. I'm pretty sure he's hanging out with Sophie in her room.

"That's so cute!" Linh said enthusiastically.

Tara smiled. "So freaking cute."

"It's not that cute," I said.

Dex is cute, but I'm not saying it. I don't want him to know. I'm just getting through to him. I don't want to ruin our new friendship by having a crush on him.

"It is that cute," Tara argued.

"Ugh," I sighed. "Just don't tell Dex, okay?"

If they did, everything would be ruined. My friendship with him, the slimmest possibility that he actually liked me. There was that moment in the garden.

"Of course we won't." Linh said, hugging me. "But Dex is great. He's not going to hurt you on purpose."

On purpose? Is he going to hurt me another way? Inadvertently?

"But..." I said, prompting her to go on.

I needed her to finish that sentence. If she didn't, I don't know what I'd do.

"But I've never met a boy who hasn't hurt their girl on accident," she said.

Every couple had their rough patches. Those were tests. To see if your love was strong enough to last, and to persevere beyond them. If not, your love isn't really true love.

"If he really loves you, he'll do everything he can to make it up to you," Tara said. "I know Tam would."

"He's loyal, once you're in his heart," Linh said.

I can see that much about him.

"So," I said, excited at the thought of makeovers. "When are you going on a date?"

For Tara, I was thinking red, with a little bit of blue. That way, you can really notice those bright blue eyes. They're a really stunning shade of blue. All four of them have that stunning blue. And not too much makeup. Mostly eye makeup. To enhance those eyes.

Linh would look best in a blue-green dress, with silver accents to match her hair. Maybe a dusting of silver eyeshadow to make those silver eyes of her's look even more silvery.

"Who?" Linh asked.

"Either one of you," I said. "I'll give you a makeover."

"Tam hasn't said anything about a date," Tara said dreamily.

I had my own hopes of a future with Dex. But they weren't going to come true. They were too far off, too much fantasy.

"Maybe you should ask him!" I said, "He could take you to Atlantis. There are so many cute shops there!"

That was where I wanted my first date with Dex to be. A nice restaurant in Atlantis, romantic lighting. It would be gorgeous.

"I dunno. Maybe," Tara said quietly.

"Linh," Dallas said. "I missed ya."

She smiled at him, as they started talking softly.

"Go back to Dex," Tara said. "You can spend more time with your crush!"

"Ssh!" I hissed.

I didn't want anyone to know about this crush. I couldn't take the embarrassment. The feeling of drowning in anticipation.

"Well, go," Tara shooed me towards the third floor.

Sophie's room. Where Dex was currently hanging out.

"What about Sophie?" I asked. "She'll be there too."

"Well, have fun!" Tara said gleefully, before opening the door, and shoving me through.

"Tara!" I shouted, bracing for impact.

Instead, I felt strong arms around my waist, pulling me onto my feet. A pair of periwinkle blue eyes met mine, twinkling with amusement.

"That was Tara," I said. "She shoved me."

"Are you alright?" Dex asked.

"I-I'm fine," I stammered. "Thanks."

I smiled at him. I'm sure my cheeks were a bright red.