“Y’know, she’s changed recently...” Erin muttered.
For once again, Roslia was trying to shirk her chores. But to everyone’s surprise, the one reprimanding her for it now...was none other than Sofie herself.
“Household duties are a shared responsibility,” she reminded the lazy paladin. “If you don’t follow through on your part, you cause a problem for everyone else.”
“Then if you’d just do my chores for me—”
“That wouldn’t be any good for you. You need to change your indolent ways.”
Sofie was doing an excellent job of turning down favors she would have readily agreed to before. Erin and I watched this new sight unfold in wonder.
“You’re right,” I observed in agreement with Erin’s earlier comment. “She doesn’t seem to have a problem speaking her mind anymore.”
“And that’s a good thing. It really feels like she’s part of the party now.”
“Yeah.”
“I have to wonder what brought it on, though. She started acting like this after that night, didn’t she?”
“...”
“Why aren’t you saying anything, Note?”
“No reason...”
When Erin said “that night,” she was referring to the night I’d called Sofie out to chat on floor 18. We’d blown the whole night just talking, sharing secrets with each other that we couldn’t with anyone else. It had allowed her to get everything off her chest, and I was pretty sure being relieved of that burden was what had effected this change in her behavior. It was a good thing—but because we’d ended up spending the entire night out, the rest of the party had questions.
Upon returning to camp the following morning, we were subjected to a thorough interrogation about what we’d been doing. In reality, all we’d done was talk. Too bad no one believed that. They tried prying into what we’d talked about, but we couldn’t exactly tell them. Sofie and I were partners in crime now. It was going to take more than a little interrogation to make us spill each other’s secrets. And thanks to our silence on the matter, the party was still suspicious about what had actually gone down that night.
“You did something to her after all, didn’t you?” Erin asked in an accusatory tone.
“I really didn’t,” I assured her.
“Enough already! Just confess the truth and get it over with!”
“I’ve been telling you nothing but the truth, though.”
“I get it! Boys want quiet girls like her, right?! The docile and demure kind! Well, sorry for being a stubborn loudmouth!”
“Where are you getting your information, exactly...?”
While I was trying to think of a way to calm Erin down, a new voice cut in on our conversation—“Hey, you two! Stop arguing like a couple fighting about cheating and save me!”
I looked over to see Roslia being dragged away by Sofie, who scolded her as they went. “It’s time for you to clean the bathtub.”
“I’m not in the mood today! I need a nap!” Roslia howled.
“Don’t worry. You can nap after you clean the bath.”
Honestly, it was an impressive feat of strength on Sofie’s part. Even Roslia seemed to realize resistance was futile at this point. She fell limp and silent as she simply let the knight haul her away.
✦ ✦ ✦
“So you were cheating...” Erin muttered, looking at me.
“Shouldn’t you be a little more concerned about Roslia getting dragged off, Erin?” I had to ask.
“And now you’re trying to change the subject! That’s not gonna work.”
“Please listen to me...”
Erin and I weren’t dating yet, so even if I had done something with Sofie, it wouldn’t technically be cheating... But pointing that out would have only gotten me in more trouble, so I chose to keep quiet.
“Just so you know, Erin, you’re the third woman! I’m first, of course, and Sofie is second now!” Roslia called back to us.
“How did I end up third?!” Erin demanded.
“Can the peanut gallery please keep comments to herself while she’s being carted away?” I asked in exasperation.
“Note doesn’t see me as a romantic partner. We just have a secret connection,” Sofie offered.
“What is that supposed to mean?! What kind of secret connection?! If it’s not romantic, that just makes it sound more suspicious!”
“Ooh, so you’re friends with benefits?”
“Stop it, Roslia!” I shouted. “Don’t use a turn of phrase Sofie might take the wrong way!”
That was it. This conversation was beyond salvageable. I prayed for someone to save me. I wanted to be somewhere else—anywhere else.
“Regardless of what benefits my friendship with Note has, you’re going to clean the bathtub, Roslia,” Sofie insisted.
“No, don’t talk about our friendship like that!” I yelped. “At least deny it!”
“Even if I do, they’ll still continue to suspect us. It’s a waste of energy.”
“Nevertheless!”
Sofie had a point. She and I had refuted any and all accusations about what happened “that night,” but it didn’t seem like it was doing anything to mitigate everyone’s doubts. This was apparently what life with the Arrivers was going to look like from now on.