Topher didn't understand River's brain. He wasn't used to that. Reading a brain was like reading a map, all layered and turned. Overpasses and back allies, shortcuts through the streets. It'd gotten to a point, after a little practice and a lot of Tab, where he was able to recreate a person within a few minutes of meeting them. Any person, young, old, smart, dumb, it didn't matter. He was just good at reading maps.
Not River's. That was the hard part, looking at her and knowing that he'd never in a million years be able to get her perfectly right. His fingers itched to try; he'd always loved a challenge. Maybe he'd ask her sometime. Maybe he'd do it in his room late at night. He still hadn't decided which.
"You're different," he said, not accusingly. He was different too. But she was more so, and his curiosity was overwhelming him. As usual.