Re: Sally & Danny
There was a list of people Sally wasn't interested in seeing at moments like these (or many others.) Typically, it read: everyone. Some people, however, got a bloody gold star next to their names, they were exceptionally unwelcome.
And Danny damn Mahealani had witnessed enough.
"She's not that scrawny," David said. But the bite, the eagerness, of earlier was dimming. The ugliness was crawling back under its rock. "Come on, man, this is nothing."
"We were just talking," Shortie added.
Which was of course when the Two-Rows-Ahead-in-Spanish said, "Right, Sally?"
She was looking right at her and she looked like she knew Sally would agree. God, she looked friendly.
"Yeah," Sally said. "Just talking. It's nothing."
David raised his brows towards Danny. He was smiling and looking friendly too. It was a regular party now, a goodwill gala, a romp! David slapped Danny on the shoulder and said--something. Someone laughed. Sally was having a hard time catching the specifics through the cold rush in her ears.
And then somehow, they were gone--David, Shortie, and the Spanish Influenza--and it was just her.
And Danny.
"That was nice," Sally said flatly. She turned to Danny, trying to look towards him rather than at him. It was a handy trick, provided you didn't mind spending a lot of time staring at people's shirt collars. "I won't tell Finstock. If that's what you're worried about."
BHH had a surprisingly strong harassment policy. Since coming back to school Sally had gotten excellent first hand experience with its nooks and crannies.