" Where were you last night? I went to your dorm room, but there was no one there, and you wouldn't answer any of my calls..."

Homeroom.

Kirie looked very distressed. He hadn't considered that she might've been upset by not being able to reach him, and it gave him a weird prickly feeling. Was it guilt? He had had guilt described to him before; it seemed a plausible answer.

" Oh, I was with Stheno," William answered. " The upperclassman dorms are really nice."

... She looked even more upset with his explanation.

" You told me you never went to any of their rooms," she said. " Besides, isn't he kind of a delinquent? Is that why you've been skipping class so much lately? I know Mr. Beaazel hasn't noticed, but I have."

" ... It's not like I'm being irresponsible," William protested. " I'm still turning all my work in on time, and getting top marks. I just wanted to be around him more because he's interesting."

The teacher came in, a little late, and so Kirie returned to her seat.