Kapitel 51: The Prodigious Nim, Part Twenty

{Armia}

Armia couldn't quite believe she was doing this. 

Walking side by side with Melisa, making her way to the nim girl's house again... it felt surreal.

[What am I thinking?] she wondered, her tail swishing nervously behind her. [There's no project involved this time. Hanging out with Melisa? Casually? Just like that? This is a terrible idea.]

But despite her misgivings, Armia found herself strangely excited.

It had been so long since she'd just... relaxed with someone. Anyone who wasn't her brother, anyway, and even then talking to him was rarely relaxing. 

[Maybe it won't be so bad,] she mused as they approached Melisa's front door. [It's just for a little while, right? What's the worst that could happen?]

"Mom, Dad, I'm home!" Melisa called out as they stepped inside. "And I brought a friend!"