~ ZARA ~
"Tough audience tonight," I muttered to myself, at a loss as to how to draw positive attention to myself without risking putting my foot in my mouth again.
Maybe I'd just take a break and have a drink until Agatha was ready to talk again, and ask her. She'd mock me for not knowing, but I was beginning to see that if I dusted off the insults, she often offered good advice underneath all those rolled eyes and burdened sighs.
"I do not understand you people," I murmured under my breath. "You're weird."
A small, choking laugh sounded to my right and I startled.
Turning, I found an old man—older than Agatha, I thought—sitting stiffly on the other end of the bench and peering at me, rubbing his mouth like he was hiding a smile.
"I'm sorry," I said quickly. "It was rude—I didn't realize you were there, sir."