Do You Mind?

Writers: Yvonne
Date Posted: 18th May 2015

Characters: Alina, Jerinne
Description: Alina gets an odd request and hears some rumors.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 13, day 6 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: J'ackt, Saidrene

Alina

"Psst!"

Alina paused in the hall. It was late, and she was on her way back to her tiny weyr after a long day and a trip to the baths. She stared as a girl about her own age peeked out from behind a door and frantically waved her over. The girl was familiar... Jerinne. Jerinne from the kitchens. They'd spent time on dish duty together before Alina had Impressed, but apparently not enough since her name had escaped Alina for a moment.

"Jerinne?" Curiously Alina walked over and slipped through the door, which turned out to lead into a linen closet. The scent of dried herb sachets hung heavy in the air. "What's up?"

"I... how are you?" Jerinne asked nervously. She pulled a strand of her long blond hair over her shoulder and twisted it around her fingers.

Alina shrugged, curiosity really piqued now. "All right. Weyrling classes take a lot out of you, though. How about you?"

"Oh... fine." The kitchen girl smiled brightly. "I have a question to ask, but you have to promise not to be mad."

That didn't bode well, but there was no way she could leave now. "All right," Alina said cautiously.

"It's about J'ackt," Jerinne said in a rush.

The greenrider's eyebrows shot up in surprise as her discomfort grew. "What about him?"

"Do you mind if I hit on him? I just-- he's just so _handsome_." Jerinne's expression went soft and dreamy. She leaned back against the wall and sighed. "His face, his beautiful body... I know he's dangerous but I can't stop thinking about him and I'm going totally crazy. I know you two are together, but--"

"WHAT!?" Alina nearly dropped her wash bag in shock. Jerinne might as well have punched her in the gut.

"I-- so you're not?" Jerinne smiled. "Oh good! Because I know you're into that Holder stuff and you two were kissing by the lake--"

"What? No-- how?" Someone had _seen_ them? And now the entire _Weyr_ knew about it!? Alina felt her shock solidify into horror. What would everyone think of her? She'd avoided J'ackt as much as she'd been able to since their little talk, but apparently not enough to stem a tide of rumors. Flame him-- how could he have been so stupid?! This was all his fault, never mind that she'd maybe, sort of, liked the kiss. Just a bit. After the fact. Alina shook her head. "That's not-- where did you hear rubbish like that?"

"From Ophill, who heard it from one of the Candidates. How was it? I bet he's such a good kisser--"

"I wouldn't know," Alina said stiffly. Her fingers tightened around her wash bag. "It never happened."

Jerinne's smile grew wider. "Really? Then you don't mind?"

"Don't mind what?"

"If I seduce him." Jerinne's smile grew sly. "He's just so dreamy, and now that he and Zith went /between/ I've decided that he's _got_ to be my first. I wanted to make sure it was ok with you though since I like you even though you're all weird and Holder-y about things, but if you're not together then it's all good. And it makes me feel _so_ much better about Saidrene."

Of course she wanted to sleep with him. The horror she'd felt at being seen kissing J'ackt turned into a sour rock at the pit of her stomach at the thought of Jerinne and him sneaking off somewhere to-- ugh. "What about Saidrene?"

"Well, _I_ hear that she's sleeping with him again." Jerinne shrugged. "Between you and me, though, I don't think I could touch someone my mother had sex with without thinking of my mother having sex. Totally a turn off, but I guess everyone is different. Anyway, I didn't want to have to tell you that he was cheating on you."

The rock in her gut got heavier. Alina felt a little sick. "If Saidrene is sleeping with him, maybe you should ask her. As far as I'm concerned J'ackt can do whatever he flaming well pleases." Which he did, and to the Red Star with how it might affect someone else's life. People were going to think-- already thought she was just another one of his stupid conquests.

Jerinne shrugged. "Saidrene won't mind. She's a Weyrwoman's daughter, after all! Anyway, thanks for giving me a pass. You're such a peach!" The other girl darted forward to hug Alina and give her a friendly kiss on the cheek. "I'll tell you all about it afterward. Maybe you'll change your mind about _only_ kissing him by the lake!" And then she was gone, leaving nothing behind but the faint scent of dish grease and sweetsand.

"No way on Pern," Alina muttered. She stood in the linen closet, angry and feeling ill until the scent of the herb sachets became overwhelming. Thankfully she didn't see anyone else she knew on the stairs and was able to escape into the sanctuary of her little weyr without speaking to a single soul. She dropped her wash bag on the floor by the door, kicked off her sandals, and crawled into bed fully clothed. It wasn't fair. _He'd_ kissed _her_ and now people thought that they were-- her mind shied away from the thought. Everyone would think she was easy like all the other greenriders, and she _wasn't_.

She'd stupidly let her guard down again, and now she was going to have to pay the consequence for something she hadn't even done. No kiss, no matter how incredible it had been, was worth the humiliation and ruined reputation she could see looming ahead.

Last updated on the May 21st 2015

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Do You Mind?