"Thank you, thank you very much," Samantha said, bowing her head slightly. She pulled a bag of peanuts towards herself and flipped it between her fingers as she looked back up at Ellie. "You ought to try it sometime; works wonders," she said, with a wink.Ellie grinned and laughed, "well its a good look, totally fits you." She replied showing her much, much less impressive canines with a grin. No her strengths lie elsewhere for sure. Some even she was still finding out about.
***
Lyra smiled at Zaine red face, "it was a compliment just accept it. And thank you, I think it came out quite well." She said examining it again as Alexis jumped off her lap and shifted. Lyra smiled pleasantly at the girl, "fair enough, not everyone likes sitting still for so long. My name is Lyra by the way." She said with a friendly smile since they hadn't really been introduced.
• • •
Zaine meant to say "thanks", but it came out more of a barely decipherable mumble.
Alexis sat down on the bed beside so she could look Lyra in the face more easily. "And mine, last time I checked, is Alexis," she said. "Good to know your name. Your drawing is really good." The effort it took to sound chipper only made her sound flat and uninterested. Whatever. Maybe she was flat and uninterested. Here was Zaine—of all people—sitting with his lovely lady friend, and she was the one third wheeling.
Zaine couldn't decide if that was a fake smile that she gave them, but under circumstances, he let it slide. At least she was talking.