Alester:
Once far enough up the stairs that they were out of earshot from his parents, Alester slipped his arm out of Phiona's.
She didn't protest. In fact, she said nothing, just continued to walk as if nothing had changed.
It wasn't like her. Normally, the moment he tried to shake her off, she would cling to him for dear life. But not this time.
He looked at her. Something had changed. The cheerful nature she had been wearing the last few hours was gone, replaced by something nervous and on edge.
Her eyebrows pushed themselves closer together, and the corners of her lips strained to stay upturned while her hands played with the gem around her neck.
He didn't think he had ever seen her like that before. Was she that worried about Sam? She was her friend, a fact that he found particularly unpleasant. But it would make sense. He had been just as worried about her.
