"Um, cousin, you called me?" Timmy asked. Thankfully he didn't stutter. The initial squeaky voice, well, we will neglect that part.
"Yes," Tanya said. She was playing with a black leather whip lovingly. Not a heartwarming sight. "Someone saw you with Sophia."
Timothy said urgently, "They are lying. She just waved at me and I ran away from her. I didn't meet her at all."
"Yes, they did say that. But what I want to know, my dear cousin, is why did you do that? Why did you run away when a pretty girl acknowledged you?"
"I..I am shy," Timothy said shakily. It was hard to talk properly when it looked like Tanya would use that whip on him any moment.
"Really?" she drawled. "It didn't look like you were shy when you passionately argued for her cause in the school forum."
