Uriah's face was a picture of frustrated disappointment; speechless, he didn't even try to hide it. "Fine, I'll just eat by myself!" he grumbled, spinning on his heel and storming off to grab dinner alone. But he didn't wander far, lingering close enough to keep an eye on the group.
The others were eating together, chatting and laughing. Mavis, particularly, seemed to be having a wonderful time talking with Norton. They leaned in, whispering and sharing inside jokes. Uriah knew Mavis better than most. Though not much older, he'd been her mentor since childhood. He knew she didn't readily open up; with strangers, she barely spoke, and even with friends, she could be quiet. But now, she was anything but. She looked genuinely happy, totally engrossed in her conversation with Norton. A twinge of jealousy, barely perceptible to himself, washed over Uriah. He couldn't look away.
Meanwhile, Calliope and the others finished their meal, still chatting. Stepping outside, they bumped into Portia, Quentin, Julius, and Archie, who were returning to the dining hall.
Portia grinned. "You guys finished eating already?" She'd seen Calliope's message in the group chat; they weren't back yet, so they'd told Calliope's group to go ahead. "Yeah, we did. Did you have fun out there?" Calliope asked. "Definitely," Archie replied with a big smile. "Crispin's a great guy!" "And Portia's a lifesaver," Julius chimed in. "Seriously, if it weren't for her, I'd still be running from fans." The memory made him shudder. He was always recognized, but Portia seemed to have a knack for spotting trouble and ensuring they avoided it. "Glad you all had fun. Go grab some food, then we can all hang out later!" Calliope said, waving as she and Silas headed off.
By now, Uriah had finished eating and was trailing behind Mavis and Norton. Norton was still chatting, and Uriah had to admit, the guy was hitting all of Mavis's interests. It was almost impressive. Uriah's eyes narrowed. This Norton was sneaky; he was definitely trying to charm Mavis, and Uriah wouldn't let him. He repeatedly jumped into the conversation, contradicting Norton. After the third interruption, Norton, exasperated, turned.
"Mr. Stewart, haven't you ever heard of manners?" "I'm just correcting your mistakes. Someone has to," Uriah replied, arms crossed. Norton smirked. "Really? Well, Mr. Stewart, don't you think it's a little weird you're following us around like this?" "Nope," Uriah said flatly.
Mavis glanced back, her expression a mix of surprise and confusion. This was definitely not normal Uriah behavior. She had no idea what had gotten into him.
A little ways down the hall, Calliope and Silas reached their room, only to find the door wide open. They exchanged a look. They were sure they'd locked it. Cautiously, Silas pushed the door open, revealing Oliver, lounging on the couch as if he owned the place. Silas's face darkened. “Who said you could come in here?” Calliope, equally shocked, stared at Oliver in disbelief. This was the last thing she'd expected.