The question of why wouldn’t they like you came out so earnest and honest sounding that Ida couldn’t help but laugh. It was a short, breathy laugh that could be mistaken for a sharp exhale, though she looked at Mister Greengrass a bit more plaintively now. As if to say, really? She could start by considering a list as long as her forearm.
Though before she could clarify that the person had no opinions formed of her yet – which seemed dangerous in itself, it could easily go this way or that way – Mister Greengrass clarified what he was thinking. That she had interesting opinions, and couldn’t possibly be disliked. Unless they’re jealous. The thought elicited a slow blink from Ida— the thought made her uncomfortable. What on earth would someone have to be jealous about? The closest she came to that was… Tillie, or her brother, because Ida got to keep on with her schooling while they didn’t. Ida bit her lip in brief consideration of it.
“That is… very optimistic of you,” she decided to politely disagree. (Ida still remembered what he said about girls saying self-deprecating things, so she promptly nipped the train of thought in the bud.) Perhaps she can stick to asking questions so she won’t make a fool of herself. No doubt the dancer has seen some incredible things in this world, and Ida hadn’t heard her speak even, but imagined such a graceful creature could only have the most divine lilt, saccharine sweet, to match her serene expression and bright — shit. She’d forgotten if her eyes were green or blue. How stupid of her—!
“Oh… what?” Mister Greengrass had asked her something in that moment, and blind panic over her own inattentiveness momentarily obscured his sentiment from cognition. Though what he asked did seem to register somewhere… because not long after, her cheeks twinged a slight pink from embarrassment. Of course— she knew he was perceptive, she ought to have expected this. And Ida was quite good at a great number of odd things— accounting, putting up wallpaper, making slingshots, riding a horse astride— but lying well, and on the fly, was not one of those skills. A severe shortcoming when it came to making polite conversation.
“Oh I’m not trying to impress anybody…” she offered a sheepish rejoinder. “It’s not relevant who it is, anyway.”
Though before she could clarify that the person had no opinions formed of her yet – which seemed dangerous in itself, it could easily go this way or that way – Mister Greengrass clarified what he was thinking. That she had interesting opinions, and couldn’t possibly be disliked. Unless they’re jealous. The thought elicited a slow blink from Ida— the thought made her uncomfortable. What on earth would someone have to be jealous about? The closest she came to that was… Tillie, or her brother, because Ida got to keep on with her schooling while they didn’t. Ida bit her lip in brief consideration of it.
“That is… very optimistic of you,” she decided to politely disagree. (Ida still remembered what he said about girls saying self-deprecating things, so she promptly nipped the train of thought in the bud.) Perhaps she can stick to asking questions so she won’t make a fool of herself. No doubt the dancer has seen some incredible things in this world, and Ida hadn’t heard her speak even, but imagined such a graceful creature could only have the most divine lilt, saccharine sweet, to match her serene expression and bright — shit. She’d forgotten if her eyes were green or blue. How stupid of her—!
“Oh… what?” Mister Greengrass had asked her something in that moment, and blind panic over her own inattentiveness momentarily obscured his sentiment from cognition. Though what he asked did seem to register somewhere… because not long after, her cheeks twinged a slight pink from embarrassment. Of course— she knew he was perceptive, she ought to have expected this. And Ida was quite good at a great number of odd things— accounting, putting up wallpaper, making slingshots, riding a horse astride— but lying well, and on the fly, was not one of those skills. A severe shortcoming when it came to making polite conversation.
“Oh I’m not trying to impress anybody…” she offered a sheepish rejoinder. “It’s not relevant who it is, anyway.”
![[Image: 5jMCu3I.png]](https://i.imgur.com/5jMCu3I.png)
stefanie made this beautiful set <3