Vivienne had been standing beneath the maple tree for nearly twenty minutes.
At first, students had trickled out of the polo grounds in small groups.
Freshmen.
Then second-years.
A few upperclassmen she didn’t recognize.
Each time the gates opened...
Her eyes instinctively lifted.
Only to lower again a heartbeat later.
Not him.
She shifted her weight ever so slightly.
Perhaps the senior members simply had more responsibilities after practice.
That certainly sounded like Anthony.
If equipment still needed to be returned or horses cared for...
He would naturally stay until everything had been finished.
She could wait a little longer.
After all...
She had already spent the entire morning enduring horses.
Waiting another few minutes was hardly comparable.
...
Probably.
A light breeze stirred the leaves overhead.
Students continued streaming back toward the university, chatting animatedly as they passed.
Some glanced curiously at the elegant young woman standing quietly beneath the tree.
Vivienne politely pretended not to notice.
Instead...
She looked toward the polo grounds once again.
Still no sign of Anthony.
"...He’s taking longer than I expected."
The words escaped her before she realized she’d spoken aloud.
Just then...
Footsteps approached from behind.
"For whom?"
Vivienne turned almost immediately.
For a fleeting moment, hope lit her expression.
Then it softened.
"...Lord Blackwood."
Damian stood only a few steps away, dressed in his riding attire, one hand resting casually in his pocket.
The corner of his lips lifted into an easy smile.
"I thought I recognized that blonde hair."
Vivienne returned a polite smile.
"Good afternoon."
"Good afternoon."
His eyes briefly wandered toward the polo grounds before returning to her.
"Waiting for someone?"
"No."
The answer came just a little too quickly.
Damian blinked.
Then smiled.
"...Interesting."
Vivienne frowned.
"What?"
"I didn’t mention anyone."
...
She stared at him.
Then quietly closed her eyes.
"...I walked into that one."
"You did."
A soft laugh escaped him.
Not loud.
Not teasing for the sake of embarrassing her.
Simply amused.
Vivienne sighed.
"I was merely enjoying the scenery."
Damian looked around thoughtfully.
"The scenery?"
"Yes."
"The stone pathway?"
"..."
"And those particularly impressive fences?"
Vivienne looked away with remarkable dignity.
"...They’re very well-maintained fences."
"I’ll have to admire them more often."
She couldn’t stop the small smile that tugged at the corner of her lips.
"...You’re impossible."
"There she is."
Vivienne blinked.
"What?"
"For a second..."
"I thought you’d stopped getting annoyed with me."
She looked at him, momentarily puzzled.
Then she remembered.
That wasn’t something she remembered from childhood.
It was something she’d read.
The original Vivienne had always reacted dramatically whenever Damian teased her.
Looking at him now...
She finally understood why.
He really did have a talent for saying exactly the wrong thing with exactly the right smile.
"...I’m choosing to be patient."
Damian chuckled.
"I’ll consider that progress."
Damian glanced toward the neighboring riding grounds.
"So."
"How was your first day?"
Vivienne followed his gaze.
"The Equestrian Club?"
He nodded.
"It went..."
She searched for the right word.
"...better than I expected."
Damian looked genuinely surprised.
"Really?"
"As I remember..."
"You absolutely hated horses."
Vivienne almost laughed.
He wasn’t wrong.
The original Vivienne had hated horses.
Then again...
So did she.
That, apparently, was one thing they had in common.
She smiled helplessly.
"I still do."
"Not even a little?"
"Not even a little."
"I see."
She folded her arms lightly.
"I simply discovered they’re slightly less terrifying when they’re standing still."
Damian chuckled.
"I’ll be sure to tell Maple that."
Vivienne blinked.
"...You know her name already?"
"Maple?"
"I’ve known her for years."
"I’ve probably spent more time around her than some of my classmates."
She looked back toward the riding grounds in the distance.
"...She’s very patient."
"She has to be."
"She’s been teaching beginners for longer than I’ve been at the university."
Vivienne nodded thoughtfully.
"I suppose I should thank her."
"I’m sure she’d appreciate an apple more."
A small laugh escaped her.
"...I’ll keep that in mind."
The conversation settled into a comfortable silence.
Neither of them seemed particularly eager to break it.
Students continued passing along the pathway, their conversations blending into the gentle sounds of the campus around them.
After a while, Damian spoke again.
"I’ll admit..."
"I’m a little impressed."
Vivienne looked at him.
"By what?"
"You stayed."
She tilted her head.
"I expected you to march straight back to campus the moment you learned you couldn’t join the Polo Club."
She smiled to herself.
"I considered it."
"I believe that."
"But..."
She looked toward the riding grounds once more.
"I’d already gone that far."
"It seemed a waste to leave without trying."
Damian studied her quietly.
"...That sounds surprisingly sensible."
Vivienne laughed.
"Was that your way of saying I wasn’t sensible before?"
"I didn’t say that."
"You implied it."
"I merely observed a difference."
She shook her head, unable to suppress another smile.
"...You’re teasing me."
"I am."
"And you admitted it this time."
"I’ve found honesty saves time."
She laughed again.
It came more naturally this time.
Not because the joke was especially clever.
But because she had finally grown accustomed to the rhythm of his conversation.
Damian glanced toward the university clock tower.
"It’s nearly noon."
Vivienne instinctively looked back toward the polo grounds.
The gates remained open.
Several senior members were still moving equipment between the stables and the storage shed.
Anthony still hadn’t appeared.
A disappointment, small enough that she almost missed it herself, settled quietly inside her chest.
Damian noticed the direction of her gaze.
He said nothing.
Instead, he smiled lightly.
"If we stay much longer..."
"...we’re going to miss lunch."
Vivienne looked at him.
"And trust me," he continued, "the cafeteria is a dangerous place after noon."
She laughed.
"That sounds unnecessarily dramatic."
"It isn’t."
"I’ve survived four years."
"I speak from experience."
She glanced once more toward the polo grounds.
Still nothing.
...
Perhaps today simply wasn’t the day.
She quietly let out the breath she’d been holding.
"...All right."
Damian nodded.
"Come on."
"We’re heading back to campus anyway."
He turned toward the tree-lined pathway.
After one final glance toward the polo grounds...
Vivienne followed.
The two of them walked side by side beneath the swaying maple trees, gradually disappearing into the afternoon crowd.