[u][b]Luke Schwarz -- Red-Handed[/b][/u]

[b]"Huh?"[/b] he asked, looking up from his dissection of the presumed scandal--

And feeling his ears start to burn as soon as he made eye contact with her. Not good! She saw him reading such superficial drivel with all that gusto! She was gonna think less of him for getting roped in so easily! He was but a plebian, another member of the unthinking masses now! He never wanted this!

Scrambling slightly, he tossed the magazine away with a nervous and embarrassed chuckle. [b]"Uh, yeah, sure! Maybe find something actually [i]worth[/i] my time to read, right?"[/b]

[i]Okay, I've applied enough misdirection for reasonable doubt, right? Surely she'll understand!

It's Cian! A good friend like her obviously would get it!

I have faith in my teammate!
[/i]

What was the first question? Her hair, right. The whole reason they were there in the first place.

...

His ears continued their slow burn, albeit in a much more muted and hard-to-notice manner. After all, she [i]was[/i] a girl showing her new cut off right in front of him... Not an altogether common experience. And the style itself, for that matter, was one that he may or may not have had a weakness for...

[b]"I like it."[/b] he said after some careful deliberation. [b]"I think it's pretty cute, actually. Looks good!"[/b]