Talking of trust, or at least I hoped so, Kanesha fell in next to me as I left school. I didn’t have to work Thursdays – and she was spending more time studying than working.

Next year she’d graduate and if all went well get her scholarship and be gone. That alone was a good reason not to pursue anything – be it the idea of her as some kind of partner or be it something…

No. I wouldn’t even entertain that idea, but when I tried to push her face out of my mind, Barry’s replaced it. I was so, so confused on that point.

Thea, too, although she was old enough that I could convince pretty much every level of my mind that she was unattainable crush material.

All I actually said was a rather lame-sounding “Hi, Kanesha.”

“Hi. Any more trouble with our British friend?”
She sounded like a bad spy movie. “No. None at all.” I smiled at her, although it was a weak smile. “But I still…”

“I’m not staying away from you,” Kanesha informed me, firmly. “I’m not as easy to scare as Barry.”

“I didn’t set out to scare him that much. But I’d rather he was scared of me than acting like a lab puppy.” At all sorts of levels.

“You are intimidating. He thinks you’re hot, too.”

“I know.” Was I hot? I didn’t really want to think too hard on the matter. “So…”

I wasn’t sure what to say next. But while I hoped for an interruption, I didn’t hope for the one that showed up.

Somebody or something pulled my hair. Kanesha wasn’t quite close enough and besides, it wasn’t her style. I spun around, probably faster than I should have.

Nothing there, but I thought I heard laughter. High, ringing, feminine laughter.

“Very funny.” Kanesha was looking at me askance.

“We’ve got an invisible prankster.” In public, even. Why did people in movies never worry about this?

Right, because fantasy made more sense than reality. Or less. Or both more and less in different ways.

“Joy.”

“You may want to…”

Too late. I saw a flicker as whatever it was grabbed the compact out of the top of Kanesha’s purse. Which had been closed.

Hehehehehe. More of that laughter and the compact rolled into the gutter. I got my foot in its way before it went down a grating.
Then, whatever it was was gone. “Gonna have to ask Thea what that was,” I said as I picked up the compact and handed it back to its owner.

At least this was only a prankster. I could deal with that. Right?