[ little shit. every tic in his expression — that quivering mouth, the smugly amused arc of an eyebrow — presents an indisputable fact: he's poking fun at her reading habits. alina peers back at him, almost uncomfortably unblinking, like a doll peacefully sat on a shelf.

anything more, she imagines, would be a reward for his usual behavior. casually, obnoxiously, sidestepping it is the only option for her in this little war of attrition. she shrugs an unbothered shoulder, almost too casually unbothered. ]

Do I think you should study Leonard's books? Well, if you believe notes will help you practice in the infirmary, I don't see why not.

[ being purposefully and obnoxiously obtuse, it seems, has ts benefits. ]