< In the dining hall.. >

  He shrugged, "I'm just teasing really, though I do remember someone
mentioning a singer at the Pig'n'Whistle who had mismatched eyes .. It
must have been you.  As I recall they spoke highly of your voice."

  Ashelle blushed, "..oh.."

She thought maybe she might sing later on, if she could get her heart in a
singing mood.  If she tried now, she'd certainly burst into tears.

  Tevel shrugged, "Hey, I've gotta go do some stuff at my father;s
apartment this afternoon...If you aren't doing anything.."

  "I'm going to visit.. my friend. "

  "Oh .." Tevel frowned, "That's right.  Well, maybe we could meet later.
I'd love to be able to spend more time with you."  She smiled, "Maybe hear
you sing?"

Ashelle was suprised.  He really did want to hear her sing!  Well..maybe
she might just give him a song or two.  She smiled up at him, though the
smile never reached her eyes, she was simply too worried over T'jellan.

"All right...I'll see you later then.  Maybe my friend will be better.
And maybe I will sing something for you."

> When L'rian let him off at the med center, Tevel was pleased to see Ashelle
> coming out the front door. He grinned. He'd been hoping he'd see her when
> he stopped in. "Ashelle!"
> 
> She stopped and looked at him. He couldn't read the expression which
> crossed her face, but he couldn't say it was happy. Well, he'd have to work
> on that.  Besides, she was probably still upset about her friend ..

  Ashelle was pleased to see Tevel, but her mind was racing.  He was the
son of the man she'd fallen in love with!  And if he ever found out...she
sighed softly.  What a mess!  And there wasn't any real improvement in
T'jellan's condition either!  She really needed cheering up, but had to be
very careful of what she said around Tevel.

> "Are you done visiting your friend?"
> 
> She nodded unhappily.

  "There is still no real significant inmprovement.  He's so badly burned.
He didn't even know I was there...

> "So you want to take a walk with me?"

  Ashelle nodded, and the pair began walking aimlessly, just keeping their
own counsel for a bit, until they found themselves by the lake.  Ashelle
took a seat on the rock where she'd hugged T'jellan when the business with
the missing Xanthia had occurred, and Tevel sat next to her.

  Reaching for a stone, Ashelle sent it skipping across the surface of the
lake, and sighed.  She had so many questions!  And she didn't really feel
comfortable asking Tevel, after all he was T'jellan's son!

  Finally she simply started to hum softly, getting a rather old love song
in her mind, and after getting her thoughts together, she slipped into
song without even realizing it.  Clear and true her voice rang out, the
lake having a nice quality about it...it made her voice carry nicely.

  As she finished, she glanced over to see Tevel watching her with
something akin to awe on his face, and she went a nice shade of red.

  Finally, she was unable to hold back any longer, and blurted out the
question she had wanted to ask for so long...well, at least for the past
few days anyhow.

  "Tevel, I have to ask you something.  What do you do when you love
somebody, and that person sort of tries not to return the feelings, not
due to not feeling them himself, but due to guilt feelings?"

  She stared at the water, trying not to give anything away.  Tevel was
nice, and was trying to be friends with her.  If he knew she was in love
with his father....she didn't even want to go there.

  "I mean...I don't even know if it's love that I'm feeling or not.  I've
never been in love before.  But it makes me happy...and right now, I'm
just too worried over my friend to think straight.  What *is* love
anyhow?!"

  She closed her eyes as tears slipped past them and rolled down her face.
She was making a fool out of herself, and hid her face in her hands.  This
wasn't going well at all.

  "i'm sorry," she said softly, "i'm just not able to think...i can't eat,
i worry so much, and i dunno...everyone thinks i'm just a kid.  maybe i
ought to just act like one...."

  Her foot slammed down on the bank, as she almost went into a tantrum.
"It's not FAIR!  Why can't something just once happen to me that I
understand!?  Why does life have to be so damn confusing!"

[Tag: Kris!]

============

Jeanette
Ashelle/Oaklah