"I hope so," Kaya said, looking slightly downcast. "I haven't gotten to speak to him often, but I don't know: I sort of like him. He's different from most people I know on the ship."

She didn't like him in THAT way, of course, but she liked him enough to be bothered they had a fight at all. She hugged back, her pulse racing a little more.

"I'll just have to see what happens. In the meantime, I still want to try and enjoy what time we have here. I want you to know...I had a really wonderful time tonight, thanks to you."