Jeff chewed his lower lip as he considered what to write on the parchment. Earlier attempts lay screwed up and scattered on the floor.

Finally he wrote.

'Eloise - Jaeson suggested I send you a message but I feel a, bit nervous of talking to you face to face. To be honest, I have trust issues, based on my previous experiences when I was younger. The ArchMagus has recently commented on this, saying I do not work well with others, and this has been a wake up call, especially since we are expected to partner up for practical magic experiments. Jaeson recommended you as being someone who could be helpful in making me a better person'

Some of the lines are crossed out but he concludes with 'I hope you take this in the spirit of that I intended and not of anything else.'

He finishes the note then leaves it somewhere where she would easily find it. He then waits anxiously to see if he is going to get his face slapped.

A couple of Hours later, Jeff finds a note tucked into one of his books.

Jeff reads the note at least six times looking for any hidden meaning. He then wonders if this could be some sort of prank .... or even something more malevolent, yes he's that paranoid.

Finally he decides to bite the bullet - since when did they become units of currency anyway, and nervously goes looking for her. At least she can't be as scary as that priestess of Selvara - she had been absolutely terrifying, andJaeson had said she was a celestial bloodline, not infernal or abyssal.

Jeff finds her in the library, with a few other female students and a couple of male students. They are talking animatedly... then someone spots Jeff and Eloise turns at the notice... standing and walking over to him, her golden hair shining with an almost inner light.

"Hello Jeff, it's nice to finally meet you properly..." she says,

Ah ... yes ... erm ... I got your note ... yes Jeff looks at a neutral point over her shoulder trying not to offend .. Don't look at her chest ... DON'T LOOK AT HER CHEST his mind screams And DON'T stare .. I don't want to be a pervert.

Soooooooo .... what happens now? he asks nervously.

Eloise smiles gently, motioning Jeff to follow to join her at a table.

"Now, we go over the practicum, and we work out together how to deal with the experiment that has been set before us," she says, her voice flowing like warm honey.

"OK" Jeff replied. He still had the 'jitters' and was even stuttering a bit, but, after a while as they got into discussing how they were going to tackle the problem, Jeff actually started to feel more at ease. Maybe this wasn't going to be so bad after all. And he had to admit, Eloise had a good grasp of the principles behind it.

Some of the other students came over to listen.

A few days later, Jeff plucks up the nerve to approach Kara but has to wait until she is not in the company of Eloise. Jeff had noticed that they were friends and it appeared that Kara looked up to Eloise.

He found Kara in the Library of all places.

"Um. Kara ... I was wondering ... " is all he got out before she interrupted.

"So, you FINALLY decided to speak to me" she said. "Not just Eloise. I mean. Were you deliberately ignoring me? I mean. I was RIGHT THERE! I'm not attractive enough or something? Or are you planning on fawning over her like most of the other boys?"

She seemed rather miffed for some reason, and Jeff just couldn't understand it.

"I ... only tried speaking to her because .... well .. it was Jaeson's idea and he said she has a Celestial bloodline and Celestials are suppose to be good and kind and .... Iwashopingshecouldhelpmewithmytrustissues"

He was staring at the floor at this point but then Kara gabbed his face and lifted it so he was looking at her.

"Breathe! And say that again .... slowly ... with spaces ...."

"I said ... I was hoping she could help me with my trust issues ... especially with girls"

"So you're not trying to get into her pants?"

"WHAT? NO! That's just rude and disrespectful. She's a PERSON!" Jeff flushed a brilliant red as he looked around to see if anyone was listening. Fortunately, the only one within earshot was the Head Librarian who decided to make a discrete exit. Kara couldn't resist smirking at his reaction but then she wiped the smirk off her face to look serious again.

"Look. You might not believe this, but the reason I'm friends with Eloise is that ... well ... she sets a good example and I'm trying to follow it. Even despite my bloodline."

"Jaeson said it was dark. May I ask what it is?"

"He said that did he? Maybe I should have a word with him about that. But I'll tell you .. as long as you don't tell anyone else. Eloise knows and so do a few of the other girls but I'm tired of the reactions people have when they find out. Bloodlines shouldn't matter, it's what you do with it that does. So please don't tell anyone else."

She sighs and drops her voice. "It's infernal, so people seem to think I'm evil ... like a demon. Chaotic yes .. but not evil. It's a stigma I'm trying to escape from"

"Erm ... I think you mean devil, not demon. Demon would mean an abyssal bloodline"

"Well at least you recognise there is a difference. Most people don't. Heh .. maybe I'm the succubis."

"Unlikely. Succubi are classed as demons, not devils. You may be referring to an erinys"

"Anyway ... I should warn you, people are going to flock around Eloise wanting to be her partner ... so .... I was hoping ... why don't we be partners ... in the practical sessions of course ... but if you ever want to go further. .... I ..... might not be adverse. But let's just see how it goes .... oh ... and lets keep this between us okay? You know how gossip goes in this place"

Jeff just nods, feeling a bit stunned at this point. "Certainly. Besides .... I need time to process."

Kara rose and left the library while Jeff fumbled for a book - any book.