"Gwen?" Victoria said walking towards the dark skinned girl, "Is everything alright?"
"Of course," Gwen said and without a word more, walked away.
Victoria's brow furrowed, a familiar knot tightening in her stomach. Gwen's wave, dismissive and abrupt, left her with more questions than answers. Xander. The conversation. She tried to piece together snippets of overheard words, fleeting images of Gwen's flushed cheeks and the way Xander's eyes had seemed to linger on her. But the puzzle remained stubbornly incomplete, frustratingly out of reach. She sighed, pushing the nagging curiosity aside. It wasn't worth tearing Gwen down, and besides, the Hyarthi Tournament loomed. Her reputation, her honour, and frankly, her pride, rested on her performance.