Arte smacked Monde with the umbrella once, twice, only stopping when Monde spluttered out a surrender. However, Arte immediately smacked her again when Monde giggled, “You have to admit, you’re cute when you trip.”

If her face hadn’t turned red, Arte might have been able to play it off as nothing. “What if I fell on my face?” she demanded.

Monde shrugged, dropping her arm around Arte’s shoulders as if nothing was wrong. “You wouldn’t fall, I wouldn’t let you.”

“How are you so smooth?” Arte demanded, nearly throwing her arms up in the air. This time Arte caught the umbrella before Arte accidentally whacked either of them with it.

“Because I’m super cool with my super cool girlfriend.”

Arte didn’t believe it, but she was beginning to think that Monde believed it. And that was almost more important.