Good grief!  Had he said that?  Sort of.  Well, yes.  But, he hadn't meant it exactly like that.  And, besides, in what way was he really qualified to be an expert with such things?  He should be able to use a disclaimer.  He wasn't and she, of all people, should know that.  She should know that he wasn't really one to go and suggest a kissing booth.  That was the type of thing George would suggest.  Or Deus.  Or even Fig.

And, he couldn't help but wonder if she was intentionally overlooking one very obvious and important detail.  She kept talking about boys.  Boys as an anonymous collective.  Cute boys; boys that hung in packs; boys that weren't anyone in particular.  But a group of boys that, it seemed, didn't include him. 

Now, Sasha wasn't exactly one to worry about his ego and his confidence was hardly connected to what people thought of his appearance.  And, he didn't really know what it was that bothered him - whether it was the underlying implication she didn't think he was cute or otherwise not like 'the other boys'.   

"Well, you know," Sasha voiced, tentatively, with just enough of a grin and tone that conveyed he knew he was overstating the obvious.  Just in case it was best if it seemed he was messing with her back.  "I'm a boy."

Abby glanced at Sasha in surprise. He so rarely initiated flirting - in fact, she couldn't remember a time when he had.

"You are!" She grinned back easily. "A cute one, too."

She paused, the implication of what he could mean settling in. No way! He was just giving her a taste of her own medicine. Holding back a giggle, she narrowed her eyes at him and shook her head.

"You're just trying to rescue me from the kissing booth idea. There you go, being gallant again. Not that I mind."

Before today, she'd been under the impression he only liked boys, and it was difficult to adjust her thinking even after finding out otherwise. Sasha liking boys was why he and Neely weren't together, why she could flirt with him without it meaning much, and why they could talk about relationships and everything else under the sun. Abby had grown very comfortable with the friend zone.

Sasha had no clue what he was doing, let alone what his motives were.  Or, even if there had been any beyond reminding her of a simple, obvious fact. 

He was grateful, then, that Abby seemed to ... not dismiss necessarily but move past the comment with her usual, casual humor.  And, Sasha had the sense to leave it there. 

He drew Wobias to a standstill as their path led them back into the stable yard and swung down off the stallion.  He left the animal standing and moved over to put a hand on Kelsie's bridle.  "All you've got to do is swing your right leg over and then drop to the ground.  Your legs might feel a little funny, though.  Don't be alarmed." 

"You survived," he congratulated, rubbing Kelsie's face.  Though, tomorrow she'd likely be sore in places she'd never been sore before.  Sasha suspected he'd get an earful about it.  Or, a text-ful.  "I think she likes you well enough."

Abby swung her leg over and dropped to the ground, feeling a shock go through her knees as she landed a bit harder than she'd intended. She kept her hand on Kelsie's bridle and shook out her legs, then glanced at Sasha with a big grin. Look at her! Using Kelsie as a standing post, when before she'd been reluctant to go near the horse.

"Of course Kelsie survived. And of course I like her," Abby teased, patting Kelsie's neck and then stepping away to get the feeling back in her legs.

"You're right. I do feel like I'm..." she stuck her arms out and hobbled.

"I'm am inferius! Grr. Arghh."

Abby lurched toward Sasha, and stopped just short of touching his shoulders before she let her hands fall to her sides.

"Thanks! For not leading me to impending doom! But safely back to the stables."

"Why wouldn't Kelsie-"  Belatedly, Sasha realized Abby was being facetious and grinned, shaking his head.

Sasha smile broadly as he watched Abby try to find her land legs.  "You look like a natural," he told her, offering out a hand if she needed more than the horse to keep from toppling over.  "We'll have you going over the coffin jump and water jump in no time."  Sasha gestured out towards the center of the field where a variety of jumps that looked like simple fences and stands of brush were scattered about. 

The Ravenclaw blushed but tensed as the squib moved to tackle him.  Or hug him, it was hard to tell.  But, before which became obvious, Abby dropped her arms and backed away.  Sasha's blush deepened as his reaction wavered uncertainly between relief and disappointment. 

"You're most welcome.  It was fun.  We should do it again."  If he wasn't actually back at school and she wasn't, oh, living in Siberia during the next school holiday.  "Is your si- Professor Reid picking you up?  Or, do you need a ride home?"

Jumps? Abby looked out across the fields and gulped. Maybe! Maybe in the next ten years!

"Hmm, let me think," she tapped her chin and peered at him. "Get picked up by my sister, orrrr get to ride in a car, and go fast, and sing? Such a tough decision! I pick car!"

Abby grinned, curious if that would make his blush go away or just turn a deeper red. "If you're not busy," she added quickly, realizing that someone must tend to the horses. Abby had no real concept of gas prices, or even the simple fact that whoever gave her a ride would need to drive back without her, which took time.

 "I'll have a bunch of opportunities all the times I visit you, I'm sure."

Siberia or not, he was stuck with her now!