Later in the evening, Scarecrow and I clowned around while waiting for Paladin because we had agreed to go to the LAN shop in Chinatown earlier on. It took longer than we had expected as Paladin had quarreled with his companion earlier on in the week and they just made up tonight. So they spent the evening being all cosy again. We left without him and she drove him there to meet us.

Which is why I am still up and typing this entry, because we just got back from the LAN shop. And I discovered that Paladin is jealous of Lips, purely because I keep insisting that Lips is a better CS player than he was. Lips is so good at the game that he was banned from playing in one of the shops because no one would believe that he wasn't cheating. Of course Paladin doubted the veracity of my story. He was quite sore about the anecdote and kept insisting on having a one on one duel with Lips.

I told him to forget it. Lips stays about 60 miles from our college and to come over he has to endure a long bus trip. That means he has to stay overnight in one of our rooms. He used to stay over in The Lost One�s abode, but since he�s gone, that plan is not feasible at all. And because Paladin has his companion over on some nights and I'm a girl, I doubt that Lips will be staying in one of our rooms.

Blah. Men. I seem to be saying that far too often. It's getting tired. I should retire that attitude.

Bleah.

Yes Paladin�s companion. That's what Paladin calls the girl he's having a relationship with, a companion. I suppose she's like the modern day version of a courtesan to him. The fuck buddy plus platonic friend. Not quite the "official" steady girlfriend, yet not quite a fuck buddy because there is more than some emotional entanglement involved.

I don't know. Paladin seems kind of confused in that sense. After all, he obviously likes her and worries about making her jealous because of the good female friend back in his hometown. I found out that this particular girl was involved in some misunderstanding that broke up his last relationship, so that current relationship is understandably hush-hush.

Paladin�s a little soft where women are concerned, which is probably why he likes women as the traditional meek and retiring creatures. One night, he let that girl stay over in his room, (he slept on the floor and she got the bed� duh), because she was put out of her apartment on very short notice. He forgot to tell his then girlfriend the very same day and decided to tell her the next morning.

Unfortunately his girlfriend decided to surprise him on the very same morning and the rest as they say, is history. Of course, one might view the story in a cynical light, but I believe him. He is that sort of silly softhearted dufus where he just has to play the knight in shining armour.

And as I have joked often, I feel like his mistress. Because I have to keep really quiet in the background when his companion calls or she might throw a hissy fit. Which goes to show, he does like her. His excuse is that she might not like him all that much and he could ruin his relationship with her if he asked her out properly.

Strawberry and I think it is nonsense. She obviously likes him. She actually put off her studies for a year so that she could be in the same class as he is.

Of course, being a third party who doesn�t know much about the whole situation, I might be wrong, and Paladin is right. Their relationship isn�t much more than just what it is now, whatever you wish to call it.

If he is wrong, then I empathise with her. I do know to be on the giving end of a relationship where the guy dithers about whether he wants to "go out" with you for real. I do wish her all the best, although I have a stinking suspicion that Scarecrow and I will see less of Paladin once he starts a proper steady relationship with her.

Bah. And for the cynics out there, I know Paladin well enough to judge his character. He's my friend and that should count for something where trust is concerned.