"Whether I can get attached to more than one girl at a time is an interesting question I guess I'll find out the answer to.  But I expect I can be attracted to more than one girl at a time."  Keltham goes to sit down by the other girls; he's not quite sure what to say to Carissa, feels pressure to have clever and intelligent things to say to Carissa, and it's easier to be part of a larger conversation with people he's seen less immediately.  That this is a stereotypical dath ilan Boy Thing To Do doesn't change that he is, in fact, a boy, and doesn't want to expend the mental overhead on defying his gender right now.

"Whether I can get attached to more than one girl at a time is an interesting question I guess I'll find out the answer to.  But I expect I can be attracted to more than one girl at a time."

Keltham goes to sit down by the other girls.  He's not quite sure what to say to Carissa, feels pressure to have clever and intelligent things to say to Carissa, and it's easier to be part of a larger conversation with people he's seen less immediately.

That this is a stereotypical dath ilan Boy Thing To Do doesn't change that Keltham is, in fact, a boy, and doesn't want to expend the mental overhead on defying his gender right now.

"Whether I can get attached to more than one girl at a time is an interesting question I guess I'll find out the answer to.  But I expect I can be attracted to more than one girl at a time."

Keltham goes to sit down by the other girls.  He's not quite sure what to say to Carissa, feels pressure to have clever and intelligent things to say to Carissa, and it's easier to be part of a larger conversation with people he's seen less immediately.

That this is a stereotypical dath ilan Boy Thing To Do doesn't change that Keltham is, in fact, a boy, and doesn't want to expend the mental overhead on defying his gender doomfate right now.

"Whether I can get attached to more than one girl at a time is an interesting question I guess I'll find out the answer to.  But I expect I can be attracted to more than one girl at a time."

Keltham goes to sit down by the other girls.  He's not quite sure what to say to Carissa, feels pressure to have clever and intelligent things to say to Carissa, and it's easier to be part of a larger conversation with people he's seen less immediately.

That this is a stereotypical dath ilan Boy Thing To Do doesn't change that Keltham is, in fact, a boy, and doesn't want to expend the mental overhead on defying his gendertrope doomfate right now.