Bottom Step [Main Staircase]

[Drew Thornton]

January 14, 2008 2:47 PM

Drew didn't leave the Main Hall often, usually a quick trip to the boys room and back, but every once in a while he took his time getting back. The time was spent to get centered, think things through, try to find options. This time he had staked out a spot on the very bottom step of the staircase. The fact that he had even approached the stairs had caused a little bit of a stir but when it was clear that he wasn't actually climbing to the first floor, the Deva guards settled down, glancing his direction every once in a while, but on the whole ignoring him.

Drew let his gaze drift around the Entrance Hall, watching the guards, trying to find weaknesses, wondering if they should just wait the siege out.

[hermione7lunaroc]

Lily didn't happen to like leaving the Great Hall very much, but occasionally, she just walked around for no reason, trying to clear her mind, checking out the sentries positions again, trying to figure out a way out. And still she had nothing. So, she figured it was time to make her way back to the Great Hall. However, on her way there, she spotted Drew sitting on the staircase. Figuring if he was there, it would be okay for her to go too. There was a bit of a stir as well, but that ended when she sat down next to Drew.

She contemplated asking him if this was okay, sitting next to him and all, but she was too afraid he'd say no. She didn't know what to say in fact. She tried to go for the humorous angle, for she knew of nothing else. "Do you think I'm bad luck?" She tried to say lightly, even though the strain was obvious in her voice.

[Drew Thornton]

Drew saw Lily cross the hall and averted his eyes. He had done a pretty good job avoiding her for the last eighteen hours, but of course figured he wouldn't be able to keep it up for very long... especially in such close quarters. He made no comment when she sat down except to answer her.

"Raging fire... Deva take over... eh... Why would you think that?" Drew answered with a smirk and a shrug. Of course he could think of a dozen reasons that made her bad luck, but he thought he'd stick with the most obvious.

[hermione7lunaroc]

So that's who they were. Lily, being very much out of the news loop, really hadn't a clue who the faceless were. It was better now that she could put a name to the faces . . . or lack there of actually. It was small mercies that he didn't mention any of the other awful occurrences that could be constituted as bad luck. She pushed those from her mind.

"Oh I don't know. Maybe the fact that those two happened shortly after I arrived at Hogwarts. Though, I think they would have happened without me, but it certainly seems like bad luck." She was quiet, trying to think about things that she could ask that wouldn't upset Drew or herself (as they were probably both stressed enough without adding the extra stress of this conversation - but Lily couldn't help talking to him). "What do they want?" She asked quietly, though it was above a whisper. Hopefully they were still capable of having a conversation.

[Drew Thornton]

If Drew remembered correctly, they had both happened almost immediately after she had arrived, but he didn't prolong that line of conversation. He had made his point and she had basically agreed to it.

"Dunno... didn't bother asking them," Drew stated plainly, wondering if she'd get the point and leave him alone. He wasn't the same guy she had harassed a year ago, but he still would rather not talk to her.

[hermione7lunaroc]

So Drew was as helpful as ever, something Lily should have expected but yet she was hoping that maybe things had changed. That maybe her being away for a year had softened his heart towards her a little. Apparently not though. It made her sad and on top of everything else that had happened, she had to question herself why she came to talk to Drew. Perhaps it was hope.

"Do we have anything to talk about?" She asked. "But you'll probably say no just to get me away. Nothing's changed has it?" She held in a sigh. She didn't want to seem pathetic and upset about it, but she probably was anyways. Of all the things for Lily to worry about right now, it was this she chose to worry about. Strange, but it was easier somehow. This wasn't a matter of life or death, just friendship . . .and the lack thereof.

[Drew Thornton]

She asked her question and then answered it for him perfectly, even going so far as to explain it as well. Since she had done it so well, he didn't feel the need to add on, shrugging a bit as he notice two of the Deva guards changing places.

"A lot's changed, Lily," he answered her second question, but didn't bother elaborating. In the past twelve months he had been broken in more ways than just once but had come out of it stronger every time. Her solution to problems was running away. Seriously, what would they be able to talk about being so different?

[hermione7lunaroc]

"I know it has," Lily said quietly. She couldn't expect things to stay the same, but the relationship between them stayed the same - there was none and she still felt like Drew hated her, despite trying to make amends the last time she was here. A lot of her had changed too though. She didn't feel quite so messed up and perhaps, this was the only thing she felt messed up in. That and the fact she felt like she no longer knew anyone here and wouldn't be welcomed back, but at least she had Krissy. Krissy hadn't seemed to care last night.

"There's no more chances is there?" Perhaps this is what it had taken, being surrounded by those faceless Deva for her to know that even in times of crisis like this, it was still going to be the same. "I keep hoping but maybe I shouldn't anymore. I did awful things to this friendship . . . the one it used to be anyways. I always had hope, but I don't think it's fair to you that I do anymore. I know you don't want to talk to me."

[Drew Thornton]

"I was thinking of waiting until the next time you left and came back to give things another chance," Drew said bluntly, knowing he was being mean, but really not caring that much. And the fact that he didn't care made it all that much meaner... and still, it didn't matter. All he could think about was how he had pleaded with her to leave him alone, crying in the hallway from her cruelty, and still she had kept after him, tormenting him.

"See if you can wrangle us up a snow-in or something. That would be a heck of a whole lot more fun than a fire or a hostage situation," he finished off, a sarcastic smile playing on his face.

[hermione7lunaroc]

Most of the time Drew wasn't like this. It was very, very mean, downright mean. Drew's style was more usually to be unresponsive. What had happened to him? Was it her? Had she done this? Probably. "I'm not leaving again. I don't care if you believe it or not. I know made mistakes; I'm human. Okay so if there was an award for biggest mistake getter, I'd get it. But I'm not leaving again. I came back because I missed Matt and Chanel and I realized what I had done. Running away, all the time. I'm not like that anymore."

She wanted to cry, but she had had plenty of practice by now of putting up her everything's okay face. She thought about leaving, but she just wanted to see what happened. Well curiousity killed the cat and it might just get Lily too.

[Drew Thornton]

Drew laughed out loud at her response, having heard that particular song more than once. Heck, the only time she actually hadn't left was when he had been begging her to do so. Her tenacity was inconsistent and seemed to show up at the most inopportune times.

Like now.

"Well yeah, Lily... a lot's happened since you last bailed.... OOO! A dragon attack! Now THAT would be really cool for your next return..." he told her, mocking excitement over the idea. "Let's go with that one, okay?"

[hermione7lunaroc]

"It's not funny Drew." Lily said. And she was pretty sure he knew that too. "You have changed Drew. A lot. I'm not sure I want to try and repair the friendship between me or you if one of us is just going to say spiteful mean things. Which I probably deserve, but this isn't like you Drew. At all. I'll try to arrange my funeral for the next time I come back, maybe? Would that make you happy? But I'm not leaving."

Lily felt the desire to leave, but she also felt the need to stay. To fight back physically or verbally (mostly verbally since she was like 10 billion times smaller than Drew) since she couldn't risk drawing her wand and losing it. Grand time to have the motherhood of all fights. "When I first met you, you told me that I shouldn't be nervous around you because you were different from all the other guys I met who treated me like scum. Well, I may have treated you like scum and should expected this, but do you know something now? You're no different than all of them anymore." Her voice was fairly loud now, but it's not like the Deva would be interested in some petty fight.

[Drew Thornton]

If he had still cared about her, the words would have stung but he had given up caring for her long ago, realizing that it just got him a knife in the back. Nonetheless, her words had been a low blow. He knew exactly what those boys had done to her back home and he SO wasn't like that. Anyone who really knew him knew that he never would be either.

"Guess not," Drew answered though he didn't agree with it. He had a feeling that deep down, neither did she. "You ran away from them a couple of times too, didn't you? Always went back though. So what makes me so special that I get to be the final one who you torment?" His words were just as unfair. She hadn't deserved what those other boys had dished out for her.

[hermione7lunaroc]

"So I run away!" Lily threw up her hands. "Tell me something I don't know Drew. Tell me something that we feel more awful than I already feel. Because do you know what? Right now I feel abyssmial and as long as we're at this drag each other down contest, I'm going to tell you what I think of you, straight up once and for all. Because do you know what, I don't care about it anymore. I was wrong to try and make something of us!"

She was so worked up it was likely that she could be calmed down anytime sooner. "I pushed you and I pushed you away but do you know what? Most of the time I was trying to do it for your own good! You were the one who convinced me that I shouldn't be nervous around you! You were the one who led me on! You were the one who made me kiss you and I have never regretted showing your true colors once and for all! You belong with those others because you are just like them! I was seriously mentally messed up and I know that's not an excuse but what's yours Drew? Like making vulnerable girls feel like they have a chance?" There was every bit of rage Lily had at everything thrown into those words and half the words she didn't even mean, but he was going to be mean out of spite for old crimes where he refused to bury the hatchet, well guess what, she'd dish it too.

[Felicity Hjort]

Hardly any sleep had seemed to reach anyone that night, and after the talk she had with Corey, her mind had been full, to the point she didn't think she would ever be able get some form of energy back, not when her back was bared to such horrid things. However, she had managed to get the needed amount, and she wasn't cranky, hadn't yelled at anyone, but she did have to use the loo a bit.

The day hadn't been horribly terrible, there was of course, still the situation, and everyone reactions, and they all seemed to deal in their own ways. Felicity's way was to stay at the Gryffindor table, as much as it hurt her not to get up and bounce around to clear her mind, and chat a bit with the younger students. Some were calmer than she was, others were far worse off it seemed.

Exiting the Great Hall, she felt extremely nervous, the faceless figures were crawling everywhere, and she didn't like that one bit. Glancing about, in hopes of seeing another student, hopefully a girl, she could drag with her to the loo, she spotted one, with very pretty blonde hair. But her sight was distracted by someone far more interesting, enough so that sshe figured a trip to the restroom could wait.

Felicity hadn't talked to Drew since the night before, she knew he was busy, probably doing what she didn't want him to, but it didn't matter when she was extremely happy to see him.

Rushing a bit to the stairs, she made a little scene of falling onto the stairs, but landing safely at Drew's feet on the floor. But, as soon as she had done it, she realized it probably wasn't the best of ideas to do. There was something wrong about the air. The blonde hadn't heard anything, having been too excited at seeing her boyfriend, and it wasn't until then she felt there was something wrong.

There was now a feeling that she shouldn't have entered without a bit more warning.