Perfected Laziness (Open)

[kalib]

I’m going to die – it’s as simple as that. And from where Kalib sat, locked up in the Charms classroom, it certainly felt like it. For the most part he really had nothing against Charms; he was in fact quite good at them, finding the subject almost embarrassingly easy – but that was probably because he’d spent one summer away looking up curses for ‘self defense,’ if his mother asked. Now however he couldn’t find anything more boring, staring out the window with glazed eyes. His parchment was scarcely half full even though the entire period had been dedicated to the lecture that they were supposed to be taking notes on. Who really cared about the historical background of a charm – if it still worked aright, did it matter where it had come from? And yet the teacher drowned on, like it was important or something.

Wearily Kalib blinked and refocused, trying to figure out the last thing he remember the professor talking about and how far he’d managed to get behind. It didn’t matter much – his notes were worthless. Beside him some prissy little Gryffindor already had three parchments full and compared to his half sheet, Kalib was guessing he’d missed too much to try and salvage the notes. He glanced at his forgotten quill, posed in his fingers to write though no words came off its tip. Brilliant – mother will love this. One of the many downsides – all teachers were in constant communication with all other teachers. In a matter of hours Professor Debbie Hemlock would know about her son’s lack of attention for today’s lesson. Aw, what do I care?

Kalib yawned and glanced at the clock: 2:37. He had to survive another three minutes and he was free. Luckily it was the end of his day, and he could shove his homework away and just ignore it after this. 2:38. Just a little bit more. 2:39. God, just one more lousy minute…why was the professor still talking? Rrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnggggggg. Freedom! Kalib had his things packed away in a matter of seconds, already out of the door before most students had even registered that class was over.

Happily he walked down the corridors, suddenly finding life much more cheerful (or at least slightly more bearable). He didn’t really know where his feet were taking him, but he didn’t really care. He was too restless to consider going back to the Common Room… And just like that, contradicting to the very thought, he found himself there in the Slytherin’s Common Room. Kalib ditched his stuff in his dorm, shoved up against his bed, and turned right back round. He was back up in the Entrance Hall soon enough and even sooner out on the grounds. The lake seemed to crowded, overly populated by the unusually good weather for the fall season. He went about changing his course, steering off in the direction of more of the Forbidden Forest instead. Maybe he wasn’t allowed inside of it, but nothing prohibited him from going near it.

The shade was welcoming, walking along on the outskirts of the trees. Kalib didn’t see what was so scary about the dead woods. Nothing intimidated him in the least – but then again, he’d never gone in it either. All the same, he found the darkness to be comforting. After being cooped up in the castle all day, it was nice to get some clean, cold fresh air. He finally decided to settle down, facing towards the people-heavy lake with his back up against the base of a thick tree. The grass felt nearly wet against his jeans, but he knew it was just the cold shade making the illusion. Lazily he pulled his knees up and rested his arms on top of that, curiously examining the people far off. Everyone looked so happy, flaunting about with the others. Recently Kalib had been solely focused on one other individual and hadn’t done much in the realm of friends. Even Zane had given up on trying to talk to him. Kalib had to laugh aloud at that, shaking his head. “The price of love,” he muttered. It was ironic that after being kept closed up indoors he would wish only to nap, but it suddenly felt like a burning desire. Kalib leaned his head back and stared at the sky for a moment before closing his eyes, letting the sun create a red-ish tint to the inside of his eyelids. “Mmm,” he sighed, letting the warmth soak him. The picture of ease, seemingly never to be broken.

[celestedeluca]

OOC: Celeste and Kalib need some friendly time, right? Hehe.

It had been an excruciatingly long day. Everything just seemed to slow down. The clocks ticked by slowly, each second seemingly a minute, the teachers droned on an on about nothing in particular, and even the students seemed to be moving about slowly. When would the period end? Celeste lifted her head from her desk, yawning softly as she removed the quill lodged in her face, fingers traveling over the mark that the feather had left. Professor Reinard seemed to be unenthusiastic today, leaving them on their own to take notes for their next test. Shortly after the assignment had been given, Celeste immediately felt her head drop to her desk, already bored to tears of the class. What exactly was going on today? Was everyone as bored as she was? Sighing softly, she glanced at her watch, only a few...more...seconds... 5...4...why did time seem to slow down? 3...2...1! Riiiiinnngg! Finally, the hellish nightmare was over!

Grabbing her belongings, Celeste bolted from the classroom, brain racking as she tried to remember her schedule. She had a break before dinner, so why not spend it in her favorite place? The library. Off she went, walking quickly to her sanctuary, eager to retrieve a book and catch up on her reading, but...it seemed that luck was not on her side. Upon entering the library, she was greeted with the sight of what seemed to be thousands of third years, all rigorously studying for who-knows-what. Bother...now where to go? She had to find some place to relax...some place to rid herself of her bored feelings. Spinning around on her heels, she exited the room, making her way down the hall to the bottom floor. Her eyes scanned the area, stopping on the doors to the outside. Why not? Maybe there was a place out there? Celeste made her way towards the Entrance Hall and pushed open the doors, this time greeted with loads of students, all with the same mindset as her, to find a place outside of the castle. Her gaze landed on the Lake, instantly throwing out the idea of going there. It was crowded with students, none of which she wished to hold a conversation with. Only one place left. The Forbidden Forest.

Turning away from the Lake, Celeste made her way to the prohibited area, adjusting the bag on her shoulders. She mentally queried why she didn't just go to the Pitch and practice, but knew it would be no fun without the rest of the team, nor would it be interesting if it was such a nice day. The best practice was held in the worst weather. At least, that was her motto. Slowly walking across the grassy field, she lifted her head to the sky, admiring the soft clouds blowing with the slight breeze. It was a wonderful day to be outside, feeling the breeze on her skin, taking in the fresh air. Smiling softly, she was slightly glad that the lower years had taken up the library. Madam Pince would have forbidden her from removing her precious books from their haven anyhow. Lowering her head back to the trees, she was surprised to see that she had already arrived in their shade. Another surprise awaited her there also. Looking further down the gate of trees, she found the napping form of Kalib Hemlock. Now, though the two were in the same house and were acquainted, they weren't exactly what you'd call, the best of friends. However, that could always change. With his relationship with Mariella, she had promised her friend that she would befriend him to make her happy. Sighing softly, Celeste made her way over to the boy, leaning against the tree gently and staring ahead towards the lake. "Trying to be a loner, Kalib? It doesn't suit you."

[kalib]

OOC: Ahh, excellent! Yes, the pair do need to get some interaction, I agree! ^^


Somewhere in his conscious mind he knew he was awake, but all the same thoughts played over in his head sprawled out like a play before him – the bit of his mind that was aware of the things surrounding him was trying to let go. And so his posture became slightly sagged, head lolled back up against the tree with his hands still dangling off his knees. Over and over he watched his day’s replay, one by one, passing without pause. Annette stared in his dreams first, but her figure was eventually replaced with Mariella after that awkwardly unforgettable day, and then his eyes were only for her. It wasn’t unusual, most of the time – awake or otherwise – he couldn’t stop thinking about her. Zane accused him of being addicted, that it was rather unhealthy to feel that way about anyone at such an age; but Kalib hadn’t listened – heck, if addicted was what he was then he’d go on being it.

“Trying to be a loner, Kalib?” The words rolled off Mariella’s lips, but the voice wasn’t her. Kalib stared back at her in confusion, wondering how on earth he’d managed to forget the tone of her voice. “It doesn’t suit you.” Instantly his eyes were open, realizing he wasn’t dreaming anymore – almost in something of panic, before he realized it was just Celeste. Kalib let his accidentally tense body relax, sagging back against the base of the tree. “Oh, it’s you,” he muttered unconventionally. Somewhere he knew that was kind of rude, and figured he’d best try and make amends while he still could – the last thing he needed was to be in battle with his girlfriend’s best friend; that would just be perfect. “Hey Celeste,” he said clearer, speaking forward without looking up. Kalib had the fleeting thought to put the effort into standing, but she wasn’t exactly a threat and didn’t need his height for any advantage. “What’s been up with you?” It was an innocent enough question – anyone could ask that, right?

Kalib couldn’t help the yawn that escaped him. Annoyed, he rubbed a hand over his face, wiping away his drowsiness. When he managed to blink into focus the lake, it seemed to have grown twice in size – if possible, it was littered with more students. His best guess was another class had been released. Picking the Forest was seeming like an even better option by the minute. And even having Celeste around wasn’t so bad, even if he had hoped to get a good hour of sleep in. He decided to play nice, patting the grass beside him. “Don’t worry – I’m not gunna pounce you or anything; I’ll behave.” Strange words coming from Kalib Hemlock, of all people; he’d admit to that – but he had no interest in trying to swoon other girls. “Unless of course I scare you,” he added with a dry laugh, smirking.

[celestedeluca]

“Oh, it’s you,”

The Italian girl arched her brow, resisting the urge say something equally rude. That just had to be the first thing that left his lips. What a wonderful start for a conversation. Choosing to ignore his comment, her lips slid easily into a smile. "Of course it's me, Mr. Hemlock. Who else is magnificent enough, besides Mariella, to grace you with their presence?" She laughed softly, turning to face him, finding her response to be significant enough to counter his words. "Me? Not much actually. Just trying to escape the stuffiness of the castle. I see that you're probably trying to do the same?" Her tone had become more friendly now, forcing away sarcasm and any other tone that could possibly ruin her attempts to befriend Kalib. A difficult task, but well worth the effort.

At the sound of Kalib's patting down below, Celeste slid down the base of the tree to the soft grassy floor, a sigh of contentment passing her lips. She pulled her legs politely to the side and smoothed out her skirt, now comfortable on the ground.

“Don’t worry – I’m not gunna pounce you or anything; I’ll behave. Unless of course I scare you,”

This time it was Celeste's turn to laugh. She grinned and shook her head, lips itching to retort. "Oh, you don't scare me, Kalib. There's nothing particularly frightening about you," She paused to stifle a soft, teasing yawn, glancing over at her acquaintance. "Also, if you even tried to 'pounce' me, 'Ella would be without a boyfriend, capisci?" She nudged him with her elbow gently to add emphasis, a playful smirk on her face. "Besides," she added, "it's not like you would even be capable of touching me. I'm too much for you, dear." Of course, her words were a simple joke, but also held a threat. She knew that he knew that since he was attached to Mariella by the hip, he was restricted from other women, and seeing how simply head-over-heels they were for each other, she doubted he had any interest in other females. But still, this was the infamous Kalib Hemlock, had he truly changed? Celeste leaned back against the tree, eyes falling on the horizon, focused on nothing in particular.

Surprisingly, she found their conversation to be...nice. It was wonderful to cease all the hatred and dislike between the two. Kalib seemed to be an easy guy to get along with. Somewhere, deep in her mind, Celeste wondered why they had initially never gotten along, what had driven them to hold such a deep dislike for each other. She couldn't remember. Whatever the reason, it wasn't important. Besides, Kalib seemed right for Mariella. They were simply adorable when they were together, and having one without the other just seemed like the world was going to end. Maybe their friendship wouldn't be so difficult to start. Besides, things were going well so far. "So....would you consider us to be friends now?" She cast him a side-glance, eager to see his reaction. She wanted to amend their past differences, to get past their disputes and start over, if only for Mariella.

[kalib]

“Of course it's me, Mr. Hemlock. Who else is magnificent enough, besides Mariella, to grace you with their presence?” Kalib grinned, glad to see that if she were going to insult him at least she would do it with grace. “Forgive me for intruding on such beauty then,” he chuckled, “But you’re correct in saying that however attractive I may find you, Mariella easily beats you…no offense,” he added with a smirk, “I’m sort of a bit judgmental when it comes to beauty these days.” He could afford to agree with her a little bit, if only for a while; besides, it was obvious the reason behind characteristic change. Thus far Mariella was the only one to ever succeed in reining him in, keeping him loyal to her and no one else. The way he saw it he was still allowed to flirt and flaunt with others girl because he knew his compliments only went so far – surface deep, nothing more. And oddly enough, he sort of liked it that way.

Apparently Celeste felt similarly, knowing he wouldn’t dare try and do anything with her. Kalib casually glanced over to her as she slid down, the satisfaction of knowing she felt somewhat comfortable around him reassuring. Never before in his life had he made such an effort to be friends with anyone, but Mariella meant a lot to him – and anyone who meant a lot to Mariella was worth being friends with. But in that standing agreement, she just had to make fun: “Also, if you even tried to 'pounce' me, 'Ella would be without a boyfriend, capisci?” Kalib nodded, “Agreed,” he complied immediately. “Besides, it’s not like you would even be capable of touching me. I’m too much for you, dear.” He stole another glance at her at that comment, raising an eyebrow, “Someone’s a bit full of themselves, wouldn’t you say?” he fired back playfully, “And for once I don’t mean myself.” Kalib stared pointedly at her. “And for the record,” he added in a flattering tone, “No one is ‘too much’ for me. Were I single I’d prove that to you, but you’ve made it pretty clear I can’t even touch you.” Purposefully he poked her in the stomach with one finger, “Whoops. Guess you were wrong.”

Funny enough, Kalib was surprised to note reading her reclusive expressions was almost doable. Celeste seemed to have something on her mind, wonder reflecting in her face. Vaguely Kalib considered the option that girls who were friends oftened resembled one another in how they responded to things – he knew the look from none other then Mariella herself. But before he got a chance to ask, Celeste found enough courage: “So…would you consider us to be friends now?” Kalib contemplated for a moment, looking out towards the lake. For the better of his relationship, they’d have to become friends sometime. Besides, Kalib actually found himself liking her company. “Of course,” he replied smoothly, still looking towards the lake, “You’re not nearly as repulsive as I once took you to be.” He took the opportunity to glance at her, smiling, “Would you suggest that you feel similarly? Because otherwise I might just have to make you like me – I can’t go off hating you when I love your best friend.” Whoops. The word had slipped, so comfortable with the emotion himself that it seemed like a statement of fact. But somehow admitting it to someone other then Mariella was a bit alarming. The last thing he needed was his reputation going down the drain and being reduced to being clumped with the soft Hufflepuffs. He’d be the first to admit he wasn’t quite as laid back as he once had been around girls, but just saying it aloud…and to Celeste at that. Kalib contemplated trying to backtrack, but why try to deny something that was true?

[celestedeluca]

“Forgive me for intruding on such beauty then," Celeste smirked at his compliment, gracefully bowing in her seated position. “But you’re correct in saying that however attractive I may find you, Mariella easily beats you…no offense,” She raised a brow in curiosity at his statement, feigning an embarrassed giggle. "Why, Kalib, you found me attractive? What a sweetheart, but praising Mariella at the same time just destroys my compliment." A tender smile replaced her smirk, her body relaxing to a slumped position. She was slowly becoming more and more comfortable around Kalib, her usual mask slipping, revealing her normally calm nature. She wondered what it was about him that caused her to easily slip into ease. Maybe that's what Mariella found so wonderful about him. His presence was comforting, it was a shame that they hadn't become close sooner. She could have used a friend like him in the past. She let out a soft regretful sigh, wrapping her arms around her frame delicately. So much wasted time.

Celeste turned to face Kalib as he agreed to her threat, face beaming. “Someone’s a bit full of themselves, wouldn’t you say? And for one I don’t mean myself.” "Maybe just a bit full of myself." she retorted with a chuckle. "But, I'll avoid saying anything further to keep from being like Reinard." “And for the record, no one is ‘too much’ for me. Were I single I’d prove that to you, but you’ve made it pretty clear I can’t even touch you." Celeste opened her mouth to speak, unable to do so as she felt Kalib poke her in the stomach. “Whoops. Guess you were wrong.” She playfully punched him in the arm, rubbing her side slowly. "Only you, Kalib, only you." She shook her head and tugged at a brunette lock of hair, yawning.

After her question of friendship, she turned to look at him expectantly, her hair hanging over her face from her tilted position. She was nervous as to what he would say, hopefully, he wouldn't turn her down. Working at making friends was hard enough without being denied instantly. “Of course,” She let out a breath she had unknowingly been holding. Step one had been accomplished. Now to strengthen their relationship. “You’re not nearly as repulsive as I once took you to be.” Celeste placed a hand over her heart, a look of pure surprise on her face. "Repulsive? Me? Laughable. But, I also find you to be more bearable now." At his next comment, her smile faltered, this time the surprise on her face was real. Had he just said what she thought he said? “Would you suggest that you feel similarly? Because otherwise I might just have to make you like me – I can’t go off hating you when I love your best friend.” She knew he had made a mistake when he spoke, she knew he had let himself slip up. "You...love her?" Her smile suddenly widened, her fingers curling and uncurling as she resisted the urge to squeal like an excited schoolgirl (which in fact, she was). Kalib, the "playboy" as she used to call him, had actually fallen in love with a girl? "How romantic!" she murmured, accidentally voicing her thoughts. Such delicious information, she couldn't wait to tell 'Ella. The only problem was...Kalib might not want her to know, not just yet. She wouldn't risk losing their friendship over something as small as a secret. "I'm guessing you don't want me to tell Mari, right?" she queried, voice hopeful that he would say otherwise. Celeste was one of those people who, when they had a secret, they just had to tell. It was a flaw in her personality.

Calming herself down, Celeste inhaled, holding the breath for a moment, then released the air, calming her nerves. Her face had reddened slightly at the idea that Kalib was in love with her best friend, she had already began to imagine things such as their marriage and what their children might look like. An overactive imagination. Having collected herself, she left the topic in the air for him to reply to if he wished. Instead, she brought along a different topic. She hesitated slightly before speaking, her bottom lip becoming lodged between her teeth as she contemplated. "Do you...remember when we started to fight?" She was curious as to if he remembered, having forgotten herself. She knew it had started back when they were younger, but the details were lost. "Maybe...we can become better friends if we solve the mystery of our hatred?" Her voice was hesitant. As she spoke, she slowly moved closer to him, leaning gently on his shoulder. "Do you mind?" She had become completely comfortable around him, hoping that he felt the same. Her voice had gradually become softer, unwilling to let anything ruin her efforts to befriend him.

[kalib]

“I could hardly compliment you without calculating in Mariella,” he wagered fairly, “You can’t honestly expect me to just give you flat out admiration when I’m in a relationship, can you?” Coming from him, no one would have ever believed it to be true. Kalib had to chuckle at himself, shaking his head. “Alright, well, I suppose you could have your suspicions about that, couldn’t you?” It was going to take some work to recraft his reputation. For his entire life he’d been known as the little player with no real interests in succeeding in life. Now that he was actually working on having a decent life, everyone was bound to question him. Sometimes he even questioned himself, wondering why he should even bother going through all this effort to be a good little boy – but he always wound right back to the same answer, each time in the form of a marvelous Slytherin girl with a remarkably alluring personality.

“Hey now!” he scowled, rubbing his arm like she’d really hurt him. “Where did this act of sudden violence come from?” But she was right – only you. The way she responded to him and his teases, it really made him question why he had put the hate logo on her back all this time. From where he sat now, there was seemingly nothing wrong with the girl. He could see why she and Mariella were friends, drawing comparisons that would have drawn them together and the differences that would have kept them together. Celeste seemed perfectly harmless, and actually enjoyable. It was sort of an odd sensation, coming to terms with the first-impression hate that had kept them from ever really being friends; he would have to work on that.

“You…love her?” Celeste looked like he’d just given her the best present he could have ever offered; like a little girl at Christmas time who had actually gotten the pony she’d asked for. He watched her closely, judging her reaction. She was all bouncy and jittery, like she couldn’t bear to sit still anymore. Girls could act so funny sometimes. “I’m guessing you don’t want me to tell Mari, right?” Mari – hmm; the only nickname he’d ever given Mariella was Gorgeous, which in his opinion was completely true. All the same, for the first time in his life Kalib felt something of a blush lining his cheeks in the presence of a girl. Celeste thought he’d kept this little bit of information to himself then, did she? Maybe that explained the sudden hyper-activity; he couldn’t be sure. He tried to stay calm, word his answer right as not to excite her any further. “I guess if you really want you can go and tell her,” Kalib answered as smoothly as he could, “But if you were hoping to be the first to break the news to her I kind of already beat you.” He kept his gaze firmly locked ahead, trying furiously to not go any more red. Celeste was so happy about the fact that he was in love with Mariella – vainly he considered the option that perhaps he was just happy in return because she so fully approved of him that had caused his blushing. Foolishly, he had to ask: “Doesn’t she ever tell you what we do? I would have figured she’d give you minute-by-minute commentary on everything I did so that you two could stay up all night analyzing me.” And he was really curious, often wondering what Mariella told her friends about him when he wasn’t around – had she really kept their time together a secret?

“Do you…remember when we started fighting?” As an involuntary action, Kalib glanced at her sideways, wondering if perhaps she had some mind-reading power. “Not really,” he admitted honestly, “I’m kind of sorry we ever started fighting at all though.” Kalib smiled in apology, wondering how things might have turned out had they never disagreed on whatever it had been. For one fleeting moment he let his mind wander: what if he had been sitting here with Mariella instead, talking about Celeste? Had they ever had a future, or was it simple fate that had turned them against one another so he could meet Mariella? While it looked like he would always regret never giving Celeste a chance, he couldn’t picture himself at anyone else’s side beside Mariella. “Maybe...we can become better friends if we solve the mystery of our hatred?” Kalib nodded, “Maybe.” He finally turned his gaze back to Celeste and kept it on her when she leaned over, “Do you mind?” Kalib shook his head, winding an arm around her shoulder in reply and sighing. “It’s alright.” And it was… Kalib had a moment of self reflection, like some sort of inner revelation: for the first time since beginning dating Mariella, he was holding another girl and liking it – but it wasn’t the same. He didn’t have the butterflies or the desire to lather her in kisses either. It was okay to have Celeste so close, because he didn’t love her – he loved Mariella; and the words had never rang truer.

[celestedeluca]

"It's fairly simple to compliment me without adding in one for Mari. I'm sure you can do it. You're not that dense, are you?" She laughed softly, leaning her head back against the base of the tree. She wondered if Kalib was actually able to compliment her as easily as he probably did for Mariella. Most likely not. But it didn't matter. A compliment was a compliment, at least the two were making progress. "I suppose I can accept your praises, though. It shows, as you've said, that you're in a relationship." she tapped her lip gently. "That puts you in my good graces." It was wonderful that he was completely attached to Mariella. Celeste was sure that if he had done anything to hurt her friend, he would have an angry witch on his hands. She was positive that the situation would never go that far, but she was prepared, just in case.

She smiled at his act, amused as he rubbed his arm gently. "An act of sudden violence? I have no idea what you're talking about." She put on the most innocent face that she could muster, eyes seemingly sparkling in the shade of the trees. Celeste giggled a little, happy that she had found another way to keep boredom at bay. Anytime she needed some entertainment, the best thing to do would be to tease Kalib. He made it so simple, so interesting. Shutting her eyes momentarily, she made a mental note to get permission from Mariella to be able to tease her boyfriend on a daily basis. It wouldn't be right for her to do it without consent, right? After a moment, her eyes reopened slowly, flinching as they were once again greeted by the bright light of the sun in the distance. She adjusted her body so that she was farther in the shade, legs warming in the sunlight.

At the sight of the light red tinge on Kalib's cheeks, Celeste's eyebrow raised, a smile widening slowly on her lips. It seemed her little show had embarrassed him somewhat. How cute! she squealed mentally, resisting the urge to pinch his cheeks. “I guess if you really want you can go and tell her,” Her eyes brightened up at this response, her body moving upright from it lax position. “But if you were hoping to be the first to break the news to her I kind of already beat you.” Her excitement instantly faded, body slumping in disappointment. "Aww..." she was slightly unhappy that she had been so late in receiving this information, but wasn't surprised. She and Mariella had barely seen each other during class, and they were both dead tired or separate during the night. It was no wonder her friend hadn't told her. Nevertheless, it was a bit saddening that she had been the last to know that their love had already been declared. A sigh passed the lips of the Italian girl, eyes drooping gently. She would have to speak to Mariella about the withheld information. Ever since their childhood, they had shared their secrets and love-lives with each other. She wouldn't let that ever change. Closing her eyes again, she made another note within her mind banks, reopening them and gazing over towards the Lake.

After her question, Celeste saw his eyes glance over at her, turning to meet his gaze. “Not really,” She sighed once again in disappointment. Perhaps the reason would never be known. It dashed away her hopes of ever resolving their initial differences, but, maybe delving into the past wasn't the best thing to talk about. “I’m kind of sorry we ever started fighting at all though.” She smiled, teasing him softly. "Kind of sorry? And just what is that supposed to mean?" She laughed, silencing herself as Kalib became quiet, seemingly lost in thought. “It’s alright.” That was his response when she questioned him about having her so close. She was actually glad he allowed it, finding the air about him to be intoxicating, his presence comforting. Mariella had captured a wonderful guy. Somewhere in the back of her mind she wondered how different the situation would be if she had discovered Kalib before Mariella. An interesting thought, but...irrelevant. Kalib just wasn't her type for a boyfriend, just a regular friend. After a moment of silence, Celeste adjusted her head on Kalib's shoulder so that she could somewhat see his face. "So, how exactly did you find that beautiful necklace that Mariella seems to love flaunting? I haven't seen it in any stores."

[kalib]

“Sorry to disappoint, but I am actually that dense,” Kalib chuckled, able to allow it. “But I guess if my being dense keeps me on your good side, it’s worth it.” He shrugged indifferently, knowing there would be serious problem in the future if he just didn’t accept Celeste now. While he’d selfishly been keeping most of Mariella’s time towards him, he was aware how inseparable the two girls were before he’d came in. Kalib almost thought about feeling sorry for Celeste, knowing lack of communication between them was his fault. But part of him wanted to smirk, happy Mariella had placed him above her best friend. And that was a very vain thought indeed.

“You’re not a very good actor,” he mused with a grin, “And it doesn’t help your case that I’m an eye witness here. Were I to turn you in, I’d definitely win. Don’t underestimate me love, I can do wonders in the courtroom.” Let her make what she will of that. But Kalib was rather skilled in the act of sidestepping, knowing just how best to distract the rule enforcer and better yet, sneakily slide his way out of punishment even if he was the one at fault: it was the result of having an overly informed mother and an annoying little brother. Celeste had no hope in winning. “Next time you try lying your way out of hitting me, make sure I’m not looking when you do the actually hitting; it’ll weaken my defense. You’ve really got a lot to learn,” Kalib laughed, shaking his head like she was some big disappointment to liars everywhere, himself included.

“Aw…” Kalib had a hard time thinking that one through – she was sad that he’d already told her? He tried to think it through her perspective, and it didn’t work out very well. If Zane showed up with a new girlfriend one day and they talked about her the next, Kalib could honestly care less if he was the first to hear about the “I love you” exchanges. Besides, shouldn’t it be those in love hearing it first anyways? It didn’t make much seen to him; the price of being a boy he supposed, unable to see the girl view upon the whole matter. But when Celeste fell silent, something told him it wasn’t Kalib’s actions that were truly upsetting her. “Something I can help with?” he offered, guessing something was wrong. “Not the ideal shrink, I know, but willing to listen.” He smiled encouragingly, hoping it was alright to simply ask. Worst comes to worst, he was rejected and told to mind his own business – that wasn’t anything he wasn’t used to.

She seemed to perk up slightly then, curiously asking “Kind of sorry? And just what is that supposed to meet?” Kalib stared at her pointedly, sighing as her lack of understanding. “You do realize we could be laughing like old friends right now instead of trying to become friends had we not labeled each other so poorly upon first sight, right? It’s just sort of irksome knowing how much time we’ve lost.” Kalib looked back towards the lake, trying to figure out what exactly Celeste thought of him. Had things gone differently, would she have turned him down if he’d asked? Mariella was his soul purpose for breathing lately, and trying to figure out how it would have gone with others was almost difficult – but honestly, could Celeste really say she had liked disliking him for so long, if they could have been friends the entire time? Waste time – that’s all they’d done.

It was silly, but the entire thought process only made him hug her a little tighter. He liked having her around – and knowing he could have had her around a long time ago was annoying. “So, how exactly did you find that beautiful necklace that Mariella seems to love flaunting? I haven't seen it in any stores.” Kalib blinked, coming back to reality. The necklace? Kalib had to grin, loving how Celeste had put it: …that Mariella seems to love flaunting. Well, at least she was proud to have Kalib as a boyfriend. It was comforting. “That’s because it’s not in a store,” Kalib stated matter-of-factly, “I made that for her – 100% Kalib created; alright, minus the gems…” He’d had to order those, but the actual dragons that the melted gems frosted were his own. “Here, watch…”

Kalib slipped his wand out and waved a little fire dragon out of it. The miniature horntail flew about on the command of his wand and then he carefully chilled it, the flames becoming a deep shade of blue; and then the dragon froze: a solid statue of a blue horntail. Slowly he sank the dragon onto the grass in beside Celeste and put his wand away. “That one is a simpler creation mind you; hers took a lot more effort. Take a look,” he offered, nodding towards the figurine.

[celestedeluca]

OOC: About time, right? I know...I took forever. I blame school, work, and homework! Damn them all! Hehe, anywho...

"Sorry to disappoint, but I am actually that dense,” Celeste smirked with a shake of her head. She knew that he would always keep Mariella above everything, even their newly formed friendship, and that was just fine. It showed his commitment, and that he was unwilling to hurt her friend in any way. Excellent, but just in case, there were plenty of hexes that she was itching to try out.

"A witness who was caught off guard and has no idea who committed such a foul act." She patted his shoulder mockingly. "I daresay that you'd have a hard time convicting me, Kalib. I don't have to sneak around to get to you, I can do it in plain sight and no one would suspect a thing. You see, I have a knack of getting away with things. No one would suspect the well-mannered Slytherin to do anything wrong." She had decided to ignore his comment on his "wonders in the courtroom," knowing that her response would be completely inappropriate for their conversation. She would have a laugh later with Mariella, that is, if she even saw her that day. "You're the one who has a lot to learn, Mr. Hemlock. A lot to learn about me and how I work. Maybe then you'll be able to catch me in the act. But until then, you work on figuring out who suddenly injured your arm." She smiled, her lips playfully sweet, running her fingers over the creases in her skirt, then moving into the cool grass. She had just begun to notice it against her legs and scooted down farther, enjoying the chilly blades on her skin.

She could tell he was slightly confused by her statement, face flushing slightly as she tried to explain her girlish nature. "I can see that your confused, so let me explain." She paused for a minute, gathering her thoughts so as not to spill her words in a large jumble. "You see, I suppose it's just me, but I'm sure Mariella would do the same. If a guy confesses their love for a friend to another friend that happens to be a girl, it's seemingly the girl's duty or rather...femininely right to tell that friend. If the news had already been spoken, then...it's slightly disappointing to know that one cannot relay the news to their friend." She sighed and nudged him gently. "You've ruined my femininely right." She could accept the fact that he had done so, but it was still disappointing that she had been the last to know. A part of her couldn't stand the fact that Kalib had been taking away her friend, but alas, that was the price of teenage love, was it not? Another heavy sigh passed her lips, showing her obvious depression.

“You do realize we could be laughing like old friends right now instead of trying to become friends had we not labeled each other so poorly upon first sight, right? It’s just sort of irksome knowing how much time we’ve lost.” He was absolutely right. They had wasted so much time with their unrequited hatred of each other. What would life have been like if they were friends? Somewhere in the back of her conscience, another question formed. What would life had been like if they were more than friends? If she was in Mariella's place? The thought disappeared as quickly as it had arrived with a hard shake of Celeste's head. She could feel her cheeks heating gently but ignored it, the mistake had already been made. There was no point in dwelling in what could have happened. "I regret never becoming your friend until now. Who knows what kind of life we would have led then." She laughed softly, leaning her head against the base of the tree, "What idiots we've been...fighting for no reason at all..."

“I made that for her – 100% Kalib created; alright, minus the gems…” Celeste arched her brow, finding it hard to believe that he had created something so beautiful. She didn't speak her doubts, only watching him as he worked his magic, literally. At the sight of the small, minuscule Horntail, her eyes widened, captive to the magnificent shade of blue. Blue had always been her favorite color, so to see it sparkling in the sunlight was amazing. “That one is a simpler creation mind you; hers took a lot more effort. Take a look,” She had glanced up at him, making sure she could touch it, then moved her eyes back to the dragon. Her fingers inched out to grasp it, feeling over its body with admiration. "Looks and skill, you really are the whole package," she muttered, eyes still glued to the dragon.

[kalib]

OOC: Meh, don’t worry about it. ^^


Kalib pursed his lips, holding back all retorts until he was positive she was finished. She doubted what he could do, did she? Did she really believe that were the two in some heated debate, that in the end, she’d be the one left standing? Ha! Kalib was a well connected person – maybe it wasn’t the most honest way to go about winning – but hey, it was in a Slytherin’s nature to do whatever means necessary to accomplish a task. Of course, there were drawbacks to that – Celeste was in Slytherin too after all. He pushed though doubtful thoughts away, keeping the arrogant composure about him. “Let’s say, for arguments sake, I didn’t know that it was you who had caused this odd pain in my shoulder,” Kalib suggested lightly, speaking completely hypothetical – he knew it was her, and his arm didn’t hurt. “Were I to make an educated guess on the matter, it would be safe to assume that you being the only other person around me at the moment,” he briefly waved one hand abut the space around them, “And accounting for your lying face…” Kalib smirked, examining her eyes, adding as a side note, “Sorry love, but you can’t hide the truth behind those eyes.” He winked and continued formally, “It would be in my best interest to rightly accuse you for hitting me. Clearly the evidence adds up and therefore you’d never be able to deny it. And if you did, well, money talks.” He chuckled under his breath, hoping she’d think he was joking.

Now, what Kalib hadn’t braced himself for was the rush of words spilling out of her mouth. Girl logic was so absurd, he never would quite understand it. He may know how to manipulate a girl to the highest degree, but understanding just how exactly that worked he would never know. “If I’ve…ruined your femininely right, as you so put it, then clearly I’ve succeed in not allowing you to bruise my masculine pride. Why should I let someone else tell Mariella how deeply I care for her when I could simply enjoy the pleasure of doing so myself? Perhaps it’s wrong to admit it…” Kalib grinned, a thought coming to mind, “…but I do rather enjoy watching her reactions towards me. You could not even begin to fathom how much delight fills me when I say something that absolutely makes her squirm with joy. It’s like she doesn’t know what to do with herself…she’s almost restless, and she blushes, trying to find some words to reply with, and then when she does answer her voice is so calm, almost like a quiet purr, and every time, it makes my skin tingle, and a shiver runs up my spine…” Kalib hadn’t really noticed it, but his voice had slowly gotten quieter, almost a whisper as he described Mariella to detailed accuracy – and the soft, lovesick puppy smile lining his lips curved upward in a smirk. “There you go Celeste,” he grinned, “Consider that my apology. You can go tell Mariella all about that…you know, stay up all night discussing how adorable I am and things like that.” Perhaps not those exact actions would be taken, but he knew girls talked – might as well give them something to talk about.

“I regret never becoming your friend until now. Who knows what kind of life we would have led then… What idiots we’ve been...fighting for no reason at all...” After a moment, Kalib glanced at Celeste and was surprised to see her golden cheeks a deep shade. “My, my, my,” he mused lightly, raising one eyebrow in question, “Are you actually admitting that perhaps I’m not such a bad person after all?” Putting on his best “aw, how sweet” face, Kalib placed one hand over his heart, adding gently “I’m touched.” For however teasingly he put it, Kalib was rather flattered. Why it made such a difference he’d never know, but maybe he was just happy someone thought of him decently enough. He’d done a good job at securing a place as one of Hogwarts many “bad boys” even if he liked being treated like a normal human being every now and again. At least, to some extent, Celeste could understand that. “Looks and skill, you really are the whole package.” Perhaps another compliment? “I get that a lot,” he joked, and then “But thanks all the same. It’s nice when people notice and can appreciate, as opposed to the normal crap I get for stealing all the hot girls around this place.” His little cloud of conceit turned genuine after that, watching with true interest as Celeste fingered the little dragon. Most people were fascinated someone who showed such little intelligence during the normal school day could ever create something so marvelous: obviously Celeste was no exception to that assumption. “It sort of just started out as a hobby, now it’s something of a seasoned art. I’m glad Mariella likes hers so much…” Maybe Mariella hadn’t told Celeste she actually held two to her name: the one he’d conjured for her similar to the one Celeste was holding now, and the pair dangling off her necklace. Kalib made a mental note to try and share Mariella a bit more… Wow Kalib. He was actually almost feeling sorry for Celeste. What has gotten in to you? You didn’t have to look too terribly hard to find the answer.



RP DISCONTINUED (12/28/07)