After Class (Evelyn and Rayne/Open)

[nate]

Nate turned when he heard Rayne. His hand was already on the door but he stopped, took a breath and turned towards her. And his mind went blank. "uh.. I ..um.." He just stared at her eyes and wasn't really able to think. What had she just asked him? oh yeah.. "I was um.. just to get some fresh air." It was the truth but he hadn't really had any particular destination in mind. He hoped he didn't look as awkward as he felt right then. Rayne looked beautiful and her eyes were still on fire, she must have been upset about something but he wasn't going to ask why.

He put his hands into his pockets only to pull them back out seconds later and then right back in. He was trying not to imagine her in pajamas with feathers floating around her flaming red hair and ... damn hormones. He needed to get out fast or he was gonna do something stupid.

[Evelyn Turner]

"Fine, no homework," she said cheerfully and stuffed her things back into her bag and excitedly curled her feet up under her so that she was nearly squatting on the cushion. "Yes, slumber parties. I was thinking pillow fights, freeze charms on the bras, ghost stories..."

Nate came back downstairs, a very determined look on his face. Evelyn would have called him back but Rayne was quicker. She sat silently for a moment, watching Nate squirm as he looked at Rayne. Poor bloke.

[Rayne DiCostas]

Rayne looked at him for a moment, almost blankly, and blinked. "What is wrong with you?" Sh blurted out. "I mean, I'm sorry, are you all right?" She had a habit of phrasing things exactly how she thought them, and it wasn't until it was too late that she ever caught herself.

"Come sit down," she said, motioning him over. "Eves and I are just complaining about things anyway. But you look like you've had a worse day that I have."

[nate]

Nate caught himself from groaning but barely. He hadn't been quick enough and now they wanted him to go sit with them? What kind of karma had he screwed up on lately? Surely if he stayed he'd make a fool of himself or he'd blurt out something he shouldn't. And yet he wanted to be close to her, he just didn't trust himself to be.

Calm. Stay calm... breathe... you can do it... Nate kept trying to chant in his own head to convince himself. Calm, stay calm.. breathe...

Nate looked from Evelyn to Rayne.. And what did she mean what was wrong with him?? SHE was wrong with him that was what. Not that he could tell her that. She probably wouldn't believe him anyways.

"nothing's wrong.." he knew he wasn't convincing anyone, he never was a good liar. "I just haven't been.. feeling myself." he corrected. It was true but not for the reasons it sounded like. How do you tell a girl that he felt the way he did, but only around her? She was was a wild little firecracker of a girl with her flaming red hair and a temper to boot and he adored her for it. Whenever she got upset he just wanted to .. no he wasn't going to think about that. He'd seen her in the hallway all riled up after her class and he had wanted to tease her. Not to upset her but to make her laugh.

He purposely avoided looking into Rayne's eyes, if he did he wouldn't be held responsible for what his hormonal body would do and heaven help him if that happened. He'd be embarrassed for the next year! So instead he looked at anywhere but her as he sat down. Unfortunately the only seat next to them where she had indicated to sit was on the sofa next to her and he was half wincing inside. Obviously his karma had it out for him today.

[Rayne DiCostas]

"I... I can tell," Rayne said. "I'm kind of worried about you," she said. Not enough to get attached, of course, because she's the one who would suffer in the end.

She offered him a pumpkin cookie that she wasn't going to eat anyway. He might have been ill, in which case, he should probably eat.

"You're lucky you didn't take Dueling," she announced, unable to help herself.

[Evelyn Turner]

"If he had, he might be stuck with you all night in detention." She was bored, and that made her feel as though it was okay to put the cruel little pictures in Nate's head about him and Rayne together, nearly alone. Christ, he needed to figure it out already. He would probably feel a lot better once he just admitted he loved Rayne. Of course, how Rayne would react would be a whole other story.

[nate]

Nate took the cookie, not that he was ill in the way she probably thought he was but he wasn't about to set her straight. As he did so his fingers brushed hers and he almost jumped out of his skin with an electric shot that jolted up his body. The cookie fell to the floor. And all his sorry ass could do is stare at it. Silently.

[Rayne DiCostas]

Rayne really thought nothing of it until he didn't move. She glanced at the cookie, then at Nate, to Evelyn, and back to Nate. It was like the detention comment had gone right over his head, and rightfully so. She hadn't want Eves to say it in the first place.

"Okay, enough," she said, getting to her feet. "Come on. We're going to Madam Pomphry."

[Evelyn Turner]

Nate's behavior was shocking. Evelyn really hadn't expected a reaction like that and she instantly felt sorry for saying anything at all. She jumped up quickly and got to Nate before Rayne could. "You know what? I'm not feeling well either. So I'll walk with Nate to the hospital wing and you can go ahead and work on your essay. You wont have much time for it with the detention." If she could get Nate alone, away from Rayne, she could try to talk some sense into him.

[Rayne DiCostas]

Rayne's look to Evelyn was a bit harsher than the one she had given to Nate. "What is going on with everyone?" She asked. For a second, she thought maybe Eves had a crush on Nate, but... no. She was head over heals for Rabastan.

"Fine," she said. "I hope you both feel better," she said, gathering her things. "I'll be in the dorms. Do you want me to take your books up, Eves?"

[nate]

Nate looked from Rayne to Evelyn back to Rayne... he didn't know what to say that wouldn't come out all wrong and he wasn't going to go spilling his guts to Rayne, she'd laugh at him. Why couldn't he be suave like Rabastan, Ryan or even Rystain? Those slytherin boys were always able to get women, but there was only one that Nate wanted and he knew she didn't feel the same way.

Then she looked like she was about to storm off and he suddenly grinned at her. He couldn't help but grin when she got all huffy. He didn't care how he looked just grinning at her while she got her things. She was adorable like a little hellcat.

"I... I'm sorry Rayne... I didn't mean to drop your cookie." He said it more as a joke, he knew that wasn't why she was huffy really but he couldn't help but taunt her that her anger might be over something as trivial as a cookie on the floor.

[Rayne DiCostas]

"Oh, seriously?" She asked when he said what he did. She was three seconds from just going off on him, and telling them both that their illnesses were strictly mental, when she looked up.

For some reason, that grin always made her feel a little silly for being angry when she was. She realized he was teasing her, and she made an exasperated sigh. It was something about his never-get-riled attitude that calmed her... occasionally. It didn't always work. Today, it did.

"I really do hope you both feel better."

[nate]

Nate grinned wider, for once he didn't feel nervous looking at her again. But he knew he should go with Evelyn or else he'd have to answer questions about why he wasn't ill and what WAS wrong with him. Hormones he told himself.. just hormones. The thought had never even crossed his mind that it was more than that.. that it was only with her and he wished he could just tell her but he knew he couldn't... not yet.. he couldn't even admit it to himself yet.

"thanks.." he looked at Evelyn with a sidelong 'save me' look.

[Evelyn Turner]

"Could you? That'd be a big help if I didn't have to worry about them later." Evelyn waited until Rayne was in a seemingly better mood then grabbed Nate's arm and tugged him toward the exit. "See you later," she called over her shoulder to Rayne.

"What is wrong with you Nate?" They had barely got out of earshot when Evelyn turned on the boy. "Seriously. You can't act like that if you ever want to have a chance with her!"

[nate]

Nate looked a bit shocked.. she KNEW?? "is it that obvious? ugh.. I can't help it.. it's like my hormones have gone wonkers whenever she's around. I can barely think. You have to help me.." He felt as though he'd been thrown a lifeline and he was going to grab it and hang on. He looked disgusted with himself but also as if pleading with pitiful eyes.

[Evelyn Turner]

"To everyone but you and her apparently. You've got to calm down or she's going to have you committed." Knowing Rayne she probably would, too. The girl wasn't the most level headed, and clearly she wasn't very aware of things either. It was only obvious to everyone under the sun that Nate fancied her. She probably wouldn't realize it if he had wolf whistled at her. But of course Nate would never do that. He's probably end up giving himself an heart attack instead.

[nate]

Nate blushed.. to his toes. "ugh... what am I going to do? You saw what happened back there when all she did was touch me.. I can't even look at her eyes without.. well.. I just can't." he wasn't about to tell even Evelyn what happened when he looked in the Rayne's eyes.

"I don't even know why I can't help myself.. I mean.. it's only around her that I have issues. Otherwise I'm perfectly fine!" He looked anguished still too dense to admit to himself the truth.

[Evelyn Turner]

"Don't be dense Nate. You fancy her. That's why it's just her. Believe me, I'm the same way with Ra- with guys I like. You just have to try to get past it." She really didn't know what to say. Girls handled crushes differently than guys and she supposed that went for love too. "I think the first thing you need to do is admit it, at least to yourself."

[nate]

Admit it? admit what.. that he liked Rayne as more than a friend? obviously. that he enjoyed being around her? definitely. that he thought she was beautiful and stole his breath away? certainly.

What was he supposed to admit? that he had a crush on her? that he might actually one day possibly maybe love her? He didn't think you could be in love with some one you don't truly know. And Rayne wouldn't let anyone get close enough to get to know her like that. But a crush? probably. "oh fine.. I like her.. I.. fancy her... but she won't let anyone close enough to.. she'd just turn me away if I said something to her."

[Evelyn Turner]

"Oh God no!" She put her hands up to stop him, as if he was going to tell her that very moment even when she knew he wouldn't. "You can't tell her that. No, no, no. That would be like suicide. Or worse. No, I think it better if you just work on not being such a weirdo around her first. Let me handle Rayne."