Back Off (Lani/open)

[Lyra Newbury]

Lyra was studying for her upcoming test, feeling very stressed about it and thinking she would have to give Rystain a visit later to blow off steam. She got up from her table to look for a book that she hoped would describe a spell she needed to study. On her way back, book in tow, she spotted Lani, Rystain's semi-girlfriend. Lyra instantly felt warm in the face as she looked at the girl. Lyra sauntered up to Lani, a cocky smile on her face. "Hello Lani."

[Leilani Evetts]

Lani had managed to see the inside of the library on very rare occasions. Lately, though, she had been so loaded with homework, and she couldn't study in the Slytherin common room anymore. Rystain was always around, and while she enjoyed the attention, he distracted her too much. Then there were Rabastan and Devin, and while she seemed to easily avoid Devin, Rabastan had made it his personal mission to harrass her.

She looked up, biting the top of her quill, to see Lyra, and she couldn't stop the flair of jealousy in her stomach. "Good afternoon, Lyra."

[Lyra Newbury]

She smirked at Lani. "It is good, isn't it?" She leaned against the table where Lani sat, resting the spine of her book near Lani's parchment. "What are you up to tonight? Running about the castle in secret, perhaps?"

[Leilani Evetts]

"Tonight?" She asked, pretending not to catch what Lyra had intoned in the question about running around in secret. "I don't have anything planned, actually," she replied, setting her quill down and looking up at the older girl. "Though I hve enough school work to last me well into the night."

[Lyra Newbury]

"Oh?" Lyra pretended to be shocked. "Is something detouring you from your studies? You know, you really shouldn't let that happen." Her voice was dangerously full of warning, though her face appeared still sweet. The knowledge that Lani would be busy tonight, away from Rystain, gave her a warm feeling. Her plans for the evening would not be ruined.

[Leilani Evetts]

Lani could hear the warning in her voice, but she wasn't sure if she knew quite well.

"I won't let anything interfer," she said, raising her eyebrows. "In fact, I was talking to Rystain about helping me a little." Her voice was full of innocence as she said this. Sometimes, being viewed as such a little worked to her advantage. "I should probably take him up on it."

[Lyra Newbury]

Lyra didn't believe for a second that Lani was as innocent as she let on. She had had too much experience in acting innocent herself to believe such a poor performance. Lani's words had gotten to her and her face reddened. "Shouldn't you hire a real tutor to do that? Maybe a Ravenclaw from your own year. Leave the big kids to their own devices."

[Leilani Evetts]

"Oh, I suppose," she said, shrugging and keeping up with the innocent act. "But I just thought, since he's a 7th year and all, that he'd be so much more... experienced." She held on to the word, pretending she had to think about it and find the exact right word.

[Lyra Newbury]

She knew what Lani was insinuating and it made her blood boil. She still thought of Rystain as a friend, with benefit, but Lani was more than that to him and she was not alright with that. "That's a good point. I personally know that he is more experienced. We study together. A lot." She knocked her book off its spine so that it fell flat on its cover, right on Lani's parchment. "It would be in your best interest to keep to your own year."

[Leilani Evetts]

"And what exactly do you study with him, Lyra?" She asked, letting that jealousy rage. "Anatomy? It's funny... I would have thought you'd be an expert in that by now."

She stood up, pulling her parchment out from under Lyra's book. "Rystain's a big boy. He can 'tutor' whoever he wants. And let me give you a friendly piece of advice... you'd do well to keep to your own business."

[Lyra Newbury]

Her anger only fueled Lyra's nastiness. It was too delicious. "Rystain is my friend, Leilani. So when he's wasting his time with some little nothing like you, it is my business." She picked up her book and smirked at Lani.

She started to walk away, but stopped and looked back at the blonde. "And by the way, Rystain's the anatomy expert when it comes to my body."

[Leilani Evetts]

Lani bit her tongue hard to keep from retorting to Lyra. She liked it too much, though her words hit worse than she would have liked.

Rystain had warned her. She had accepted the terms. She had no right to be angry. But she was seethingly jealous.

"Rystain is my friend, too, Lyra. Shove off."

[Lyra Newbury]

"No. Rystain is my friend. You, on the other hand, are a sleazy release for when he gets bored. How many interactions with him did you have before you gave it up, Leilani? Rystain and I have been friends for six years. And even after he found out he could f*ck around with you, he still seeks me out." Her entire face was smug, knowing her words were truthful ones.

[Leilani Evetts]

She couldn't really take that, knowing that Lyra's words were true, just as Lyra knew it, and she sank back into her seat. If she just let Lyra go, she'd go and stop harassing her.

That was one half of her mind. The other, an instant later, made her frown. "When he gets bored? After six years of you, I would get bored, too," she said, raising an eyebrow. "But at least you can realize that. It's big of you."

[Lyra Newbury]

Lani was grasping at straws now. Lyra and Rystain hadn't had benefits to their relationship until this year. They had just been friends, good friends, for the past six years. That was why his and Lani's 'relationship' was not okay with her. She cared too much about her friend to let him waste his time with this little tramp. To Lani's failed attempt at hurting her, Lyra simply rolled her eyes, shook her head, and made a small "tsk" sound. "That's pathetic Lani. Do you really think that's going to hurt me? You don't know much about anything, do you." It was a statement rather than a question. There was no need to ask if Lani was dimwitted. The blonde answer was staring straight at her, trying with no avail to piss off Lyra and make her angry.

[Leilani Evetts]

Lani took a breath, not bothering to defend herself against the names lyra was calling her. She'd slept with two boys. Granted, both of them were notorious playboys, but that made them the sluts, not her.

"All right, we'll pretend that this has nothing to do with jealousy or how you seem to think you're entitled to him. Rystain is capable of making his own decisions and doing what he wants, for whatever reasons he wants. He doesn't need you to play mommy."

[Lyra Newbury]

"Entitled to him?" She spoke without thinking. Lani's accusations were ridiculous and completely unfounded. She didn't want Rystain for herself. She didn't think he should belong to her. Did she? That wasn't the point at the moment. The point was Lani, not Lyra.

"Yes, he can make his own decisions. Just know that he still finds me when you're not around. And he does the same with other girls too. Don't think you're anything special, Leilani. You're not."

[Leilani Evetts]

"Neither are you, Lyra," Lani said, relaxed suddenly. At least outward appearances said she was. Inside, she was ready to cry. Lyra was hitting every point that she had gone over in her own head.

"Whenever you're done, I have studying to get back to."

[Samantha Montgomery]

Sam, who frequented the library, had heard the last few parting shots.

She knew that Lyra was there studying for a test and had thought about finding the girl and blowing off the test for some dinner, after all studying so much would only give you a headache, but apparently Lyra was no more studying than Sam imagined her to be. Instead she was clawing Lani to shreds. If a cat fight was to be had from Lyra she knew there was only one person it could be about and she shook her head. Boys were trouble no matter how you looked at it.

No wonder she didn't lay her heart on the line with anyone.

She debated breaking up the cat fight and dragging Lyra to dinner with her to give Lani some air to breathe Lyra as well for the moment. Or maybe she could find Rystain and subtly hint at what his two favorite girls were up to. Not that she was obligated to stop it or anything. Lyra could more than take care of herself and Lani didn't appear to be losing either.

Instead she brought the book she had up to the librarian to check it out giving both women their fighting space. If there was something she had learned over the years, not interfering with foreign affairs was near the top of that list.

[Lyra Newbury]

"Have fun with that." She sneered at Lani before picking up her book and walking away. She was in no mood to study and headed over to the librarian to return the book she hadn't even cracked. "Hi Sam," she said darkly as she came up behind the girl. She tapped her foot impatiently, ready to get out of there. She really needed to blow off steam now, and wouldn't it just piss off Lani if she did it with Rystain right in the middle of the common room! But he had never been one to let others watch, and he would certainly take her up to his dorm. Damn his modesty, it was so inconvenient when it chose to present itself.