A New Friend (Lyra)

[Ethan Drake]

Ethan frowned. The story sounded natural, not rehearsed or anything, so he didn't have any suspicion that she was lying, but it still seemed strange, and it was actually quite easy to put his finger on.

He moved another piece, not really paying attention right now, so it was an inconsequential pawn.

"I think that's the most you've ever said to me at one time."

[Lyra Newbury]

She chuckled at his words then took another of his pawns, this time not bothering to watch the two pieces fight it out. "Well it's a complicated story, isn't it? Would you have preferred me to shrug and say nothing?" Lyra wondered if Ethan was suspicious because of her explanation. He looked a little wary. And he was right, they hadn't talked much before. But this was after and she was different now. There had never been a reason not to hang out with Ethan, and now without Rystain she had the time to do so more often. Of course, he still had to want to hang out with her.

[Ethan Drake]

"No," Ethan said in response to her question, though his eyes were on the pieces battling it out, contemplating his next move. "I much prefer the conversation. I just wasn't expecting the lengthy explaination, is all. But I like listening to you talk."

He afforded her that compliment without feeling weird about it or anything. It was just a compliment, after all.

"Your move," he announced, finally moving his queen.

[Lyra Newbury]

"I'm full of surprises," she cooed, now studying the board to see where she should move next. As she looked down, she let a secret smile cross her face. Ethan liked hearing her talk. That was the nicest thing anyone aside from Julian had said to her recently. And Julian didn't really count, as he was only here to make her feel better. Compliments came with the package.

She moved a knight forward, inching closer to the gap Ethan's queen had left. She knew she would probably lose it before she got anywhere near a Checkmate. "I like talking to you," she added as she looked up.

[Ethan Drake]

Ethan hadn't expected the compliment in return, and he smiled, not afraid to let her see it. She appearantly had a fiance... he knew that. But the girl could use a friend.

He moved a pawn to simply block her knight, and his next comment was being carefully crafted in his mind. He knew he had to be careful how he asked it and how it came out, or she wouldn't enjoy talking to him as much anymore.

"So, I take it this fiance of yours will be accompanying you to the Yule Ball?"

[Lyra Newbury]

The Yule Ball...she'd forgotten about that. She hadn't done any of the fun, girly preparation things she and Sam had been planning to do. They needed dress robes and hair styles and jewelry. She hadn't thought about a date, it had always seemed so far away. And she had been hoping Rystain would ask her. But he had asked Lani instead, which was the straw that broke the camel's back, and the reason she was in this mess in the first place. For appearance sake, she supposed she should take Julian. It only seemed right, and would get at Rystain more, hopefully.

But was Ethan hoping to ask her? Or was he just making conversation? "Why? Jealous?" she asked with a smart tone. She couldn't possibly answer his question, not without having discussed her options with Julian and thinking it over herself. Julian was great, but he was fake. There was no real relationship between them and would she want to remember her final Yule Ball as being a set up?

[Ethan Drake]

Ethan shrugged, not one to seem to eager about it. He wasn't apathetic, but he wasn't going to spend energy defending himself, either.

"Honestly, Lyra, I don't know a boy in Slytherin that wouldn't be a bit jealous." It was a mysterious answer on purpose, and he watched her over the chess board to watch her reactions. She hadn't said yes, afterall, and that was curious to him as well.

But whatever curiosity he had about Julian, she seemed happy with him, and that was all that mattered, he supposed.

[Lyra Newbury]

"I do have that affect on men," she said smugly, looking over the chessboard. She was happy with yet another compliment and smiled again, this time so that he could see. Lyra moved another piece, closing in on one of his rooks.

"Who are you going with?" she countered. If he gave a straight answer this might clear up some of her confusion as to why he brought up the topic in the first place. She would have to come up with some reason why Julian might not attend, in case anyone wanted to ask her. But still have him available in case no one did.

[Ethan Drake]

Ethan smiled charmingly. There were, of course, several different answers he could give to this question. He could pick the name of a girl at random, one that he knew would say yes to him, or he could simply say he had no date yet.

But that was all game playing, and Ethan, despite his affinity for chess, never much liked playing games with girls, and he didn't like the games they often played in return.

He took one of her knights that had been left wide open, and decided he had nothing left to lose. "I was hoping I'd be going with you. Check."

[Lyra Newbury]

Lyra was quite pleased that she had not known a direct answer to give him when he had asked her. She liked Julian, a lot really. But she did not fancy him, her heart still belonged to someone else. And Julian was so much older and more mature. It was nice to be around people her own age. Nice to goof off when she felt like it, and not think twice about it. Ethan would be good for that. He was a year behind her in school, but not even a whole year behind her in age. If she wanted to mess around at the Ball she wouldn't feel self-concious about it if Ethan were there in Julian's place.

"You were?" she questioned him with a little grin. She moved her king out of danger as she spoke casually. "And just when did you start hoping for that? When I came down here today or was this premeditated?" She liked messing with him still, even if she did want to go with him.

[Ethan Drake]

Ethan smirked, focusing on the board rather than Lyra.

"Does it matter?" He asked, moving another piece, less interested in the game as they went on. Lyra never said she was going with Julian, and he was one of the guys that he imagined girls liked to brag about.

They never knew each other well, but they did know each other and Ethan had always kind of admired her. He just neve found an opening... one of them always seemed involved at one time or another. She wasn't discouraging him now either.

[Lyra Newbury]

"It might. If you were only thinking you wanted to go with me once you saw me, it would tell me two things. First, that you're impulsive and I have a good chance of winning this game. The second, that I look particularly good today, enough so that it distracts you and I have a good chance of winning this game." Her eyes sparkled at she looked at him, grinning devilishly.

"But then, if you had been thinking about it prior to my arrival, well you might be in luck."

[Ethan Drake]

Ethan cracked a smile. "Well, I am impulsive, and you do look particularly good today, but you will lose this game, and my question was premeditated. I have to be honest, though, that fiance you pulled out of your back pocket has a way of keeping a guy silent. It's nice to see you without him for once."

Or maybe she was just learning how to stand on her own two feet again. He bought her story about him being a fiance and all that, but he also correctly assumed that he was around for her to lean on.

"Check. Again."

[Lyra Newbury]

Lyra cheeks turned the slightest tint of pink as she smiled at Ethan. "I do have a terribly large back pocket," she said, trying to make light. She had to stare at the board for a while to see where she could move, to save her king. Finally seeing it she moved her king out of harms way with a soft chuckle.

"I don't know that everyone else feels the way you do about Julian, but you shouldn't feel the need to shut your mouth around him. Though, I suppose I could ditch him every now and again, for your sake."

[Ethan Drake]

"He just makes me quiet about you, actually," Ethan replied, his next move not putting her in any danger. He decided not to mention anything about what others thought of Julian... he thought Rystain was threatened by him, but there were two girls who shouldn't hear that.

"But I wouldn't mind seeing you more often without him around." He took his eyes off the board and looked at her, a half smile and half contemplative look on his face. "So... was there an answer in there somewhere? About the dance?"

[Lyra Newbury]

When he responded it made her wonder what sorts of things he would have said about or to her had Julian not been around. And had he been keeping his mouth shut, in regards to her, around previous boyfriends? That thought made her think back to the last time she had actually had a boyfriend...it was far too long ago. Boyfriends were complicated. Boys and friends are much more easy going without pairing the two words together.

"I'm sure he won't like it if I go with you," she said, trying to make sure their relationship still sounded real enough. "But he told me a few days ago that he won't be able to make it due to family stuff." She rolled her eyes at the last words as if it were a terrible inconvenience for his family to ruin her Yule Ball. "So, yes. I will allow you to take me." It would be his honor, she was sure.

[Ethan Drake]

"I'm sure he won't like it," Ethan agreed, still watching her curiously. Yes, he bought her story, but Ethan was a very observant person, too. Especially when it came to girls, and he attributed that to watching out for his sister for so long.

"Oh, well," Ethan laughed. "You'll allow me... I am so honored. You see? Julian scares people. I should thank him for being engaged to you, or else someone else would have asked you already."

[Lyra Newbury]

Lyra giggled at Ethan's reaction. He took her lightly, she liked that. There were a few people that thought she was more serious than she meant, Aubrielle for one. But that could be attributed to their all too often sisterly disputes.

"I could bring him up here if you'd like to do it in person," she teased. She hadn't the faintest idea where Julian was at this moment. Probably where ever he was calling home at the moment. Lyra had yet to see his flat. She didn't really care to.

[Ethan Drake]

Ethan looked up and smiled at tht giggle. She had a cute giggle, one of those laughs that guys fell over themselves for.

He shook his head at her suggestion. "No, that's all right," he said with a slight chuckle. Merlin, could you imagine that conversation? "I'll send him a note instead." He wouldn't, of course, and he wondered what Julian's reaction would be to his fiance attending the dance with another. Narcissa's fiance was coming, after all. It would be interesting, anyway.

[Lyra Newbury]

"I can't wait to see that," she mused, looking over the board. She was clearly losing, Ethan had half her pieces in shambles on his side of the board. She only had a small handful of his. This wasn't her game. It was only a matter of time before he would call Checkmate and she would need something else to distract her while she tried to keep this lie of Sam's going.