Something in Common (Allaire)

[Ophelia Burke]

"Ally!" Ophelia burst out, her eyes wide. She put her hand over her mouth, then took a quick look around the common room before she continued in a whisper.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me about this before! You talked to a boy in Hogsmeade? When was that? I don't remember you seeing a boy in Hogsmeade... i can't believe I missed it!"

[Allaire Burke]

"Well, I first met him in the common room while I was reading Romeo and Juliet. After that we just talked from time to time. Then last time we went to Hogsmeade, whenever I went to the library, and after Jadon left, he came up. We talked for a little while and then we left the library and walked around. We even had a snowball fight." Allaire's cheeks turned pink and she smiled. "It was pretty fun then we ended up laying down in the snow and made snow angels. After that, we went to the Three Broomsticks and he left after I was seated. I haven't really seen him since then and it has me confused."

[Ophelia Burke]

"He left you?" Ophelia said, outraged for her sister. "Well, how rude! Why would he do that?" She frowned, remembering some of the things Lani had told her about boys.

"I just don't understand why boys can't just say what they mean. If he likes you, he should tell you. And just leaving you there... that just doesn't make sense. Boys are so confusing! You know Tyler likes to call me this silly nickname? He calls me Ace."

[Allaire Burke]

"He didn't just leave me for no reason, he said that he had something that he already had planned to do," Allaire said. "I wasn't going to stop him from doing whatever it was." She sighed again. "I know. They have to be confusing, although I suppose we're confusing too. I just wish that we could all just say everything out and let it go, but I can't just tell him I like him. I don't want him to ignore me forever."

She shook her head, she didn't get it but she started to smile at the mention of Ophelia having a nickname. "Ace? That's a different nickname. Maybe he's doing it because he likes you."

[Ophelia Burke]

"Well, I think it's all very silly," Ophelia said. "I do not intend to hold my feelings back, if I decide I have feelings for Tyler. It's too soon to say that I love him, but I like him, and I told him so. I don't see the point in playing games with people's feelings. They're too important, you know? If you like this boy... you should tell him when you see him the next time. It doesn't mean that you love him or that you want to go steady or anything like that. It just means that you like him and want to get to know him better. You know what I mean?"

[Allaire Burke]

Allaire blushed. Usually she wasn't scared to do anything, but telling someone that she liked them? "I know what you mean," she said. "But I don't know if I can do that. I don't want to scare him or anything. Who's to say that he likes me more than a friend? I just don't know Fee. You got luckly with Tyler. I don't know how things would go if I just blurted it out. I'll wait and see how things go and how he acts around me next time. If everything is good, then I'll tell him." Allaire took a breath of confidence. Hopefully she could say the words.

[Ophelia Burke]

Ophelia frowned. "Did he at least ask you to the dance? Or let you know that he wanted to see you again? Any kind of clue at all? I hope he likes you, Ally... he'd be crazy not to! You're pretty and smart, and you're MY sister!" She giggled happily. "Honestly, any guy who doesn't see how special you are is just not even worth your time, Ally. You're a Burke!"

[Allaire Burke]

She shook her head. "No, he didn't ask me to the dance," she said. "I wasn't really planning on going anyway. It's no big deal." Allaire gave a slight shrug. Part of her did want to go, just so she could dress up for one night, but she had decided that she wasn't going, mainly because she wasn't ever asked. She would spead the night of the dance curled in front of the fire with a good book and she would be just fine.

A smile appeared on Allaire's face. "Well, whatever happens, happens." She didn't care that her last name was Burke. She was just a normal person after all.

[Ophelia Burke]

Ophelia let out a shocked gasp and pulled back, staring at her sister as if she had just told her that she had grown a second head. Shaking her head firmly, she said, "Oh, no... Ally, you have to go to the dance! You just... you have to! You can't not go... how would it look? A Burke not going to the dance? No, you have to go! Where is this boy? I will tell him that he has to ask you to the dance. Or I will see if Tyler has a friend to set you up with. But you have to go to the dance... it just wouldn't do to have you sitting here reading a book that night!"

[Allaire Burke]

Allaire laughed softly at Ophelia's reaction. "No, really Fee, I had planned not to go in the first place. It's more of a thing for you and Kassia to go to." She fought off the part of her that said that she wanted to go. "Besides, the dance is in a few weeks and I didn't get a dress. It's alright, really Fee. I think it would be alright if I didn't go. I had planned to read some while the common room would be quiet because everyone else would be at the dance."

She reached over and squeezed Ophelia's hand. "Don't try to find me a date," she said. "This is how I figured it out to be, and I made plans already. Don't worry about it."

[Ophelia Burke]

Ophelia continued to shake her head. "No, no... Ally, you have to go! It will be so much fun, and you'll be so pretty... You could even borrow one of my dresses, if you want, you know I only wear them once. Please, Ally, don't give up. Maybe he will ask you. Or I will ask Tyler if he has a friend or something. Or... well, it would be humiliating for a Burke to go alone, but maybe they will think you're brave or strong or independent or something. But staying here and reading... that just won't do."

[Allaire Burke]

Ophelia wasn't going to give up until Allaire gave in. Sighing, she knew that Fee would find some way to attempt into going. "Look, Fee, if it will make you happy, I might give an apperance at the dance, but then I'm going to come back and read. It would be sort of awkward if I went alone to be honest. Don't try and find me a date. Everything will be just fine, I promise." Allaire gave a smile.

[Ophelia Burke]

"Oh, good," Ophelia said, clapping her hands together. "It will be so much fun, Ally, you'll see! And I can't wait for you to meet Tyler... he's so cute with blond hair and this funny little crooked grin... It'll just be so wonderful! You can't keep your head buried in books, you're just too pretty for that."

She giggled happily, just imagining all the fun if the dance, with the lights and the dresses and the music. To Ophelia, the ball represented the most perfect night in her life, at least until the day she would get married one day. She closed her eyes dreamily and imagined herself in a white dress and Tyler in dress robes...

[Allaire Burke]

Allaire continued to smile as Ophelia talked about Tyler. She seemed pretty smitten with him and from what Fee had told her, he wasn't that bad. "I'm excited about meeting him," she said with a giggle. Allaire would make an appearance at the dance. It would more than likely be a short one, but nevertheless she would make Ophelia happy.

She watched as Ophelia closed her eyes. She was probably day dreaming about something or another. Allaire smiled again and shook her head. "I'm sure that the dance will be exciting and lovely."

[Ophelia Burke]

"Oh, Ally... I just can't wait! The dance is just going to be so perfect, I know it! Oh! I should show you the dress I was thinking about getting, it's in the latest Witches Wear catalog, I have it up in my room. I bet we can find you a dress, too. And we should curl your hair... maybe put it up... you'll look so pretty!"

She jumped to her feet and grabbed her sister's hand. "Come on, come up to my room! I'll show you the catalog..."

[Allaire Burke]

Allaire held back laughter as her sister started going on about dresses. She knew that dressing up was Ophelia's thing and she was going to let her do whatever she wanted. "Alright, alright," said Allaire letting a bit of laughter escape her. "I can't wait to see which one you picked out." She grabbed the book she put down on the table and allowed Ophelia to lead her up the stairs to her room.