Like a Breath of Fresh Air(Adele/Open)

[Caleb Renneau]

Caleb had agreed to the outing, anything to bring his sister's spirits up, if that were even possible. Samantha didn't need anybody taking care of her and he long ago accepted that, but as an older brother it was hard seeing someone you cared about suffer.

Christine had left him a message that she and Samantha were going to eat by the lake for lunch and requested that he join them. He had some papers to grade and was absorbed in those when he realized that it was five minutes til lunch. Gathering up his things he left his room and began walking out of the castle his face behind a particular paper when he stumbled straight into someone.

"Oh I'm sorry!" he said quickly apologizing, when he looked at his victim he smiled a smile of recognition, " Afternoon miss Graham."

[Adele Graham]

Adele was not expecting to get run into and she reeled back a step. The body that hit hers was like a wall of solid muscle, and she dropped her book. Thank Merlin she had only been carrying one, or they would have scattered everywhere.

She didn't hear the greeting until she was on her knees, and she looked up.

"Oh... Oh, good afternoon, professor," she said, grabbing her book and getting back to her feet.

[Caleb Renneau]

Caleb chuckled a bit as he reached for her book to hand it back to her. She had already picked it up which made him smile a little more. "How are you?"

Time slowed around Adele, and yet when he left her it seemed as if time had gone by too quickly, he was a bit late to his lunch date, but he could always afford these sorts of pleasantries. They were all too often entertaining for him to pass up such an opportunity.

[Adele Graham]

"Well balanced," was Adele's quick, not thought out reply to Caleb's innocent question, and she shook her head a little after it came out.

"Sorry, I didn't mean... I'm well, thank you." Great, Adele, go mouthing off to the one professor you're skating on thin ice with anyway. "How are you?" She returned politely, holding the book close to her chest.

[Caleb Renneau]

Her answer threw him off for a moment but when he regained his own balance he wanted to bark out a laugh, but she seemed to regret answering so candidly so he used it as his own advantage giving her a raised eyebrow that he was learning rather well for so young a teacher. "MMhmm." he said in reply trying not to laugh.

"I'm doing well." he said as if pointing out that his answer was the right answer to such a question.

[Samantha Montgomery]

Samantha was keeping quiet. She knew Christine's more animated behavior toward her was caused from the attack. It seemed to Sam, that people were dancing around her, which was odd she thought but didn't comment. She was fine, well she was far from fine, but she was more than capable of handling it, this was after all, nothing new except perhaps this was the closest she had ever come to actually passing on, but even that didn't phase her. Even the nightmares were diminishing. The only terrifying part she supposed was the fact that her mother was alive, when she thought about that, then she almost couldn't breathe.

Still she found that she had almost been waiting for it, she almost felt as if she knew the woman wouldn't go down that easy and was back to haunt her. Sam would have to come up with a game plan but she wasn't defeated, not yet anyway.

[Adele Graham]

(I completely forgot about this one... sorry!)

Adele smiled a little, as if she knew that he wasn't really admonishing her. He was nicer than that, and probably would have come up with a similar answer.

"How's... Sam?" She asked, reaching for anything to talk about, and Sam seemed like a polite thing to ask about. The girl had been very badly injured in the attack, and was quite lucky to be alive. Surely that was worth celebrating?

[Caleb Renneau]

(There are a few others I think we've all forgot about I'm going to go through the whole of the board and post the ones that haven't been posted in, in forever. But don't worry about not posting in them you've been busy and the attack's been keeping everyone busy)

Caleb's smile dimmed in thinking about his sister but it came back a little softer, "Healing." he said simply, "You could ask her yourself." he smiled this time a little mischievous, " I'm on my way to a picnic.." he said it with an expression that clearly said what he thought about an outdoor picnic in this weather but he explained, " My cousin thought it would be best if Sam was excavated from the hospital wing. Are you hungry?"

[Adele Graham]

She nodded, but was actually surprised when he asked if she was hungry.

"Are you inviting me to your picnic?" She asked, almost skeptical of him. It just seemed odd, but she shook her head. "No, it's... your family. I couldn't interrupt that. They probably need you, anyway." She knew what it was like to need a brother. She still did... she just didn't have the brothers around anymore. She missed them so much some days.

"But I'll see you in class later."

[Caleb Renneau]

He gave her a look as if waiting for her to object then started laughing lightly when she did, " Do you ever let anyone get close to you?" he asked but before she could answer he gave her one of the most charming smiles ever to grace the earth, " Come on...it's just lunch not an inquisition...besides if I bring you I might not be carped at for being late."

[Adele Graham]

She opened her mouth, but stopped herself from getting defensive about his question. How could she, when the answer was no, she didn't let anyone get close.

"You know, your sister doesn't like me much. I should study, anyway, and it is cold out," She rattled off the excuses without much hesitation. She honestly couldn't think of anything more frustrating or awkward than a lunch with a family she barely knew.

[Caleb Renneau]

"Only three excuses?" he asked, " I'm disappointed." he said clearly smug, " Weak arguments at that." he huffed with his arms over his chest. " However.." he said lowering his eyes to the floor he took a step toward her, " if you have no more excuses then we shouldn't have a problem at all." He took off his jacket and put it around her shoulders halting her protests, " Now you won't be cold." He gave her a clear knowing look, " You do not need to study anything with that mind of yours I'd be surprised if you used a book in any of your classes." the latter comment was tinged with amused admiration, then he addressed the last of her concerns, " As for Samantha, her good opinion is based off of your attitude towards her darling older brother, she worries over my feelings and what would she think if you refused such a grand faire?" he asked.

He didn't let her answer but instead turned her shoulders and started walking her forward before walking ahead of her, she had his jacket and he was rather hoping that she would follow if only to give him his jacket back.

[Adele Graham]

Adele just stared after him for a minute, frowning. He made things so impossibly difficult. She didn't need a teacher to step in and do that concerned thing... she could figure life out on her own, or what was the alternative? Death? That was fine, too.

Sighing loudly, so that he could hear her, she started off behind him, not knowing how else to argue with him, and keeping the sarcastic remarks to herself.

[Caleb Renneau]

Inwardly he congratulated himself when he heard her footsteps behind him and his grin was enough evidence of that, it was a good thing she couldn't see his face or she'd likely turn around, his jacket be damned. In either case he wasn't sure why he cared so much that she accompany him. Perhaps it was just the concerned teacher bit, he didn't like to believe he was that shallow but he honestly didn't know. All he knew was that it was important for her to smile, it was almost essential to his being.

[Adele Graham]

Adele, however, was rolling her eyes. Of course he was proud of himself... she hated it. So he saw her crying one time, and now made it his personal mission to be around her constantly and make her open up. Well, she wasn't opening up. She wasn't getting close to him or anyone, since she probably wouldn't even make it through the year.

When they came to the blanket where Christine and Samantha were, Adele fidgeted, unsure of what to do. She and Samantha still weren't on the best of terms.

"Please take your cloak," she said quietly.

[Caleb Renneau]

Caleb frowned and didn't take the coat right away. When he did lean in to take his jacket he simply held it in his hands still around her shoulders, "Please stay." he whispered before pulling back, his face was a myriad of open honest emotions, desire, friendliness, invitation, all the innocent sort, but still he did want her to stay and sit with them, he thought she had a beautiful smile and yet, no one saw it, he wanted to.

"It's cold, you should keep it."

[Adele Graham]

Adele bit her lip and sighed. How could she say no to that?

And why did he think this should be so easy for her? Samantha and Christine really had no idea who she was, and she doubted they planned on Caleb bringing a guest. And Merlin, she hated being a charity case.

The look in her eyes said she wanted to fight, but she would stay, and said a soft hello to the other two girls.

[Samantha Montgomery]

Samantha raised an eyebrow at her brother's unusual display, and that unreserved smile that he usually did reserve for family only. Merlin only knew the gaggle of girls who were trying to get into Arithmancy next year because of the "hott teacher" and it was true, her brother was a beautiful specimen, but he was cold and removed unless he knew you and well likes you.

"Hello." she replied in soft surprise.

[Christine Montgomery]

"Hi." Christine said a little more friendly, she for one didn't mind who Caleb brought as long as he came himself, and who knew maybe the girl would turn out to be a friend in the long haul.

At that thought she smiled a little more, "Well look at us...all we need is a hufflepuff and I do believe we'll be defying all sorts of convention." she said with that infectious good mood.

[Caleb Renneau]

Thank Merlin for Christine.

He smiled at her comment and gestured for Adele to take a seat. He caught his sister's questioning glance, and his own was somewhat pleading. He knew Samantha's reserved nature would prevent her from being warm and welcoming like Christine, but there was so much more to his sister than what met the eye, she was really a wonderful and loyal person beneath the wall she kept up.


"Indeed, well that doesn't surprise me considering who it is who's defying convention." he said staring purposefully toward Christine.