This Ain't A Scene

This had seemed like a better idea before he'd done it.

Stepping into the nightclub, he blinked rapidly, staring around at all of the bodies pressing against each other, a slow blush spreading across his face.

Yes, it'd been a much better idea before he'd shown up. The loud music was upsetting his head, and all the dancing girls around were making him feel funny. But still, a part of Afonka didn't want to go. If he did, he'd have to head back to the mansion, and he was set on spending as little time there as possible.

So the Hrabrost bit his lip, staying on the outskirts of the large crowd, and simply watched.

[OOC - yes, I know sorry, I'm crashing another one My charries suddenly seem to want to socialize with Fonny ]

The crowds of people seemed to eat her; hide her away from everything else. She loved the way it made her disappear. It made her feel like perhaps her thoughts could disappear as easily. If she wasn't here now, then she might have never exhisted, and then none of her problems would ever have happned.

Body's pushed in, rubbing, grinding, touching from all sides. For a breifest moment she cold close her eyes and imagine -

Then her imagination slipped, turning to darker paths, drudging up memories she had long tried to avoid. Old problems resurfaced, and she felt panic and nausea running at the contact of these-these-

No one would touch her like that again. Not with out her saying. Not without -

One man, his hand starting to slyther around her middle, found hiself rolling on the ground as a sharp elbow made its way to a sensitive area.

"I didn't say you could touch," she snarled, although part of her brain seemed to fall back to old problems, reminding her that just by being there, dressed as she was, acting as she was - she had. Her cold eyes glances at the rest of the crowd, who quickly parted.

She didn't rush out of them, but merely walked with a cold mannor, until she had reached the edge of the crowd. The bathroom had been her first destination.

Before she caught sight of a familiar head.

"Enjoying the show, Brown Eyes? Would have thought you'd be hanging out in places less... just less, than this."

((I will take the love ))

His gaze seemed to wander around the crowd. He'd find himself focused on a girl, and then quickly look away, blushing even harder. The cycle repeated itself over and over, and it was minutes later before he realized that each of the girls were a brunette. Like Tessa, he thought, a tiny smile brightening his features as he thought of his girlfriend.

But then his thoughts turned to another brunette, one he'd visited just days ago but who'd never speak to him again, and his smile faded. He still missed her. It didn't matter how much time passed, he missed her.

Giving his head a small shake, he blinked, watching the crowds part and then...

"Ashleen," Afonka hadn't expected to find her here, but meeting someone he knew was nice, so he smiled and waved at his friend. "You're blonde again." It was a simple observation. It seemed like everyone was changing their hair colour. Bringing a hand up to ruffle at his dark hair, he wondered what he'd look like as a blond. Or maybe a redhead.

"I guess so," he shrugged, glancing around them for a moment before looking back at her, her words only now sinking in, "I mean, I just sort of walked in here, and I thought - it seemed like a good idea earlier."

"Yeah, changed it back at the start of school," she shrugged her shoulder, "I decided brown was too, pouty. Blonde's more me."

She fluffed her hair unconciously as she spoke about it. She smirked as she noticed the boy doing the same.

"Thinking of changing it up, Brown Eyes? I don't know, you might be able to pull off a slight auburn."

"And now? What kind of idea does it seem like now?"

"I think it is more you." Afonka agreed, absentmindedly swaying from side to side in time to the music. "Blonde just works for you. Not that I didn't like your hair when it was brown, it's just -" the Hrabrost shrugged, "Blonde looks good on you."

He gave his hair a final little ruffle, shrugging a shoulder, "I'm not sure. I guess it'd be sort of cool to change."

He tilted his head, thinking for a moment before grinning up at her, "Well, I found a friend here, so I think it's turning into a good idea."

"Well I'll take a compliment when I get one; certainly not going to complain."

Ashleen gave a smirk and looked the boy over agian, "Try it - never know til you do - and thats the wonders of magic. THere's always someone around to change it back in a blink if you don't like it."


"Ahh, but dear, dear Afonka - the friend is me, are you sure thats still going to make this a good idea?"

"I think I will," Afonka grinned, reaching up to touch his hair again, "Maybe not soon, but I'll do it one day." He promised, both the older girl and himself. It seemed like it'd be a cool thing to do. "Ah, magic. One of the most amazing things in the world."

He tilted his head slightly, "Yes, why wouldn't it be?" Ashleen was a nice person. He didn't see why it wouldn't be a good idea.

A chesire grin wormed its way onto the girls features.

"Oh no reason at all I suppose," she drawled, folding herself against the wall beside the other boy, "No reason at all."

Her eyes skimmed the crowd, boredom sweeping over her; her mood escalating to a point of danger.

"What do you say," she drawled slowly, "We make this place a little more.... interesting."

He tilted his head at her, watching the blonde for a moment, confusion becoming more and more apparent on his face. But he shrugged it off, following her lead and glancing around the club.

At her suggestion, a tiny smirk flitted across his face. That sounded fun. "And how," he asked slowly, "are we going to do that?"

She titled her head, his reaction only encouraging her own mood. Restless, and Ashleen did not result in anything good.

"Well, lets see," she hummed, scanning over the crowd, "What could make this more... interesting."

She caught a blonde flashing her eyes in there direction, and then looking away again. The smirk on her pretty face widened.

"All right brown eyes - you came to the club, lets see what you've got." Wrapping an arm around his shoulder, she steered her compainion until he was looking at her current objective, "See Blondie over yonder - get her number, owl - whatever proof of interest. Chat her up for a moment. I promise, she won't care when you don't call - and you don't have to do anything that counts as cheeting on whichever little miss goodie two shoes you're so in love with."

The brown eyes that earned him his nickname swept the crowd. Part of him didn't understand the allure of a place like this. The dancing he got, but why did people need to surrounded by so many to do it? He frowned slightly at the question, tilting his head slightly.

Blinking up at the older blonde as she threw an arm around his shoulders, he followed her gaze, curiously looking at the blonde out on the dance floor. As he watched, she glanced back in their direction, flashing a grin at him.

"I guess I could manage that," the Hrabrost murmured, feeling rather giddy from the unexpected attention. "How hard can it be?"

Her smirk grew further as she saw the boy warm up to hers suggestion. This plan was already increasing her enjoyment of the evening.

"Well, Brown eyes, take a stab at it and find out," with a wide grin she gave him a half shove towards the intended target, before leaning against the wall again, and scanning the crowd for her own little peice of amusement.

Laughing softly at the push, he glanced over his shoulder at her, smiling at Ashleen before he turned back around, making his way towards the girl.

As he found himself closer and closer to her, the giddiness he'd felt began to evaporate, replaced by sheer horror. What did he even say to her? How did he even make people like him? How had he ever made a friend before? He blinked rapidly, suddenly trying to remember what he'd said that had gotten Tessa to like him so much.

But before he could get much of a chance to think, he was already facing the blonde, a large smile on her face. Her eyes were green, he noted, suddenly realizing how pretty she was. "Um, hello." He squeaked out, giving her a tiny wave, "I noticed that you were looking at me from over there -" he gestured vaguely over to where Ash still stood, "-And I just wanted to say hi. Which I guess I sort of just did, but -" the Hrabrost chuckled weakly, shaking his head, "I'm Afonka."

"You are just adorable," she gave her head a little shake, amused by the brunet. Her arms winding their way around his neck, she grinned up at him, one that he returned weakly. But as she began to talk, all the worries he'd had before seemed to melt away. What had he been so worried about? She really was an easy person to talk to.

He almost felt bad, when minutes later, her address in hand, he was waving her goodbye and making his way back to Ashleen. Showing the Hitrost the paper, he grinned, "Got it."

Amusement was an understantment.

Just watching the boy, she could already feel laughter bubble up in her. Ashleen only wished she were close enough to hear what he was saying. He already looked so nervous, he was adorable.

She wasn't surprised when he came back with what she sent him for.

"Not bad, not bad - the innocent thing will work for you," she smirked taking the address and looking it over. "Cutesy writting, hmm, is that lipstick."

Shrugging she tossed the paper back at him and looked around the room.

"My turn - Pick out a lucky lad Brown Eyes. Lets see if I still remember how to do this, yes?" she arched on eyebrow whil her lips tugged up to one side.

He ducked his head shyly. It wasn't that he was trying to come off as innocent. It was just how he was. But really, he didn't think of himself as being very innocent. Innocent people didn't -

Afonka pushed the thought away. He was here to have fun. And besides, it wasn't as if he'd chosen to be in the mafia.

"Is it?" he blinked up at Ashleen, taking the paper back to scan before tucking it away. He didn't know why he felt so obliged to keep it, but he felt like there was something inherently wrong with throwing away her address here, where just about anyone could take it and read it.

"Hmmm," he paused to glance around the club, brown eyes locking onto a redhead who'd glanced in their direction, "What about him?" Afonka nodded towards the boy before glancing back at Ashleen.

"A ginger," she followed his gaze, smirking as the man looking over caught her stare. She didn't bother looking away, "How... tasty."

Fluffing her hair slightly she swung her drink at Afonka, "If I still got this, I'll be back in less then five."

The crowd parted easily for her as she sashed herself up to the boy, almost a man really, a year or two older than herself. A playful little smirk crossed her features as she uncermoniously wrapped her arms around his neck, and whispered into his ear.

It was less than a minute after that, that the blonde came back with his info glittering on the back of her hand.

"And, thats a wrap," she grinned triumphantly, taking the drink back out of her companion's hands.

Tasty? How was a hair colour tasty? But despite his bewildered look, Afonka smiled amusedly, shaking his head at the floor. "Alright then," he grinned, taking her drink. Swishing the liquid absentmindedly in the glass, he watched the blonde, a tiny smirk crossing his face.

She really was good at this. Much better than he was. But the innocent thing seemed to work for him, like she'd said. And really, he didn't think Ashleen D'Angelo could be innocent. Unable to help but grin at the thought, he blinked, suddenly unable to find her in the crowd.

He found the redhead again, but he wasn't with her anymore. Not unless she'd changed her whole appearance and clothes in the last few seconds. When she appeared at his side, he simply beamed up at her, surprising himself by not startling. But then, doing all of this was rather surprising.

"How do you do that?" he asked with a slight tilt of his head, "Make someone you barely know like you?"

The surprised look on his face amused her; he almost seemed in awe. It would be flattering if there wasn't a part of her that was disgusted she was good at this - good at playing people.

She teased them with what they thought they wanted, then never gave it up. Would it be better or worse, if she actually went through with what she promised.

"They don't like me," Ashleen responded after a moment. Her tone was causal, as if this was not a big deal, though the bitter look in her eyes was telling a different story. "Not really. They don't know me, they can't like me. They just like what they think I have to offer."

His forehead creased. They didn't? But they sure seemed to. Even now, when he glanced around them, he could feel the male and female attention on the blonde.

If that wasn't them liking her, he wasn't sure what was.

"What you have to offer." Afonka repeated dully, finding himself more and more confused. "And what do you have to offer?"

He was so naive it almost made her want to smile. She longed for a time when she could have that kind of innocent, not understand these things.

But she lost that a longtime ago.

If she even ever had it.

"Sex Brown Eyes," she took a sip of her drink, looking over the rim at the crowd. "They just want sex, or whatever fact-simile I'm willing to give them."

He blushed a deep crimson at her words, rubbing softly at his cheeks. The thought had crossed his mind before, but it still made him feel uncomfortable.

Giving Ashleen a jerky nod, Afonka twiddled his thumbs, unable to come up with anything to say.

The girl laughed. Acutally laughed.

It wasn't really a thing she could help. The reaction the boy made to everything was just flawless. The tension she had felt disappated towards her.

"Oh don't look so preturbed Afonka Darling. I'm a one man girl anyways - these boys are just getting all excited over nothing."

Running a hand through her hair, smoothing it, and then pulling it over her shoulder part of her wished that it her statement were more true. In its base, of course it was true. Nothing could make her forget about Tre...

But, the problem was she was stuck now pretending she couldn't give a damn about what the other boy did.

And she still wasn't sure she could do that. She tipped her drink back, draining it, part of her brain wishing that it was something stronger.

He blinked sheepishly up at the laughing girl, ducking his head shyly even as a tiny smile worked across his face. He couldn't necessarily help but be the way he was.

Afonka nodded along to her words before tilting his head slightly, a question suddenly coming to him. "Who is he anyway? I don't think - well, maybe we have met. I don't know."

The Hrabrost shrugged.

"Treshawn Beneparte."

A smile crossed her face just at saying his name. How was she ever supposed to pretend -? The smile slipped at that thought.

"He's a sixth year, like me, Slush... but I mean...we're not exactly... together, anymore... there were some things... some orders..."

Her jaw clenched and she shook her head.

"You're lucky that the mafia doesn't give a crap about who you love. Do your best to keep it that way."

Treshawn....the name sounded familiar. Maybe they'd met once? Or maybe the boy was just popular. He could have sworn he'd hearn the name being muttered somewhere. He tilted his head up at Ashleen. If she still cared about him (and the boy could tell she still did) then why weren't -?

Oh.

Biting at his lip, the Hrabrost's expression clouded over into one of sympathy and the beginnings of fear. If the mafia had broken Ashleen and Treshawn apart, why not break him up him and Tessa?

"Why?" Afonka gaped up at her, "Did they even give you a reason?"