Mr. Brightside

The summer scene was in full action. It was noon, in Palasivue on a gorgeous day. As Ninette knew from past experience, everyone and their mothers would be out enjoying the day - and hoping to get a glance at the latest summer gossip. In years passed she would have been spending every day she could in this area, participating in the gossip or looking for new ones. But this summer, she had in fact been actively avoiding the over populated area. She was tired of students, gossip, and anything else completely childish.

She was only doing this for Zander. They had an image that they had to keep up with. Ninette wasn't going to have let all that time have gone to waste. And she supposed that she didn't mind the social aspect. There was a certain energy that she had missed from this scene. It sizzled and made her more alive; it was where she had grown - it was her element, and she certainly knew what to do in it.

There was just the tiny part of her mind that wondered if that was a good thing.

The "sun dress" she had donned for the occasion - it was far too hot for anything like robes - was tight, clinging in all the right places. The hem passed the finger tip test - but just barely - and the top hung to her by only one thin shoulder strap. She wore a pair of dark sunglasses like a guard against not only the sun, but the world itself.

Wrapping an arm around Zander's waist, she leaned up on her toes, to reach his ear, a her eyes glancing around calculatingly unnoticed behind her glasses, brightly painted lips smirking, "We'll sit outside, " she whispered, "Much better to be seen. And remember," she kissed the edge of his jaw softly, smirking as she did so, "We don't care if anyone is looking."

Smirking to herself she snaked her arm away from him, dancing away, a light swing to her hips as she weaved through the crowed, grabbing a the last table on the patio before a - now disgruntled - third year could.

"Zaaander," she sung out loudly, attracting every gaze even as she proceeded to ignore them all. "You know I don't like to wait."

Sunglasses. That was his immediate thought. What was with this and sunglasses. They kept the sun out of his eyes, sure, but he had never extended an effort to get a pair until now. The way the entire world seemed amber colored and darker entranced him, almost moreso than the girl on his arm.

Almost.

It took a conscious effort not to stare at her skirt, and he was trying his best to do so. She just made it so hard sometimes, and he was sure that she was doing it on purpose. After all, he had asked for it, and it was only bringing down his reputation. That was what he wanted, wasn't it? To be seen?

He was starting to wonder if he wanted it as much as he once had.

Her pulling away derailed all thought on anything but her, a protest rising to his lips before she was gone, and he was following. Leave it to Nettie to attract everyone's eye. A smirk played across his lips as he sauntered after her - sauntering felt so weird for him, you honestly have no idea - but he made a show of following her, not sparing a glance to the girls who blushed and were obviously following him with their eyes. He was wearing a tshirt and a vest above jeans and sneakers, and even he had to admit he looked good. In fact, if someone were to take a photo of him, it would almost be magazine worthy.

Rolling his eyes at the pointless babbling of his narrarator, Zander slid into a seat across from Ninette, offering her a smile. "There. I came as fast as I could." He deadpanned, though a teasing lilt could be heard in his voice. Raising an eyebrow at her, he lounged backward, evidently already bored. Tilting his head back, he wondered just where the waitress or whatever was.

Surprisingly elegant, despite the outward - shall we say promiscuous? - appearance she had going for her, she folded easily into her seat, smooth legs crossing underneath the table, and turned just enough to attract any wandering eye. She ignored them - it was what she did best. Attracting the attention she would later realize she didn't really want. Folding her hand on top of each other, her elbows at top of the table, she made a neat little platform to rest her chin on. Her lips formed into an elaborate pout.

She didn't miss the few glances from around that went straight for them. Her eye twitched slightly in annoyance, but the luxury of sunglasses was no one noticed.

"I think you could have been moving a little faster there, Pumpkin," her hand reached out to rub his arm, and her voice changed so it was dripping with concern, but her lips smirked up with amusement and there was a mischievous light dancing in her hidden eyes, "I haven't been trying you out, have I? You're always just so... eager." She cocked her head to the side slightly, a sure sign that she was completely enjoying herself.

Leaning back herself, she turned her head just in time to catch a half leer from the waiter as he approached the table. She cut off his 'pleasant' introduction.

"Mocha latte, skim milk, no sugar," she flashed him a wide grin, that didn't quite dispel her general aurora of hostility. "Anything for you Pumpkin?"

Zander raised an eyebrow, keeping the arm behind his head where it was as he resisted the urge to shiver under her touch. His eyes glinted behind their amber colored shades, even as he flipped his arm beneath hers and brought her hand to his lips. "Always eager." he said with a crooked grin, holding her hand against his heart for a brief moment before placing it back on the table, intertwining their fingers as he looked back around for a waiter.

"I don't suppose you have iced peppermint chocolate?" He asked, barely glancing at the man and instead frowning at the way she tugged her hand out of his. Tucking the now free hand behind his head as well, he tilted his chair back slightly, eyes sweeping her as the waiter walked away. "Though, really, I would love a taste of what's under that skirt." He smirked, the motion indecent.

Ninette didn't feel the need to fidget, move or wiggle the hand that was in his grasp as she normally would with such a causal, friendly action. The thought that there wasn't some control, some ulterior motive to the action that she needed to figure out was slowly starting to weed itself out of her mind, at least where Zander seemed to be concerned. She supposed maybe that was what accepting someone as a friend was.

Or maybe it was just Zander. Ninette still wasn't sure if there was a difference or if she cared if there was.

Still, her own ulterior motives brought her moving again. Her level of comfort didn't force her to move for the sake of moving, but there was also no drive saying she needed to touch the boy constantly. Watching the waiter leave with a steady eye, she smirked at the boys words before she brought her gaze back to him. Her eyebrow raised and under the table her leg brushed softly against his.

"Last time I checked what's under the skirt wasn't on the menu here, Pumpkin," her voice was musical in its sweetness. It was dripping with sugar to the point of giving one a tooth ache, "I think you'd have to convince me why I should let you go... off menu."