Trying to Think

[Emilian Sota]

"Yes, a few weeks ago." Had it really been a few weeks? It felt like two or three days, at the most. That is, if you took away those long days where he had accepted that stupid deal. He looked back at Adara, "Has Ryan bothered you anymore?" he asked, making sure that concern showed on his face. Had the little rat stayed away?

[Adara Snow]

Adara blinked, her unpleasant thoughts fading again as Emilian's attention focused on her. She smiled, raising her books to hug them against her. "No, not since the library," she answered. "I did not know that you were new here," she said. "It seems like so much longer, you know so many people!" Her eyes glittered with admiration, an enormous shift from only moments before.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

Annabelle looked back at her friend, not liking the way she was suddenly looking at Emilian. "Where did you transfer from?" She asked him, hoping to keep the conversation on him so she might learn more. If nothing else, she wanted to make sure Adara didn't fall for his charm before she could ask Michael about him.

[Emilian Sota]

"I'm a very social person," he said with a smile in response to Adara. He pulled his gaze from Adara and locked his eyes on Annabelle, losing the smile, she was prying. "I was homeschooled, just like Michael. Has he told you about his life before he got here?" He wanted to know how much this girl knew.

[Adara Snow]

Yes, he had told her before that he enjoyed company, so of course he would seek it out. And he had been home schooled, like she had. Imagine, something in common, and she had never thought to ask. Adara was deep in her own thoughts, completely unaware of the undertone between Emilian and Anna.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

Annabelle decided she didn't like him. One look at Adara showed that somehow her friend had a completely different view. The longer they were there, the more uneasy she felt. "Yes, we talk about a lot of things. His family's come up a lot." She knew there were obviously many things they'd never discussed, but felt she had a pretty good picture of her boyfriend's past.

[Emilian Sota]

It took a moment or two to gather his thoughts, but Emilian was able to think up the words to use to sound as 'good' as possible. "I never really liked his father." Because he was the one who told Michael to join the Death Eaters, the lieing ba-. "I was with him after he joined up, which of course," he said, looking at her as though it was an obvious thing, "Is something I never did." He could tell Anna didn't like him, and that was fine, he didn't like her much either, his only goal was to keep up that he was a 'good' person in front of Adara.

[Adara Snow]

This last bit was too thick with meaning for Adara to miss, and she looked back and forth between Emilian and Anna, unable to add a thing to the conversation. Still, she couldn't fill in the blanks on her own, leaving her to hope that somebody would let her in. At least her heart had stopped fluttering for the moment.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

Annabelle was confused. She didn't know what to believe about him. How could he have been Michael's friend while he was a death eater and not think along the same lines? "Your family is purebloods like his?" She could tell he was being cautious with what he said, and didn't think she'd get much out of him. She glanced over at Adara, wondering if she'd want to leave soon.

[Emilian Sota]

"Yes," Emilian said, catching the glance. "I can prove to you that I never joined, I'm clean." He had no mark to show his alliances. He wanted Adara alone, but he had the impression that Anna had no intention of leaving him alone with Adara.

[Adara Snow]

"What are you talking about?" Adara asked. It seemed obvious that both Anna and Emilian knew, and perhaps it was something that she should have picked up. She had begun to feel left out, with her friends talking to one another, and like a child, she wanted in.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

Annabelle knew that just because he didn't take the mark didn't mean that he was good. She was about to say something along those lines when Adara spoke. She looked at her, wondering just how sheltered she'd been not to pick up on their conversation. "Michael's family don't like muggles, and they follow You-know-who. Michael joined the death eaters, but he's realized his mistakes now and changed. Emilian just said he was Michael's friend when he followed the dark arts."

[Emilian Sota]

"I was friends with him, yes, but that does not mean that I participated with him." The statement didn't positively say that Emilian had or had not done anything like that with Michael, but implied that he hadn't, which was a lie. "I couldn't believe my eyes when he came to me with that mark on his arm," he said, actual pain from how Michael had felt showed in his eyes when he looked at Adara. Emilian had cared and it had pained him to see Michael in such a state.

[Adara Snow]

Adara melted when she saw the hurt in Emilian's eyes. "But Michael has repented," she said, giving one quick glance to Anna to confirm, then turning back to Emilian. She gave him a soft, comforting smile, her eyes encouraging as she reached out to lay one pale hand lightly against his. The flutter returned, and she almost pulled away, but could not, not when he might need her.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

Annabelle dropped her book in her hand in astonishment. She couldn't believe how Emilian was making Adara think he was a saint. "Sorry." She said to Adara, who's foot the book had landed on. She bent and picked it up, feeling a bit stupid for being clumbsy. "So you and Michael haven't reaquainted since you arrived? I'd have thought it would be one of the first things you would have done."