A Meaningful Place (Anna/Markise)

[Annabelle Hennessy]

Anna ignored his change of subject, having a gut feeling that she needed to address the situation or else the awkwardness would remain between them. She pulled her knees up and hugged them to her chest, resting her chin on them and looking out at the lake. "No, it's not you. I just always get uncomfortable with guys touching me. Well, obviously not....the guy I'm.....seeing, but generally unless I know them well." She chose her words carefully, wanting him to know that it wasn't anything personal. She threw in Chase, just so he knew that she was somewhat taken, and in case he'd wanted anything beyond a friendship he knew it wasn't going to happen. She didn't know why she chose not to name him, perhaps because she was still uncertain as to where they stood and she didn't want any more rumors spreading.

[Markise Sterling]

Markise blinked and looked aside at Anna. "I'm sorry, if it helps," he said. Markise was put in a tight spot by this. He didn't want to insult Annabelle, but he didn't want her to think... "I...didn't mean anything by it," he went on. "I mean, you're pretty and I like you and everything, but..." Markise looked out to the water, his lips sweeping briefly over his lips. "I'm seeing someone too," he finished.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

Anna was relieved that the air was cleared between them. If they both had someone else they liked, then Annabelle thought there wasn't any reason to worry about Markise liking her like that. She turned and gave him a friendly smile. "I'm glad. I didn't want to offend you either, but I'm not looking for anything other than friends." She looked at him for a moment, taking in his facial features. He was very good looking, but she just didn't find herself attracted to him. "So are they here or back in the Americas?" She didn't know personally, but had heard that long distance relationships where hard to keep.

[Markise Sterling]

Markise blinked, taking a split second to decide before answering, "back in New York." He felt bad having to lie, but there really wasn't another way. He'd already stepped in it, and if he said he had someone at Hogwarts... Everyone seemed to know everyone else here. Markise wouldn't risk getting too close to mentioning Ariel. He couldn't think of anyone to fake as a girlfriend though. Even the thought of it rubbed him the wrong way. Markise needed a change of subject, fast. "So I really am sorry. I know everyone's not that physical, so I'll try to keep it down." Good cover bringing it right back to that, he told himself. "Anyhow, if I get out of hand, just smack me or something."

[Annabelle Hennessy]

Anna could accept that Markise didn't want to talk about it, he must miss her a lot, and didn't want to rub it in by talking about her more. "Thanks, I'm sure I'll warm up a little if we start to hang out more, seeing how we have to share the responsibility of this shore." She was offering to be friends, in not so many words. She liked how she was able to laugh so easily with him, and was having fun.

[Markise Sterling]

Markise smiled at Annabelle, more grateful than he could say that she'd let that line of questions go. "Well, we can start at the Bloody Mary," he reminded her. "It'll be fun. You're required to save me at least one dance, though." If she had a boyfriend, he wondered if she'd end up bringing him. That could be potentially awkward, but Markise would deal with that if it happened. Of course, if Annabelle had only been to the club once and it was with Michael, then maybe this new boyfriend was like Ariel and just didn't dance. Again, Markise mentally shrugged. Whatever happened, happened.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

Anna still didn't know if she wanted to brave the dance floor, but hoped she'd have fun. Markise seemed like the type of person that could make anything entertaining though. "Only if you promise not to laugh, no matter how many times I step on your toes." She didn't think it'd be an issue of saving a dance for him, she wouldn't know anyone else there unless she convinced Chase to come along. And she doubted that would happen, but she wouldn't count him out for sure until she spoke to him.

[Markise Sterling]

Markise's lips quirked. "I'll try," he said. "If I'm already laughing when it happens I'm not guaranteeing anything, though." Maybe he'd just keep her laughing enough that she wouldn't even notice. "Are you really that... ungraceful? Or are you just pessimistic? Because I told you, you look like a dancer, and I know these things," Markise said knowledgeably. He neglected to mention that he was terrible at actually reading people.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

Anna opened her mouth to say something about him accusing her of being ungraceful, when she remembered that she had just tripped over him. "I don't usually fall at guys feet, so I must just be a pessimist." She shrugged, "But I don't know why you think I'm a dancer, I've never tried. So I guess I'll just be as good as you are a teacher." She knew he'd invited her to dance, not for him to teach her, but he sounded like he really knew how, so wouldn't he help her out if she needed it? She looked at him with hopeful eyes.

[Markise Sterling]

"I'd better be a good teacher, then," Markise said, smiling. He'd never actually taught anyone to dance, so he had no clue, but since he believed that dancing was instinctual anyway, he figured it wouldn't be hard. "Anyway, I told you, I know these things. Dancing is high on my list of fixations." Or addictions, as Ariel put it. Markise suddenly decided that perhaps that hadn't been the best thing to say and decided to backpedal a bit. "Not that I'm like, easily addicted or anything, I just like the motion and..." He closed both his eyes and his mouth a moment, then tried again. He opened his eyes and smiled at Annabelle. "Anyway, I'll do my best." You should have stopped at 'I know these things.'

[Annabelle Hennessy]

Anna didn't mean to, but she couldn't help laughing. "It's okay, I get that you like dancing, that's nothing you should feel like you need to take back." She hoped that he didn't think she was laughing at him; she was laughing at the way he was trying to take back what he'd said, as if she would judge him for it or something. "Unless of course you stink at dancing, then I might be wary of having you teach me." She smiled at him with a teasing look before looking at her watch and realizing she had spent more time chatting with him then she'd thought. "But I've got some homework to do if I'm going to stay out all night. I'll see you later?"

[Markise Sterling]

Markise nodded, relieved that Annabelle hadn't caught any sexual connotations to anything she'd said. He didn't at all feel like enlightening her, so he accepted and moved on. "I'll be there," he told Annabelle with another smile. "And I'll let you decide if I stink tonight." He didn't, of course, but he could play along.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

Anna stood up, brushed some bits of leaves off from sitting on the ground, then saw her book out of the corner of her eye where she had just been, completely forgotten. She casually picked it up and tucked it under her arm. She knew if he'd seen it he wouldn't have known what book was really hidden inside, but if she'd left it and he'd flipped through, he'd know it wasn't really a Gilderoy Lockhart book. She pushed the thought aside now that it was safely in her possession, and smiled at him, remembering his last words. "So you don't want me to lie to preserve your male ego if you do in fact stink?"

[Markise Sterling]

"I don't stink, so you won't need to lie," Markise said matter-of-factly. "I just said I'd let you decide, nothing about not knowing your decision." Markise told himself he'd better be on his groove tonight, because otherwise he'd have a ton of ego issues after. Yes, he did have a male ego, and it pricked rather easily.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

Anna just laughed and shook her head, deciding that guys were too easy to bait when it came to their pride. "Til tonight then." She was smiling as she turned away, looking forward to it much more than she'd have thought. Markise wasn't intimidating to hang out with, and she was sure they'd be laughing and joking just like they were doing now. She headed up to the Great Hall, thinking that food would be a good thing, and perhaps she'd run into Chase while she was there.