Confession (Anna/Markise) (empty classroom)

[Markise Sterling]

There were so many empty classrooms that Markise already knew of as safe places that it didn't take long to find one. He looked both ways down the deserted corridor before opening the door and ushering Anna in ahead of him, since she wasn't dressed for hiding. Then he slipped in after her and turned, locking the door immediately behind him.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

Anna froze at him locking the door. Bloody Hell! What did I get myself into? She took a step back, telling herself to calm down. Yes, she was in a locked empty classroom, with a guy. No, it wasn't Chase. Yes, he'd been drinking. She tried to remind herself that this was Markise. He'd been nothing but good to her. They'd agreed that there wasn't anything between them, he was safe to be around. She took a deep breath, trying to clear her face of any worry before he turned back around to face her. We're friends, and he has some big information that he doesn't want spread around. That's it.

[Markise Sterling]

The room was dark, so Markise pulled off his cloak, dropping it down at the bottom of the door to block the light he was about to make. "Lumos," he said softly, and his wand obliged with a weak glow. "Do you see a torch Anna? A lamp?" He couldn't talk to himself, it wouldn't work. He needed to be able to see that there was no one in the room but the two of them.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

Anna looked around the walls, seeing several lamps. She cast the appropriate spells, grateful for something else to focus her mind on. "Hows that?" Once the last one was lit, she turned back around to face Markise and was finally able to take in the full affect of his outfit. Everything was different than she'd expected. From his hair, to the glitter that reflected the glow of the lights, to the skin tight clothing. She heard herself say the first thing that popped into her head, "Wow, you go all out."

[Markise Sterling]

Markise felt heat steal up the back of his neck, up into his cheeks. He hadn't even thought about Anna seeing him when he'd dropped his cloak. He reached up and caught at his hair, lightly tugging down a few blue-tipped lavender strands of it. He half-turned to look at Anna over his shoulder, the position of his hand and hair obscuring, if not blocking part of his face. "It's the only time I can get it out," he said.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

"Get what out?" His different sense of fashion? She could see why he didn't dress up like that around Hogwarts, it was so far from their uniforms that he'd probably get detention if a professor caught him looking like that. Anna took a few steps towards Markise and hopped up to sit on an empty table. She patted a seat next to her, offering for him to join her. They were there for some secret, and she could only assume it had to do with his choice of clothing and colored hair.

[Markise Sterling]

Markise glanced down at the spot Anna was offering him, but he couldn't sit just now, not unless he knew she was okay with it. This wasn't Dare, wasn't his family, people he'd known for years. He was nervous despite her reassurances, so he just said it. "I'm gay." And like that it was out, and the tension only increased waiting for a response.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

I'm gay. The words processed through her head, clicking everything he'd said together so it all made sense. "Ohhhhh. Wow." She couldn't believe he'd just told her that, but at the same time, she knew it had to be true, and couldn't believe she hadn't seen it. Especially with everything he'd hinted at tonight. Her eyes had widened in comprehension at the situation before settling again. She gave Markise a friendly smile, meeting his eyes so he knew it was sincere. "I've never had a gay friend before." Anna thought about this a moment then corrected herself. "Well, I've had a gay boyfriend I guess, but lets say Michael doesn't count."

[Markise Sterling]

Markise frowned behind the cover of his hand and hair. Michael was a sore spot for him, and he didn't want to say anything about the guy. Anything else he might have said was completely derailed by that last quip that Anna had tacked on. "So like, can I go to bed now?" he asked, annoyed and unable to hide it with his mind as fuzzy as it was. He looked away from Anna, his fingers twirling and twisting a lock of soft hair mercilessly to distract him.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

Annabelle didn't know what she'd said wrong, but could tell that Markise was obviously upset about it. She slid from the desktop and approached him. She didn't like that he was hiding his face and she was practically talking to his back. Assuming that it was her comment about having a gay boyfriend, she went into trying to repair the damage. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you by being so insensitive. I was just teasing. You know, I thought you might think it funny that I've dated a gay guy too." She clasped her hand over her mouth. "Oh. Is that stereotyping? Should I not say gay guy?"

[Markise Sterling]

The annoyance in Markise's eyes shifted to confusion. What was she talking about? It took him a minute to piece things together, then he closed his eyes a moment and pursed his lips. "I'm not crazy about Michael," he said, looking into the room. "Possessive bastard," he added under his breath. It was Michael's presence and continued influence that had driven such a wedge between him and Dare.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

Annabelle barely caught the muttered words, and her own lips formed a silent Oh. She remembered that he knew Dare, Is he jealous? She decided both Michael and Dare were probably sore subjects, and filed it to think on later. She'd reached him by this point, and put a supportive hand on his shoulder, hoping he would stop hiding behind his arm. "So you feel you have to hide it from everyone?"

[Markise Sterling]

"That's why I'm here," Markise said. Why was he telling her all this? He was talking too much, he needed something better to do with his mouth. Markise turned his face away from Anna, lowering it so the mussed curls he'd worn for the night hung down like a curtain. Then he began searching his pockets for just one piece of gum.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

At first Anna thought that he meant there, in the classroom. As he fiddled in his pockets, she took in the broader meaning of his statement. She wondered what had happened to force him to transfer schools. She thought about Dare and Michael coming out, and wondered what was so different that they stayed and Markise hadn't. She wasn't about to ask, it was none of her business, and certainly not right for her to ask so many questions that she overwhelmed him. "For what it's worth, I'm fine with it. I'll still treat you the same."

[Markise Sterling]

Markise couldn't find a single stick of gum in any of his pockets, and he lamented not having any. He only just heard Anna as he stopped searching and crossed his arms over his chest. "You sure?" he asked, looking aside at Anna after a few moments. One hand pushed lightly at his hair, tucking part of it behind his ear to show what it had been covering, artfully applied makeup and glitter.