Anyway You Want It

[Annabelle Hennessy]

"She's six. She just started muggle primary this year, and is already loads more social than I ever have been." Anna's smile was distant as she wondered absently what house she would end up it. She was pretty bright, but wasn't nearly as interested in learning as Anna had always been. "It's funny how much siblings can be alike, but at the same time have completely different personalities. Sometimes I wonder if we'd be close friends if we were the same age. I mean I adore her and all, but with the age difference we don't have heart-to-heart talks or anything."

[Markise Sterling]

Markise looked aside at Anna again. "That's what friends are for," he said, not referring to them, really. He thought of Dare, though. They used to just lie somewhere and talk. There were some things that never came up between them by unspoken agreement, but there was no way in hell that Markise could imagine talking like that with any member of his family.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

Anna looked down at her plate and picked through her salad as if she was looking for something in particular. "I've not had much luck with friends." She replied quietly to her plate. Sure, Anna had people that she'd consider friends, but she wouldn't have gone to see the school counselor if she'd felt like she had someone to confide in. Her closest friend at Hogwarts had been Michael, and he'd turned his back on her and decided he liked boys. She refused to think of Chase as a friend to talk with, seeing how most of her thoughts that she'd wish to share with someone where centered around their odd arrangement.

[Markise Sterling]

"Well you have now," Markise said. He leaned over and nudged Anna lightly. "I'm like a doxy. Once I'm in, it's impossible to get rid of me." He paused, thinking about that analogy. "I'm less likely to bite, though," he added. Markise hoped he didn't sound desperate, but he hadn't had much luck with friends in the past months, either. He'd lost Dare completely, then a particular whore who hadn't cared at all about him, then the beginnings of something with Mano. All in all, life was sucking right now.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

Anna set down her fork and slid her arm behind his back and gave a light squeeze for a quick one-armed hug. "Thanks." She looked up at him as she pulled away with the beginnings of a smile. She hoped he was serious, that this was the start of a great friendship and that he wasn't going to disappear on her. Anna was too familiar with the typical hanging out while trying to get to know a person and then forgetting about each other and not ever hanging out.

She knew a lot of it was her fault, she spent a lot of time working and studying, but that wasn't entirely to blame on her not getting close to anyone. There was always some big barrier in the way with everyone. With Dru it had always been awkward because of Michael, and now she didn't talk to her because of Chase. Adara had hardly been around, spending most her time with her boyfriend, and there were a number of reasons she hadn't gotten close to the boys at school. Her interactions had been different with Markise from the start, and she hoped that this friendship wouldn't get messed up. "That means a lot."

[Markise Sterling]

Markise gave Annabelle a small smile, glad it looked like he hadn't overstepped his boundaries. "Cheer up, Anna, they'll be putting out dessert soon." That was normally when Markise left--he didn't need the temptation, especially when he was as miserable as he'd been lately--but he thought he could at least try something tonight.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

Anna couldn’t help but let out a chuckle at that. “The way to a girl’s heart is through chocolate.” Her plate with the remaining contents of picked at food vanished along with all the other food as the table was filled with various desert plates. Anna looked them all over, then true to her comment, chose a brownie that looked like it had some type of hot fudge. Mmmmm. She licked her lips and exaggerated for Markise's sake, glancing over to see if he shared her same fascination with sinfully delicious chocolate.

[Markise Sterling]

Markise's lips quirked at Anna's dramatics, but he neither commented nor dug into the chocolate. He did, however, turn his attention on a bowl of who-knew-what topped with whipped cream and fruit. He glanced both ways down the table, then served himself a hearty scoop of the topping, as well as an extra few bits of fruit. He was quite pleased with himself.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

Anna pulled her fork out of her mouth and set it in her empty plate after practically licking her dish clean. "Forget love, I'd rather fall into chocolate." She gave a sigh of contentment that both the food and the company had brought. Her gaze scanned the heads at the Slytherin table, but the one she'd wanted to see was still missing. Not that she LOVED him, but the word was associated with relationships and all the things she shared with Chase. She had seen him in passing several times so she knew he'd come back after break. Unfortunately they had always been to far away or in a crowded area and she hadn't gotten to even say a word to Chase. The corners of her mouth turned down into a frown as she wondered if he was avoiding her again.

[Markise Sterling]

Markise had looked aside at Anna's overdone sigh, his lips curving. Then he saw hers turn down, and his own smile faded. He followed her gaze, but couldn't for the life of him figure out what she was looking at, or more likely who she was looking for. Markise leaned close, glancing pointedly ahead for a moment before looking aside at her. "What are you looking for?" he asked softly, as though it was a state secret or something.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

Startled, Anna blinked. A flush rose to her cheeks as she wondered just how long she’d been staring. She looked aside at Markise, then glanced at some third years a short distance down the table and shook her head. “It’s nothing really.….. I’ll tell you later.” She had been about to brush it off, but after all he’d shared with her, she thought it would be an insult to lie and hide whatever was between her and Chase from him

[Markise Sterling]

Markise looked at Anna a moment, but if she didn't want to tell him, he wasn't about to make her. I'll tell you later could have been a blow-off for all he knew, so he just dropped it and finished the last of what he'd served himself. "I guess that's it, then," he said, referring to dinner. "Are you going back to your Common Room now?" A lot of students hid themselves away immediately after dinner, so it was an honest question.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

Annabelle contemplated suggesting that they go somewhere again, maybe back to the Room of Requirement. She realized they'd been hanging out practically all day though, and Markise still looked tired even after his nap. "We should probably call it a night, but we'll have to do this again sometime, maybe not on a Saturday. It was nice." She meant it, she'd enjoyed getting to know him better and hanging out. Even if he was sleeping part of the time, it still felt like they'd bonded.