Hidden In Plain Sight (Lyric/Verity)

[Verity Bromley]

Verity stepped out of the Three Broomsticks. Business was painfully slow and she needed air. She never really had gotten to know Hogsmeade for herself. When she came down it was to go straight to the shop. Realizing this, Verity took a few turns and ended up going down an unfamiliar street. It was later in the day and if Hogsmeade was crowded, the crowd must have been in a different part of town...probably closer to the Bloody Mary. Despite the fact she was coming from work, Verity was in her super dark wash skinnies, blue suede pumps, and her grey top belted with a belt that matched the color of her shoes. Her fingers slipped into the front pockets of her jeans shallowly as she walked. Verity walked down the alley slowly. She had a lot of time to kill and she wasn't ready to go back to the Three Broomsticks.

[Trent Frey]

Lyric was counting out a palmful of money when he heard the click of shoes approach. He didn't care who it was, and without turning to look, he gestured for the man who'd been talking to him to leave. The hard look he gave said clearly that if he got screwed out of so much as a knut, there was going to be trouble.

His hand, obscured by the fingerless gloves he wore, dove into his pocket, hiding the evidence as the man took off. Lyric hefted the strap of his duffel bag higher on his shoulder, then turned to leave the alley, only sparing the briefest glance for the girl in case she caused problems for him. Were her eyes violet? He did a brief double-take.

[Verity Bromley]

Verity slowed her pace even more as a man shot out and down the alley a few yards ahead of her. That was when she noticed there was a third person. Instead of raising an eyebrow suspiciously or questioning the situation, Verity turned and looked the other way. That was what she was taught, after all. When she caught her mom screwing the pool boy on her fifth birthday she had been told, Turn and look the other way, Verity. When she saw her father hit her mother the first time, her mother just told her Turn and look the other way. Don't get caught in business that's not any of yours. And she listened. She always listened. It wasn't until the second guy, at least she thought it was a guy, started to walk away that Verity let her focus wander back where it was. The double-take was unmistakable. Verity hissed a short, "What?" She wasn't sure if she was close enough for him to hear and she really didn't care.

[Trent Frey]

Lyric's brows drew together and his black-rimmed eyes narrowed at the girl. "What's your problem?" he countered. Her eyes were definitely violet, and it was hard not to look at them. She was pretty enough aside from that, but eyes got him. He had nothing better to do now that he'd been interrupted, so he stopped, refusing to budge. What was she doing in an alley anyway? She looked like she belonged shopping in London.

[Verity Bromley]

His defensiveness was almost enough to make Verity laugh. "I'm just walking, mind you. I don't think that indicates I have any kind of problem." She said her voice a little louder. "You're the one who's staring." Although it was more like gaping. And it was rude. Didn't anyone have manners anymore? She could've easily pointed out the duffel bag he had slung over his shoulder, the sketchy interaction he had with a strange man in the alleyway, or the way his hair looked like it needed to be tamed...but she didn't. In fact, she was only trying to pass through.

[Trent Frey]

Lyric caught himself and blinked, then narrowed his eyes slightly. "Got a problem being looked at?" he asked. You're being too suggestive. You and Jory watching each other a little too much. He hated that other school so much. Of course, he'd unofficially dropped out now, so it didn't matter anymore. "Maybe I want to stare at you."

[Verity Bromley]

"Of course." Verity said as a smirk spread across her face. It was only natural. She used to catch her mother staring at a portrait of their family where everyone looked happy. It was unrealistic, forced, fake. Verity was about to pass him as she kept walking now. "People always stare at what they can't have." She spoke without realizing she actually spoke. It was a thought that was meant to be kept in her head along with the memory of her mother staring at a picture of a perfect family...one that never existed. Only it was too late now, the words had slipped out and instead of apologizing or taking them back, Verity simply shrugged. Let him think what he wants to.

[Trent Frey]

One of Lyric's brows arched high at the girl. "You think pretty f~ing highly of yourself," he said. He shook his head at himself, then picked up his pace. She didn't know who he was, he could leave and both of them would have forgotten this in ten minutes. He looked away from her, the initial shock of her eyes worn off now, and continued toward the mouth of the alley.

[Verity Bromley]

Verity tilted her head back slightly and laughed. She had expected a reaction close to the one she got. "Why?" She said to his back. She folded her arms."You think I'm wrong?" Even if she had meant to keep her earlier comment to herself, she was ready to play along. She took a deep breath. He can pass judgement all he wanted, she was trying her best to keep her cool. And it was working surprisingly well.

[Trent Frey]

Lyric stopped, but only half turned back toward the girl. "You're wrong," he said. "People always stare at the freaks that are different from them." People stared at him, and he knew he was a freak. She probably got stared at for her eyes enough that she shouldn't be surprised by it. He hardly felt the stares as long as they didn't come with hands trying to touch his hair.

[Verity Bromley]

"And you think they're freaks because they're different." Verity said it slowly in case that made any difference in understanding it. It made no difference. "So are all muggles freaks because they aren't wizards? Or are all wizards freaks because we aren't muggles?" She began, took a deep breath, and kept going. "Are you a freak for having black hair or am I the freak for having brown hair?" She could've kept going, but she was on the verge of being incredibly dramatic if she hadn't already gotten there.

[Trent Frey]

Lyric looked at the girl incredulously. She was making way more or a mess of this than it was worth. "Think whatever you want," he said, then turned away dismissively. He didn't feel like picking a fight with some girl. He wanted to head to Diagon Alley and trade in the money he'd just gotten for Muggle cash.

[Verity Bromley]

"I saw what you were doing." Verity said. To hell with turning and looking the other way. Her tone was even. It wasn't neither judgmental nor threatening. It also wasn't surprising that she had witnessed the transaction. Anyone could have walked down the street. She was staring at him now, not that he could see her since he was walking away. She wasn't that far behind. She could have run a marathon in her four-inch heels if she needed to, they weren't slowing her down. She didn't even know why she was still bothering with him. He was one of those types that thought they couldn't be understood, and apparently arrogant for their own good. It was also far more common than most people realized.

[Trent Frey]

Lyric stopped in his tracks, heavy boots planting themselves firmly and refusing to move another step. I saw what you were doing. "You didn't see crap," he said, the words brimming with bravado. He pushed down the desire to run before she could get a better look at him and turned again, his eyes hard and threatening. By the time he'd heard her, there had been nothing more to see.

[Verity Bromley]

Verity rolled her eyes. "Whatever." She thought for a moment of helping him. Then she thought some more and wondered why she even felt like helping him in the first place. "It was stupid of you. It could've been anyone that came around that corner." What she knew about dealing was only what she got herself involved in. She knew it was easier to make excuses when you were in a crowded place rather than an empty ally. As long as you were discreet, it worked. "It was a rookie mistake."