black balloon [ERIC]

[DARLA ADRIENNE SELWYN]

The echoes of thunder could be heard throughout the castle. It was late at night, and the storm had been beating down the castle windows since the dinner feast. The Prefect sighed as she climbed to the third floor stairs. Coming from the dungeons, it was a hike, but new prefect policy made sure that prefects weren’t to patrol at night near their house dormitories. Something to do with bending the rules for friends and whatnot, only with the majority of students having friends in other houses, it seemed to be quite the ineffective system, nonetheless here she was pacing the floor back and forth, on the lookout for troublesome students.

The brunette sighed, thinking again about her boyfriend ex, Nick. It was too cliché for her, and how she remained left the independent girl disgusted with herself. She’d always made fun of them, the girls who acted as though the apocalypse was coming when their relationships ended. Even now reflecting upon it, she mentally scolded herself. But she was still hurting. Her best friend one who knew her better than she even knew herself left her hung out to dry.

She was concocting a plan though, that Slytherin girl. Contrary to popular belief, she was a true Slytherin. Her generosity and lineage aside, Darla was never one to take “no” for an answer. She always reached her ends, stepping on whomever she needed to, and now with Nick, she was more determined than ever. Though the girl was not exactly sure what she wanted in the long term, she knew that now he had to hurt. Now he had to feel the rage she’d been feeling.

Quickly though her emotional suffering and plotting was set on the backburner as she heard a crashing down the corridor. Like a bolt of lightning, the brunette pulled out her wand and began to move closer and closer to the trophy room, where the crashing even began. The door was locked, unnerving the prefect. Something or someone was in there, and she had to figure it out. With a deep breath, the witch muttered ”alohomora” to get the door open, rushing in with light pouring from the end of her wand. ”Show yourself and I won’t give you detention…” she started, hoping for the culprit to reveal themselves. Whether she was actually going to give the detention or not, she still hadn’t decided.

[eric]

The beautiful darkness surrounded him, his eyes adjusted to the light with little effort. He quickly made sure the door was locked and sealed behind him. It would never do to have someone learn of this location, although people walked through the room everyday. Hiding in plain sight was a term he had learned from a muggle girl, and it suited him well in this situation. Often, Eric Monstrose Strobe would find the need for a hiding place. Not for himself mind you, but for the various valuables he sold throughout the school term. Today was no different than any other, yet he found himself with an abundance of hard candies that he really did not want to take with him to the dungeons. The deal had been made, and he paid a low cost for these small bites of heaven. They would claim an even higher price closer to the holidays when more students had coin in hand from parents not knowing what to send to school as presents. Eric made a fortune around those weeks leading up to Yule.

He smirked as he replaced the false bottom from under one of the larger Quidditch trophies. He moved the trophy back into place and examined his handy work. Nothing looked out of place at all. When he found a need, he could return and claim his hidden property with no issues at all. He nodded and moved away when he heard someone try the door. He sighed, and moved back into the shadows with his own wand ready. Perhaps whomever it was would simply find the door locked and move away. He did not want to encounter anyone this night, nor did he want to force himself to come up with a likely excuse to way he was alone in a dark room. His eyes focused on the door as he pointed his wand. The charm was spoken and the door opened. A familiar voice floated in like a cloud of memory. Eric knew the tones well, and his eyes slid shut. Of all people to run into in this situation, it had to be her.

His thoughts floated back to a time they spent holding hands in the Slytherin common room. He would gaze at her as she read, or watch her talk to her friends from across the room. Eric was often quiet around her because he could not figure out how she made him feel the way he felt when he saw her. It had been like a rainbow of butterflies dancing in the bottom of his stomach. It was a dull ache, and a memory of weakness he did not care to relive. Yet, each time he saw her it was like the same thing all over. She had moved on, and Eric had come to accept it. She was dating one of his friends, although calling him a friend was not exactly the correct term. Eric never had real friends, he was not built for it. Still, she had gone on with another and Eric had focused more on his money making schemes. Life continued, even though the butterflies would creep into his life whenever she was around. Eric had learned to ignore them.

He sighed, and put a pleasant mask on his face. A firm smile danced onto his lips and he was once again in character. "You know good and well that you would love a chance to spend an entire night in detention with me. Ms. Darla, my sweet prefect." His tone was soft, and his words were teasing. His wand dipped back into his pocket and he remained standing in the shadows as his eyes moved over her. She was as beautiful as ever, and he had to swallow hard to keep those butterflies still. As the years passed, and she became more and more a perfect vision of a woman, it had became harder to get those feelings to fade away. Tonight, it seemed, was harder than ever. Still, none of the inner conflict would appear on Eric's marble features. He was a wall of confidence.

[DARLA ADRIENNE SELWYN]

The prefect took a step into the trophy room with clear nervousness as projected by her body language. The silence was deafening, and at the crack of thunder, the brunette gave a small jump. She took a deep breath, reminding herself that she’d been in this castle for over five years. Nothing could surprise her at this point, and as such—she had no reason to be so paranoid. It was probably just a third year anyway, playing a practical joke. Darla moved to one of the trophy cases, examining the names, finding her own father’s on the Slytherin placard. For a moment, the witch smiled to herself thinking of home and just how much happier she be away from Nick.

She continued her browsing of the trophies, surprised that she’d never taken a moment to even read the awards. Her father graced quite a number of awards, Richard Selwyn could be read in four different trophy cases, and the thought made her proud. Her father was a chaser too, and she was able to continue on the legacy—one legacy she was proud to continue. It was after this reflection that Darla came back to reality, taking into consideration why she was even in the trophy room to begin with. The prefect waved her wand, bringing light throughout the entirety of the room when in the shadows was none other than Eric Strobe.

You’ve got to be kidding me… she rolled her eyes, frustrated with herself for being scared around him even if it was for only a moment. Eric was another part of Darla’s past. They’d dated, a number of times. He too knew her well, almost as well as Nick. Though he was good to her, their romantics were always short lived, as one would bore of the other very quickly; each always had another priority on the mind. Still, the break-up was not bad, and more often than not, they saw one another as a daily challenge and whether they’d fight, flirt, or work to get under the other’s skin, they’d never gone too far to push the other’s buttons. The trust between them was on a needed basis only and frequently, the pair found themselves in negotiations.

Darla rolled her eyes and shook her head at him, not falling for his teasing words. ”Eric, I know you’re up to no good. But I don’t even want to know what you’re doing in here. What you’re stealing…” she trailed off searching for reaction in the boy ”…or what you’re stashing.” The brunette gave a light sigh, moving her long locks over one shoulder. Darla quirked a brow at her advesary—clicking her tongue. ”Though honestly darling, you’re lucky it’s me in here, and you know it.” she added coyly, looking to Eric as a distraction from her duties.

[eric]

He could not help roll his eyes as she, once again, hit the nail right on the head. She knew well that Eric was no thief. Stealing was below him as he thought of himself as a business man. However, stashing something was exactly what he had been doing only moments before, and he knew that she knew. She had been excellent in guessing his activities in their storied past. He only smiled and acted as if his feelings had been crushed by her guess. Eric often used the wounded pride gimmick to make her smile, or to irritate her. It was almost like a small game they played, even if he was not playing that game when they had broken up the final time. It had been all her idea, and he could only assume that she had grown feelings for another. She had not left him with much in the way of explanation, and Eric had felt a dull pang of hurt deep within his chilly heart. He never let on that she had hurt him, in fact there was only one person in the world that knew Eric had been in love with Darla more than he had acted. But, this was all the past. Best to leave it there and move on with whatever would be.

Eric sniffed as if he might cry, then could not hold in a laugh. "Am I lucky? I would like to guess I might get lucky, but each time I get near something interferes and no luck is thrown my way." His voice dropped and he winked in her direction before adding, "Unless you are here to... change my luck?" Eric knew she was dating Nick, or at least that she had been the last he looked in on the situation. He had no idea if that had changed, but even if they were married and happy it would never stop his teasing and flirting. After all, he had been close to making a fatal mistake with this girl in front of him. He had almost told her he was in love, and in Eric's mind that would have been the worst mistake he could ever make.

He equated love with weakness. He did not like to think of anyone close to his emotions, or in control of how he might feel. Darla had been close, and he could have given her control of his heart. She could have led him around to do with what she wished, but he stopped short. He kept quiet, and a week later she dumped him. Well, one might not say dumped, Darla was not cruel. She had only told him that she felt a distance between them, something she did not know if they could fix. It was as if every little thing they did was a struggle and they fought more than they did anything. Eric could not deny this, he was fighting his inner emotions to control himself around her. When she walked away, his heart broke and froze over. Now he sees love as more of a joke than anything real. No matter how he feels around her, he would never allow her to take over as she had in the past.

Anyway, she had Nick. Why would see even be interested in him?

Note: I hope this is alright. It felt a little clouded to me, but there were a few things I thought he should say inwardly to move along the process. Let me know if anything needs changed.

[DARLA ADRIENNE SELWYN]

Darla shot Eric a coy smile, one that he knew reflected her true personality. Yes, she was a nice girl—but Darla had a fiery wild streak, one that both him and Nick were well aware of. By pure body language, the brunette knew she was right—again, seeing right through Eric. ”Come now, give me a challenge with you, please” she teased, proving that she still knew him well enough. Upon questioning, anyone could tell you that Eric was going to be very successful. But it was Darla who had seen him networking and his changes in circles all the years. Admittedly, she was fascinated by the process and tried to help and old friend when she could, like tonight. The prefect began to circle him, flirting with him all the same. ”Eric dear, you’re getting lazy. Don’t you know the house elves come in here and steal?” she commented, cluing him in as to just how much she knew about the inner workings of Hogwarts.

He got a good laugh out of her as he began to mock cry, something that seemed to go either way—irritance or comedy. Her skin flushed the sheerest pink as he continued his flirting with her, never seeming to get old. ”Well, you might get lucky, and you might not…” she trailed off, a wicked grin appearing across her face. The smile didn’t last long though, and soon the look of gloom that she’d been so familiar with lately found its way back on her porcelain skin. The moment she felt anything close to tears she cleared her throat, rubbing her eyes a bit. ”It’s a bit dusty in here, don’t you think?” she commented, hoping her ex boyfriend wouldn’t notice her while she was down.

Eric, even after their break up, he was always good to her. Though they may have picked on one another, they seemed to be each other’s greatest adversary—even still. ”Can I ask you something personal? Please?” she looked over to him, hoping that for even a moment, he’d break down that barrier he put up. ”No rubbish, just…please?” Darla thought back to her relationship’s end with Eric. The time they were together the longest, Darla admittedly fell hard. But slowly and slowly as he grew to pay more attention to his…whatever he did, they grew a part. It ran its course, and that was that—no hard feelings as far as she knew. But she wondered, from that boyfriend perspective—what exactly was wrong with her? What would cause someone in such a good and positive relationship to end it?

[eric]

Eric only nodded innocently as she mentioned the house elves. If only she knew that one or two of them had originally belonged to his family, and now worked for him within the walls of the school, she might laugh at her own statement. He let it slid past as he watched her closely. She managed a laugh at his silly pantomime, and this told him that she was in an alright mood. There would be no fighting tonight, and it might even turn out that they would get along for a few hours. Who knew what might or might not come out of those hours. She was in a flirty mood, and Eric really wanted to shift the conversation off of his activities and on to almost anything else.

He raised an eyebrow when she mentioned the dust. Eric looked around and only nodded in a silent reply. He never came in when it was dusty, that would only leave finger prints. Eric knew when this room was cleaned, either by house elf or by some poor soul in an extended detention. The room had been cleaned hours before his arrival. However, Eric chose to remain quiet about that little fact. His inner curiosity was perking up, and he sensed something was going on. He studied her as she flirted, and it was almost as if the mood changed before he could put a finger on what was the matter. His guard went up instantly, and his eyes narrowed lightly under his long bangs. He kept a close eye on Darla, and then she asked him a small question.

The moment confused Eric, and he did not know exactly how to react. His first instinct was to think she wanted to know more about what he was up to, but then that quickly faded away. He tilted his head, and nodded once again. "No rubbish," his voice was low and controlled, much like it always was when the two spoke alone. Eric knew something serious must be up for her to drop her flirtations and come at him in such a serious manner. His curiosity faded into concern. "You know you can always ask me anything, anything at all. What's up?" His words were almost boyish as he spoke. This was the first sign that he might be dropping his guard to listen to her. He held nothing against her, even if she had broken his heart. He had long ago decided he would never love anyone else; but, this did not mean he did not care for her. Eric did. More than he really cared to admit.

[DARLA ADRIENNE SELWYN]

Darla took a moment to allow her own gaze to fully encompass Eric. He just stood there, looking as her as she to him. His expressions were open; he wasn’t planning anything, he didn’t seem to have an ulterior motive, he just listened to her. Briefly, she took a step back, looking around herself to make sure she wasn’t in some sort of trap. They were being civil tonight, or it appeared so anyways. She didn’t mind—in all honesty she missed talking to Eric. He made for a good listener, plus he always knew when to tell her that she was being silly or overreacting about things; he knew her too well. The expression on the girl’s face grew increasingly pleasant.

Her eyes shifted to the door, remembering it being open. Quickly she grabbed hold of her wand, using it to close the door, then lock it. She turned back to Eric, clearing her throat, and ready to explain herself. As she thought about it, what she was to say to him, she couldn’t help but identify a likeness between her breakup with Eric and Nick’s breakup with her. The brunette prayed it weren’t too awkward of a position, but she watched him tilt his head, trying to comprehend what she was even about to tell him. Then his invitation came, his openness and eagerness, ready for her to speak to him. Darla’s eyes widened, and in that moment, she saw him as her only source of comfort.

The prefect mentally scolded herself for not only refraining from exercising her position of power, but in all reality, discussing her relationship with Nick with her ex boyfriend; yet her heart won over her mind. She had no one else, absolutely no one. With a sigh she looked from the ground up to Eric, her dark eyes staring into his. ”What’s wrong with me?” she asked him, holding herself back from the flood of emotions that was ready to drown the both of them .


(OOC: what a pathetic response from my own part. it will pick up soon though, i promise :) )

[eric]

Eric's wand was half way out of his pocket at the sudden movement, but he eased it back in when she only turned to close the door. He felt foolish thinking she was going to try something against him, and inwardly yelled at himself for being such a dullard. Darla had an odd effect on him. There were times when he almost hated her for what happened between them. Seeing her happy with someone else just seemed like a smack in the face to him, almost as if she was throwing the fact that she was happy at him without thinking of his own feelings. If she had stopped to think for one moment, she would realize that Eric had not gone on a single date since they broke-up. They had broke-up almost two years prior. Then, there were other times when she seemed like the most perfect person in the word to him. He would kill for a slight smile from her, or a kind word. She could break down the wall of ice he had erected around himself with a single glance. His heart would go into over-drive and he could almost die by just a single brush of her hand. It was a constant turmoil going through his mind, and his icy heart. One that never, for one thin second, showed in his expressionless eyes. Eric was a mask of confidence, regardless of what he had felt inside.

Yet, tonight was completely different. He felt a concern for her that grew from familiarity, and not a love they had once shared. Eric was not accustomed to really caring about anyone, so he was curious about what could have brought this feeling to the forefront. He could only guess that he did not like to see her suffer, even if she was the cause of so much of his own pain. She had wounded his pride, his heart, and his confidence more than she might ever know. For this he felt she should suffer, but he would never have the heart to allow any harm to come to her. It was so odd the conflicting emotions he felt for Darla. Perhaps one day he would be allowed to forget her, and move on? It was a suggestion he doubted highly, even in his own mind. Not that Eric doubted he could move on, that was highly possible. But no one, in their right mind that is, could ever forget Darla once they had been close to her like he had. She was... indescribable. Eric quit that line of thought and watched her closely. He tried to smile to her, to encourage her to ask her question; but, in the end he only remained silent and waited. Soon enough, she spoke. He never expected that question from her in a million years. Eric was taken aback, and could only stammer for a moment before smiling to her.

"Who on Earth said something was wrong with you?" If someone had insulted her in such a manner, he would have to have a little chat with that person. If, that is, they could get past her best friend who was one of the most evil girls Eric had ever known to exist. He put thoughts of her friend behind him, and looked at Darla. No, no one had insulted her. She could take care of herself in that regard. This was something else, something much deeper. Eric was clueless about what she could mean for a moment, then it dawned on him. Nick. Darla and Nick must have broken up. What else could have her in an emotional state such as this? What else could ever drive her to come and talk to Eric in this way, if not for some romance problems? She had so many friends, so many girlfriends who would gladly discuss such matters. What she was looking for now was the truth. If Eric gave her nothing else in this world, or in their past relationship, it had to have been the truth. He never lied to Darla as he could to so many others. Eric nodded in understanding and moved closer to her.

He did not invade her space, but he wanted her to see that she had his full attention. Even if his emotions about her were mixed, he would listen and do his best to be an actual friend. Well, as much a friend as Eric could be to anyone in this lifetime. "Wait, Darla..." His voice was softer now, almost a whisper in the growing darkness around them. "There is nothing wrong with you as I could ever see. But, before we go on, tell me. What happened?" Eric almost felt as if the question was only an opening door to the bigger need within the room. Darla had to get it out, she had to tell someone, she needed to vent. He knew her well enough to know that there was more meaning behind her question than her just wanting an answer. He would listen and let her vent, then if she had questions he would do his best to answer them. Eric reached out and touched her shoulder. It was the first time they had been in contact since the break-up. He softly rubbed with his thumb, and nodded to her to go on. Eric sat down in front of her, crossed his legs, and patted the ground. It was time for two friends to talk.

Notes: Your post was fine. Nothing at all to worry about. No need to promise, we will do fine.

[DARLA ADRIENNE SELWYN]

The more Darla thought about the breakup—what he said to her, how she responded, a sharp pain came to her. She was just ready to cry. All the memories and emotions were bottled up tight and at any moment, she felt as though the seal would break and her emotions would flood the room. Nicholas Damien Avery was admittedly, the love of her young life. And the brunette knew that it was the same for him. The idea of Darla spending the rest of her life with him was always a considered and likely possibility—and now with every choice she’d ever made appeared to revolve around the emptiness in her life. To be brief, as strong as Darla was, and as kind and independent she was, it was all because of Nick—how he teased her when they were children and how he continued to push her to her best now.

Here she was though, run into her exes’ arms—or so anyone else would say, and from an outside perspective, it appeared that way. Though truth be told, she did plan to open up to him about her troubles, but to get a specific perspective. There were very few boys who she had long and established relationships with. Eric was the only person she could open up to and get an honest answer. What sort of girlfriend was she? Was she too clingy? Too distant? Did she flirt too much? Finally, what about her would hold someone back? Her legs began to hurt and she was clearly tired. The brunette seemed to lack that glow in her skin and the sparkle in her eyes that allowed to her. Slowly she sunk to the ground, bringing her knees into her chest. Darla stared up at Eric with a smile, hoping he’d take the hint to sit down next to her.

When he joined her, Darla naturally drew closer to him. Perhaps it was from habit? When they had moments like these, the nice ones where there was no ego or shield from the other, the pull to one another was still there. It seemed even more now that Nick had left her out to dry. Then the thoughts began to race through the Slytherin’s mind. She was single now, and Eric was a good kisser. A smile grew across her lips, but faded just as quickly. She couldn’t do that to him, she’d done it before. A sigh escaped the girl’s lips and she looked down to the ground—collecting herself and her words. ”Eric…I…erm” she stumbled over her words, as it dawned on her, she’d never approached the subject. Ever since Darla ended her relationship with Eric, he changed. Not terribly much as could be expected, especially when compared to how she reacted to Nick, but Eric grew colder. Even in their relationship, he proved to be naturally distant, but today, he hadn’t really had another girlfriend. ”I’m sorry….nevermind” she finished quickly, unsure of how to even tackle the subject. She chose to wait on a cue from Eric. If he ever seemed to approach the topic, then and only then would she take hold.

Eric’s voice went soft, and his eyes reflected his unusually open state. He was listening to her, ready to hang on her every word. She took the moment in, savoring it—they hadn’t been in a position remotely similar to this for years. Darla’s eyes then grew more sorrowful and she began. ”It’s over—that’s what he said. ‘Told me that I’m an obstacle and no good for him.” the brunette began to choke on her own words, before continuing, her voice wavering. ”Nick said it was only physical, and that I made him weak…Then, I retaliated” she paused again, giving herself a moment to breathe. With every breath she took, it grew increasingly difficult to exhale. ”I felt completely different. As though I just watched something that looked like me take over. My body language was so different—and I was so cross and so so cruel.” she paused again as she remembered it all. ”I said the worst possible things to him, and he retaliated. I slapped him. I set his most prized possession on fire…” then she broke down, and tears welled up in her eyes. His jacket, Darla! How could you? All she could think of was how awful she was—burning the last possession Nick had from his mother. No wonder he left her.

[eric]

His confusion grew immediately. She apologized, and then a moment later she shocked him with the news of a break-up. He was sent hurtling back in time to the final moments of their own relationship. It sounded almost as if the tables had turned on her, and she had to go through all the things Eric had felt. He was almost ashamed of himself for feeling a hate toward her, and decided that it was no longer worth it to try to hate Darla for what would have eventually happened anyway. However, his feelings and their past was not the issue at hand. He was quiet as she spoke, making sure she had started to really get it all out. He could not imagine her being mean, although he honestly had witnessed it first hand several times in the last three years or so. He only nodded and tried to clear away and confusion he had about what they had shared, and what had happened between her and Nick.

It was not easy.

"Ouch." His whisper was sympathetic. He needed a moment to actually try to form some coherent reply in his mind. Dealing with Darla was never an easy matter, sometimes his words were meant one way and she would take it in another direction altogether. He did not want to allow for any misunderstandings between them at this point. Honestly, this was the most comfortable he had felt around her since the last time they had kissed. And, Eric had only touched one person since that moment. He swallowed and steeled his nerves against that thought. Sometimes thoughts hurt, even the good ones were edged with a pain that he did not want to feel sitting in the dark this close to someone he had once loved. Once wanted to sit in the dark with... He closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. Why was he doing this to himself? He was stronger than that, colder... he could not allow care to stutter his mind and confuse his words. He was better than that. Eric looked at her.

"First off, one angry moment and a break-up does not make you defective. It makes you human. Sometimes you love something or someone so much, that you have to hate it. Trust me, I know." Eric had not meant to add in this last part, but it was on the forefront of his mind and slipped out before he could bite his tongue. Hopefully she would not take offense at the statement, and the conversation -no matter how unpleasant- would continue. Eric reached over and touched her shoulder once again. His eyes crawled between them to land on hers. He offered a smile, and gave a small squeeze. "Are you wanting me to tell you what you are like then? Is that what you want? Someone who knows to tell you what type of person you are in the eyes of others? What sort of girlfriend you are? Do you really need me to say it?" His smile remained, but his eyes were serious. He did not want to go off in this direction unless she really wanted him to do so. Eric had a strong tendency to be bluntly honest, and he was not entirely sure that is what she needed in this moment. He wanted to do what she needed done.

Notes: Sorry so short. I could not think of anything to paint into this reply until he really got into the answer to her question... Oh, and is THIS your button? Bow chicka wow wow!

[DARLA ADRIENNE SELWYN]

Darla was at a loss for words. She’s just told Eric everything—she hadn’t even told Chelsea the details. Each and every time her blonde friend even brought it up, she just sat there, crying in her friend’s arms. Chelsea did fulfill her duty as resident best friend and girl friend quite well, but she knew it was an awkward position for Chelsea herself. She was close to Nick too—Darla couldn’t tell her everything… not at first anyway. Eric’s own response to the ordeal was minimal, adding nothing but a singular ’Ouch’ to her outspoken pain. Admittedly, the witch was looking for more…for something else, anything constructive. And although Eric’s first word was sympathetic, it appeared to his ex girlfriend as nothing more than a mere comment, with no alter context in sight.

The Slytherin watched her fellow house mate as he closed his eyes, massaging his temples and a small giggle escaped her own lips. Darla did the same thing in times of great confusion and thinking before coming to her most rational solution. It was just one of her little quirks that she picked up from him. The brunette came to full attention quickly though; eyes wide and brows raised ready for his words—practically hanging off each and every one. Yet as the words fell from his mouth like water from a spout, a look of disappoint slowly wiped itself onto her face and her dark eyes could only look at the ground. Trust me, I know—it rung out in her eardrums and played on loop. Eric was thinking about it, just as she was.
Darla knew how it looked, the irony of it all. But it was still different…atleast, it felt different. Darla ended their relationship because it’d run its course. Eric invested more time and care into his work—he grew more and more distant by the day. Darla ended it on what she hoped to be a high note, and at least some kind of relationship was salvaged. Nick—he loved her, and she loved him… even still. Darla knew that he’d broken up with her because of his father- -what she couldn’t understand was how a man who he openly despised still influenced Nick so incredibly much.

The girl’s lips were dry and a level of uncomfort settled in her stomach and left it in knots; he approached the subject. Searching for the words, sure that he would want to only speak of if briefly, she cleared her throat. ”Please don’t think that I’m not aware of what I did…” she started, softening her tone. Darla was sure she was coming off a bit harsh, and wanted to share her opinion of it all. ”I saw the change in you. And I know how cross you’ve become from it all, and I regret that in the largest way…” she paused again, as she looked from the ground to him, her eyes with regret. ”…I thought you should know.” The moment Eric placed his arm on her she closed her eyes. She felt it, a twinge of feelings she still had for him urged to surface and she just sat, continuing to suppress them. The silence was broken by Eric, and in that moment, Darla was ever so grateful.

“Yes!” she exclaimed, more energy behind her. ”Yes! That is exactly what I want! If I knew I wouldn’t ask! she huffed, ready for answers. Nick said that she made him weak—how so? The only honest answer would come from Eric. She expected him to be crude and blunt, especially since the tables truly turned on her. But if he didn’t help her, no one could.

[eric]

'Open, honest. This is what I must be right now. If it pisses her off, then she will just have to put on her big girl panties and learn to deal with it.' This was all Eric could think of in his head as he looked at her. She wanted him to be blunt with her, and even though that might cause slightly hurt feelings, Eric had no intentions of doing anything but telling this girl the truth. It was not like she was an evil person, nor did she have many outright flaws to be overly concerned about; but, there were a few things that he could point out to her. All he had to do was untangle the past from the present. He could not deny that her initial words had threw him off. He had no idea what to really say to them, and did not really want to just glaze over them and not mention it. However, there was no real reason to return to visit those past hurts, and the memories that went with them. She did not need to hold his hand and dredge up things that had long since been put behind them. Even if he still had feelings for her in some small corner of his heart. Even if he had been hurt more than he would ever be able to tell her. No, there was no point in it. What had happened had happened, and he had gained someone that most people would love to call a friend. Eric was still unsure if he could ever have real friends, but that was a matter for another time.

He moved slowly, his eyes resting on hers, and placed a soft kiss on her cheek. Sometimes no words were needed when it was between two people that had known each other so well. He offered a smile before letting his eyes close to shift through the sands of thought in order to unbury the exact words needed to let her know the answers to her questions. It was a lot easier than he thought it might be, and soon what she wanted to know was lined up like little soldiers ready to march from his mind out the tunnel of his mouth and into the battlefield of conversation. His eyes opened and he shifted in his seat. It was time to move to place himself directly in front of her. His legs crossed before him as he leaned in to rest his elbows on his knees. He remained in easy striking distance should she become offended, but he really did not think things would come to that. In fact, what he really wanted to do was to sit like they had when they had disagreed about things and was ready to prove their points in the argument. Debates between the two had been legendary and had often drawn crowds of others just to see which one might score in the verbal joust. Both Darla and Eric were really sharp and well spoken so the arguments often ended in a stalemate which always made her a lot more irritated than it did him. She had won her fair share, he was not afraid to admit. However, Eric could remember sometimes he had left her dumbfounded. During those times she would simply smile to him, nod, and kiss him lightly on the cheek as he had just done for her. It was almost a symbol of retreat between the two. Instead of forgiving, or admitting the other was right everything could be summed up in that small action. It was honestly one of the things he had missed the most about his lost love.

Placing those fond memories out of his mind, Eric decided all that there was left to do was talk. His voice was low, his words were soft yet level, and his eyes never left hers. He began, "You have this way about you that can leave someone weak. Emotionally you come off as being a superior to others around you. I do not know if it is because you are so level-headed or maybe if it is because you are very emotionally stable; you just seem to be better than anyone else when it comes to matters of the heart. This is not always a good thing, but when you are dealing with the fragile male ego it can really cause a lot of problems. As smart as you are, you never learned to just let go and allow things to just happen." He could point out hundreds of times this exact thing had happened during their shared time but Eric did not want to use the past as an example. This conversation, and these answers, were about her present and possibly her future. "You have a very orderly mind, and when love happens to come disorganized you would rather make it straight instead of just enjoying the random aspect of it. I am the same way, you know always wanting things in their proper place; but, you seem to have to have control. Not over the person you are with, but the form of the situation in which are you with them in. Emotionally speaking, you wear the pants in the relationship. As kind and nice as you are to everyone else, when it is played back upon you it sometimes scares you. You are so afraid to get hurt that you expect it, and that effects how you enjoy the time you have right in front of you. And then when the pain does come, and trust me it always comes, it almost consumes you as if you are the victim of it. And then you run."

He watched her to make sure she was following him logically instead of getting upset over what he was telling her. He did not want this to lead to a fight, or any sort of break down in communication. Instead, he was seriously wanting to help her, to take away her pain, and to heal her so that she can actually go on and make something of what she might salvage with Nick. It was almost hard for him to believe that he was going to help a girl he had loved be with someone else, but this had stopped being about him a long time ago. Eric only came to this realization tonight. He did not pause to consider this, and continued to talk to her. "You are very strong willed, that is why it does not surprise me that when you get mad you can be a real bitch. This is not because you are evil, but because you love so deeply that you have to throw up these defenses to keep yourself from feeling used, or less of a person than the person you are with. I know that might not make a lot of sense, but I have seen this more than many others. First hand, actually." Eric could not help but laugh a little at this statement. When the two had really fought, it was like standing in the middle of a tornado making love to an earthquake. He almost told her this, but decided it would deal more with their past than with the questions she wanted answered. "You are beautiful, inside and out. You know this, but you always cage yourself up to keep from feeling the pain that comes with the love. You have to unlock the doors, Darla. You have to spread those wings, and learn to fly. Easier said than done, right? But, if anyone could ever learn to fly it would have to be you. You are the strongest person I have ever known. I have faith in you." Eric sincerely hoped this answered her questions about how he saw her as a girlfriend. If he could manage to break through that barrier then perhaps he could actually help her with the technical aspect of the situation with Nick. Meaning, help her find a way to win him back and make the love last. Eric waited to see if she would smack him, curse him, or agree.

'Damn a smack would suck right now.'

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Notes: Okay I was flying by the seat of my pants here. I did not want his answer to step on your creative toes and make it seem like I was creating issues that your character had to deal with. At the same time, I really wanted his response to be deep and mean something. I hope this reads alright and does not go against any inner goals you had for Darla. If any part of it needs changed, let me know. Hope you like it.

[DARLA ADRIENNE SELWYN]

A sigh escapes Darla’s lips as she looked from the ground she sat on back to Eric. She could see the invisible wheels turning in his mind, preparing a custom answer to the demanding question. She wondered how he’d present himself with whatever he chose to tell her. Would he be totally honest? Would he choose to be as blunt and brutally honest that she knew him for, or would he choose to present it all in a more passive state? The girl bit her tongue, preventing herself from asking even more from him—she knew he was in an awkward position. Not only was she asking for her own flaws from her former love, but it was all with the intentions to win Nick back. How Eric was able to remain so calm was beyond her. She stomach sank as Eric showed to ignore her comment about their former relationship, and probably with good reason. They’d gone so long without speaking of it, and Darla didn’t want to bring any bad blood into their future encounters, especially while she was begging him for this favor. Alright, relax. He’ll tell you what it is. Eric will be blunt, don’t take too much offense. Take the criticism, internalize it, and move on. Take it, process it, move on… The girl analyzed just how she’d expect it to all happen. She braced herself through gritting teeth for the worst possible answers, after all—she was asking for it.

Though Eric took the raven haired beauty by surprise when he placed a kiss of his own on her cheek. Darla in turn closed her eyes, allowing herself to open up to his slight affections. She inhaled his scent and just as before, a wave of memory came over her. Was this his answer to her apology? Did he know? Or was it exactly what she’d thought of it in the former, a sign of affection? The Selwyn girl opened her eyes, and scanned them over the boy before her. His smile was warm and in gesture, Darla reflected the same smile. Rapidly he positioned himself directly infront of her, legs crossed, with elbows resting on his knees. It reminded her of how children sat when they leaned in, as though to whisper a secret to another. She inhaled through her nose, and exhaled sharply through her mouth, opening her lungs to the deepest breaths she could muster. It was funny, how much she was bracing herself for his demanded harsh words, but she knew little of what was to pour from his mouth.

Then it began, his lips started moving and Darla clung to his every word. Her dowey eyes were locked in to his and she hardly breathed for fear of missing something. Eric was extremely articulate, and he directed his points well, showing little bias. But the faults he found in her confused her, the first being her emotions. ”Please, don’t find my own cross examine to be in any way a defense for my own sake…” she started, want a better explanation for every point. ”I’m too emotionally stable? What, would I be a better girlfriend as a hopeless romantic wreck?” she asked, his own words replaying in her mind. Superior? I mean, I s’pose I could’ve picked up a superior attitude from Chelsea, but even still… she confused herself in her own mind, still finding questions in the matter. ”So, because I’m independent and because I don’t like situations in which I have little control…that’s why I’m a bad girlfriend?” she repeated for clarification. As helpful as it all was, Eric was so incredibly wordy. Darla would almost prefer a cookie cutter example. Don’t beat around the bush! Just say “this is why you suck…here are the examples…fix it!” she thought, though still in vain.

With every sentence that Eric spoke, Darla in turn nodded, trying to think through and understand just what he said. It was one thing to hear him, but she wanted to listen. She was actively engaged in the matter and she knew it was all for her own benefit. Every so often she would smile, as though to gesture that she was fine and that she wasn’t upset from it all. Darla could see it in his eyes, her reaction was what would keep him from continuing and she did her best to keep everything about herself (albeit it, inquisitive) pleasant. A small giggle escaped her lips as Eric continued his psychological analysis of his ex-girlfriend. He was right, whether she wanted to admit it or not. Darla did throw such a fit to make Nick mad and she was successful. She didn’t want to go down without a fight and even still, all she’d put up were her own ‘mean girl’ defenses. His own allusion to their past made her smile and mouth the word ‘sorry’ as the gleam in her eyes showed the spunk and potential ‘bitch-factor’ that rarely showed its face. She blushed admittedly with his final words. He was right, in her own quest for independence and control, she’d grown to be the pants-wearing ruler of all of her relationships. And as metaphorical as Eric’s speech was growing, there was purpose. Darla had to let go of some of her control and open herself up to the ‘ride’—so to speak. She nodded with him again, a smile coming across her face. ”You’re right. Absolutely right. Even the bit with the wings, I’m sure they’ll come in soon…” she added, a smug grin across her face. ”But in all sincerity, I understand everything you’re saying. Maybe I need to hang out with some Hufflepuff for a day or something but still..” she paused looking to the ground, finding her words. ”Eric I know this is such an incredibly awkward position, but I need Nick back. I feel like I’ve lost my best friend, my other half. He’s been in my life since I can remember. I—m..my heart hurts when I see him, or don’t see him for that matter. But please, please help me get him back!” she pleaded, only hoping he would help.


Notes: I think it was all done extraordinarily well. ☺ Now, reach into your creative genius again And if at any time you wanted to make Nick jealous by staging Darla with Eric in front of him, we can