Closed Crisp Autumn Day

[Emilia Manning]

Emilia had enjoyed going to Brightstone on her own today, even if she usually went with friends. Her mind had been full lately, and it felt nice to just go shopping for herself and enjoy a bit of solitude. Emilia had bought herself a few dresses, and a few things in Dervish and Bange's as well. Emilia took a seat on a bench, adjusting her scarf before looking at her shopping bags. She took the Colour-Changing Hair Spray out of her bag, and turned it over in her hand to read the back. It had seemed like a fun idea to share it with her dormmates when she had gotten it, but now she wondered if it wasn't silly and a bit childish. She'd ask Acacia what she thought of it, she supposed.

 

[Francis Ruis]

Frankie didn't know why he was wasting his time loitering around Brightstone today. He knew it was a student weekend, he'd seen the Hogwarts kids around already, but and yet here he was rather than sanely avoiding the crowd at home. The tiny voice in the back of his mind that had him on the look out for Sapphire's dark hair was making a lot of noise right now, but he refused to acknowledge it. He'd sent her a few letters, but the level of familiarity, and the pang at the distance he felt, was starting to make him uncomfortable. There was nothing between them but a bit of fun, he knew that. And he couldn't let himself think otherwise.

Eager for a distraction, Frankie zeroed in a girl sitting nearby, poking around in some of her weekend shopping. Fussing with his hair, Frankie slunk over, propping his arms on the back of the bench next to her, hoping he made enough noise to not startle her too badly before he spoke. "I'm really tempted to say something cliche like 'you're already gorgeous', but honestly I think you could rock the colorful hair," He said, squinting at the hairspray label.

 

[Emilia Manning]

Emilia looked up in surprise when someone leaned on the bench she was sitting on. It was a boy her age, and she immediately felt a little nervous. He was undeniably handsome, but she guessed he was just here to ask the way or something. She'd never seen him before, so she assumed he wasn't at Hogwarts. Maybe he was new to the area. But instead, he gave her a compliment, and Emilia felt her cheeks heat up. Oh, this hadn't been what she had expected. She was flattered, but a little uneasy too. This reminded her of the situation with Shane. If he said such a thing to one girl he didn't know, he probably would to the next one too. Emilia tucked some of her hair behind her ear a little awkwardly. "Oh, thank you." She said hesitantly. "It is only temporary, for some fun." She said, quickly placing it back into her bag. "You don't go to Hogwarts, do you?" She asked, scrambling for something more neutral to talk about.

 

[Francis Ruis]

"You should do it," He said simply, nodding to the hairspray before she put it away. "Change is nice. Even if it's temporary" He added with a slow smile, reminding himself he was talking about hairspray here. Frankie scrubbed a hand through his hair, squinting over at the vague outline of Hogwarts past some of the buildings before shaking his head. "Nah, got better things to do," He said, shrugging when the girl asked about Hogwarts, looping around the bench so he could drop down next to the girl since she didn't seem totally adverse to company. Technically, Frankie was still being homeschooled by his mother, but as they neared the end of the 'year' for him, it had mostly seemed pointless to bother with much more. "I'm Frankie," He said, trying to focus on the easy, friendly persona everyone always liked. Not the lonely, lost one he'd been feeling lately.

 

[Emilia Manning]

Emilia wasn't sure if the guy meant anything with his comment, but nodded after a moment. "Is it something you would do too?" She asked him, wondering if he would be as keen on it if it was his hair changing. She laughed softly when he said he had better things to do, but then faltered as the boy came to sit next to her. What was it he wanted from her? He was charming and nice, but Emilia couldn't help but be wary. He didn't know her, and she didn't know him. "I'm Emilia." She said after he introduced himself. She glanced at his face and then glanced away. He had definitely been flirting earlier, right? Or was she exaggerating things?

 

[Francis Ruis]

Frankie laughed at her question, scrubbing a hand through his own hair in consideration. "Sure, why not," He said with a shrug, briefly imagining what Sapphire might think if he managed to turn his hair pink before quickly pushing the thought aside. It was his hair, he could mess it up if he wanted to. "Certainly a good way to get attention," He said with a sly smile. "Nice to meet you, Emilia," Frankie said, relaxing more against the bench. It wasn't very comfortable, but Frankie liked to think he'd mastered the art of looking comfortable while loitering on various solid surfaces over the years. "Seriously though, not trying to be a creep, but you're way too pretty to be out here shopping alone. No crowd of adoring admirers?" He said, propping an elbow up on the back of the bench so he could turn to face Emilia.

 

[Emilia Manning]

Emilia smiled a little in amusement as he said he would change his hair color. She believed it of him, and found it surprisingly easy to picture too. "I suppose so." She said, nodding. The boy seemed very much at ease, and it made Emilia feel less at ease somehow. She nodded again as he said it was nice to meet her, and then she blushed at his next words. She was at a loss for a moment, both flattered and not. It was sweet, in a way, but coming from a stranger... she realized it didn't actually mean anything. She looked at him and bit her lip, before squaring her shoulders. She channeled someone more confident than her, Evelyn, or Katy. "Does that line usually work?" She asked him, her face mostly neutral as she regarded him. Her heart was pounding in her chest, but he didn't need to know that.

 

[Francis Ruis]

Frankie was starting to get the feeling Emilia maybe wasn't particularly enjoying this encounter. People usually either outright rejected him or leant into it, flattered by the shameless compliments. He wasn't quite sure what to do with her luke-warm response beyond continuing to push. "I'd say chances of success are like 50/50 but you can't blame a guy for trying," Frankie said nonchalantly before glancing at her again. "Why, is it working?" He asked, going for an over the top cheesy grin, though maybe she could tell his heart wasn't really in this either. So much for sticking with what he was used to. "Sorry, if I'm bugging you I can go.." He said, scrubbing another hand through his hair, frustrated that that old careless, charming persona was seeming more and more elusive these days.

 

[Emilia Manning]

Emilia tucked her hair behind her ear again nervously, taking a deep breath Somehow, his flippant reply still hurt, even if she hadn't really thought the boy liked her. He was a stranger, after all. "Trying... what, exactly?" She asked him, looking at him again. "What is your goal, here? You don't know me at all. I could be awful." She said, shaking her head. "You're not... bugging me. I just don't understand." She told him with a sigh. It was clear that the boy was frustrated, and Emilia couldn't help feeling bad. "Don't you want to know someone before trying to flirt with them? Isn't that the whole point?" She asked hesitantly. "To make a meaningful connection with someone?" She knew it wasn't fair to put the weight of her previous romantic encounters on this stranger, but he reminded her so much of Shane that her old feelings came back to the surface. Emilia adjusted her bag and shook her head. "Sorry, I... am not being fair. I know you were trying to be nice." She told him, not quite looking at him.

 

[Francis Ruis]

Frankie had some clever reply ready to go to her first question, half-thinking Emilia had changed her mind and was playing along with him now. With whatever game he was always playing. But her next question made him pause and he closed his mouth again. "I mean, there's no harm in getting your intentions across before you get to know someone right? At least then everyone knows what to expect," He said, propping his elbow onto the back of the bench so he could rest his cheek on his hand. "I'm sure you're lovely..." He started, shaking his head when he realized that was completely not the point Emilia was making here. "Some people don't need to get to know each other, not everyone needs a meaningful connection," What Frankie meant was he didn't need a meaningful connection. Or didn't think he did. Never had before. "Do you really wait till you know everything about a person before you think about hitting on them?" He asked her after a moment, the smile from earlier creeping back to play on his lips, though a bit more sincere this time. "Sounds exhausting,"

 

[Emilia Manning]

Emilia sighed and looked at the boy plainly. "I don't know your intentions, though." She told him quietly. "I just know you complimented me, and... can doubt the sincerity of it slightly." She raised her eyebrows a bit as he said he was sure she was lovely. "Why, because you think I look lovely?" She asked him skeptically. "Why not? Why isn't a connection important?" She insisted. "I've only... ever been with one boy, and I thought I loved him. It hurt me in the end, but what's the point of it all if it's not a chance at true love?" She asked, realizing that she was sounding rather pathetic. "Sorry, I... don't know what I'm saying." She admitted. "But I don't think I'm the right person for what you're looking for." She said, looking away. "Putting energy into something that isn't real sounds more exhausting to me." She admitted quietly, glancing at him.