Damsel in Distress

[Clea Everett-Price]

The roads along the streets of the city are illuminated by a rainbow of light, neon blending with the stark white beam of the street lamps. The chorus of leaves has given way to the rumbling of car motors and the hurried clapping of shoes against pavement, voices and laughter filling the air in staccato punctuation. Cooler weather will not hinder the night owls of New Zealand. Packed elbow to elbow and cheek to rosy cheek, the people populate the pubs and bars of the city, seemingly unaware that for perhaps the majority of others, the shift in weather beckons a sense of home, a return to quiet introspection and a bit of tea next to a blazing fire.

It was within one of these bars that Clea Everett-Price sat, wishing she could have been anywhere else in the world at that moment. It wasn't the bar and it definitely wasn't New Zealand that made the witch feel this way. Forcing her lips into what she hoped was something resembling a smile, Clea turned her gaze to the other side of the bar, hoping the bartender would soon reappear and grant her an alcoholic reprieve from the dullness of her evening. No one in sight. Of course. Turning the glass slowly in her hand, the witch raised the remnants of her drink to her lips and wished silently that the few drops upon her tongue would knock her into a peaceful oblivion.

 

[Ash Richards]

Ash Richards sat at the bar of one of the local pubs in New Zealand. He had a show there the following night, and had come to inspect the place, and plan ahead for what he was gonna do at the show. He smiled to himself as he turned on his stool, and viewed the pub. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a pretty blonde girl sitting by herself, apparently looking for the bartender. Taking in the face that her drink was empty, Ash finished his own, and ordered two firewhiskeys, not sure what the girl was drinking exactly. As he stood from the bar, both drinks in hand, he studied the girl in the brief time he had before reaching her. She barely looked legal, and Ash wasnt completely sure she was, but he didnt care.

Reaching the girl, he smiled at her, and placed the drink he had gotten for her on the table. "Mind if i join you?" he asked her. He wasnt sure if she was magical or not, as this was New Zealand, and the magical school wasnt too far away. If she wasnt, he wondered if she knew who his was. Being famous tended to have more people than he realized knowing who he was without the effort of having to do anything. He continued to hold the somewhat crooked smile as he stood, waiting for her reply.

 

[Clea Everett-Price]

For some reason Clea knew that she was barely legal to be here, still in pubs like this no cared about a persons age. She wasn't here for a hook up or something, she was here forcing herself to take a drink. With too much things going in and out of her life, this was the last thing in her mind. Even though her uncle and aunt were out of the country to do their jobs, Clea decided to escape from the mansion and try something new. And by something new that meant breaking the rules that applied to a seventeen year old like her. She knew very much that they dislikes her being so rebellious, but that wasn't her problem. Try being in here shoes ride now, orphaned by both parents and still on the list of people to kill. Yes, that was her life, full of drama that she wished to just be invincible for once.

As she waited for the bartender to appear and notice her, Clea didn't bother to glance at the crowd of people. She wanted to maintain a low profile, but with her looks no one seems to ignore her. Just like the guy who approach her just now, Clea looked at the drink in front of her and nodded. There wasn't to reply back really, after all she was here for a drink. Though she didn't wanted to be drunk or something, so the blonde decided to count the glasses she'd been taking into her system.

 

[Ash Richards]

Ash frowned a little at the nod, but sat down none the less. He seemed to fit right in at the pub, tattoo's, piercings and out of control hair. Whereas the girl in front of him looked more out of place than a giant sitting with a bunch of house elves. He studied her further as he sat there, his hands entwined in front of him on the table. His Led Zepplin singlet and torn-at-the-knees skinny jeans stood out in this crowd, but he didnt much care. He barely took notice of the people around him. Today was an odd day. Usually by this time of the day, he would be so drunk he wouldnt know where he was, but today he was barely tipsy, which was why he was somewhat quiet.

Pulling himself from his thoughts, he looked back at the girl. He hadnt realized, but his eyes had moved from her to the table as he had let his mind run. This was why he stayed drunk. The drunker you were, the slower your mind ran. "Im Ash Richards." he said, for some unknown reason. It was polite, he guessed. "And you are?" he asked.

 

[Clea Everett-Price]

Clea knew very well that the stranger wouldn't leave and pursue her more, everyone does that. Still she didn't wanted to be rude or anything, so took a sip of the drink in front her. Just a sip and nothing more for now. It would be strange to be sitting alone inside a public pub, so it was better this way a stranger beside him while crown was getting more rowdy. Clea thought of glancing at the guy, maybe it was the best idea to see what he looked like even though it was barely visible to his appearance. And she was wrong, the guy had tattoo's, piercings and and style that looked like a muggle. Clea wasn't shocked or anything, she knew there were many guys that looked like him around night.

As the she heard the stranger's name, Clea heard the name for the first time. But there was a simple problem for to handle, she couldn't give her last name at all. It was one of the most very rules of her relatives, or pay the price. So instead of stating her family, Clea decided to keep it simple. "Clea, just Clea." she replied trying to be amused by the different drawing in his body. The blonde didn't wanted to give many details as can, she wanted to maintain a low profile as possible. Hopefully, the guy named Ash Richards would just leave it just like that.

 

[Ash Richards]

Ash frowned again at her lack of response, and he was starting to get the feeling she wasnt interested in talking to him at all. It somewhat annoyed him that she would barely even look at him. 'That would be about right. Take the decency to buy her a drink, and she doesnt even wanna look at me. Nice one Ash.' he thought to himself and sculled the rest of his drink and placed it on the table. Clea... So not only was she not even gonna look at him, but she had probably just given him a fake name as well. What did she think he was gonna do? Rape her or something. Standing up from the booth, he shook his head. "You know, you could have just said you didnt want company. I came over here because you didnt look like what wanted to sit alone. I buy you a drink, try to be nice and you dont even look at me. How rude." he said said before turning to leave, his pommy accent think as he spoke.

 

[Clea Everett-Price]

Due to her lack of socialism and her lack of speech, this made Clea be apart from everything. Before when her mother was still alive, she had this hunger for life but knowing that she was all along now everything vanished and made her cold as ice. At times she wondered if it was best to show herself to the Death Eater that murdered her parents was a good idea. There was nothing to do, sure she's just only seventeen but the bitterness inside her heart was covering the entire Clea that once existed. And now she's her in a public pub she barely knew, most especially she didn't knew the way home.

Clea did glanced at the boy, perhaps he was to annoyed of her that he didn't noticed that. So when she heard him babble out some words, the blonde took a deep breath and began to talk. Hopefully her sarcastic attitude wouldn't get over of her. "First off, there I am looking at you. See, I'd even stare at you if you want." she replied standing up stretching her petite body in front of Ash. "Next I do want a company, I'm sorry if my bitterness in life is affecting my actions right now. Oh Thank You for the Drink, I really appreciate it. Cheers!" she exclaimed not caring if some people were now staring at her. Clea raised her glass facing the guy, her sarcastic side was just to much to handle at times. After all she had a side that Clea wanted to be prank, then again perhaps she got a few drinks that made her act so prank that night.

 

[Ash Richards]

Ash, his eyebrows raised further than they had been in a while, stood there in silent shock, though it was clear from his facial expression. He hadnt expected this girl to blow up at him as she had, though he was used to it in some situations. He raised his hands in defense at her, his earlier spunk returning, and chuckled softly. "Whoa, calm down Clea." he said, trying to sound soothing, though he rarely tried to sound soothing so he wasnt sure it had any effect. By now, everyone was looking at them, and with a grin on his face, he turned to the bartender and pointed his finger - which was still raised in a defensive position - at him. "I think we'll take the bottle!" he said with a smirk and heard a chorus of laughter throughout the pub as people returned their attention to their companions and drinks.

Motioning for Clea to take her seat again, Ash took his and smiled at her. "Now, that is a bit better! At least i can see that pretty face now." he said with another grin. He wasnt specifically trying to pick the girl up, but flirting was in his nature. "Im sorry if i offended you." and said, just as the bartender walked over and placed the extremely expensive bottle of whiskey on the table. Ash poured himself another and topped Clea's up at the bartender walked away.

 

[Clea Everett-Price]

Sarcasm was her defense mechanism that hinders her insecurities at time, though no really understand her why she does that. Clea swept a stand of her hair away from her own face, knowing it would reveal more of her face. The blonde then took a deep breath and exhaled it as well, she looked at Ash's reaction knowing he understood what she meant. Returning to her past position, Clea smirked a little bit upon hearing Ash's words. There was a bit of zing into her body that keep on yelling to stop drinking for the night, then again she never did listen to herself from time to time.

"It's fine." Clea replied as she held to her half-empty glass of whiskey. She wasn't the type to start a conversation with any strangers, Clea was more likely a dying-sober inside type of gal. Never did she tried to socialize in her life, which made other people label her as a loner and even worse. But she never got tired to be one, after all she was living in her life alone. "Thanks Anyways, for accompanying me." she spoke a bit nervous inside. Clea once more took a sip of her drink, feeling the a small fire passing through her throat that somehow she liked the feeling of it.