I'd Rather Be Alone

[Professor Cyndi Kingsley]

In a sad series of events, both Cyndi and Riley now found themselves single people. Riley had been cheated on, which was more ironic than Cyndi could ever say, but even so, she still found herself feeling incredibly sorry for him. The reason for that was mostly because Riley still had to share custody with the woman who'd cheated on him and was therefore unable to make a clean break. It had to be hard and Riley looked worse for the wear these days even though Cyndi had assured him that he could have his room for as long as he needed it. It wasn't as if Cyndi was going to be having company anytime soon.

She still had no idea what had happened that day. Seeing Cameron with Caysi had made her incredibly insecure and unsure and...just thinking about it made her want to cry. Cyndi hadn't even allowed Cameron to explain because it wouldn't have mattered, not then anyway. Not when his gorgeous ex-girlfriend was standing right beside him. Pulling her hair up into a ponytail, Cyndi gazed down at the corner of her mirror where a photo of her and Cam was set. In it, she had her arms around him and as she watched he looked into Cyndi's eyes and kissed her. Tears sprang into Cyndi's eyes and she ripped the photo from its spot and flung it across the room where it lay facedown.

Rubbing at her eyes quickly, Cyndi grabbed her wand and stuck it in her pocket. She was dressed in muggle clothes because she was going to be heading out of the castle for a bit. She had the feeling that being around the hormonal teenagers that resided at HNZ was not helping her own melancholy. Leaving the castle quickly, Cyndi apparated as soon as she could to the park near her house. She avoided the area where she'd met up with Cameron the night he'd asked her out on their first date and instead settled herself beside a fountain clear on the other side of the park. The only other people around were two old wizards, but they were thoroughly engrossed in the wizard chess they were playing. They didn't even notice as she settled herself beside the fountain and used her wand to conjure a toy duck which she placed in the water and watched swirl around.

 

[Adele Smith]

Adele sat on the bed where she had spent her last moments with Riley before revealing the truth, causing him to leave. Her hood was up over her face, the lights were all off, and the curtains were drawn. The broken-hearted teenager sat there drowning her sorrows, using the blanket she had wrapped around herself, almost as a tissue, to wipe away her tears.

Adele was nothing without Riley. She hadn't even made an effort to dress-up, what was the point? Only Lowan would see her today, and even he was partly Riley's. Adele eventually decided that the only way to dry her tears was to get up and go out somewhere. She headed downstairs with Lowan, put him in his pram, then headed out towards the park, hoping it would be quiet this afternoon.

Adele shot a fake smile at Lowan, as she wiped what she hoped would be the last tear from her eye. She didn't want Lowan to know that she had been crying. As Adele looked straight ahead once again, her face changed from the fake smile into a look of worry and anger. It couldn't be Cyndi. Adele kept walking ahead, hoping Cyndi wouldn't recognise her or Lowan as she pulled her hood further over her head, then held Lowan tightly against her. As she reached a few paces ahead of the fountain where Cyndi was sat, Adele stopped in her tracks. She didn't know whether to talk to her or not, and if she did what would she say?

Before she knew it, Adele had spun round, revealing her face to Cyndi, with an angry glare. She wanted to shout at Cyndi. She hadn't done anything, but Adele assumed that Cyndi would have taken Riley's side in this case. Who wouldn't? Adele held back from saying anything rude or inappropriate to the girl. "Who plays with a toy duck?" Adele asked bluntly, cuddling Lowan lovingly, then turning back and staring at Cyndi miserabley.

 

[Professor Cyndi Kingsley]

Cyndi's head shot up when she heard the familiar voice that was calling out to her. It was the last person she needed to see right now. Adele was the one person that she never knew what she was going to get when she encountered. The girls had shared some good conversations and also some bad ones, and with recent events, it was probably easy to guess which kind they'd have if they spoke to each other directly. Cyndi lifted her wand slightly and made the duck vanish before turning her head. She was already annoyed as it was, but when she heard Adele's question and saw the look on her face, her annoyance grew. She hadn't asked Adele to come speak to her, so she had no idea why the woman looked so bothered.

Cyndi didn't get up from her seat to greet the woman because honestly she had nothing to say to her. That wasn't exactly true. She had plenty to say, but since none of it was nice, she wasn't inclined to speak. With a sigh, Cyndi replied, "Me apparently. Why do you care?" She looked to Lowan, who was holding onto his mom and waved to the little boy. He was growing up so quickly and it was a shame that because of Adele he wasn't going to grow up with his mom and dad in the same place.

 

[Adele Smith]

Adele tried her best to remain calm as she spoke to Cyndi, she gritted her teeth to stop herself from shouting at the girl. Adele noticed Cyndi's shortness, it was obvious that she knew about her and Riley. Adele had already assumed that Cyndi would be the first one to know, but right now, even the toy duck that was now gone could annoy Adele.

"Why do I care?!!?" Adele asked in a raised voice, before taking a deep breath in. She hadn't intended to rant at Cyndi but now Adele's emotions were getting the better of her. "I know you hate me right now Cyndi...and I don't blame you...I hate myself more than anyone right now...but you have to at least give me a chance...a chance to explain myself...even if I don't deserve it in the very slightest." Adele soon remembered that she couldn't do anything stupid for Lowan's sake, and looked at him with a smile, then played with his hand, before turning back to Cyndi. "If you want to have a go at me...then go ahead...but Lowan needs to be distracted first...'cause I still care about his up-bringing..." 'Believe it or not.' Adele thought to herself, knowing that Cyndi would have some very strong, and possibly harsh words for Adele to hear.

The night Adele had slept with Hadan, she had no regrets, it was simply a bit of fun...but it only took seeing Riley's face again and seeing her son again to realise exactly just what she had done. And Adele had regretted it, and hated herself for it ever since. And now Adele had to accept the consequences.....The consequences that she'd never thought would actually happen, until the lies became to much, and she blurted out the truth.

 

[Professor Cyndi Kingsley]

Cyndi's eyes widened and her eyebrows raised when she heard Adele raise her voice. It almost made her want to get up and get right into Adele's face but only the fact that Lowan was with her prevented Cyndi from doing so. "Believe it or not, I don't want to have a go at you" she began, a grim expression on her face, "but I don't appreciate you yelling at me for no reason. Go away if you don't want to talk to me" she said crossing her arms across her chest.

"And you don't have to explain anything to me. I'm not the one you have to convince that you're honorable or whatever" she frowned. She knew Riley was pretty torn up about the whole thing. He was staying with her now and even at work she could tell that things were different with him. And she couldn't blame him. She certainly knew what it felt like to be cheated on and it hurt. "You know, Riley was really trying this time, to be a good guy and you just threw it all away..." she trailed off.

 

[Adele Smith]

Adele hoped for dear-life that she could hold back the tears. She knew that Riley had tried hard to be loyal to her, it was just a simple mistake in Adele's eyes. But she knew right from the start that no-one else would see it that way. "Till death do us part Cyndi...I spoke those words...and I meant them with all my heart...it was one night...one man...one mistake." Adele said, turning away for a moment, to dry away the few tears that fell from her eyes as she remembered her Wedding Day.

Adele knew fully well that she had thrown all of Riley's hard work back in his face, but she truly didn't expect a complete break-down of their relationship. Maybe a massive argument, and a week or two apart, but not this. She knew when Riley was angry, and she knew that it was unlikely that she would be back in Riley's arms anytime soon. "Cyndi...I never meant for any of this to happen...I appreciated...and still do appreciate all of the hard-work and effort that Riley has put in for me." A few more tears struck Adele's eyes as she mentioned Riley's name. "I made ONE Mistake...why does no-one get me? No-one's even been willing to listen, they just turn on me, and brand me the guilty one...which I am...and I know that better than anyone...but I still need a chance." She told Cyndi emotionally, before sitting down, leaving a clear space between her and Cyndi, before placing Lowan in that gap.

 

[Professor Cyndi Kingsley]

"You have a funny way of showing it..." Cyndi mumbled, allowing the words to slip out before she could truly stop them, not that she had any plans to. Because of her own things going on, Cyndi felt in a slightly more bi**** mood than usual. It was a mean thing to say and she sort of regretted it because Adele was pouring her heart out to Cyndi. She didn't know when it had happened, but her and Adele were confidantes. They weren't best friends, not by any stretch of the word, but they often took advice from each other.

As Adele continued to speak, Cyndi did what she had promised herself she wouldn't do if she saw Adele. She listened. And listening made her sort of feel bad for the younger girl. When she sat down and put Lowan between them, Cyndi waved her wand, making another toy duck appear, this one with a string. She placed the string into the baby's hand and tugged it so that he could see the duck move closer to him. "You're probably right. But what can you say that could explain what happened? Unless you were imperiused...you weren't imperiused, right?" she asked suddenly, pretty sure that that wasn't the case. "You have to deal with whatever happens now, whatever it is..." Those words were just as true for Adele as they were for herself. "I've never seen Riley so upset before" she said honestly.

Out of Character:

I really like the new siggy

 

[Adele Smith]

Out of Character:

Thank You!!!

Remembering that Lowan was still around, Adele chose to ignore Cyndi's first comment. Not that it mattered much to Adele anymore, she had done enough shouting and begging over these past few days, all she needed now was someone to believe her and comfort her. A hug would do. As much as Adele refused to believe it, she still had a lot of growing up to do, just the simple things, that a young girl who is married with a kid doesn't get the chance to do. Adele just needed some more time to be the normal 19 Year Old girl, doing things that a girl her age would normally do. Meet guys, date guys, go out partying, anything but marriage. Adele had Lowan now, and she wouldn't even think about leaving him motherless, but she wouldn't rush back into a relationship. When Riley had Lowan, she would go out and be a girl again, Adele confirmed that in her head as she listened to Cyndi speak.

Adele began to reply, calm as ever for the first time in their conversation. "No I wasn't...Everything I did was my decision...but I can't change that now...and believe me Cyndi...if I could...I would...infact I would've changed that whole evening by now...from beginning to end...so I never even met that guy in the first place...I'd make everything better...be back in Riley's arms..." Adele's pace of speech slowed down as she came to mentioning Riley's name. She would do whatever it possibly could to get Riley back. She missed having him around, and as much as Adele longed to be just a girl again, Adele still missed Riley with all her heart. "Cyndi I'm dealing with what's happening right now...by showing everyone how sorry I am...I was stupid and I know that...I just want my friends back...and I want Riley to be happy again...'cause if he's going through the hell that I am...Then he certainly won't be happy at the moment...even if he looks happy...you know what Riley's like..." Adele told Cyndi, actually being reasonable with her for a change.

Out of Character:

Woah Speech Much? That came from nowhere.

 

[Professor Cyndi Kingsley]

Cyndi could only imagine the guilt that Adele had to be feeling because of her infidelity. It had to be terrible. And she found that when Adele let down her guard, she actually wasn't so bad. She was just like Cyndi, a witch looking for love. Using her wand again, she charmed the duck so that it would quack every once in a while. It was keeping the baby busy and allowing the two women the opportunity to talk. Adele was certainly right about one thing. Riley was hurting...badly.

"I don't know what to say, Adele" she sighed. "I feel bad for both of you. I really do." That was the honest truth, especially now that she'd heard Adele's side. She knew she shouldn't get involved but as Adele continued to speak, she found herself wanting to do something to bring Lowan's parents together again. Cyndi was a meddler and when she thought there was something she could do to help, it was sometimes hard to prevent herself from doing so. "If you're really sorry and you want Riley back, you are going to have to make him listen to you. I...I shouldn't get involved."

 

[Adele Smith]

Adele was surprised when Cyndi told her that she felt sorry for both of them. But as much as it surprised her, Adele believed Cyndi. She had a good heart, forgetting about her disagreements with Adele in the past. It had been only natural for her to take Riley's side to begin with, but Adele was glad that Cyndi seemed to be coming round now.

Adele nodded as Cyndi told her that she needed to make Riley listen to her to get him back. Of course, Adele already knew that much, but it was somehow comforting hearing it from another person. "I wouldn't expect you to get involved Cyndi...but seeing as you are here now I would ask a favour from you...could you talk to Riley...tell him what I just told you...about how I made a mistake...and how now I am truly sorry and that I miss him, and want him back in my life." Adele hoped Cyndi would do the favour for her at the very least. She would talk to Riley eventually, but first Riley had to realise that Adele was honestly sorry, and that she was just worth listening to at the very least. "Would you do that for me Cyndi?" She asked. "Then I'll come and find him, once he's willing to listen to me...and hopefully we can sort things out between us."

 

[Professor Cyndi Kingsley]

Cyndi looked towards the fountain when she heard Adele ask her for a favor. She had a feeling she knew exactly what was coming, and right she was as Adele asked her to speak to Riley and make sure he knew that she was sorry. "I don't know Adele, I shouldn't" she hesistated, her voice trailing off. Biting her lip, Cyndi could feel her determination to not get involved slowly crumbling. As Adele asked whether or not she would help, Cyndi looked over to Lowan who held the string up to her, wanting her to take it. She did and gave it a small tug sending the duck swimming to the other side of the fountain.

Putting it back in Lowan's hands, she looked up at Adele and sighed. "I'll try Adele, but I won't make any promises that he'll listen. You know how Riley is sometimes" she said, rolling her eyes towards the sky. If only she had somebody to help her out maybe she wouldn't have found herself in the mess she had with Cameron. She supposed she could always speak to Kiera but then that would mean admitting that she was wrong and having to hear Kiera tell her so. That she wasn't ready for quite yet.

 

[Adele Smith]

Adele hadn't expected a willing response from Cyndi, it was a tough thing that she had asked her to do, and if Cyndi refused she would fully understand. Adele smiled a little at Cyndi as she told her that she'd try. That was enough for Adele. She felt like hugging Cyndi, but after some quick thought, Adele assumed that it would be a little inappropriate, considering their relationship was rocky anyhow. "Thank You so much Cyndi." Adele giggled a little at Cyndi's last sentence. It wasn't a good thing that he might not listen, but Adele had to laugh a little. She knew Riley far to well, and it was weird to know someone that well, especially now the pair were separated. "All I'd ask is that you try to speak to him...'cause I know how close you two are as friends...maybe he'll be more willing to listen to you...'cause we all know that I'm not exactly in his good books at the moment..." Adele said, it was true, and she deserved it too, Adele wasn't going to deny that.

 

[Professor Cyndi Kingsley]

Gratitude wasn't something that Cyndi was used to receiving from Adele, so when the young woman thanked her, she was taken aback for a moment. Finally, she nodded her head and shifted in her seat. Glancing back over to the elderly men who were playing wizarding chess as she continued to listen to Adele, she was momentarily distracted. "Yea, we'll see" she said, hoping that Riley wouldn't be upset with her when she spoke to him about Adele. She wanted to help them both, but in the end, she was still more concerned about Riley's feelings than Adele's.

Sighing, she added, "Wizards" and shook her head, "can't live with them and can't live without them, can we?" She smirked slightly and then reached out to pat the back of Lowan's head. She hoped that he wouldn't be such a heartbreaker when he grew up, but with Riley as an influence, she knew that the boy was bound to be every bit as charming as his father. That might he'd probably go through just as many girlfriends.

 

[Adele Smith]

Adele laughed a little at Cyndi again. "Nah just can't live with 'em..." Adele joked..."As in...the same house..." She added on, before smiling at Cyndi. Today had started off terribly, but now things seemed to be looking up. With or without Riley, Adele would cope just fine. Being single was something that Adele was yet to get used to, but she was sure she'd be okay for a week or two. Then after that, maybe she could turn back to Riley...see how he was bearing up...and if it turned out that the couple could never be together again...then Adele would look for someone else. She had realised by now that she was a girl who needed to be with a man. Adele felt comfortable when she knew that there was always someone to turn to when things weren't going so well. Which is why she missed Riley so much. "Anyway Cyndi...I'll see you soon yeah?" Adele said as she stood up, then picked Lowan up. "Say Bye Bye to Cyndi." She said to him in a baby voice.

 

[Professor Cyndi Kingsley]

Cyndi couldn't help but chuckle at what Adele said. It was crazy how even with feeling as down as they both did, the girls both seemed to have cheered each other up a bit. She really would try and have that talk with Riley because she truly did believe that they'd both be happier together than if they were with anyone else. In the end, it would be out of her hands though.

Nodding, Cyndi replied, "Probably. We seem to run into each other often enough." At least this had been a good talk. With Adele, Cyndi never really knew whether or not she would enjoy seeing her. This time hadn't been so bad though. She smiled as Adele told Lowan to say bye and he did. He was growing so fast. "Bye Adele. Bye Lowan" she said, blowing her godson a kiss.