Leave It Alone

[Sumner Drage]

Pale grey eyes, highlights of blue and green mixed into the orbs, stared back at him in the large mirror on the wall. Jaw clean shaven, workout clothes consisting of his usual wind breakers and sleeveless shirt pressed and clean upon his body. Trainers, worn yet free of the dirt outside on the pitch tied neatly upon his feet. Flesh beneath his eyes were free of dark smudges; he had slept each night without waking, tossing or stirring. He slept like the dead or the conscienceless. Shadows whirled within his eyes, trapped there, as the hurt, rage and pain were trapped within his heart. Everything he did was thoughtless, mechanical, absent from himself.

Turning from the mirror, he studied the equipment in the locker room. Thankfully the teams had weights and different manual powered machines to hone their muscles for the pitch; they would not interfere with magic whatsoever. It was the weights that drew him each day since he'd sequestered himself from all others. Easily he lifted a heavy set bar, beginning to curl it toward his body, eyes meeting reflection once more in the mirror. So he would do until his muscles began to shake after hours of intense training.

 

[Lily Drage]

Brightstone Villiage was open again and Lily wanted to go and mess around, maybe pick up some new things. Shopping excited her, but there was one spot nagging at her -- Sumner. She had not seen him, nor had anyone else, for days now. Even his roommates had barely seen him. She knew that he was missing classes too, having waited outside a few of his, risking seeing Blake, to find him. He even had missed the quidditch practice the night before which raised a huge red flag in Lily's mind. Not quite sure where to start, she scoured the Tower first, looking for any clue about where to find him. His roommates were cool and Rafe let her in to look for clues with no issues. He was able to fill her in on his activities -- come in late, sleep, get up early, leave. Never speaking to anyone in the room any more. Not able to figure anything out, she went down to breakfast. Halfway through her eggs she thought of something. Pulling out her wand, she placed it in her palm and encanted "Point me to Sumner". It shuddered in her hand, then moved around in a circle before haulting and pointing off in the direction of the pitch. "Figures," she muttered, then tucked her wand back and grabbed her things. Just before she headed off, she grabbed two cookies from the table, and two glasses of milk. She would rather walk without the open glasses, but she needed something to offer or throw in his face, whichever felt better at the time. As soon as she stepped out of the Great Hall, one of the elves popped up and took the glasses from her with a disparaging tone. He moved his hand over each glass, turning it into a bottle, then handed them back to her. Lily smiled at the little creature, then headed off to the pitch.

Lily entered the pitch slowly, expecting to see him flying and beating after bludgers, but it was surprisingly empty. Confused, she stood for a moment, then turned to the locker room. It was worth checking things out. Entering through the Ravenclaw doors, she looked around, still not seeing anything. She crossed to the locker bank, and examined his locker. It was slightly open and the items in there were nothing out of the ordinary for him. Lily was completely confused by this point, and wandered over to her own locker before sitting down on the bench. That was when she heard it. Grunting coming from the teams' weight room. Praying it was him, she set her bag down on the floor and walked to the door that was slightly ajar. Giving it just a tiny push, she was able to peer into the room. There, by one of the weight benches, was Sumner. The bar he was lifting was loaded more than she remembered him using in the past. His back was to her, so she watched him for just a few minutes. His form was exquisite, unlike anything that Lily had seen before. As she waited for him to finish, not wanting to startle him into another injury, she wondered exactly what was wrong to make him drop out of sight like this. She tossed around the idea of letting him be, but she knew better than that. Sumner would internalize things forever if allowed to. Watching him set the weight bar down and stand back up, she entered the room and spoke.

"Sumner..." she said simply, not quite sure what else to say.

 

[Sumner Drage]

Sumner set the heavy bar down, careful to use his legs to support the weight and not risk injury to his lower back. He'd not heard Lily enter yet had been aware she was there, watching him, as he'd seen her shadow pass the edge of the mirror. His name on her lips drew his attention to her for the briefest of moments. "Lily." He inclined his head, as though they were at a Sunday cotillion, before drawing one arm and then the other across his body, stretching his shoulders. Shaking his hands out, he moved on to the leg press. Adding more weights, he sat down, put his feet up onto the wide platform and began to push out with his legs. Even through the pants, the muscles in his thighs defined themselves each time his legs moved.

He stared straight ahead, not focusing on anything as he gripped the sides of the seat with fingers white from the strain.

 

[Lily Drage]

Lily watched as he stretched and moved across the room to the leg machine, not saying more than her name. She rolled her eyes as he sat down and began to work out. Infuriating boy, she thought. Crossing the room to the machine he was on, she debated for a second on what the best approach was to find out what exactly was wrong. She decided to be the annoying, silent, staring one. She sat down on the flooor, next to him, eyes on his face. Not saying a word, she stared, waiting for him to get annoyed enough to start talking. Her arms wrapped around her knees, holding her skirt so that it wouldn't flash too much of her legs, not that she really cared how much Sumner saw. Lily waited, knowing she would get some sort of a reaction from him soon enough.

 

[Sumner Drage]

Sumner worked his legs for nearly ten minutes before her staring silence began to bother him. Why wasn't she berating him? Not that he cared what she thought. He didn't care what anyone thought. Liar. Pushing the thought away, his eyes focused once more and flicked to hers, then down her body. Barely smirking, he faced forward again. "Blue lace Lily?" Standing, he began stretching his legs, bending over to let his arms hang, back of his hands brushing the floor. Turning his head, his eyes met hers, corner of his mouth hitching up. "Suits your arse beautifully." Although his tone was joking, his eyes were cool.

 

[Lily Drage]

Lily watched as Sumner stood and stretched, not moving or speaking. She wondered how long it would take him to start talking, more than just joking about her arse. "Thanks," she said simply. Remaining seated on the floor, she stared at him, noticing how detatched his eyes looked. She knew she would miss out on the trip to the villiage if he kept this up, but she really didn't care at this point. Her friend came first after all, and whatever he was dealing with was obviously really bugging him.

 

[Sumner Drage]

Sumner straightened, displeasure twisting his mouth. Her silence began to irk. Why the hell was she here, just to stare at him? He didn't like her eyes on him right now, not one bit. He wasn't some freak, some side show curiosity to entertain. He wanted her to leave, to let him be. Couldn't anyone understand that he wanted to be by himself? He knew eventually his truancy would be marked upon by a professor, perhaps the Headmistress or Headmaster. He didn't care. He didn't need to go to classes to get Outstandings in all his classes. He had a f*&king brain, a good one, he didn't need to sit in some boring class, wasting his time.

Stopping, his back to her, head down, hands fisted at his sides, he muttered, "Stop it." His image was apparent in the mirror, anger beginning to darken his face, half covered by his hair.

 

[Lily Drage]

She smirked. She was finally getting to him. He was tensing up and his command to stop had the annoyed tone to it that she knew would spell trouble for anyone else. From where Lily was sitting, she could see that he was growing angry with her. Good. He needs to get whatever it is out one way or another and if it means picking a fight with him, so be it.

Quickly Lily stood and walked over to where he was, positioning herself between him and the mirror. Leaning against the smooth glass, she crossed her arms over her chest and spoke softly. "I will stop when you tell me what is wrong with you. What happened?" Her face was set firm and her head tilted to the side. Her eyes focused on his, waiting for him to start talking.

 

[Sumner Drage]

He turned, hand snapping out to grab the towel hanging from the low bar. Wiping his face, then his chest, his mouth trembled from keeping from shouting at her. Even in his anger, he knew it was wrong to take it out on her. He didn't want to hurt Lily. He loved her, cared for her, yet he wanted her to be gone. Go, he silently begged her, not meeting her eyes. Go and be with others who are worth something.

Sumner knew better though to think she would leave so easily. "My stepfather died. Heart attack." Unconsciously he used the words his mother had hurled at him. Spoken just as coldly, though his throat had begun to tighten.

 

[Lily Drage]

Lily stood there in shock. No wonder he was acting like this, pulling himself away from everyone and everything. He was grieving, even if he didn't seem to want to admit it. She let her arms fall to her side, then moved forward to stroke his cheek. "I'm so sorry," she said softly. She wasn't really sure what else to say. She had not dealt with a lot of death in her life. "When?"

 

[Sumner Drage]

Sumner's face contorted at her touch. "Don't-just don't." He jerked away from her, moving around her to stand in front of the mirror. He didn't want anyone's apologies, least of all hers. She hadn't known the man, nobody at the school had. Sumner had barely known the man who he had thought was his father; not his whole life. They'd never bonded or spoken other than the usual conversation growing up. One Quidditch game, watched together through an accident on his mother's part, hardly had been anything other than that.

Unbidden, his mind whirled to replay his mother's words to him, that ugly scene within the hotel room. Pale eyes slowly met the mirror. Her eyes. As though he were watching from above his body, he saw his hand jerk back as though in slow motion. Watched his fist slam into the mirror, glass shattering and spraying from the force. He came back to himself, felt the pain, then the numbness as the blood flowed freely from the cuts.

He wouldn't be like that cold, selfish b1tch. "I won't be like her." Drunken, disgusting, cold. "My whole life's been one big accident." Hatred for her own child; an accident, nearly a bastard. Her favorite epitaph for him when he displeased her. Sumner was unaware he spoke, just stood there, letting the light play off the rich red blood, moving his fingers slowly until his hand was near his face.

"He wasn't my blood. I'll not mourn for some muggle." It dripped steadily on the floor, splashing his clothes. "He dies and I get disowned." His lips twitched. "F*&k her," he sneered.

 

[Lily Drage]

Lily jumped as Sumner slammed his fist into the mirror and shattered it. She knew that he was dealing with a lot and didn't stop his reactions, but wracked her brain to find a way to help him, draw the Sumner she knew back out from hiding behind the grief. The words he spoke were shocking. Disowned? His mother actually went so far as to disown him? No wonder he was hiding out instead of dealing with it.

Grabbing her wand, she repaired the mirror quickly, then grabbed a towel and moved to wrap it around his hand. "You are not like her. You are better than her," she spoke softly as she wrapped the towel around his hand. "Sumner, you described her to me as cold and heartless, that is not you. You care about people. You stand up for your friends. If you were a selfish b1tch you wouldn't bother with anyone other than yourself -- and no one would bother with you." She wasn't sure how he would react, but Lily was ready for just about anything.

 

[Sumner Drage]

Sumner's head came up, eyes clearing as he came back to himself. Her hands, tending him so carefully, her words, spoken so gently, her eyes, speaking her loving friendship. They hit him hard, digging into his chest to pull at his closed off heart. Where moments before he had wanted nothing to do with her, now he wanted her to stay, to be with him. He pulled her to him, arms around her shoulders, hands clenching her jacket. His face buried in her neck and Sumner began to tremble. It hurt him, oh how it hurt him, that she could love someone like him, yet his own mother, his flesh and blood, had turned from him. Banned him from his own family. A broken sob choked from his tight throat.

 

[Lily Drage]

Lily felt her heart breaking for her friend as he fought against the tears that he obviously needed to shed, the grief he needed to get out. Wrapping her arms around his waist as he buried his face in her neck, she simply held him tight. Her own head rested on his shoulder and her eyes closed, arms pulling him tightly against her. "You are my best friend, Sumner. I don't want you to go through this alone," she whispered. "I am here for you, whatever you need." Her hands rubbed his back as she held him, encouraging him to let it out and release his feelings.

 

[Sumner Drage]

Sumner broke, telling her the whole story in a choked voice, sobbing and trembling against her. Some parts broken, cracked, his voice nearly gone; his mother banning him from seeing his brother ever again, kicking him out of his own home. He didn't think of his pride at being seen like this. All he felt was the hurt, the deep hurt, his mother had caused him. "She never wanted me," he wept, body shaking from the force of his upset. All he could do was hold onto Lily; she was his lifeline, the one constant in his life he knew he could count on to be there for him, for however long she would be. Her body, small yet strong, was solid, comforting against him.

 

[Lily Drage]

Lily listened as Sumner told her everything, every horrid detail. She felt tears fall down her own cheeks as he spoke, his pain affecting her. Her arms held him tightly, trying to pour every ounce of comfort she had into his much larger frame. It was unfair that he had to deal with this at his age, at any age. She had no idea what to say, no words would comfort him. Continuing to rub his back, she just let him get it all out. "She might not have wanted you but I am sure glad you are around. I cannot imagine my life without you in it, Sumner. I am so sorry you have to go through all of this, but you don't have to go through this alone. I am here for you."

 

[Sumner Drage]

Sumner's chest jerked with the effort to rein it in yet try as he might he couldn't. Her words of comfort only started him again. Sixteen years of pain, rejection, betrayal, poured out of him. After what seemed like hours but could be only a fraction of that time, it stopped, tapered off until his chest gave an occasional jerk. He hugged her to him then slowly he backed away, using the towel to dry his wet face. He felt-better. Not one hundred percent but letting it all out, it had felt, freeing. He hadn't cried like that even when Kat and he had broken up. No matter that his head ached, his eyes burned or that he felt physically weak.

He slung the towel over his shoulder, his left hand rose, thumb gently wiping the tears from her cheek. "I love you, you know that right?" Lily was the only person who could pull things from him, to make him face things that he himself would never do on his own.

 

[Lily Drage]

Lily held Sumner while he let it all out. She knew he needed this. So many emotions were pent up inside of her friend that needed to come out -- and whether he wanted to admit it or not, he needed her there to do it. Tears flowed down her cheeks as his pain flowed out from him. Finally, he was spent and simply hugged her before moving a step back.

His simple gesture of wiping the tears from her face touched her. His profession of love, something that would make anyone else's heart soar, was sweet and gentle. She knew that he loved her like a friend, the same way she loved him. Her heart would always belong to Blake, no matter who might take his place in her life. Sumner was truely her best friend. Others might look at them and assume they were dating by the way they carried on, but that part of their relationship was simply a matter of convenience. They each needed affection and trusted each other enough to provide that.

"I love you, Sumner. Always will," she said with a nod. "You really are my best friend. I don't know how I would have made it this far without you."

 

[Sumner Drage]

Sumner ducked his head, rubbing the back of his neck, suddenly feeling awkward with himself. "Yeah. Same here." His eyes glanced off hers, held, then with a small smile, he broke contact. "I'm going to grab a shower." He paused, pursed his lips endearingly, walking backward toward the shower room. "Take you out for a drink? Five minutes?" He held up his hand, winked at her then turned and went to get cleaned up.

He was cleaned, dried and dressed within six minutes. He took a moment to get out his wand and do a patchy healing job on his cut hand. It was still red and pained him a little but nothing he couldn't handle. Coming out buttoning his long sleeved shirt, tucking it within his jeans. "I wasn't going to go this weekend but," he shrugged, pulling on his jacket. "Thought I might grab something for Christmas anyway."

 

[Lily Drage]

It was all Lily could do to hold back a giggle at Sumner. He was so flipping adorable when he got nervous. Why he was nervous though was beyond her. "Yeah. I could go for a drink," she said with a smile, watching him walk backwards. While she waited, she used her wand to clean the room up, then stowed it back away again.

Moving to the mirrors, she finally released the small chuckle she had been holding back while she checked her makeup to make sure she still looked presentable enough to go to Brightstone. She turned to face him as he rejoined her in the weight room, a smile on her face. Damn that boy scrubs up well. Crossing the room and picking up her bag, she slung it over her shoulder. The milk and cookies were long ago forgotten on the bench in the locker room. "Glad you're wanting to go, cause I was planning on dragging your arse to town one way or another. We both need to get out of this school for a bit." She winked at him, then moved to his side. "You ready?" she asked with a smile.

 

[Sumner Drage]

Sumner grinned, casually flinging an arm around her shoulders. He kissed her cheek and simply said, "Thank you Lily." It was all he would say on the matter that had just transpired. With anyone else he would have wanted to hide away from shame for crying as he had. Yet with her it was okay. He was okay. He would get through this just like he got through everything bad in his life. It still hurt like holy hell but he wouldn't focus on that. He had his new family to look to, to meet and to get to know. Plus, he smirked, there was always the beach.