Leave me alone

[Artemisia Styx]

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<COLOR color="#000">It was a typical chilly autumn day outside. Absolutely perfect for a hoodie and a bonfire kind of day and Artemisia was enjoying it. There was no classes for her to attend today so she and her friends opted to just go outside and have a group study session for upcoming Exams. They would all honestly rather be playing in the leaves but they knew that if they didn't make time to study now they would probably never have time for it later either. Artemisia was sat beneath a tall oak tree that had just a few dead leaves hanging onto the branches. The rest were scattered across the ground around her. Artemisia hated studying. She only came along because she knew she had to get something done today other than just laying in bed and sketching out more dress designs. Plus she rarely got out to hang with her friends these days so she was taking advantage of it while she could. The Italian beauty even brought part of her lunch with her so she could stay outside even longer. The cooler weather felt nice and different because Artemisia was used to the warm summers of Italy and here there was actually snow on the ground from time to time. "Hey guys do you know what year we went over these potions?" Artemisia moved her open booked toward the group of girls so they could see and possibly give her an answer or two. But when she glanced up she noticed that there was only one other girl really paying attention to her. All she did was shrug her shoulders and go back to whatever she was working on. The rest of her friends were huddled in a little circle giggling about something. That immediately got onto Artemisia's nerves. They were the ones that begged her to come out here because they were so behind and needed to study. So why were they not studying? Artemisia leaned back against the tall okay and narrowed her royal purple orbs at her friends. They were being so immature! One of the remainder leaves that was still attached to the tree broke free from the branch and swayed down until it landed in Artemisia's silky mass of hair. Artemisia tore it from the brunette waves and closed her book so she could go over and see what her friends were up to. It had to be more interesting than this was anyways. They were talking about boys. Artemisia immediately wished she hadn't come over. The subject of boys was something this Italian beauty had never taken well. She could admit, she was not good with boys. Most thought she was too much of a tease to really get involved with her anyways. Then the topic of Kaleb Styx came forth and the almighty roll of her eyes came out. A few of her friends scoffed at her attitude and asked what her problem was. They thought he was so damn cute and dreamy. If Artemisia was more willing to tell anyone that she knew Kaleb more personally, she would have rubbed it in their faces that she had taken his virginity. But she wanted not a single person to know. So she kept quiet about it and instead just told her 'friends' that she needed to go.

Artemisia crawled over to the big oak tree and tucked her books into her tote bag and picked it up. Artemisia left her friends and the big okay in a hurry. Her shoes padded through the cold grass and a cool wind blew as she made her way back to the castle. Artemisia still couldn't believe that of all people she had to go and ruin the one thing she wanted to be special, with Kaleb Styx. Ye wad gorgeous no doubt, but he was so far from her type, well, he was actually not too far off. But it was just the way he was raised. Artemisia knew his family hated and probably killed people like her. How would they feel if they knew Kaleb had gone and slept with one of them? Probably not too happy with her. She did not want to face getting killed and she figured it would be unfair to have his family get mad at him. Plus if everyone knew they would start to think of her as the school hussy, Kaleb might even get bad rep for sinking down so low with the school tease. Their worlds were just too different and even if Kaleb was really cute and he could make her laugh and stuff, she knew better. So she had spent the entire year so far completely ignoring him. Not a single word was said to him and not a single glance was spared. It was like he didn't even exist to her. It was for his own good though. Besides, Artemisia was planning on leaving the school soon anyways. She wrote a letter to her mother explaining that school here was just too hard, she was bullied too often, and she wished she was often anywhere but here. Finally her mother agreed to let her go home once the Semester was over, her exams were taken, and she had permission from the Headmaster/Headmistress. Artemisia was still headed toward the castle, it seemed that very few decided to come outside today. Not that she blamed them, it was still really chilly outside. With a shudder Artemisia pulled her sweater more tightly to her thin body and kept her walking pace strong and steady as she approached the castle.​

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[Kaleb Styx]

Somehow, Kaleb Styx did not know how, but he had managed to earn the title of Prefect in his seventh year, his last year of Durmstrang. It was turning out to be a lot better than the school that he had been to previously. Hogwarts New Zealand did not give him the Dark Arts teachings that he would need. He had to have these teachings to be someone great in his family despite the fact that his blood was completely impure. Kaleb was at the fourth floor of the castle, which was the tallest floor right now. Kaleb had ended up sleeping with Artemisia Knight last year, and somehow ended up with his favorite shirt missing, and he currently, still, had her dress. But after that, Kaleb was left like he had had a one night stand, and thought that there might have been something. Apparently not. Kaleb knew that Artemisia was a virgin, well, it was obvious after that night. However what would give a girl the right mind to leave him stranded there without any sort of explanation? Kaleb wanted to know if he had screwed up, or something. It had been a year and that anger had not subsided a bit. What gave her the right to just never talk to him again? The Durmstrang boy did not understand it a bit, and he would have understood maybe a week to process, but not a whole damn year. His friend came over to him when he was staring out the window and wanted to know what they could do for the holidays. Kaleb grumbled and told them to f*ck off and leave him alone. This year, Kaleb had somehow turned out even meaner than the previous year, yet he was always withdrawn into himself. His spells were more powerful to the emotional force behind him, which usually ended up with someone getting beaten to a pulp. Kaleb had accidentally sent some boy to the Hospital ward before and almost had his Prefect badge taken away, but he did not know why the other person managed to not block his spell. Essentially blaming the other student helped himself out of that stick situation. His friends never bothered with him, and they never bothered with Artemisia because that was what Kaleb wanted. They did not know why he was like that, and he was not about to tell them that they had slept together and now she was pretending that he didn't exist. If she had never lived up to that rep of being the school tease, then she just had with doing what she was currently doing with Kaleb. Maybe the school was right, and he should not get mixed up in that group, but what he thought was there, it might still be there.

Sick of his friends asking him what was wrong, he told them an almighty lie and said that he needed to owl his father. Kaleb did not own an owl, not anymore and yet they believed him. They were not the brightest in the bunch. Kaleb left his friends and he wanted to go outside to go let out some steam that was deserved. All year, because of that incident had him utterly pissed off and raging. Even Kalif had questioned him on it, but wisely, Kaleb brushed it off, and he said it was girl troubles. Luckily, that was all that Kalif wanted to know. Kaleb did not want to tell his dad of all people what was going on at school, yet that man was the one that Kaleb could really relate to. No, it was truly Arnost, the one he could relate to because Arnost had children with a Part-Veela. However, Arnost was a ghost and currently out of his reach. It was not like he could send out a letter to Arnost and expect someone to read it out to him. Kaleb let out a sigh and he made his way down the stairs, his hazel eyes turned into dark because of how angry he was right now. Was he to blame? Kaleb did not think that it was all his fault, but he wished that his family would be a little more understanding. He was not pureblood, so maybe some rules would not apply? Kaleb ran his fingers through his hair as he looked around the place at Durmstrang. The entrance hall or something, he did not know if it had a name here or not. Kaleb gripped his wand and he pulled his robes around him even more before he would go outside. As soon as he opened the doors to the outside world, he saw none other than the girl that both he cared about and hated for making him so angry. Torn in half, he wanted to both hug her and curse her into oblivion. Both of which he thought would leave nasty results, Kaleb decided to do neither. He wanted to make sure that his facial expression lacked anything, but there was more anger than any other emotion right now. He could not hide that no matter how much he tried. Kaleb wanted to barricade the doors, but he kind of was with the way he was standing. Kaleb stated, his voice strained between what he wanted to be calm yet it was still a little irritated in there, "Artemisia Knight, we have to talk at some point." The words were really strained on the 'have' part, and he wanted her to know, that she could not keep avoiding him forever. They had to talk, about what they were going to do after this. He had to know, because Kaleb really felt like he had the rotten part of the apple.​

 

[Artemisia Styx]

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<COLOR color="#000">Artemisia suddenly halted when opened the doors and pretty much blocked her path to get inside the castle. This was just promising! Artemisia rolled her purple orbs and crossed her arms over her chest trying to appear intimidating and angry to Kaleb. Really though, she just wanted to rub in the other direction and cry. It was unfair that she kine of liked him because the family differences and the fact that their social lives were far to different than one another. His friends would have a heart attack if they saw her talking to him. Artemisia's friends would probably freak out and demand to know when she was on a talking basis with Kaleb Styx. They all liked him but she told them that she hated him and they believed her so this would really freak them out. Her friend that she happened to be closest with probably had the world's biggest crush on him. Which was just ridiculous to Artemisia because she knew for a fact that not a single of them really knew anything about him. It was just his good looks and bad boy attitude that they seemed to be so attracted to. But there was so much more to him than any of them could probably ever guess. At one point she would have thought the very same way they did. But after that night they had spent with one another last year, Artemisia was allowed to see him in a different light. She found out that he had only one girlfriend in his life. They were together at the last school he went to but for some reason she abandoned him and he ended up coming here. He must have really liked her too because it seemed like he still wasn't over it. Artemisia knew that she was the first one he had ever been with on a more personal level like that. Whether her being his first was a mistake or not, she probably would never have the chance to find out. But she knew he wasn't anything like she tried to pretend he was when they first met. He was more genuine and Artemisia knew that if circumstances between them were more different, she would want to be with him. Or at least spend more time with him. But the fact that she had what his family probably considered as dirty blood and his friends absolutely hated her, she figured that the two of them were a lost cause before they even started. When Kaleb said that she needed to talk to him at some point she tried to force herself to think that all he really wanted to talk about was the fact that she had his shirt still. So after looking around to make sure no one was watching, she dipped her hand into her bad and found his shirt before she tossed it at him. "There." She replied curtly. Hoping that this would make him feel better and perhaps get him to leave her alone before people started to notice. Particularly his group of friends along with hers. They'd start to think something was up. Kaleb's broad body and tell height prevented her from just walking through the doors so if she wanted to get in she'd have to actually move him out of the way and that probably wasn't going to be an easy feat. So instead she figured that she should just turn around and continuing ignoring him like she had been since the beginning of the year. It was just better for the both of them if they went their separate ways. Especially in her own case.

It wouldn't be long before she was out of this school anyways. The Holiday break was only in a couple of weeks and once that came around she'd be leaving Durmstrang for good. "There's nothing to talk about. Leave me alone Kaleb." Artemisia used to call him by his last name but she ended up dropping the last name and somehow just went to calling him by his first name. With one last desperate narrow of her eyes she hmphed under her breath and turned around to start walking away. Of course she really did want to talk to him. Mostly about how she was sorry that she left but his friend kept trying to come over and she just felt that it would be easier to avoid the awkwardness of what would happen afterwards. How she thought he was really cute, that she liked how pretty his eyes were. He had a nice body, she had underestimated when she first met him. But there was just no way she was willing to put herself into trouble like that. He would thank her later on anyways because she was saving him a bunch of issues. What if he ever ran into that girlfriend from his past. He seemed fond of her and Artemisia knew that when a guy really liked a girl like that, it was probably meant to be. Artemisia promised herself she would not get in the way of that. In a few weeks she wouldn't be around to bother Kaleb anymore. He could spend the rest of his year as a Prefect and with his friends. Artemisia would go back home and finish her studies as well as help her mother work on designing dresses. Her little brother would be so envious that she could study at home while he had to go to school with people he deemed at obnoxious little commoners. Looking back to give Kaleb one last look to see if he was still standing there she ducked her eyes back forward just in time to notice a Quaffle whizzing right by her head. Artemisia squeaked out in surprise and covered her mouth before she let her purple eyes glance over to the tosser. It wasn't one of Kaleb's friends and he looked like he hadn't meant to throw it so close to her. He apologized but all Artemisia felt like doing was screaming.​

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[Kaleb Styx]

Kaleb was beyond caring about what his friends thought. Friends were friends, they came and they went, and if they had a problem with him talking to Artemisia, he did not care. They could kiss his arse, and then he would have not have to deal with them until he was out of school. He would never have to deal with them again and he did not want to have to. He just wanted to do his own thing and just wanted to devote his life to the Dark Arts. Maybe or maybe not join the Death Eaters, but maybe own a Dark Arts shop in Bulgaria or Russia. Either way he would not mind. Kaleb wanted to be separated from others in his life, and just wanted to find someone that he could think about spending a long time with. He needed someone, and he found that he could trust Artemisia somehow. She was his first, and probably his only for a while. Kaleb was willing to pull a Hades and run after her, follow her to the ends of time. Maybe force her to come with him or something. However when she just tossed his shirt at him, he just rolled his eyes. Was that what she thought that he wanted to talk about? Oh no, that was just the beginning. It was how they had come into possession of each other's clothing that he wanted to talk about. Kaleb paid no mind to how some people were starting to notice the badass prefect talking to the 'tease' of the school. He did not know how people thought that Artemisia was a tease or anything, but Kaleb wanted to rectify that. His friends might not understand, but only he would. Kaleb was an understanding guy, but he was very hot headed. He let out a sigh and he clinched his shirt in his hand, "Look, this is not what I want to talk to you about, it is about... You know what." Kaleb seemed to be fighting his anger, and he wanted her to know that he did not regret what they did, but how would he show that to her? He had a few ideas, but he did not want to show her like that, but then again, he might not have any other choice but to do what was on the top of his mind. He did not want to go through what he had been for a year again. He refused to do that. Instead, he just played on what was on his gut, which was not always the best thing to do. Sometimes that led him to say things that were irreversible, and were not able to get fixed. But Kaleb had to get this off his chest, all the anger and frustration that had built it was screaming to be let out, and Kaleb was going to allow it to be released in one way or another. Kaleb was a Styx, and more importantly, a Zhefarovich, and one knew how they acted a lot. Blunt, honest, and not to be tampered with when angered. Kaleb was the perfect example of a Zhefarovich, and he was similar to his dad only he was more expressed with how he felt and everything of the sort. No, Artemisia was going to hear him out, and was going to talk to him, whether she liked it or not. He was going to be like his older brother, Hades, and force her to listen to him.

It only angered Kaleb further when she tried to walk away from him, which caused him to reach out and grab her arm to make her stand where she was, and listen to him. He needed someone to listen to him, and the perfect person was Artemisia. He smirked deviously, "Oh no you don't, you will listen to me. After a year of you avoiding me like I have the black plague is over, and I think I deserve a little more than that. For your information, even some guys are hurt when they wake up to an empty room." The last part he said was quieter so that no one else could hear except her. He was not going to have her leaving again, but then he thought over what she said, and she had called him by his first name. That was a change, and he did not know if that was a good thing or not. He was going to make sure that she listened to him, and then that quaffle came whizzing by their heads. Kaleb caught the red ball with one hand, as Quidditch ran through his blood. Well, by some members. He released Artemisia for a moment to toss the thing back at the tosser, successfully hitting the jerk in the face, "You f*cker, we are talking! Get out of here!" The Durmstrang prefect was glad that he got a chunk of frustration out just then, and he turned his attention back to Artemisia. He did not know what else he would have to do in order to get her to listen, but he did have an idea. He took her wrist and he hissed, "You are coming with me, because there is no way in hell you are getting away this time." It was eerie on how like Hades Kaleb was acting, and it just never occurred to him on how he was acting. He was controlled by anger but he was no so much angry at her as much as he was the results of what happened. He just led the Durmstrang girl over to the wall, away from the doors, but not too far. Kaleb put both of his hands to the sides of his head as he struggled to figure out what to do or say to her to make her listen to him, if she was even willing. Kaleb was going to talk, and well, once he actually started, he just could not stop. It was like word vomit, it just kept on coming and coming. "What do you want me to really do? Surely I did not disgust you that much when we uh, you know! Want me to tell the entire world that you have been driving me nuts for the past year? I will, and I will have no regrets. Anyone that doesn't like it, I don't care." He paused as he looked around to see that some were trying to listen in, when he raised his voice just so a lot of others can hear, and he shouted, "I don't care if anyone knows that I happen to adore and like Artemisia Knight! Anyone that doesn't like it can burn!" Kaleb turned his hazel eyes to Artemisia and did wonder what was going through that mind of hers. Kaleb grabbed her shoulders and he murmured, "Why are you avoiding me? What in the hell did I do wrong?" It seemed that shouting and throwing that quaffle had diminished his anger completely, but now what was evident in his hazel eyes were obvious.​

 

[Artemisia Styx]

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<COLOR color="#000">Artemisia knew there was a chance that Kaleb would end up wanting to talk about what had happened. But she had been hoping that whenever he did decide to act like he actually cared that he would do it where less people would be able to witness the fact that there was something going on between the both of them. Why couldn't he just take the damned shirt and be done with it? Did he really find it imperative to make things difficult for the both of them? He sighed and clenched the shirt within his hand and Artemisia looked away for a moment, trying to pretend as if she had better things to look at right now. He didn't want to talk about the shirt, which the Italian woman expected, she knew exactly what he wanted to talk about now. Which gave her an even greater reason to hurry up and walk away. ”Kaleb can't you just take the damn shirt and just let this go? I was more than willing to pretend that nothing happened for your sake at least, but you're going to mess everything up if you keep acting like you are.” Artemisia told Kaleb as she absently had a couple of fingers drift up and entangled themselves within her long brunette locks. He probably didn't care about her trying to fix things because if he had he would have left her alone when he noticed that she was becoming distant from him. But here he was once again being as persistent as he ever was. It was to the point where she didn't know what to do to make him just cut it out. His family would not like this, his friends would not like this, and in the end he would not be happy with this either. Artemisia's tanned fingers removed themselves from her hair and rested at her sides. For some reason she hadn't left the spot she had been standing in and she figured it was because she wanted to see what he would say about her reply to him about wanting to just give the shirt back and let all of it go. But then another part of wanted to leave so badly. The other part of her won but once she tried to step away and get away from Kaleb he grabbed her arm and forced her to stay standing where she was. Artemisia's face contorted into one of shock and annoyance. Although the forcefulness was kind of hot in way she did not want to talk to him and being forced to talk to him made her really angry. She tried to pull her arm from his grasp and struggle but he had a very strong grip on her arm and she was only hurting herself struggling like she was. ”Kaleb cut it out, seriously! I don't want to talk to you! I left because your friends were knocking on the door looking for you and because what we did was stupid! I was trying to save you the trouble and embarrassment!” Artemisia told him equally as quiet as she tried to once again free her arm from his strong grasps. It wasn't fair that she was going through all these issues with a boy that she had been in rivalry with since he first started here. Hell he even thought she as a boy while she thought he would look like a complete creep. But they were both wrong and now they were in this situation with one another. Was she ever going to be able to get him off her back about it anyways? Probably not knowing Kaleb and the way he persisted with things. He sounded genuinely annoyed too, especially almost with the Quaffle being almost thrown directly at them.

Artemisia breathed out and tried to resist the urge to tell him to be nicer, but knowing what people at this school thought about her it was probably intended to hit her. When Kaleb grabbed her wrist and insisted that she was coming with him because there was no way in hell he was letting her get away from him this time, Artemisia swore loudly and struggled the entire way over to the wall. She refused to make this easy for Kaleb because he was not the boss of her and it felt like that he was trying to act like he was. Or he was desperate to make her understand why he was doing the things that he did. He must have wanted her to explain her reasoning for leaving very badly because his behavior was at the point where it actually frightened her a little bit. She grew worried that he may actually try to harm her. Artemisia liked some roughness, it was hot but this was not the situation where she found it to be a good thing. People were going to notice and Kaleb was already taking a huge risk by trying to even talk to her and sort things out when she had given him a freebie out of this mess. A minute passed and Artemisia groaned what as she supposed to tell him? Might as well be the truth because nothing was going to be fixed if he didn’t get the answers he was seeking. ”It’s not that. Kaleb we both know the only reason you have been driven nuts this year at all is because of what I am.” Artemisia told him, trying to get him to clearly understand that what was going on between them, or what he thought was going on, was being influenced by the fact that she had the ability to charm him. The Snows had clearly explained to her that their own mother once told them that she needed to be weary of whom she trusted. Artemisia was trying to follow that advice but Kaleb was making it hard, almost too hard for her to handle without feeling like she wanted to cry. ”Kaleb stop it!” Her tiny fists curled and tried to hit Kaleb in his toned shoulder. He was embarrassing her and getting people to look over here at them. His hands grabbed her shoulders and then he asked two very important questions that Artemisia knew were going to force her to spill everything to him. Shaking her head she left a few strands of her dark hair fall into her olive toned face. Her purples reflected fury and boldness. ”You didn’t do anything wrong. But are you really that naïve? You know what I am Kaleb. Your family hates people like me, I’ve heard the stories. I would be eaten alive by their hatred, and what would they think about what decisions you made? I don’t want you to have to go through that….I don’t want to go through that!” Artemisia said angrily under her breath, enough so that he could hear and tell that she was angry on top of that. ”People hate me here enough as it is. I’m leaving Durmstrang at the end of this week; I’m going back home and continuing school there. Goodbye Kaleb.” Artemisia gave him one last narrowed look through her eyes before she leaned up and pressed her lips to his cheek, broke free of the grasp he had on her shoulders. Not even giving him one last look she clutched her bag closely to her body and turned to leave. It was what it was and Artemisia hoped Kaleb would forgive her. At least he could enjoy the rest of his year without having to think about her.​

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[Kaleb Styx]

Kaleb really did not want to have anything more than just have her talk to him, have her like him. Why did he have to fall for the girls that would always end up screwing him over and leaving him in some art or form? He wanted her to actually like him, despite the fact that he was just liked by a lot of others, and he did not want to have to deal with friends and stuff. Kaleb glanced down at his shirt before he slung it over his shoulder and rested it there. He wanted nothing more but to just have Artemisia stop being so stubborn. Then again he was being stubborn by acting like he was right now, and two stubborn oxen are normally chaotic. Brushing his hair behind his ears, he was hoping that eventually, he would be able to crack through that skull of hers, so that she could understand exactly how he was feeling. How she was hurting him by doing this. Kaleb shook his head, "No, I cannot let it go. If I haven't yet, I will never just...let it go. You might not care about what happened between us but I do. So, I am going to keep acting like I am and there is nothing you can say or do to stop it." Kaleb was acting like a brat now, but he was sure enjoying it right now. Kaleb was not going to allow Artemisia to leave him. He was getting what one would actually call obsessive. He was going to have his way, and he was going to fight everything and everyone that got in his way. Kaleb was being forceful with Artemisia, and then in the back of his mind, he could feel that things could be so much worse. Though she did not want to talk to him, Kaleb did not care, he was going to talk to her and he was going to make her talk to him if that was the last thing that he had ever done. Kaleb looked down with his hazel eyes, and he shrugged lightly when she said that she did not want to talk to him. He did not care that she did not want to talk, because he wanted to. She has had her plans to not talk happen for the past year, now it was his turn. He was going to talk to her because she was done avoiding him. He was as persistent as ever before. There were more traits than he had realized, that he shared with his older brother Hades. He was psychotic, but their determination was matched, and Kaleb was far more angry about things at times. Kaleb was more emotional too, and he showed how he was feeling more than the others had. He did not know why he was more emotional than the two of them combined but it helped others to be able to ready them better. Kaleb was a little taken off guard when she said that what they did was stupid. He did not think so, and his expression read that easily, like she had lost her marbles by saying that. Kaleb shrugged, "But you are going to. What we did, you thought it was stupid? It was natural, and I'll be damned if you try to taint the only good thing that has happened to me since I started school!" He was completely not caring about what his friends could be thinking. He did not think that they were permanent. Kaleb thought that when she and Kaleb made love, that was one of the best things that had happened to him, but now she was taking that away from him, and he did not want anything to spoil it. Her thoughts on it was different than his own, whereas he thought that it was one of the most amazing things that had happened to him.

Letting out a sigh, he did not want to hurt her, and he did not want to make her do anything that she did not want to do, other than talking to him. He wanted to be able to talk to her without having to yell and scream at her. And then she had to tell him what she thought, and it was not because that she was part-Veela that was driving him nuts. Kaleb narrowed his eyes at her because it was getting on his nerves. Kaleb explained, rather harshly, "I have told you, time and time again, the reason why I am being drove nuts by you is not by your damned blood. It is because I f*cking like you, is that so hard to understand? When a boy likes you, it is all the time, not just when you are in his f*cking presence, which is the charm coming into affect." Kaleb already sounded like an expert on Veela blood but he was going by how he felt, and how he thought that the charm worked. Kaleb was positive that she was not charming him because he knew the feeling between them and he thought that there would be nothing more but lust, but there was more than that. There was more than lust, there was emotions and feelings that he was feeling all the time when he thought about her. Kaleb was just so frustrated that she seemed to blame the fact that she was part-Veela was the reasons that they could not bother with each other. Kaleb continued on, "It could be the same thing. I don't like any other girl because I know what they want. They only like me for my style and my looks, not for who I am, which is something..." Well, he had thought about telling her that he hoped that she did at least like him for who he was. Kaleb was just tired of dealing with this over and over again and then his questions were answered. Kaleb's expression fell, into sudden shock and sadness. That was something that he did not think about but the more he thought about it, the more that it made sense. She could possibly be hurt for seducing, even though he helped out a lot, a Zhefarovich blooded person. But he did not think that she could turn into a bird, so they would be more understanding. And then she said that she was going to leave, which did not register to him. However the pain washed over him, starting from the shoulder that she had managed to hit. Kaleb needed to tell her how his family was, but if need be, he was going to make it so that she would not have to work with his family. He would do anything to keep her. When she kissed his cheek and told him goodbye, Kaleb shook his head and he made his way over to Artemisia. Now that he knew what was going on. Kaleb bent down and he whisked Artemisia over his shoulder, and he took her inside of the castle and away from others. He looked around for a private room. And he found one. Though once he opened the door, he found that it was a mere broom cupboard. Kaleb stepped in with Artemisia before he set her down and locked the door behind him, and blocked the entrance. Kaleb turned to face her and he murmured, "My family should not be the reason why you are avoiding me. It is me that you would be talking to, not them. And they are not that horrible to Part-Veelas anymore. If you aren't half, then they are more understanding. They are more understanding than half-bloods and mudbloods. And if you are still worried about them, I have an idea, to solve both of our problems."​

 

[Artemisia Styx]

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<COLOR color="#000">Artemisia never remembered any of her past admirers being this stubborn about his supposed feelings for her. So maybe this time they were the real thing. It was always hard for her to tell who was being sincere and who was just strongly attracted by her beauty. Kaleb seem less affected by her looks than he did the by her rejecting his feelings so maybe he was one of the honest few who actually cared about her and her feelings. It was such a pity that they would never be together once she left to go back home and he left go be with his family once he Graduated. ”It's not that I don't care. It's just that I think it would be easier to pretend it never happened People here adore you okay? You could have anyone you wanted in this school Kaleb! I can even help you look....just....don't hang onto this. You'll make yourself suffer and I don't want to see you suffer.” Artemisia shook her head. She felt bad but she it made her feel worse when she saw him get so worked up over her when he could be off with some other girl and being happy. He deserved it so why did he make himself go through this sort of thing? If there was just some way she could make him understand that she did have feelings for him, she did care. But she was ignoring them because she wanted to make him suffer less. With her all there was going to be between them was false love and lust. Lots and lots of lust. Already she had gone further with Kaleb then she should have ever. Her innocence was taken from her. Well it was given willingly but she now lost the one thing that made the horrible things people said about her false. Absently Artemisia wanted to hold Kaleb close and tell him that she was sorry. Sorry for making him feel this way because it was not her intention. She knew that if things permitted for them they might have sucumbed to their feelings a few other times that night, but the two of them had been so tired after the first round that they had fallen asleep entangled within the sheets and one another's arms until Artemisia heard knocking on the door. Kaleb seemed upset when she told him that she thought their acts that night was a dumb act. Why did he seem to upset? Was it something he had been planning most of his life? She knew a lot of men thought about women and doing things often but did they do it enough to the point where they might get upset over stuff like this? Artemisia shied her head away for a moment. She did not like how angry and upset he was. ”Yes I thought it was stupid. We didn't think at all about the consequences! There was nothing natural about it. What we did is supposed to be an act for people who are in love or trying to have children. Taint the best thing that's happened to you since you started school?! How am I tainting it?” Artemisia tried to remember that night more quickly. Flashes of heavy breathing, skin slicked with sweat, and the sounds of lovers at their best within the room. She remembered at one point she was so sore and tired, she wondered if Kaleb even noticed it that night. Shaking her head she pushed her hair out of face and tried to ignore the memory of it. It made her miss being like. The forcefulness that made her vulnerable, she liked it. A lot. Which was obvious that night, forcefulness was enough to make any woman like her interested.

He kept telling her that he liked her too. But he claimed it was not because her blood but because he liked her. But this just confused Artemisia because she wasn't sure what else he would be attracted to. "I don't see how you can like me at all. There isn't much to like, I've been horrible to you since day one. In fact we barely know one another. How do you know one of those girls doesn't like you for more than just your looks. I happen to know plenty of them over there that would kill for the chance to get to know you!" Artemisia tried to offer him once last chance to escape the fate he was sealing for himself. Because if he stuck to what he was saying they may end up becoming involved and then things would be different. But she didn't want this to end like her parents did before they got back together. Lying, cheating, and just all around cruel to one another. Sure it was always fine at first but all it took was time before even the most happiest of occasions were crushed like a small bug. However Artemisia hoped that she could get away before anything was decided. Being with a person could make things different and she didn't want her heart to be broken. She didn't want Kaleb's heart to be broken if they fought or ended up breaking apart. Relationships barely lasted and if it was true that he liked her, how long would it last. There wouldn't be a relationship period if she could help it. Artemisia fully expected to be able to walk away today and go home, where she would forget about all of this. Hopefully within time Kaleb would forgive her and forget about all of this too. Not even a couple of steps away from Kaleb Artemisia found herself being picked up and thrown over Kaleb's shoulder! A squeak of surprise escaped the Italian beauty's mouth and she tried to remain still as possible. Where was he taking her? Artemisia was carried inside the castle and instead of being put down, she was taken inside a broom cupboard. Once she was set down the door was locked and the entranced was blocked too, apparently she was stuck in here until Kaleb got what he wanted. "Kaleb let me out, I need to start getting my things together! Fine, let's hear this idea of yours-ow!" Artemisia crossed her arms over her chest and went to lean against the wall, or what she thought was the wall and ended up just being a rugged shelf. She probably looked like an idiot but she didn't care, she was only in here with Kaleb and it looked as if he was too busy trying to plan a life than he was about how silly she looked.​

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[Kaleb Styx]

The Durmstrang Prefect narrowed his hazel eyes at Artemisia and wished for the love of Merlin to just stop fighting. It was growing tiresome, and he did not know for sure that any girl was worth this much trouble, but the heart always loved to put itself into harm's way, no matter the circumstances. And Kaleb normally followed it, it was something that he had taught himself to do. No matter how much it ended up paining him to do so. Kaleb was not really the type to just seek a girl out like this, but it was just something that he did, and it was very uncharacteristic of him. Maybe it was the night that they spent together, like it was, changing him him a bit. Rolling his eyes, Kaleb snapped, "Pretending it never happened is like not caring that it did, in my honest opinion. Does it look like I give two rat's asses about what people here think of me? I know I can, but the one that I do happen to want is putting me through too much Hell, and I don't even know why I go on like this. But I do." Kaled shrugged lightly, as if he didn't care about sharing this little information about what he was going through. In his point of view, he did not see that Artemisia did not care, but it was her words and actions speaking for themselves to him. He knew nothing of what was going on inside of her. To him, it was like fighting an endless battle that no one was going to win, but he kept on because that Slytherin side of him was determined to get what he wanted. No matter what happened to the two of them in the end. He didn't even know why he wanted to keep on, but he did, seeing the light at the end of the long tunnel was enough for Kaleb, even if it seemed like it was going to take forever to get to that point. But her thoughts on what happened, she truly thought that it was stupid, and Kaleb was - once again - more hurt than before. Was it not the girls that were supposed to get hurt over these things than the guys? When a guy didn't want a girl except for sex, then he would have left her in the morning, leaving the girl hurt and depressed. It was vise versa, and wondered if anyone else in the family had been through this sort of torture. Kaleb shook his head, "What consequences were there, that I was going to actually see through this little untouchable act you got going on? Or the fact that you could actually care for something other than yourself?" Sarcasm laced his voice, but that is what happened when someone said things before thinking. Kaleb continued on, "Like I said, it was the best thing that has happened to me, but being reminded that it was you that left, and how you think right now, it is tainting it! It just seems to me that it is just one person that cares, and for once, it is the boy and not the f*cking girl." Kaleb cherished those memories because it was the only thing that he could hang onto, the thing that showed him that there was more to Artemisia than that. Maybe that little reputation was right, despite the fact that she was a virgin before him.

That night was something that he would be able to take with him, but would he be able to block out all the negative feelings that happened right afterward? Kaleb wondered, why did he like her? He did not really know her, but then again that could have been different if she had given him a chance to know him. Then he probably would have liked her more than he did. Kaleb thought that he felt something similar between them, as if she went through something similar that he did, believing that he was from the woman that was hated in his family. Kaleb let out a sigh and he uttered, harshly, "Because none of them do. None of them will. Nothing but a bunch of wh*res are here, and I figured that maybe you would be different. Because of the way you don't throw yourself out there." Kaleb folded his arms across his chest and he did not feel like having to explain it. He finished, "So stop trying to throw onto some girl like some common rag doll." Kaleb did not need anything like that, and he did not want to be pawned off. It was the way he was, and he preferred it if he would just have it easy like everyone else did. They could find love and everything like that so easily, why couldn't he? Jaken found it easily, his father found it easily too. He was sure that Hades found it easily, unaware of the struggles that he was going through currently. Everyone he knew had it the easy way, but not Kaleb. Why not him? However he was going to try one more thing, one last shot at what could be potentially great for him and Artemisia. A chance to really know each other, and maybe find a way to freedom. He loved his family, he did, but sometimes, one had to risk everything. He was sure that he was not valuable to the family either so they might not even care. At least she was willing to hear the idea out, which was a good sign, and it gave Kaleb a small glimmer of hope. Thinking, he would have to word this carefully. Looking at her in the darkness of the broom cupboard, he flourished his wand and he used Lumos to give the area some light. Kaleb said, "So, if you really fear that my family will get involved, then the simplest thing to really do is to just get away. I doubt that they would care about me that much to just vanish. We run away, away from this school before Graduation, and do our own thing. But you have got to give me a freaking chance. But if you don't like it, then I guess there would be nothing else I can do to just stop you from leaving here, seeing as you don't like anything I have to offer." Kaleb put his hand onto the doorknob, almost ready to let her out because it would take a miracle to get her to accept the offer, because he was just tired. There was nothing more he could say or do, to convince her to stay. He poured out everything he had, and maybe it just was not enough. His family would not try to go after him, he just knew it. Though how wrong he was, he did not know. But it was the only thing that he could think of.​

 

[Artemisia Styx]

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<COLOR color="#000">Artemisia was completely speechless. The Italian woman was actually stumped by what Kaleb had said to her. Mostly because she knew he didn't care what he thought. He was not lying about that part one bit. So that could no longer be used as an excuse. At least not when she spoke to him because he would probably just start to yell again. "No." Artemisia responded to him when he asked if it looked like he cared what people at Durmstrang thought of him. A part of Artemisia wished that she had his bravery. To be able to face people and act like he didn't care what they thought. Then again he didn't live most of his life as a social reject when he was a child. He probably didn't know what it felt like to have people hate you just because of what you were. Kaleb may be one of the few people that didn't care though if she wasn't completely human. There were some out there that used the words and hate to their advantage. Like Theodore. He had done so much despite what things people said about him whenever he passed by or walked into a room of those who hated their kind. They called him Half-Breed with far more hate than Artemisia had heard. He was more of a creature than she was. How would it ever be possible for her to be like him? To just cast all those words aside and act proud of what she was? Artemisia doubted that she would ever be that confident. "You can't really control when you like someone. You probably just rely on what your instincts and what your heart wants. That's why you keep going on." It was what she remembered her father telling her when she was a little girl. That no one could help how they felt. It was a human's instinct to follow their heart at times. Kaleb was possibly just following his own. It made Artemisia feel bad that she had been rejecting him over and over like she had. It wasn’t because she wanted to though. But she had built up a name for herself. Artemisia let those hurtful words that people said to people like her, get to her. It made her afraid of what she was almost. Sometimes she wished she could read another persons mind. Right now it was one of those times because she could tell that just by the simple look in Kaleb’s eyes that this was really affecting him. Did this remind of him of the girlfriend he had before? Because Artemisia pitied him if it did. What happened to make him so hurt? A sighed left her. "I just wanted it tp be special. Every girl does. You and I barely knew one another. We had been fighting that night. It wasn’t special. I probably sound selfish but, I thought it would be nice if something I wanted to happen actually happened for once. But what if- we get into trouble? Or people hate us because of what we did? What if my dad finds out-what if we had a kid because of this? There is a lot of consequences Kaleb! Sop trying to think that it’s me pushing you away….” Artemisia knew he was upset. He he seemed more afraid that she was rejecting him than she was just being rational about things. Artemisia did not leave because of him. If his friends had quit knocking and trying to get into the room she might have stayed. To try and talk about what happpens now. But she got scared. Very scared and left. It was selfish but she thought it was the best thing to do. Apparently that was not the way Kaleb saw it. Maybe he would understand now. That Artemisia was just scared. Too many things could happen and she didn’t want to suffer the consequences of all of it. Especially the last two. Her father was a tyrant and children were wretched. Maybe Kaleb would agree with her over those matters at least.

Inside the broom cupboard, Artemisia could admit that things were awkward. Mostly because of where they were and how it forced them to be close or face the wrath of brooms and cleaning products poking at them. Then he made his susggestion. They run away. Before Graduation and they do their own thing instead of listening to what their family wanted from them. The seventh year paused and glanced at Kaleb. It sounded promising. Being able to get away. No longer having to worry about what the people at school though, what their parents and siblings though, and even what eachother thought because they couls just say it. "You just want a chance? “ Artemisia asked when he told her that she needed to give him one. So he wasn’t demanding that she fall in love with him and they run off and have a million babies, a big house, and cats. But he wanted the chance. Artemisia fiigured she could give him that. Artemisia liked him, and he was a very good looking guy. Her mother would have told her to go for. Go for it and ravish that boy like crazy. That woman wanted grandchildren way too much. Her father would hate Kaleb though. He hated any man that got close to his daughter. But if she ran away with him she would have to hear nothing about grandkids, or her father’s anger. Artemisia sighed and made Kaleb take his hand off of the doorknog. She held it within her own and thought carefully. If she did this she knew there would be some time of consequence she was going to have to face. Where would they live? Would the just travel from city to city, staying in hotels and making sure that no one found the? The second one actually sounded nice. Artemisia thought traveling sounded like fun so long as she had someone that was willing to travel with her. The seconds ticked by and she leaned up and kissed Kaleb. Quite passionately. Apologizing mentally for making him suffer like she had done. He didn’t deserve it. "Alright. But you have to promise that we will go far away…..” Far away as they could possibly go from here If that was possible. Perhaps Paris, or Russia, or New York City. It all sounded nice and it all sounded far. They also had to leave like now. Before anyone could figure out their plan and stop them from leaving. Maybe pack tonight and leave tomorrow? Or was Kaleb just joking? Did he really want to leave this place behind?​

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[Kaleb Styx]

Kaleb nodded when Artemisia asked if he wanted a chance. He did, or else he would not have said so to begin with. He wanted a chance, something that he could do to prove to her, that they could at least try it out. Kaleb wanted to make sure that they could be able to figure it out, maybe even up as friends or even more even if he wanted more. He might not know her that well, but he had a feeling that they would be able to really connect. Kaleb understood why she left, and wished that she had at least woken him up to tell them to go away which they have listened to him. That was something that he would have been able to see it in his mind, but then again he might not have been able to keep them from seeing Artemisia in the bed, but maybe just yelling through the door? Kaleb thought that they going go off to another country, perhaps in the United States or Canada because his family would not go there, and they did not bother going there half the time - yet he did not even notice that Prodan was living in California sometimes to teach the muggle studies students. Kaleb felt Artemisia take his hand from the doorknob. He thought that she might end up leaving, but then again, she held his hand within her own for a bit. He looked down at it, wondering what she was thinking about. The seconds ticked by and then Artemisia kissed him, not just a gentle one but a passionate one that had his mind all confused yet on cloud nine. He of course kissed her back and he wondered if she really had something feeling for him, but he thought that she was truly not rejecting him as much as she was just...thinking rationally. However Kaleb was a lot more creative than that, and rebellious, that one was for sure. And she had agreed to go away with him. He would not mind leaving, and he wanted to be sure that they were not going to be found at all. Kaleb nodded, and he smiled a bit down at her, still holding her hand within his. He finally said, "That is fine by me. I've got funds, and I think I know the perfect place. We can go to Los Angeles in the United States." Kaleb used his other hand to caress her cheek, and he smiled a little more. Kaleb then embraced her, before he realized, if she was leaving, they would have to leave sooner than he thought. Oh boy, this was going to be fun, but he did not care, he wanted to be with Artemisia, and he could not wait until they left this horrid place.​

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Fin​