Night Crawler

[Link Black]

Link didn't like this school at all, so he rarely came out, except at night time. The only place you would ever see him when the sun is out, was during lesson (which he was force to endure) and meal time. He felt like a prisoner just walking the territory of another school he barley acknowledge. The twi-wizard tournament was the only interesting factor of the school, besides that night time was his enjoyment and entertainment. He could do whatever he wanted, without being caught. But the only thing he did was smoke a toitín, one or two. Getting back into the habit since he was no longer with Irene. Sitting on the cold stone steps of the school entrance, he relaxed by resting up against a statute of some kind of creature, one that Link never encounter before.


He thought about Irene less and less each day. He wasn't sure if he still loved or not, if it ever, even got to that point that he could admit that he once did. He wonder if it was just another girl, that he may never see again. Just like most of his ex-girlfriend or he just fed up and tired with silly little games. Everyone was about games now and than. Link felt if you were gonna play games, don't waste your time or bother anymore. He was slowly becoming someone different now. Link took a deep drag, exhaling out slowly. If it was true, that he was changing or not, than why did he felt like he still wanted to hurt someone. He thought about it some more, his mind linger on its own.

 

[Zoii Zimmerman]

Zoii wandered around the school, book to her nose, glad that there was some advantage to her constant new girl status. She could wander around the school all she wanted and never have anyone to bother her. Though she wouldn't mind being bothered... just a little. Life had been tough for her lately. The break-up, then the move, then three months of wandering around Beauxbatons with no real friends, though she was working on that. There were only so many sci-fi books she could get lost in. How long would she ignore the world around her, that was so easy to just move her from place to place without her consent?

She realized she had been reading the same sentence over and over again, not absorbing it at all. She shook her head as she leaned against a large stature, laying her head back. The cool breeze felt good in on her skin and she breathed in deeply smelling the garden smells of cedar, lavender, and something she couldn't quite place, though the smell went wonderful with the night air. She exhaled audibly, sure that she would be able to sit here and get lost again in her book, her escape from the lonely world.

 

[Link Black]

Link flicked his cigarette, when he noticed a girl sitting down couple steps below him. His first encounter with a girl from this school, he wanted to strangle. Even if she was very appealing to his taste, but what she did had been very apolling. Now that the situation was long forgotten, his eyes couldn't help but stare at the girl for a long time. Link felt bewitch just staring at her, like if she were addictive substance, but he blanked out a few times. No girl should ever hold his interest for that long, none ever did now that he thought about it. But just seeing her there, reading a book late at night he saw it a little amusing narrowing his eyes before he spoke.

"Aren't you past your curfew?" he said with a little smirk fleer at the side of his lip. Most girls here were either stuck up and snobby. Even the males here were little off to him. They cared more about their looks and who or what to impress to even care what's happening around them. Link maybe isolated at times, but he still watched and observed his world from the corner of his eyes. They just didn't bother with him, he gave out that impression that he pretty much didn't care. "Your new here? I never saw you before" he stated, reaching in his pocket to grab for another cigarette.

 

[Zoii Zimmerman]

Startled, Zoii immediatly reached for her wand when she heard a voice beside her, she stopped mid-reach though and sighed relief, "Oh, hey, sorry you scared me. I thought I was alone out here." Even if I wasn't, I figured no one would actually talk to me. "Yea, I'm sort of new. I've just transfered, trying to get acclimated and all."

She looked at the boy. He was shrouded in half shadow, the smoke from his cigarette swirling around him. He was tall, with a good build, and quite attractive. Careful now Zoii, that's gotten you in trouble before. Zoii marked the page in her book, putting it down beside her. A little cod, she put her hands in her pockets.

"You don't sound like you're from around here either. Transfer as well? Or visiting your girlfriend or something?" she asked curiously. There was something about this boy that had her hoping he wouldn't be like the other students here, taking one glance at her and thinking she wasn't worth her time.

 

[Link Black]

Link grunted, that's what they all say. Scared if only one knew what fear truly was, something he's seem before and would never wish it upon his worst enemy. "No I'm not from this school" he lit his cigarette again, sucking an a harsh breath. Only to exhale minutes later in relaxation. "I'm from New Zealand" he lied so well, he was starting to believe he was really brought up in New Zealand, and not London. Or were he truthfully originated from, Ireland. Link stood up and walk down the steps, being bold as ever. Planting himself right next to the girl, as he took in another drag only to flick the cigarette away. They weren't taking much effects when he first got hooked on smoking muggel cigarette. What he really was craving for was a cold hard drink. He hadn't had one since he started back up school or when he was last seen at the Melody with Chloe. "What's your name? Where you from?" he asked while one of his arm rested on his knee. He look down at the book she was reading, something you probably would never catch Link doing at all. It was a book of some sort, "Muggel fiction?" he question the girl with a quirk of his eyebrow.

 

[Zoii Zimmerman]

Zoii was a little put off by this guy's interest in her. Obviously, he did not follow the same trend as the other students here. For example, he actually talked to her. "New Zealand must be nice, I'm a big fan of nature and I'd really like to visit sometime." I'm a big fan of nature?? Why did you just say that? Epic Fail.

Zoii changed the subject quick, "Though I have to admit, your accent sounds more, well I just can't place it, maybe English western coastline, Irish maybe, are your parents from there?" Zoii had done a lot of travelling with her dad, visiting various mistresses, and because of that experience, she had spent a while in Liverpool over the summer, picking up the various accents from locals and travelers.

"Oh and to answer your question, my name is Zoii, and I am from a small town called Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States." The town, not very small at all, would hopefully be familiar to at least most Europeans, she hoped. "And, yes. It's Muggle sci-fi, and I like to read it because well, it's nice to get lost every once in a while." She gave a sort of half sneer, half smile to this, slightly embarrassed she would share that with the boy she met in the shadows. The embarrassment passed quickly. She smiled slightly to herself, surprised that this boy, well really more man, would bring on a blush in her. That was new. She usually just let feelings like that roll off of her.

Zoii didn't even fear being around school at night, and getting in trouble didn't scare her much at all. Yea, she might get a detention here and there, but really what were these trivial things when one left in a matter of months. She fully embraced the life policy that life was too short to go around worrying how things were going to turn out. Life would always surprise you by upheaval, and it was just better to accept that and enjoy what you got.

 

[Link Black]

"No" he said again, his stares becoming unreadable so that she couldn't figure him out. However it was strange that said Ireland, he wouldn't think he would've came from Ireland. It was a beautiful country no doubt about that, but his accent wasn't close to being Irish. He had more of a british accent mixed with New Zealand accent. Being there for so long, he was able to manipulate the accent so well, no one would usually figure Link out so quickly like Zoii had just done. He was impressed but his his expression to show it, "Its okay" he shrugged when she ask about New Zealand. "Small country not enough to do, and yes my parents are from England but not Ireland" he was so good at this, no one but Kirea and Leah knew about Link's parents. Actually no one knew the truth but Leah, and Link left it that way. Why would he tell if most of the time, he would just up and leave as he go. "I've been to America once, and it was only New York" he shrugged while looking down, his hands slipping into his pockets listening to the girl ramble on. Well he did ask question, he just didn't think there were smart girls in this school. Link saw them more as bimbo and half brain dead. Nothing interesting ever caught his attention, till now. But this one was probably to smart for her own good, she would probably the hard to get or the fairly easy that drives for attention. For now it was undecided, so Link finally spoke with charisma enough to show that he was interested but not a lot to so he could weild her in. "My names Link, nice to see something new" instead of trash that he first collided with, and so regret coming to this school in the first place. But maybe it wasn't a wasted time at all. "Well you know what I mean" he twisted his lip to a smirk only to look away. "Meaning that your smart, good quality in a woman" he commented still looking away as he spoke. It was her to comment on a person without being harsh, but since he was getting a perspective in life Link was trying something new but only to certain few who would witness this side of him. It was a bad attempt, but it was sure a first start to began with, and why not try it on someone he never came across before. It was worth a shot since the girl was fairly attractive, and he couldn't buy steal a few glimpse from the corner of his eyes. Just to make sure she was there, listening to him try and small talk with her.

 

[Zoii Zimmerman]

Zoii wrinkled her nose at her wrong guess at his heritage, "Sorry about the nosiness about your parents, I just hoped I was getting good at that stuff. It's sort of hard when you come from a completely different continent. I'm sure you understand."

She bit her bottom lip subconsciously, "And thanks... for the compliment. I have noticed I'm very different from most of the girls around here, yet I wouldn't pin it on smart. Maybe just a bit less restrictive about showing my nerdy side." Why was she pointing out her nerdy side to this Link guy she didn't even know? Zoii wiggled her nose a little in frustration of her rambling. She glanced at the young man beside her, noticing a little stubble on his chin. She guessed him a few years older, but that never scared her. She had brothers after all. If any girl could get a long with guys, it would be Zoii. Though, that usually got her 'friend-zoned' which also sucked.

She looked around the shadowed garden, thinking about the last few nights and all her past-curfew wanderings. "So..." She trailed off, "What is there to do here? Seems to me like all everyone does is spend countless hours trying to be the prettiest and most popular. Waste of time really..."

 

[Link Black]

(Sorry for the spelling errors. =/ I type to fast on my blackberry)

"Beats me" he shrugged standing up while leaning against the statute. "You don't catch me around here that often. I leave the school grounds than come back whenever I feel like it" he looked around and noticed a group of youngster sauntered across the school grounds. Getting in trouble? He believed so. "You know like apparted cause I can" he looked down at the girl with the corner of his lip turned into a sly smirk. "You might get used to boredom, or just be like me and slip out when you can" he started walking down the steps leaning away from the statute only to stop mid-flight gray iris still looking down at the girl. "Are you into anything? Or to much into those books" he quoted a little. He was sure a pretty face like herself have their devious side and only show it once in a blue moon. Or corrupting of another mind could always come in good use in this situation.

 

[Zoii Zimmerman]

Zoii could feel her face flushing as he implied that she was just some book nerd. "I do other things... when I can..." She hoped that was enough to get him to believe her. It probably wasn't. Truth was, Zoii used to be the devious type who would go out and do neat things, but since the break up, over six months ago, things just weren't the same. It wasn't even that she pained over Garion anymore, it was more like that part of her just faded away and didn't come to her attention until someone like this guy in the shadows called her out on it.

Well it wasn't going to be like that anymore. Zoii decided right then, right there, that she would be back, all of her. And she would get her... gumption, yea that's the word, back.

Zoii boldly grabbed her book and walked straight past Link. She walked a short distance past him, "I'm going to find something fun to do here." She walked a little farther, "You coming kid?"

((that's cool. I've got really slow internet, so I understand.))

 

[Link Black]

Link quirked an eyebrow at her direction. He was trying his hardest to conceal his laughter. He did it well by popping the collar of his jacket up. He didn't want to give into much to the so called bookworm. "Kid?" he sauntered towards Zoii side, no one ever referred him as a kid. "Come on I'm only waiting for you but please call me Link" his smiled coy at the side of his face now. She had a lot of spunk to call him kid. Not even his old care taker called him kid. He always referred him as smarlex or Link. "So what are you trying to get into?" he asked her.

 

[Zoii Zimmerman]

Zoii wrinkled her nose slightly, an involuntary quirk, "Well, we can always go swimming. Is there a river or a lake near by? I do love a night swim."

She quickly pulled her hair up in a bun, "Or... we could go down to the town near by and I don't know, look around." Her cool factor she just bolstered was leaving quickly. She tried to saunter on and look over her shoulder mysteriously.

Zoii looked back at Link and sighed, "Ok, wow. I really suck at this. Ok. Link, you should know, I'm not a cool or b.a. person. I'm just me, I like doing fun and spontaneous things, but I'm out of practice. I can be funny and witty, but I tend to get tongue-tied. I'm just me, Link. Just Zoii." She had no idea why she went on that speech, but it seemed right. She added finally, trying to save herself somewhat, "And I hope you get used to it... kid."

 

[Link Black]

"Your boring" he said now his lips spread into a smooth smile. He walked up towards Zoii and lifted his hand to brush some strands of her hair back that was left behind when she attempted to tie it all up into a formal bun. "Very boring" he kept saying but step closer now his face nearly close to hers. "I never met someone like you...any girl had their sides but your just plain and simple" he knew he was pushing it but he added this with a cold glare. "Tell me has any guy ever dated you? Because it would be so hard to believe that someones likes you" he kept going with a regretful sighs. "Your to busy stuck in those books letting the world pass you, when really life is to short to be another Ms. Nancy Pants" he shrugged without care in the world. He was being cruel, arrogant, and rude. Guess this side of him stayed for a while, but he waited to see what she would say. Girls like Zoii were worst than girls like Adele.

 

[Zoii Zimmerman]

Zoii immediately felt a wave of emotion, and she felt her anger boiling up on her. "Look, I maybe a book nerd, and boring, but I'm hot, and I know it. And you can't toy with me and your obvious issue-rattled mind in order to make yourself feel better, Kid." She slowly walked around him, peering her eyes at him. "I don't know what your problems are, kid, but I was willing to accept you for who you are. But if it's too uncool and lowly of you to return the favor, then you aren't the guy I thought you might be."

Zoii pulled her hair-tie out, suddenly frustrated about it. She started pacing in front of him, balling her fists at her side. Just like Garion. I'm not looking for a freaking knight in shining armor here, I'm just asking that someone accept me for who I am!

Zoii wrinkled her nose again, calming down. She took a second and remembered what she just said, "Link, wow, sorry that was harsh. Just don't ever say those things to me. I've been in a relationship like that, and it's not what I want." I thought maybe you could be what I want... but looks like you don't feel the same.

 

[Link Black]

"What? Why are you apologizing?" wasn't he the one being a jerk. She had seemed desperate but she was right about one thing. She is hot, bookworm or not. The girl had more shape in her curves than any girl in this school. You couldn't even compare her to a veela. Veela were more baby faced and it was natural to them to be seductive. But when your human and fully human not some half hybrid goddess, he had to say wow silently when he checked Zoii out. She made him crack a smile when he saw her twitch her nose. Than made him laughed when she she explained her relationship. Not that he hadn't just been through a break up, but no matter what the world never stops for you. Even if your dying or the girl of your dream just killed you with those chillng words you never want to hear. Link could still remember it, 'We need to talk' had came out of Irene mouth the last day he was with her. Even though she had said this, he had broken her heart before she did to him. Link didn't want it to happen to him again, but like anyone. The world never stop for your pain. "You amuse me you know that...For someone as strange and you..." he stop before he said anything insulting. He didn't want to put her down anymore, girl had enough for one day. Instead he leaned over and kissed her. Flat out full in the lip kissed her like he had known her for years. When their lips met his felt warm against hers, and he even wrapped his arms around her to take her into a deeper kisser. Once he was done he stepped back turned around and began heading for the lakes.

 

[Zoii Zimmerman]

Zoii just stood there-- Awed. She collected her thoughts while she saw Link just walk away. Her mouth catching up to her mind she called out, "What the eff Link!?" She just started walking off toward where he went with no clue which way that really was.

Did this random boy just kiss her? After she completely overreacted? She could still smell him-- lime, pepper, smoke-- and feel his lips on hers. Zoii needed to think, needed to process. She found the nearest bench, a stone one, half covered by moss in the middle of the courtyard by the three fountains and plopped down. She popped open her book and processed, which to her meant reading.

So Link likes me, for some reason. Or he just wants to hook up. Am I okay with that? Yea... Sort of, I mean, I'm not much of a hook up girl, but whatever Zoii, you could use a little action. You are pretty strung out. And, to be honest it's been a while... Oh Merlin, why am I thinking about this? Why can't I just let loose like I used to?

---

Zoii went out the next night, hoping to give Link a piece of her mind. He can't just kiss people and then walk away like it's no big deal. She needed to show to him that she really didn't care, but still run into him. "Ugh, why am I playing these games? This is NOT me," She mumbled to herself. She sat down on a bench, planning to confront Link. Flicking open another book (she had finished the other one last night in her crazy processing time), she calmly read the first chapter. She debated about walking into town to see if she could snag a drink or something, anything to calm her, but decided against it. She'd probably just get lost.

 

[Link Black]

The next night evidently came like any other night. Link now considering himself the night crawler stood to the nearest school exits. It was hot tonight and he hated the heat. Something he loathed the most was heat and being cooked up inside. He wore a T-shirt and light windbreaker, beige to go with current his mood. Today had been boring, the lessons had flew by like nothing. Professor tried calling on him, and like any lesson he would just stare with a cold blank bestowed upon his face. But his work was still excellent, Professor kept talking about him. The boy that never speaks or never bother to answer question when being called on. The boy who did his assignment despite his cold composer.

Link gray eyes linger towards the school court yard once he had slipped out of the school exit. What he saw made him nearly laugh at the girl, there she was again reading a book. The common nerd, he rolled his eyes as he sauntered to her location unnoticed. Once he was hovering over he spoke just the same. "I see its a never ending story with you..."

 

[Zoii Zimmerman]

Zoii startled a little, and her mind went blank, erasing all the mini-speeches she thought out to tell him. She sighed to buy her some time and looked up at him, keeping herself flat to the bench, her blond hair fanned out around her head, "Well a girl's got to find something to do this late at night..."

She marked her page and placed her book on her stomach, resting on the red and black cotton jacket she was wearing. She curled her legs up on the bench, revealing a little spiral -paisley-like tattoo on her ankle right above her red and white polka-dotted flats. She blinked her silvery-blue eyes trying to adjust to the darkness cast by his shadow. With a small smirk and a wrinkle of her nose she added, "Plus, my mother always said a good book will never betray you." Or leave you awkwardly after kissing you...

 

[Link Black]

"Oh is that so" Link jumped onto the bench, the stone cold scraping his sneakers a little. He cussed but smoothly walk the surface of the stone bench. Than jumped down to crouch low at her side. He noticed the spiral tattoo going up her ankle, and felt bold. Having the thoughts to just touch it and he did. He felt his hand work up towards her ankle. "Well look what we have here" sexy book nerd has a tattoo. He touched it and even trace along the design just to see if it was real or not. Her skin felt enticing, his eyes locked with her now that he looked up. "But they can be mis leading at time. Even the greatest of books can lead you to false fantasy and make you hallucinate . Crock pot" he said in a chilling voice. "Take you of your innocent and you don't even know it" he smirked with satisfaction. Especially if your a big reader of Tim Patterson. Link had his secrets and Tim Patterson was one of them. Going up her legs without even stopping he made his hand be known well than halt letting go. "Well that's just me at least" he shrugged still bent down while he kept staring at her oceanic blue optics.

 

[Zoii Zimmerman]

Zoii fixed him in a stare, really not comfortable with him feeling up her legs, however, she decided it would be best to change the subject. She pointed at the tattoo, "I got it because I felt like I needed something to remind me that I can always escape or enter the chaos, by my own choice only."

She sat up a little on the bench. It wasn't that she didn't want to be touched, or that she didn't want Link to do it, but letting go in the case seemed more like giving up. Something was just not right. What she really needed was a drink, something to relax herself, something to bring out the true Zoii that was so hidden behind a book that she never let her true self out anymore.

"You don't seem that surprised to see a tattoo on me. I figured a book worm like me would at least surprise you in that aspect." Zoii smirked, blushing slightly at the same time.

 

[Link Black]

"Well what's a tattoo going to do for you?" he shot back raising his eyebrows. "They are sexy in some form of ways..but other than that its just poison..lead poison leaking into your blood system" he shrugged again standing up, his still lips shut tight looking down at Zoii. "If your trying to prove something to me" he closed his lips again after a minute of silent. "Than don't" he said it in a sort of demanded tone. "If this is what your truly are than be you" he said it as his finale word to her but didn't depart from her site. Instead he held out his hand so that she could take it. "I'm not forcing you to come but take it if you like? Maybe you want to see something new or not...The school cliffs, forest?" he trailed up waiting for a reply.

 

[Zoii Zimmerman]

Zoii sat there for a moment, wind blowing her hair back. Every time she tried to show her true self, this guy would recoil back, thinking she was faking. Eventually, he would just have to believe that she was more than just a bookworm, and more complicated than some regular girl. She looked at his hand, knowing she was on the precipice of something.

She reached out her hand, smiling slightly as she caught a glimpse of green with black polka dots on her fingers, forgetting that she changed her polish that morning. His hand felt warm, but steady. She stood up with its assistance, and looked up at him. "I hear the cliffs are nice this time of year." She smiled slightly. And the only thing I'm trying to prove to you, is that I'm more than just a bookworm, which is true.

She let go of his hand for a moment. "Anyways, shall we walk or apparate? I warn you, I'm not old enough to take the test yet, so if we can do it side-by-side that would be great." She paused for a moment and chuckled slightly. "And that's what she said." She chuckled a little more, "Sorry, I have two brothers... tends to twist the mind a little." She shrugged, glad to crack some kind of joke in the awkwardness that surrounded her currently.

 

[Link Black]

"Right?" Link raised his eyebrow again at Zoii and reached for her hand again without saying anything. She wasn't of age to apparate but he was, he could take her anywhere. Even the school rooftop or the highest tree in the woods. Anything to probably scare Zoii, so he took her into the forest. Appearing with a crack, landing on his two feet as always. "Come on" he instructed letting her go. He walked ahead of her in long swift strides. His arms never really moving just his sides and ducking we needed. Once in the clearing of trees and rough patches of the forest grounds, he stop and look back at Zoii. Taking out his lighter he flick and set a pile wood on fire. The flames spread fast, licking the wood as it caught on fire. Link sat down on a log, not much of a place to take any girl. It was his peace from the school, only place he can go for now since the last time he was warned not to wonder again. He still left just when it was an emergency. No one outside of these school walls matter to him anymore. Link didn't even stay in touch with his only cousin that he met just a year ago. He was living in isolation for now. "Sit if you life" he offered up quickly his head turn up towards Zoii. She was very entrancing to look at. He just act like there wasn't anyone just standing there besides him, letting his gray eyes watch the flame flicker and crack. It was warm, a lot warmer not that he was close to the flames. Link didn't mind fire, its been a while since he last had fun with it.

 

[Zoii Zimmerman]

Zoii suddenly felt the cool air of the forest on her face. It had been a few months since she had last co-apparated, and forgot the stomach-curling feeling you got afterwards. She saw Link walk briskly down the path, as if he didn't really care if she followed or got eaten by a giant. However, he did invite her to sit, so she walked up the the campfire. She sat down, noting that the moss growing on the tree behind him really brought out the coloring in his face. "Nice place. Peaceful, serene. Actually..." She chuckled quietly, "it kind of reminds me how I feel when I get lost in a book." Zoii looked up, hoping to glimpse a little of the stars. There were branches blocking the way though. She pointed her wand upwards and turned toward Link, "Mind if I do a little redecorating? Just to see the stars. It can be temporary if you'd like."

 

[Link Black]

Oh no an astronomer, Link rolled his eyes. His gray optics seem gentle tonight but his lips were still and frigid. Link motion with his hand, "Its fine with me" even if he hardly knew the stars at night. He might as well learn a lesson from the 'hot' over here. "I'm bored anyways, not use to being inside for so long" he sighed to himself. Laying his head against the bark of the tree behind him. If it was ever a problem for Link, being contain was something he will never get use to, it was sort of like being committed. It made him suffocated, restraint as if something was holding back. He glance up at Zoii and strike another match. Minutes later he was smoking another toitín. "So why did you decide to go to this school? Out of all places" he took in a drag of his toitín it felt good to smoke whenever he felt like it. "I'm sure you was aiming for Hogwarts? Did you not..."