Where it all began

[Isabella Chaos]

It was late night, very late, possibly a little past midnight judging by the stars in the black sky. Isabella couldn't sleep anymore, most of the time she'd just pretend to for the sake of not worrying her roommates, however lately she was starting to get the impression that Abbey never slept either, but never checked just to make sure. The Slytherin girl had been at the Quidditch tryouts all day, except for the time when she went to get some food, but for the most part she'd been at the Pitch all day. Now, after completing a bit of her homework, she felt the need to go back, and shake off something that was bugging her. She assumed the Pitch would be solitary at this time of night so she was happy, grabbing her Emerald Streak and heading down to the familiar Pitch. She was still wearing the same clothes that she'd worn for the tryouts, although this time her wild hair was let loose, dark ringlets of natural curls framing her pale face.

As soon as she reached the pitch, she took off and the cold air whipped against her face. She didn't know why she was here but she just did a few laps around for the sake of doing something other than hovering. After a while however, she stopped in midair, the cold air stinging her face so much that she began crying silently, just a few tears steaming down her face. Everything was going wrong in her life, and even with her new "attitude" she couldn't fix it.

 

[Mike Gray]

Mike had woken up to sneak in a bit of Quidditch practice. Now that there were more Gryffindors than ever before, Mike needed to fight for his place in the squad. Taking a broom, Mike headed down, his wand in his trouser pockets. Mike entered the grounds, his lumos spell lighting his path. Mike had his scarlet streak in his right hand, his wand in his left. Mike arrived at the quidditch pitch. Looking around, lumos helping him to see, Mike saw a visible figure flying around before stopping still in midair. Mike quickly muttered nox and stood still for a minute or two, wondering if he had been seen. Mike had desperately wanted to practice on his own. He would die of sheer embarrassment if it was a fellow Gryffindor or a special someone that Mike wasn't seeing eye to eye to at the moment. Mike waited anxiously for a moment before walking slowly, retreating to the castle.

 

[Isabella Chaos]

Isabella quickly wiped away the few tears that managed to escape her brown almond-shaped eyes and convinced herself that the only reason she was crying was because of the harsh wind. She wouldn't cry this year, not anymore. After she'd regained her composure she was going to start flying again, practice on her Quidditch skills but she saw a faint light from far below her. The brunette whipped her head around to see a figure retreating back to the castle and she could've sworn she recognized the silhouette of the person. A person that made her heart flutter but was sure he didn't want to see her anymore. She bit her lip, unsure of what to do but she swallowed her pride and yelled out, "Hey!"

 

[Mike Gray]

Mike's heart did somersalts. He knew who the person was practising. He froze on the spot. Part of him wanted to run back to the castle pretending he hadn't heard Bella call him. Part of him wanted to stay and sort things out. Deciding the later option was the bravest option, after all this was why Mike was a Gryffindor, Mike walked over sheepishly, sitting on the bench nearby Bella. He looked at her. He didn't know what to say or do. Whether he should fly or talk quidditch. He could only muster up one word. "Hey" Mike said shyly. Mike wondered what had caused her sudden change. He thought the old her was by far the better option. He knew he couldn't tell her what to do. He had no authority whatsoever to do so. Mike then remembered the Gossip Magazine, remembering the little snippet talking about him and Bella and how they had fallen out. Mike looked back at her. "Did... did you read the stuff in the gossip magazine?" Mike asked stuttering.

 

[Isabella Chaos]

Isabella could sense the hesitation from Mike when she had called out to him, and it made her heart sink. Did he really not want to see her that much? Isabella forced back any hurt she felt and went to go sit beside him on the benches, giving him a weak smile. Truthfully she was not happy to see him, but her heart said otherwise. She simply nodded her head when he said hey and bit her lip. What should she say? After she had left the cliffs that day she kissed him she had been hurt and humiliated by him and angry that he hadn't run after her. She was afraid if she opened her mouth to talk she'd start yelling at him.

Mike brought up the Gossip Magazine, asking if she'd read it. Of course she had, she wrote it, but no one knew that. "Yeah I read it," she replied softly. The part about her and Mike hadn't been a lie or rumor, everything she wrote about herself was true. She figured if she was going to air people's dirty laundry she might as well air her own. However even about Mike she was unsure so it was partly false. "I bet you don't even want to talk to me anymore right?" she asked a little accusatory as if she were basing her decision on the story about them.

 

[Mike Gray]

"No its not that. Its just" Mike stopped suddenly, standing up, pacing around, his head held in the air. "I just don't understand why you changed. You were perfect the way you were" Mike said honestly. "Part of me thinks the change was a call out for Aiden. That you were missing him, that you longed for him and not me" Mike said, deciding to air all his thoughts. "Please, just tell me the truth. I don't care if you lied before, but please just explain now. Why?" Mike asked shrugging his shoulders. He wanted... no needed to know why. Mike looked at Bella, she was just about visible. Mike dropped his broom, and waited for Bella to reply. Mike waited anxiously. He hoped it wasn't a change for Aiden but he would try to understand if it was.

 

[Isabella Chaos]

Isabella was surprised when Mike got up and began pacing around, seemingly frustrated as he tried to find the right words to say. She was kind of happy that he seemed to have been thinking of their situation too since it meant she wasn't completely out of the picture for him. His first statement caught her off guard and caused her heart to flutter happily when he said she was perfect - before. She allowed a small sigh to escape her lips but when she heard that he still thought her change was for Aiden she looked up in shock and said, "What?!" She balled her hands into fists and shook her head in disbelief. How could he still think she was after Aiden, especially now that he was in Durmstrang? She looked up at him with angry doe eyes as he asked her to explain why she suddenly changed. Frustrated, she too stood up, facing him and looking up at him since he was taller than her.

"Do you see Aiden around here anywhere?" she asked him rhetorically. "I think it's safe to say he's long gone and let me make it clear that I don't give a damn," she said through gritted teeth. Aiden was never, ever on her mind anymore, and though she understood why Mike was so paranoid about it, she had to assure him that he had nothing to worry about, the kiss she'd given him last time hadn't solved anything for him. "Do you want to know what I did this summer?" she asked him rhetorically yet again, with a mocking cheerful tone. "Want to know what caused me to change," she repeated, running her fingers quickly through her messy hair.

"I came home to Italy to find out that my caretaker, who might as well be my mother, had left me," she said bluntly. Pamela had raised her all her life to be the 'perfect' little girl. If it wasn't for her Isabella would be another stuck up, evil little Slytherin but thanks to her she had manners and knew to respect her elders. Isabella had done everything she was told because she loved Pammy as if she were her mother, she definitely saw her more than her mother, and she thought Pammy would never leave her. Then when she went back home, she found out she had been long gone, gotten another job, and not even bothered to say goodbye to her with a few new people staying at her house instead. To some it might not have been a big deal, but to Isabella it was huge, life shattering. Right then and there she had decided that if Pammy was going to leave her, she shouldn't have to follow the rules her caretaker had taught her. She only did them for Pammy and now that she was gone, what was the use?

Isabella looked back at Mike again and said, "So you know what I did? I ran away," she continued her story. "I ran away and I decided to change myself but really Mike, what's the big deal?" she said, a hint of hurt in her voice. "So I put on some eyeliner, cut my hair and I stopped wearing cardigans and vests, is it really that important to you?" She bit her lip as she felt tears coming on but stopped them. Was he really so ashamed to be seen with her? "This summer, I ran away and went to live with a complete stranger, I worked my butt off at Dervish and Banges to support myself, and I Flooed to Greece on my own. Sure, sometimes I was scared to death that I was way in over my head but it was a thrill, I'm still alive, and I had the time of my life," she stated with a satisfied smile on her face. "So what if I'm a little crazier now, deep inside I'm still that ambitious Slytherin, I'm just not holding back on doing what I want anymore," she said, remembering how all last year she had wished for Mike to kiss her and make the first move and he never had, so this year she took matters into her own hands and kissed him instead.

"You're a Prefect and I get that, but maybe you need a little Chaos in your life, maybe I can be your adventure," she said softly, taking a step closer to him with woeful doe eyes. "We can still be perfect together," she said, thinking 'opposites attract.' She bit her lip as she looked into his eyes, anxious for what he was thinking.

 

[Mike Gray]

Mike listened as Bella recounted her tale. He could only feel guilt when she was abandoned. Looking down, Mike was ashamed for being selfish. It wasn't all about him. Mike listened as Bell enforced the point that it wasn't about Aiden. Mike felt ashamed, his ears grew red. He realised how selfish he had been. Mike listened as Bella explained that they could still work together. "Bella, I just wanted to apologise. I realise now, that I have been truly selfish thinking only about me and disregarding the fact that it hurt you" Mike said approaching her, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

 

[Isabella Chaos]

Isabella chuckled when Mike decided to apologize and she shook her head, her dark hair swaying wildly side to side. "Don't apologize," she said with a smile to him, apologies were also something she was done doing, and accepting unnecessary ones were out of the question as well. She felt as if she had had a huge weight lifted off her shoulders as well as Mike's when she let it all out there. She didn't want to tell him at first because it wasn't a happy tale to tell, but she knew that Mike needed to know for reassurance. She sighed and brushed her bangs away from her face as she leaned up to kiss him on the cheek in return.

 

[Mike Gray]

Yawning, Mike smiled when Bella kissed him back. Taking her hand he spoke to her softly. "Wanna head back to the castle. It's getting late, and I'm kind of tired" Mike said smiling at her. He felt so great now. He was reassured, and not paranoid about the whole is this change for Aiden thing?. He picked up his broom, and picked hers up holding it for her. "Heading back?" Mike asked her, kissing her again.Mike looked at the Horizon. He couldn't see far, but it was perfect. He felt on top of the world. He watched as the trees swayed in the wind. He had no care in the world.. or so it seemed. He couldn't stop smiling.

 

[Isabella Chaos]

Butterflies in Isabella's stomach fluttered when Mike held her hand and she felt like finally they could be together, none of this Aiden nonsense getting in their way anymore. So far her life was just getting Chaotic and she needed something, no someone like Mike to keep her grounded and make her feel like she wasn't spinning out of control. They completed each other.

When he asked if she was heading back she hesitated, part of her wanted to stay here with him, for just a little while longer. It wasn't like the Slytherin slept at night anymore, instead she just kept herself busy with whatever, anything except homework. She looked around the Pitch for a while, remembering when she and Mike used to dislike each other and had met up here once by chance, where he ended up asking her to the Yule Ball. She had been taken aback by the question at the time however now she was really happy he was 'Gryffindor' enough to ask her despite their differences even then. When he kissed her she kissed him back with a small smile formed on her lips, as she remembered the memory and was telling him thanks. And now that they had cleared things up between each other, what did that mean for their relationship? Were they in a relationship? "Yeah I guess I'll go back," she said with a shrug of her frail shoulders. "Is there anything else you want to know before we go back inside?" she asked him with an eyebrow raised though her tone and smile were friendly. She just wanted him to ask what he was dying to know so she wouldn't have to keep anything from him anymore.

 

[Mike Gray]

Mike listened as Bella asked him a question. he knew what he wanted to ask, but reluctantly he shook his head. "Nope" Mike said making an attempt to smile. "Lets go" Mike said holding her hand with a tighter grip but no one so tight it would hurt her. Mike walked back to the castle stopping when they entered the Great Hall. "Well um good night" Mike said giving Bella another kiss before setting off for his dormitory that was located on the seventh floor.