Note to Self ((Rachel))

[Leo Keane G6]

Leo cracked his knuckles quietly as he drop the muggle pencil from his grip. It landed with a quiet thud on the mahogany table top, rolling down toward the end of the desk stopping. Staring at it for a moment, Leo sighed as she turned his attention back down onto the mountain of homework that was piling around him. He would just love to dismiss it all too just take a walk around the castle, but it had to be done. There wouldn’t be any tolerance for procrastination. Anyway, he already put off half of this work later on in the week and now life was just getting back to bite him. Sighing, Leo covered his face with his hands as he took a deep breath, trying to focus all his energy on coursework that needed to be done in front of him. Today was just a day that Leo couldn’t concentrate. He had zoned out in almost all his classes, almost falling asleep in History of Magic for the first time. That class was usually boring, but Leo found a way to entertain himself through Professor Binn’s lectures. He would just usually drawl around the corners of his scrolls of parchment, using the muggle pencil to erase anything that seemed to not fit. One thing people didn’t know about Leo Keane was one his real name was in fact Leonardo, and second was his love for drawling. Leo hated it when people called him by his first name. Even though it seemed so sophisticated, which was one of the reasons his parents picked it out, the name just seemed too formal. People at school didn’t know Leo enough to call him formally by his full name. Plus, if anyone even tried they would get a mouth full from the Gryffindor. Leo was a different type of Gryffindor. He wasn’t reckless, or let his anger get the best of him. Instead, he was calmer, but loved getting a rise out of people. It was sort of a hobby to him. Annoying those he didn’t like such as AJ Murphy and Noalan Bounds, both of whom were in his house. All three of the boys hated each other, but for a certain reason Leo couldn’t let himself remember. It was just always a fact embedded in his head.

Pondering the idea, Leo jolted back to reality as he noticed a girl grab the pencil from the end of the table. She held it in her smooth hands holding it out for Leo to take. Raising an eyebrow curiously, Leo took the muggle device from her hands, looking up to stare into her eyes. Perfect. It was that annoying Gryffindor girl Chelsea whom he flirted with that afternoon on Valentines Day. Smirking at the memory, Leo looked away from the girl as she took a seat down in the empty chair next to him. Organizing through his work, Leo tuned the girl out as she babbled on about something. Maybe it was about the upcoming Hogsmeade trip? Oh, well Leo didn’t know, and he couldn’t care less. Closing the book that was open, Leo set a paper in place as a book mark before letting it shut completely. “What do you think about coming with me?” Chelsea asked flipping her blonde hair over her shoulder. Leo hummed quietly as he turned his head in her direction noticing she was sitting dangerously close to him, her legs crossed at the knees. Looking away from her briefly, Leo snorted as he began to pile everything in his bag on the floor. “Chelsea,” he began softly moving the bag upwards noticing the books fall into place before closing the strap. Hearing the girl scoot closer in anticipation, Leo turned his full attention on the Gryffindor next to him his brown eyes searching into hers. “I don’t think we could hang out that day. I have other plans,” he offered in a dull voice before taking the book out from the front pocket of his bag. Well, now he most certainly couldn’t even concentrate on his school work. Anyway, he was getting somewhere good in the novel. Hearing the girl huff next to him, Leo didn’t even flinch as she got up from her chair pushing the wooden furniture hard under the table next to him. Watching her leave from the corner of his eye, Leo rolled them before opening his book up to where he left off.

Soon the student lounge wasn’t its quite self, as sounds of a dispute flooding through Leo’s ears. Looking up from the page, Leo was about to tell them to calm down when he noticed Rachel arguing with her boyfriend AJ. His eyebrows rise curiously as he watched the couple exchange words between each other. They were already fighting this early in their relationship? Sighing, Leo couldn’t help but tear his eyes away from the brunette Ravenclaw whom he had always seen from afar. They had talked a couple of times, but Leo wasn’t one to walk up to people to start conversations, unless he had a motive too. Elaine was the only girl who he really ever tried to spark a conversation with, but that was only because her temper got the best of her sometimes. Smirking at the thought, Leo looked down as he noticed the sixth year storm out of the lounge, leaving Rachel by herself. He watched her sullen motions, noticing she was sitting on the cushioned couch. Closing his book shut, Leo stood up from his table making his way over toward the girl. “Not feeling your peppy self today, Rachel?” Leo asked casually as he took a seat on the arm chair that was parallel with the couch. “That looked like a heated argument though. What was it over?”

[Rachel Cohen R6]

If one was to decide to enter the student lounge on an ordinary day; what would that person see? Perhaps they would notice the students who where dying to get away from the crowded room they had been in earlier. Or the others who where in their own worlds reading a book or two, writing notes to their friends, drawing or rather doodling, and some just daydreaming their heads in the clouds. Then one could notice the more serious students who wanted to get some homework finished and had established the library was a bit too anti-social for their taste. The few who didn’t fit into those categories; where rather close on some level, but ignored same as all the others. So, one would naturally over look the Ravenclaw girl and Gryffindor boy somewhere in the middle of the mixed groups. Those who knew the couple would say they seemed happy together. Only together a couple of months, but they seemed to just click. Would they be saying the same if the saw the way the girl was biting her pink lip so not to let salty tears slip down her pale cheeks? Would they notice the frustration in her pretty face, one that normally held a smile that could make the coldest heart melt? Would they notice her green eyes slightly greener as she pushed the tears back, trying very hard to stay poised? Or would they be distracted by the boy’s own upset face? Or would not notice any physical aspects at all and hear the voices low but angry. To be honest, if one was to notice any of these things they should just walk away. It was none of there business. When a couple fought, and we know all do, it should be just between the couple. Outsiders should walk away and not get involved. One was not to choose sides. After all each person could make clear and logical points that were sprinkled with something more emotional. One was to ignore the fact that the girl, still dressed in her uniform from school, was now holding her head in her hands, letting her brunette hair fall over her covered eyes as she tried to block out whatever the Gryffindor was saying. This is a childish tactic that I’m sure you know doesn’t work, is annoying, and quite pathetic at the least. And I’m sure you know the young girl didn’t make the words disappear, but only made her boyfriend even more annoyed. He smiled at her and said something that made her remove her head from its last position and the look on her face as she leaned in was one of disbelief. “This is childish.” She told him clearly in a tone even diplomats of the highest rank would have been impressed with. “Let’s not fight about this, at least not now.” She continued, even though the look she wore was still ‘I’m right, you’re wrong’. He didn’t seem to buy her attempt to be civil and to drop the topic, they where both outraged after all. “Fine.” He agreed his voice his voice sarcastic, and stony. “Bye,” Was the last word she heard him mumble as he stormed out of the lounge. Everyone one around them following the cardinal rule and not paying attention to the couple at all. The image of a blonde girl walking out the door just moments after AJ caused her vision to blur as the tears she had been holding back slipped down her face silently.

She brushed them away hurriedly ashamed she was doing this in public. Still as poised as she tried to be, she still couldn’t help feel the fight was her fault. Or the way it had been put on hold. Lately her fairytale was not going to way she knew fairytales went. Maybe there was a reason the writers ended them with happily, ever after. Because they didn’t want you to know how Cinderella and Prince Charming had nothing to talk about. Or how she was a bit OCD, and he was slightly a mama’s boy. Or that Snow White would never stop singing and her prince was always bragging about how he saved her. That Sleeping Beauty was now a bit of an insomniac due to being woken up, oh plus the act her husband was about hundred years younger then her. Nobody wanted to read storied like those. They wanted to leave it at happily, ever after and leave the characters to their imperfections. Rachel too, wanted to leave it at her happily ever after which took place just before Christmas. To leave it at the kiss. Happily ever after. No one would have to know that both AJ’s and her pride seemed to have an unpleasant effect on the relationship. Neither seemed to want to be wrong, ever. She didn’t doubt her mother now as she too agreed relationships took a lot of work. You had to wake up each morning and choose to want to be with them. To take all their imperfections, and clash them with yours. That if you wanted things to work you had to know that there wasn’t a happily ever after. That life was different from a fairytale. For one thing things where more complicated. It was beauty that always won the prince. But in real life it was also the brains, and the wit, perhaps the attitude. Things sure where a lot sexier then in a fairytale. Rachel even managed to smile at that. Yes, things where not looking like a fairytale at all. She wiped her damp cheeks as she considered what to do next. She could leave and go somewhere quieter, or where there was chocolate. Then again she wasn’t feeling in the mood to move. Sulking needed to get a bit healthier. That decided she still hadn’t left her spot and she was back to square one. It wasn’t that big of a deal if she stayed. Everyone had after all ignored her and AJ. Well, everyone but one. But she didn’t know that just yet. But soon, soon her thoughts would be interrupted by his voice and her heart would do a strange somersault in her chest for no reason. She would later tell herself she was just surprised, and perhaps that was the reason. Who could know for sure?

He was asking her a question. Not a ‘are you okay?’ not even a ‘what’s wrong?’ No his question was one that Rachel couldn’t help but smile sarcastically at. She wanted to choose her words carefully. “That seems to much like a rhetorical question. Care to rephrase?” Rachel told the sixth year Gryffindor. She looked into the eyes of Leo Keane as he sat down across from her. There was something about the look in his eyes that made her suspicious. Came to prove she was right. He was the one person in the room that didn’t ignore the lovers spat between her and AJ. More then anything she wanted to answer the question with full honesty, but she needed to be diplomatic about it. The thing she needed most was a couple of rumors that her relationship was on the rocks. She smiled her best fake smile, the one she used on shop attendants and people she didn’t know well. “Oh, that was just a silly quarrel. Regular relationship stuff, you know.” She said adding a hand gesture. But it didn't look like he would be believing her soon. Note to self; she needed a better lie.

[Leo Keane G6]

Leo stared soullessly into the fifth years face as he saw a sarcastic smile slip across her pink lips. This caused Leo to smirk at her reaction wondering what she wanted from him. Was it Sympathy because she was just in a fight with her boyfriend? That happened everyday. It was part of being in a relationship. Well, from what Leo saw in the other couples, but he would never know. He preferred going from girl to girl every day, or maybe he would find one for a week, but it was nothing too serious. It was just a ‘loose’ relationship he had with some girls. What was the flavor of the week for him? No one. Well, there was the Chelsea girl, but she was becoming a boring chase for him. He had to keep on the lookout for another. “Rhetorical question?” he questioned sitting back into the cushioned arm chair, her elbows resting on the side casually. “I was only stating the obvious, Rachel,” Leo continued, his voice holding no emotion as he looked into her soft green eyes. They were still puffy from her crying before, but other than that, they held the same kindness he remembered always seeing. Leo wasn’t a stalker, but he did notice Rachel whenever she was around. How could one not? She was part of the popular cliché here at Hogwarts, but she had a reputation for going through different men, and cheating. It was almost exactly the same type of status Leo had, which was ironic, but Rachel was more likeable among their peers. Smirking at his thoughts, Leo sat back further into the chair, the crock of his neck resting against the golden seemed top. “You usually socialize with everyone, today you aren’t like that. Or, you’re the one trying to stop fights,”

Shrugging, Leo looked away from her green eyes as he stared into the stone wall of the lounge. Maybe that seemed stalkerish, but why was Leo caring now? He usually didn’t care about what he said to others. Leo remembered the afternoon in the corridors where he interrupted Noalan and Elaine’s little private conversation. It was just too tempting to get in between the two, just to try to get a reaction out of either of them. Even though Elaine showed more of her temper, Leo could tell he got some sort of a reaction from Noalan. Smiling to himself slightly, Leo turned his full attention back on Rachel as she answered his question. His eyebrow rose just barely as his brown eyes followed her hand gesture. She was trying to hide something. “Nothing, huh?” Leo questioned sitting up from the chair as he leaned over his knees, his hands resting on top of his black trousers. “If it was nothing, then you wouldn’t have been crying.” One thing Leo knew about fights was the fact that most of the girls didn’t cry. It had to be some sort of a personal level fight to cause such a reaction to the opposite gender. “Then again, what do I know about relationship arguments?” Smirking, Leo stared into Rachel’s pool of green eyes for a moment before leaning back casually into the chair. He stretched her legs out in front of him wishing that there was some sort of a footstool by the chair. Sighing, Leo ran his fingers through his thick brown hair before looking back into Rachel’s face. “Anyway, who would I tell if you gave me a proper answer to my question before?”

Nodding, Leo glanced away from Rachel, his brown eyes now looking around the room. There weren’t that many students around, since the days have been getting nicer. The sun was actually out now. Yet, Leo didn’t want to go outside. Not at the moment. For some odd reason he was just compelled to sit with Rachel, wanting to get to know her better. Leo couldn’t even fathom the reason to why he cared about this girl so much, but it was scaring him slightly. However, he didn’t let it show. Instead he turned his attention back on the Ravenclaw, his famous Keane smile slipping across his face. “How’s my dear friend Elaine? I haven’t seen her since that afternoon a couple weeks ago. Yet, strangely, your boyfriend and Noalan are giving me more dirty looks before. I wonder why.”

[Rachel Cohen R6]

The way he was watching her was intense. His dark eyes never left her face. Rachel blushed slightly under his gaze. Her eyes where looking down at her hands, but she slowly looked up, her darling smile returning to her lips. Nothing out of the ordinary, or so she convinced herself. She watched his reaction closely, still not sure why he was even here. Her smirk was matched with a smirk of his own. This sent a silent laugh through her. Before he even spoke she felt as though their eyes where sharing a conversation that the boy and herself could not know. But words are always a vital part of a conversation. The eye contact didn’t break; its intensity level just went down a bit. He repeated her statement as he settled more comfortably in the chair from her. She too used the time to sit more comfortably on the couch. She continued to listen to him speak. Not yet sure what to say, but she dare not look away; afraid that she might miss something essential, for his voice held no emotion and he was becoming more and more suspicious. “Never assume that the obvious is true Mister Keane. Looks can be deceiving.” Rachel replied a devilish smile on her lips as she remembered the words of William Safire of whom she was reading about just the night before. Sometimes this school stuff came in handy. Remembering the way he first looked at her when he first arrived, Rachel refused to let herself feel embarrassed over nothing. Her eyes always on his. Their expressions almost precisely the same. He would smirk at something, and her mind would send her thoughts, and memories that caused her own smirk to sit peacefully on her lips. “I sometimes find being social is exhausting. Stopping fights are harder then starting them. Days such as those I become less like my public self and more like the person I most likely am. Harsh, cruel, unfriendly. Nobody likes that though …” Rachel was saying almost whatever popped into her mind. She was hyper-aware every word she said was true. But more to the fact she was speaking her private thoughts, ones she rarely shared even with herself. “So I am recuperating for soon, when we will make up.” Rachel said her smile a tad on the cynical side.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity their gaze broke as he looked away. Rachel smiled to herself in a private victory. Oddly enough she wanted him to look back at her. Getting her wish he turned back to her as a smile spread on his lips. She returned it. The way his eyes brows raised just slightly made Rachel know her lie wasn’t being believed. She was a good liar. Time had taught her well. But here she was. No, he didn’t believe her, she could tell by his body language. The way he sat up and was now leaning towards her, over his knees. His was closer to her now, and she found herself wondering how much closer she could get him. The thought was instantly shot out of her mind. What an irrational thought. Defiantly not a first for Rachel. But she was perfectly happy in her relationship; and a thought like that about her boyfriend’s least favorite person was unacceptable. This time she broke the gaze her eyes instead of his hands for the moment as he spoke. But she couldn’t look away for long. Soon enough her green eyes where on his brown. He didn’t believe. He had just said it. He even gave proof. “Girls get emotionally overwhelmed.” She answered automatically. She had heard that from some where. But now wasn’t the time to figure out where from. “Yes …” Rachel said in a quiet whisper, it was more to herself then to Leo. “What do you know about relationship arguments?” She repeated. “After all, your reputation is well known. Never kept a girl over a week, quite a bit of cheating in your record as well. I’m sure when you fight things have more of a concluding element to it.” She was telling him, just repeating from what she heard the girls say in the dorm room. A pleasant silence fell before them. It was fragile and was intended to be broke. Yet neither said anything for awhile. He just settled back in his chair and she too readjusted her position. Who would he tell Rachel asked herself. Not sure if he meant he had no one to tell, or rather this was more of a joking manner. Gryffindors often did this. By this I meant confused her. Things could be taken in many different ways. “A man’s question contains half the answer. So what are you implying?” Rachel asked thinking again of something she heard.

From the way he began to smile, Rachel could only imagine what he was going to say next. She shook her head and laughed. Her laugh was on the sarcastic side, but when does one judge something like that. “Elaine is fine. And I’m sure my boyfriend and Noalan are fine as well. Not sure why they would shoot dirty looks at anyone. That’s very out of character.” There she went lying again. “I wonder as well. Perhaps you know already.” Rachel continued, she felt her face wasn’t hot anymore. The puffiness must have went down. She sighed. Her throat no longer tasted of salty tears. What a relief.

[Leo Keane G6]

Leo’s deep brown eyes never left Rachel’s green ones noticing the slightly different color change. He never saw anyone’s eyes change colors like that before. It wasn’t like a drastic change, but more of the subtle alteration that Leo never caught in other adolescent eyes. Well, Leo never took the time to get to know anybody else. There were people that were worth his time, and then there were others who wouldn’t probably get more than just an undemanding glare from him. When she adverted her gaze from his eyes and blushes, Leo tried hard to hold back a smile of triumph. That was the usual reaction he looked for in girls. If he stared at them the right way just long enough they would blush from embarrassment. Why would Rachel blush though? Why, should Leo care so much over such a little reaction from the Ravenclaw? She was just another girl for Leo to experiment with, but somehow, Leo was starting to feel attached to her slightly…like he actually cared what she felt. That made him sound like such a spoiled boy, and he was, but you had to understand the Gryffindor’s past to realize how he was sculpted into who he was today. Leo just didn’t care, and that was his problem. It was odd of him not wanting to be too close to people, but distance was better than getting hurt. There was no way he could be hurt now again. Leaning back into the chair, Leo kept his eyes on Rachel, hearing her voice chime in his head. She returned the smirk that he directed her way, which caused a small smile to flicker on his lips. “Then the philosophy that I have lived by is wrong, Rachel? That what people portray on the outside isn’t exactly what they are feeling?” he asked thinking the statement over in his head. “Well, I find it obvious in a person’s change of behavior. Then again, I’m the kind of person who would rather watch then socialize.” Smirking, Leo crossed his arms over his chest as his eyes continued to pour into Rachel’s. He held a composed look on his face when Rachel began explaining her true self. So, there really was more to Rachel Cohen than what Leo saw on the surface. In a way, she was just like him. “Who cares what others think? If you want to be those things, then you should. Why try to be someone who you aren’t?”

Their gazes broke for a while, Leo staring into the corner of the room, his brown eyes penetrating the stoned wall. There wasn’t anything special about what he was staring at, but he just had to collect his thoughts before looking back into those beautiful emerald green eyes again. What was about Rachel that made him like this? Sighing, Leo turned his attention back on the fifth year as she seemed aware that he didn’t believe the words there were pouring out of her mouth. It was true, Leo didn’t believe her. She was only trying to save her reputation, or what was left of it anyway. When she noted that girls become emotional overwhelmed, he snorted in her response, nodding his head. It was true. Girls did get too emotionally attached. It was quite annoying at times for Leo, but what else could he do about it? It was just in their nature. “What I know about couple arguments?” he responded to her question, leaning forward again, but this time just a little closer to her than before. His hands rested upon the top of his knees, as his legs were just only a few inches away from hers. Secretly, Leo wondered if she would feel overwhelmed by his presence, but she probably wouldn’t show it. “I know that the arguments are petty ones. Something other either remembering a specific date, or maybe even a little simple flirting on another one’s case? It is human nature to be jealous,” he mentioned not noting at his secret jealously over Noalan and AJ. They didn’t need to know, and neither did Rachel, but what if she did? Keeping that thought from his mind, Leo threw back his head, letting out a low rumple of a laugh from deep in his chest. “What is wrong with that kind of a life, Rachel? I find it quite enjoyable. No commitment needed, and there is always something more out there.” Nodding, Leo folded his hands together, keeping in his leaning position toward Rachel. He stared into her face as he tilted his head to the side. “I’m not the only one with the reputation here. If I remember correct, you too have a streak of going through guys every month, and maybe even a little bit of cheating on your part?” It was true, but Leo wanted Rachel to admit it. “What makes AJ different? If you don’t mind me asking.”

When the topic soon changed back to their previous engagement a couple weeks back, Leo smirked at Rachel’s answer. “Well, looks like your boyfriend might be holding something back from you as to why he and his best friend strongly dislike me?” he added with a small smirk as he soon leaned back into his chair, adjusting himself in a more comfortable fashion. “How have you been since that day? I know today wasn’t a great day for you, but what about before? And don’t give me any gooey love stuff.” This surprised Leo. Why was he asking her this question? Usually he would have walked away already, or try to charm Rachel even more. Well, this was new.

[Rachel Cohen R6]

Rachel always remembered that first trip to her Grandmothers. She was an intimidating woman with hard grey eyes, and looked so little and fragile just like her home. As the woman and her mother sat down for a chat Rachel walked around the living room. Her tiny, thin fingers slid across the many surfaces and objects in the room. She walked slowly humming something to herself as her fingers brushed up against something leathery and old. She looked down at the book. The letters B-I-B-L-E where printed across. Bible, Rachel thought to herself. What was thing strange thing? Rachel was raised in strictly wizarding home, religion wasn’t something she was taught. She slowly began to turn the pages. The print was tiny, and the pages smelt of age, but that made it more interesting and Rachel kept turning until she felt on a page that caught her eye. She was always a bright child and knew how to read. That’s when the quote “Eyes are the windows to the soul.” She was intrigued, even as a young child she understood, somewhat, the meaning of those words. So here she was today looking into Leo Keane’s eyes the windows to his soul. She could see a young boy in need of love. Some one who distanced himself from others so not to get hurt. Her own eyes softened, was she seeing what she wanted to see or was she seeing the big impending truth? Seeing someone’s soul was almost like reading someone’s thoughts. She looked away, her blush spreading across her cheeks not just from the way he was looking at her, but also what she was seeing. She was reliving that moment at her grandmother’s home again. It was such a big deal for to learn how open a person really was, as long as you knew where to look. It was a very big deal, and it still was. “Then the philosophy that I have lived by is wrong, Rachel? That what people portray on the outside isn’t exactly what they are feeling?” That’s what he said. “Then the philosophy that I have lived by is wrong, Rachel?” She repeated it in her head, she could live with that. She was used to people being wrong. The smirk played on her lips. She was very used to people being wrong. Don’t get me wrong, Rachel has had her fair share of being wrong. But most times she was convincing enough to make people believe she was right. Today she need not try, she was right; she just had to let him see it through her eyes, her perspective. She was not going to lose.

“George Orwell, ever heard of him?” Rachel asked the Gryffindor. She did not however give him time to answer. “No, I don’t suppose you have. He’s a muggle essayist after all, still, he wrote man great pieces of literature that made people stop and pay attention. He once said: Political language . . . is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind. That looks to me like what is portrayed is not at all fact. I’ve also heard it said: For the great majority of mankind are satisfied with appearance, as though they were realities and are often more influenced by the things that seem than by those that are. Isn’t that true? Perhaps you’re thinking right now about changing your philosophy.” Rachel told him raising one eyebrow; her last words were intended to be more teasing then anything else. He was so composed, but even though she was that way as well, she could crack him, that she knew. The question was did she dare? “Watch than socialize? You’re an observer then I suppose. One of those type of people. More of a wallflower then anything else? Would do you see Leo? Is it fun to see people as they really are?” Rachel asked him suddenly intrigued of the possibilities. “It’s clichéd I know, but do you understand people then?” She had to ask. “Is that for instance why you are telling me not care what people think, and to be myself? Like my own therapist?” She had so many of then she wasn’t quite sure when they would stop pouring out of her like a fountain. “What if I told you this is who I am, someone who is both perky and cynical, sweet, yet vindictive, social, but still a non-conformist? Would you still be giving me that advice since I am already being myself?” Rachel continued. But ran out of breath, so she stopped.

The look broke and it was for the better. She was treading in water she wasn’t sure about. She was showing him her soul with out the help of her eyes, though she was sure they would be saying so much more. Telling him even more about endless subjects. That sigh of his is what brought her out of her thoughts and back into reality. It was there again. Written plainly in his eyes that he wasn’t buying a word. That was so frustrating. She was an excellent lair. At least he believed that girls got emotionally overwhelmed easily. He began to answer her question, leaning in all the whole time. He was almost by her; the space between his legs and her legs which she had crossed at the knee was minuscule. All she need to do was stretch out and they would be touching. Fate was laughing at her this very minute, Rachel was sure of it. Be careful what you wish for, people always said it. Rachel always brushed it off. Now she understood. There are things we know we are going to do no matter how much we convince ourselves we are not. Our mind already made up, even if we didn’t want it to be. On his statement about jealousy being a human emotion that everyone experienced she uncrossed her legs and re-crossed them at the ankle. The space between them had shrunken, physically impossible, yet he did it. All it would take was one more seating adjustment. She let herself focus on his laughter rather then the current location of long legs. Was he trying to sell her to his lifestyle? She knew not, except she had lived it. Experienced it. She would always be that type of girl on a level. Her eyes focused on him, but she did not miss the movement that was ever so slight, the folding of his hands, the way he kept leaning towards her. She did not miss it, nor did she let on she noticed it. It was an unspoken thing. She too leaned in, one hand in her lap, the other on the couch leaning in to hear him better, so she convinced herself. He brought up her past, she couldn’t help but smile. “The past is the past Mister Keane. I do admit I may have had more then my fair share of men.” She laughed. “I say men, they are mere boys. I may have cheated, once or twice or … never mind … I’ve done it. But once a cheater doesn’t necessarily mean always a cheater.” She told him. She was saying this with so much confidence. As if she really was past this, but she never fully was. Her behavior was proof of that. His next question was a bit more surprising. She stopped to think. “Really? AJ has had the same reputation as I. We balance each other.” She told him. “Simple as that.”

The conversation switched to their last encounter. “What is it they are hiding?” She asked him. She didn’t want to know. Yet she wanted too even more. More questions, she could do this. “Relationship wise I suppose you are asking. AJ and I have been fine. There isn’t much else to say on the subject is there?” She smiled sadly at that. “What about you Ace? How have you been since our last meeting? Enjoying Chelsea’s ubiquitous company?” Chelsea hadn’t become one of Rachel’s favourite people. This time she felt a stab of jealousy similar to the one the night of AJ’s party. But was it because she followed AJ out, or was it because she was spending her time with another Gryffindor gentleman … no, no, it couldn’t be that. It would have to be the former rather then the latter.

[Leo Keane G6]

Leo didn’t like the way that Rachel was looking at him. Her eyes poured right into his with that far off dreamy look in them. It was the same kind of look her got when he was sitting in class bored to death. Even though Leo was always paying attention in any academic course, there were some classes that he absolutely hated. For example; History of Magic was the only class he ever really considered taking a nap in, and he had a couple of times. Most of the time Leo would just read, drawl, or send notes to random girls whom would just giggle and write usually write back because it was better than sitting there listening to Professor Binn’s babble on about some sort of war. Though, Rachel didn’t hold that sense of wonder in her eyes that most girls got around him when he was trying to charm them. Instead, she was analyzing him, trying to decipher what Leo Keane was all about. No one had ever dared to adventure into those deep waters before. Though, maybe Leo was overlooking the whole situation. Maybe Rachel was trying to find a weak spot in his personality? A break in the dark walls that Leo kept on building around himself. Why would she want too? Wasn’t Rachel supposed to be madly in love with AJ? Why was she with that stupid AJ Murphy? Leo didn’t know, but he was soon finding himself scared to even wonder why he was thinking such crazy thoughts. It wasn’t until a smirk curled on her pink lips that caused Leo to return back to the real world. It was like she knew he was wrong. With raised eyebrows, Leo kept silent as he heard Rachel’s soft voice float through his ears. She was asking about a muggle writer whom Leo didn’t know. He couldn’t even answer her question before she rambled off, reciting a quote from the guy. Leo listened patiently, his brown eyes staring at the red fabric that covered the couches. “Now, why would I want to go changing my philosophy, Rachel?” he asked as she finished with the excerpt noting the teasing tone fluctuated in her tone of voice.

“People will always judge each other on appearance…I know I do. Humans only remember the bad about each other, it just so happens that most of the students here know me as the Gryffindor who will go through different number of schools within matter of weeks.” Smirking, Leo stared into Rachel’s bright eyes, “Yet girls know that about me and still they threw their selves at me. Why do you think so Rachel? I would really love to hear your input on that matter?” Letting out a low chuckle, Leo stared down into her black pant trouser picking a piece of lint off from the fabric. Flicking it away, Leo’s brown eyes than gazed off into the distance as he soon asked his next question? “What about you Rachel? What do you think people say about you? And don’t give me any nonsense about not caring what other thoughts, because a few minutes before you were quite protective of your fight with AJ, maybe afraid of what people would say about your relationship?” Leo smirked not really caring about his manners at the moment. He knew Rachel would fight back, but he too was also looking for a weak spot from Rachel. She was soon throwing questions left to right at him leaving him confused on where to start. Instead, Leo just stared into her face, leaning closer tilting his head as if the reason for the closeness was to hear her better. “Call me what you wish, but I am no wall flower. I don’t think you have seen my party side yet.” A small smile tugged at his lips as he thought back to the countless of times he found himself at parties drinking and dancing, doing crazy things that happened at parties. Though, no one at Hogwarts ever saw that side of him, expect for Elaine, but Leo didn’t get to drunk at his father’s business parties. “As to your different sides, I must say, you certainly have many counter parts to your personality. Maybe a real therapist would be recommended? Since I am only an amateur after all.” Smirking, Leo rolled his eyes wondering what Rachel would have to say about that.

Watching her fidgeting as Leo drew closer caused a secret smile to form on his lips. So, his presence was affecting her. It wasn’t long before she too was leaning in, their legs almost brushing softly against each other. Leo stared at the little space between them, pondering the idea of either closing it, or just having her come to him. Leo did chase after girls, but before he was finished, he let them come to him, and in the end they always did. It was like a little game of chase, and Leo was the master of it. When she spoke about her past, Leo let out a laugh as he shook his head, his brown hair moving in silk waves to the motion of the gesture. “The past will always judge you, Rachel. Did you not just hear me before? People remember only the bad about each other. So, everyone here knows you as a cheater, and even though guys know that, they still chase after you. It’s a funny world we live in.” Shaking his head in agreement, Leo moves his hand from the top of his knee onto Rachel’s, just the tips of his fingers brushing across the smooth skin on her legs. “And, what makes you think that you’ve both changed? How would you feel if AJ cheated on you right now, or vise-visa? Would you two forgive each other and move past it, or break up?” His wiggled his fingers slowly, the tips brushing just barely across her skin. Leo’s eyes never left her face though, putting off the appearance that it was just only coincidence that he didn’t even notice what he was doing. Rachel would probably see past that though. She was smart, but Leo found himself wondering how she would react to this? After all, she too was trying to sit closer to him. “You can’t tell me there hasn’t been any other guy out there that has interested you?”

Laughing again at Rachel’s comment about Chelsea, Leo rolled his eyes as he sat back. The top of his hand slid across her knee as he sat back in the chair, making himself comfortable again. “Chelsea was only the flavor of the day. She doesn’t have what it takes to be a one weeker.” He told her, offering a small smirk as he ran his fingers through his thick locks of brown hair. A few strands fell into his face giving off that mysterious look. “Still looking for the next interest…maybe a Ravenclaw…haven’t dated one in a while.”

[Rachel Cohen R6]

His response was not one she wanted to hear. She wasn’t sure if she expected him to just give in that easily. But one could always dream. Still, she was trying not to roll her eyes, Rachel put on a fake smile. It wasn’t one of those she used when she wanted to really convince people of something. Like when her mother asked her opinion on something and Rachel had to lie for a reason. The real fake smile came out then, for a true lie. But for him, No, for him she put on a smile she knew he would be able to read right through. He was a smart boy. Someone who knew how to use mind games to his advantage as much as she could. We all know mind games are not for amateurs, and not for the honest. Rachel always knew how to manipulate, and persuade. She remembered her father loved that about her. The way she could convince them to have Italian for a week in a row. Or the way she always seemed to get what she wanted without a tantrum. She was a smart child. But her mind games had taken on a much different class in the last few years. One look at Leo and she knew he was right up there with her. With that knowledge she smiled her smile. The one that was almost convincing, but just fell short. He would figure it out, without a problem. It was one of the first lessons after all. Showing people what you wanted them to see. “Why wouldn’t you want to change your philosophy Mister Keane? It is after all a wrong one.” She was using a tone one would use with a child, with a hint of teasing. It was her own perfect balance. She always enjoyed talking to someone who was able to match her smart-aleckness. Noalan was one of these people. But he was an honest boy, Leo was more like her. He could take this to a different level. She was smirking now. It had been awhile since she has smirked so much. But it was contagious.

She continued to watch him. Smirking gently, her pale lips curled slightly. A slight sigh escaped her after a moment. But it was too quite and only she caught it. What was she thinking about now? His wisdom was all she could think I could be. Judging people on appearance, the bad in people, and his flavor of the week. She smirked again, and laughed a sarcastic laugh. It wasn’t too loud, just soft enough to make an effect. “You do seem like the type to judge a book by its cover. Just out of curiosity … did you judge me?” She could resist bringing the subject to herself. She wasn’t one to usually be conceited, but it seemed like to perfect opportunity. “People remember the good as well as the bad. For example I can’t think but of one bad thing about my mother.” She smiled slightly before continuing. “The school sees only what you want them to. Don’t lie to me. You enjoy this reputation.” Her response was met with a smirk. One that she couldn’t help but return. He asked her opinion, and she had to think. Why would girls throw themselves at him? He was manipulative, distant, a bit of a jerk, and pretty arrogant. Yet they did any way. “I’d have to say it’s because they want to know have the experience of being with Leo Keane. Because they fall for you charm. It’s a very classy charm after all; I can see what … well … I can see where they may find intriguing about you.” She told him. She wasn’t sure what she had almost said, she had erased that thought from her mind as soon as she almost said it. He laughed softly. She watched him, she couldn’t look away. It was irrational. But the more he moved he seemed to be closing the space between them. Each of there movements made a difference. She was quite sure where this was leading to, but she played along. She smiled at his next question her eyes quickly meeting his. “People would say I’m lucky. I always seem to get what I want. People would say fate has found something about me she likes. That she has dealt me a rather good hand. I can’t disagree. Some other people might say I’m shallow and ruthless, but those are the jealous girls who want my life. But guys still fall for me, even though I have a past. Why do you think, Leo, boys still fall for me?” She was returning her question. Perhaps that would satisfy him.

Soon enough he was closer to her. She mirrored him. She too leaned in, just slightly. There where the mind games once more. She would only take what he gave her. No more, no less. She wanted to see how this would play out in the end. She smiled a real smile at his next statement. It was true; she never had seen his partying style. “Perhaps I haven’t seen you party just yet. But we can arrange something I think.” She told him smiling slyly with a devilish glint her eyes. But their conversation ventured into some teasing that could be taken in different directions. “Am I that messed up that I need a real therapist?” She asked him. Leaning in some more. It was her turn to make a move. “Perhaps you can recommend me someone. You must have a lot of issues.’ She was teasing back. But he was watching her in that way again. A chill ran down her back. It was one of those delicious types. She wasn’t scarred. She knew very well what direction she was hoping this would lead to. But she had no time to ponder this. She was listening to him instead as he talked about her past. “No one really sees my past as something bad. People seem to have romanticized it quiet a bit though. They make out my flings to be something sweet. Funny you mention this. I have heard it rumored that I use a charm on my lip gloss. That my kisses become addicting, as if it a type of drug. That I become irresistible. As if I need a spell for that.” She smiled a bit wickedly before she continued. “Perhaps those boys think they might be the one to stop my bad habits. Yes, a funny world indeed.” And as she was speaking something changed. They crossed that line. No matter how much they toed it, they had crossed it and there was no going back now. His hand on her knee sent some kind of electricity through out her. She praised herself for skipping the tights that day. He had the advantage over her now. It was becoming difficult to keep her eyes on his face instead of looking down. Worse yet he was mentioning AJ, she hadn’t even been thinking about him. Answering was hard. For some reason her heart was beating wildly as he barely moved his fingers across her skin. Yet he continued to watch her. He was really good. “Perhaps we haven’t changed.” Rachel began softly, her voice wasn’t whisper but it was very close. She wasn’t sure how she would feel if her boyfriend was cheating on her, but she knew how she would feel if she was cheating. She would feel that thrill that came from doing so. But how would he feel? Angry, betrayed perhaps. “I wouldn’t know. I’ve never been cheated on.” She told him truthfully, no guy was insane enough to do that. “But I’m sure AJ would feel betrayed by my actions if I where to do something as such.” It was becoming harder to think as he continued to brush his cold fingers across her skin. She saw past his act. He knew what he was doing. She was sure of it. “Oh.” She replied to his next question. There where guys, there where always where. She just hadn’t acted on impulse this time. “There has been a guy … or two. Not that I’ve acted on my impulses to do something about it. I’m well-behaved.” She told him a bit sarcastically. Well-behaved had left the building a while ago.

And as soon as his fingers where there, they where gone, the one last touch across her skin. No longer tracing invisible lines into her skin. She wondered if she had imagined it all. He simply sat back in his chair. As if nothing had happened. Rachel smirked letting him talk as she stood up slowly. She walked around the back of the couch and then his chair, her slim fingers gently brushing the fabric of the couch, then later the chair near his shoulders. She gently took a seat on the arm of the chair. One leg underneath her, the other planted on the floor. “That poor dear. Was she that dull?” She asked not at all hiding the facts he didn’t like her. She laughed as he mentioned who his next target was. It couldn’t be her, could it? She was taken …. Without thinking she pushed the hair out of his eyes softly letting her fingers linger there on the side of his face.

[Leo Keane G6]

Leo stared into Rachel’s pale face as she spoke, her voice sounding as if she were talking to a child. Rolling his eyes, Leo wasn’t offended but finding it rather amusing the game that she was playing with him. Most girls couldn’t even match the level that Leo was on when it came to playing with the mind. Rachel wasn’t going to be just any flavor of the week. They match each other so perfectly, and quite frankly, that was what was scaring Leo the most. That there was someone out there who actually made the game exciting and wasn’t afraid of him. He watched the smirk play on her lips as he kept silent for a moment, collecting his thoughts. “The current philosophy that I have been living by hasn’t let me down yet,” he began with a simple nod as he ran his fingers through his thick locks. “Why would I want to change something that hasn’t failed me yet?” he asked his brown eyes searching deep into her own. “It’s not easy to change, and I don’t see myself changing anytime soon. Being all honest and good-two-shoes is vastly overacted. I prefer to be the bad guy if that’s what you want to call it. Anyway, don’t they say that nice guys finish last?” Returning the smirk Leo looked down at his pant leg smoothing out the wrinkled fabric. “Do you like nice or bad guys, Rachel?” he questioned picking off another annoying piece of white lint from his pants. Some people thought it was strange that Leo liked to present himself so cleanly and took him the wrong way, but Leo didn’t swing that way. He just didn’t like looking grungy, preferring more dressy clothing to all those other guy accessories out there. Plus, girls liked that fact about him. “I know that every girl out there wants a nice guy who will treat her right any everything, but to be honest wouldn’t you think that would get boring after a while?” Leo continued his brown eyes unwavering as he finally gazed back into the fifth year’s face. “Since you seem to understand where I’m coming from with where I stand in my philosophy, care to share yours? I would like to know how Rachel Cohen’s mind works beside what I hear from the gossiping girls around school.”

Leaning into his knees, Leo pondered on the idea knowing that Rachel was one of the most popular girl sin schools. In a sense, Leo was the same, but he liked to consider himself royalty, just like Rachel was. It was the stereotypical rich, popular crowd, but Leo didn’t care what others thought. They could be jealous all they wanted. When she asked about him judging books by their cover, Leo tilted his head to the side as she asked about her own judgment. Thinking it over for a while, Leo smiled his charming smile that he gave girls when he was trying to be honest with them. That was rarely though. “Yes, I do judge people by appearance, but I’m a guy, what do you expect?” he began crossing his hands over each other as he shifted his weight in the arm chair. “You really want to know what I thought of you?” he asked his brown eyes searching for that light to flicker in her eyes. “Well, at first I thought of you just like any other girl that could possibly be a certain flavor of my week, but you were already taken, and even though I would take great pride in driving you away from your boyfriend. I honestly don’t need anymore enemies at the moment.” Leo stopped here as he tilted his head in thought, his brown eyes looking past Rachel’s curly locks of brown hair. Deciding to keep it there to leave suspense, Leo smirked at Rachel’s next comment listening as she rambled on. “I do enjoy this reputation. I’ve worked very hard for it, and quite frankly, I wouldn’t want it any other way,” Leo reassured her as he stared into her beautiful pale face. When Rachel began to explain why girls fell for him, he nodded his head slowly a conceited smile curling on his lips. He didn’t say anything though because he wanted to show Rachel she was right. That the reason why girls threw themselves at him was only because they wanted to experience what it was like to be with Leo. Soon the tables were turned on the reason why boys fell for Rachel. Raising his eyebrow Leo leaned away from her slightly, the smell of her perfume was beginning to cause him to become dizzy. “Well, for one thing, your beautiful and part of the royalty here at Hogwarts. Why wouldn’t a guy want a piece of that? Plus they probably think you’re a tease, and men love a good chase. Well, I do, but I don’t like it to the point where it takes way to long.”

The topic soon turned back to parties, which caused a large smile to form on Leo’s lips. He would love to go to a party with Rachel, but he didn’t let it show. “We could arrange something. After all, I am the man that gets invited to all the best parties.” Smirking, Leo leaned back on her knees as Rachel soon suggested seeing a therapist. Leo had visited one only once when his mother left, but that was a joke. He didn’t want people to be playing with his past as though they lived it as well, or knew what he had gone through. Instead, Leo kept quiet, a smirk playing at his lips as he noticed her begin to tense under his touch. He loved getting that sort of reaction from girls, but he found himself thriving upon it with Rachel. Maybe he had a crush on her? Leo had many crushes on girls, but none like this. It was wrong though, but what was ever to stop Leo Keane from getting what he wanted? Plus, it seemed that Rachel wanted it just as much as he did. As his mind wandered around the possibly, Leo raised his eyebrow as Rachel got up from the couch walking around the back of his chair as she sat down on the arm. Her fingers brushed the strand of hair from his eyes, her fingers resting upon his check. Smirking slightly, Leo leaned back in the chair as his arm found its way around her lap, wrapping itself around her legs. His head was tilted to the side, until his head was resting against her shoulder. Moving her hair from over her shoulder, Leo stared up into her face waiting for a reaction as his fingers began to softly brush across her smooth legs again. “No, she wasn’t too dull; I just wanted to nail her mouth shut. I prefer a girl who is outspoken, but not in the annoying kind of way.”

[Rachel Cohen R6]

At first when he was looking at her she wasn’t sure how she felt about. Playing it off as nothing didn’t work. Being embarrassed failed as well. She was learning why the obvious responses where not succeeding as they should. She liked it. She loved the attention he was giving her. She loved they way he was looking at her. She loved that someone could even look at her in that way. She wasn’t sure why. He couldn’t like her. Not genuinely anyways. Boys only looked at her that way when they truly liked her. Leo didn’t genuinely like girls, he liked to experiment with every type of girl that there was. He never fell for just one. And she knew it. That’s why when he was looking at her that way it was special. It made her think some thoughts that she wasn’t supposed to think due to the fact she was already dating a boy, up until today, she was sure she was supposed to be with. And that’s how her fairytale ended. No happy ending. Maybe they where the right characters in the wrong story. Leo was talking about his philosophy again. About how it never failed him. Rachel said nothing. She only responded with a quiet “Hmm.” Not agreeing nor disagreeing. No use debating it any longer. He was sticking to his side like syrup to pancakes, she was sticking to hers. He wasn’t one she could easily manipulate, she was learning that. And oddly she liked that for once there was someone wasn’t agreeing with her. Debating was so much more fun. Plus she liked to listen to him speak. He was more articulate then some people she knew. Not to mention his voice was pleasant. She smirked, resisting the urge to laugh. ‘Being all honest and good-two-shoes is vastly overacted.’ Now she fully agreed. But she would never admit for two reasons. One, because she wasn’t going to lose this debate. And two, because she was supposed to have changed, not participate in the behavior his words suggested. Instead she decided to address something else he pointed out. “Not always. The good guy always wins in the stories. Plus there is good in everybody.” She told him. And she did believe everyone had good in them. Some more then others, that was true, but the good was still there. She smirked as he brushed off his pants. Trying to think back to the times she saw him in class or the hallways, she wanted to remember if he always tried to look crisp and clean.

His next question she finally smiled something a lot more real. “Oh Mister Keane, you know I like them bad.” She let out a laugh. Wasn’t it obvious? She always went for the good boys; that was true. But the most interesting things happened with the ones that where a lot less sweet, and a lot more mysterious. Just look whose company she was in. “You can be a guy most parent’s would disapprove off, and still treat a girl right. The only difference she’ll be more entertained.” Rachel responded thinking back on experience. What was that boy’s name? Eric? For the life of me she could not remember. Not that he was remotely important. The tables turned. “My philosophy …. Hmmm.” Rachel had to think. “I like to think that the world is as beautiful as it is ugly. There is beauty to everything ugly, and that there is something hideous to everything we see as beautiful. We should sing about beautiful mornings as well as talk about ho-bos on the street.” She told him. “Everything is not what it seems.” She couldn’t help but add with a smirk. “Do you listen to gossip?” She asked him. It was her turn to put him in this position. But he watched her for a moment, and she watched him back. Then she saw a true smile come from him. No smirk, she was pleasantly shocked. He asked her the most obvious question as if it needed an answer. “Obviously.” Rachel responded. She smiled at his answer. She wasn’t sure if she liked it or not. Deciding she did, she left it alone. She knew what game he was playing, but she couldn’t resist. “And now? How do you see me now?” She asked him. After all, wasn’t that what he wanted her to ask. “Of course you do. But who can blame you? It’s an interesting lifestyle.” She told him in response to his reputation statement. She knew what it was like. People talked, he had to know she lived it. But that wasn’t what made her smile. No, it was his reaction to her comment about why he got girls, despite some of his qualities. He was so conceited. She couldn’t help but roll her eyes. When it was his turn to tell her why boys fell for her he made it sound very simple. As if it fact taught to everyone. “Hmm. Do have the perfect balance of tease in me?” She asked laughing slightly. That wasn’t the first time she heard that, nor the last as she figured.

Of course he had the invite to all the hot parties. He was just the perfect type, she sould have expected it. “Well, take me one night. Perhaps I’ll show you how to have more fun.” Her tone was sly and teasing, she was smirking again. As they began to talk about Chelsea, never her favourite subject Leo found a way to distract her. His head was leaning against her shoulder, and his fingertips where dancing on her leg once more. She was only half listening to him now. “Mhmm.” She replied as she took his other hand, the one that wasn't on her leg, and began to play with it. After a short while she smirked bringing up to her cheek and letting his hand set there. Then gently brushed her lips against the inside of his palm. No words where needed. They understood each other perfectly.

[Leo Keane G6]

“You believe there is good in everyone?” Leo responded back to Rachel last remark, his brown eyes holding her attention. “Do you think there is in me? Because I’m sure some people would love to argue their point other wise. I’m not exactly the nicest guy around.” Smirking at his words, Leo shook his head slowly to show he agreed. Leo Keane wasn’t the most pleasant person to be around, and when he didn’t like someone, Leo made it out of his way to make their lives horrible. Well, not in that exact words, but whenever he saw them, but those were only a few people. He still needed to find a plan to get on Noalan’s nerves. That demise will take some thinking, while just making AJ angry was to flirt with his girlfriend, or have her cheat on him. Deep down, Leo didn’t want to use Rachel for that soul purpose. Maybe there was something there that he couldn’t quite grasp, but Rachel would probably only think the worst of him. After all, his reputation did define him, yet there were still girls gawking at him. Maybe it was his charming good looks, or his soothing voice? Whatever it was, it was certainly going good for Leo Keane. “Can I ask you’re a question, Rachel?” Leo finally asked after a few moments of silence. He tore his brown eyes from the wall into Rachel’s face which was dangerously close to his. She was close enough for him to smell the sweet perfume or spray she wore, which in effect was clogging his mind of thoughts. However, Leo kept collected as his fingers gently brushed across the smooth surface of Rachel’s legs that were dangling in his lap. “Are you judging me on my reputation, or are you trying to pick apart my complicated mind?” he asked slowly, his voice like honey as his brown eyes followed his wistful fingers.

Leo noticed Rachel’s pink lips turn into a genuine smile which in return made him smirk at her comment. There were some girls who just loved the bad boys and others who leaned more toward the good. Yes, bad boys weren’t faithful, and they jumped around a lot, but it was more exciting to date one. Well, Leo wasn’t going to change his dating style for a while now. He probably wouldn’t ever change it unless someone powerful enough came along to change him other wise. “Actually, a bad guy could be manipulative to the point where the parents are practically wanting their daughter to marry them, but not everyone can be as talented as me,” Leo gloated with a small smirk as his fingers stopped brushing across her legs. His hands laid flat down on Rachel’s thigh as he leaned back in his chair not caring at the looks he got from the other students around. They probably knew that Rachel was taken, but here she was, sitting in Leo Keane’s lap almost being all flirty. It would be amusing to see AJ walk into the room. Smirking at though, Leo cocked his head to the side, his brown eyes searching Rachel’s as she spoke about her philosophy in life. Keeping eye contact, Leo nodded turning away when she asked if he listened to gossip. “I do. It’s quite entertaining to listen too. Some of the things people come up with, it’s priceless,” Leo began as his finger tips began drawling geometric figures into Rachel’s thigh. His eyes stared at her toned legs until looking up into her face. “It just means that everyone wants to be us. And who wouldn’t?”

Rachel was now referring back to his last answer on how he saw her. Leo sighed, shrugging as he leaned back into his chair, his arm still wrapped loosely around her slim waist as his fingers worked their magic. “Well….” Leo breathed out slowly as he stared off into one of the oak tables in the distance. “You’re interesting to hold a conversation with. You have almost one of the same reputations as me, and yet there just something about you that I just can’t seem to grasp.” As Leo finished he shrugged his shoulders “It takes skill to live my kind of life, Rachel. Not everyone can handle what we go through.” Nodding, Leo smirked quietly as he sat up from the back of the velvet cushioned arm chair. Rachel was a party type of girl, and seemed quite interested in attending a party with him. That would be easily arranged, but minus AJ. Leo didn’t want to deal with a jealous boyfriend. “What kind of fun did you have in mind, Rachel?” Leo asked slowly taken back as he felt her take his hand bringing it up to her lips. He kept calm on the outside though, but everything was just beating so fast on the inside. Her lips brushed across the surface of his skin which had Leo mesmerized. Leo leaned in closer to Rachel, sitting up in the chair. His right arm wrapped around her waist but his other held her cheek softly. Their lips were just barely brushing, but he kept held of her gaze. “Maybe…like…this?”

[Rachel Cohen R6]

Some time in between the first moment he began this strange and yet comfortable conversation to now everything, or rather everyone else seemed to fade away. It felt like Rachel and Leo where completely alone in the room. Some how she didn’t want a distraction, nor did she want to be saved from what she originally thought would be a painful experience. Her attention was completely his. She couldn’t look away, nor did she want to. This was weird, and she knew, but she didn’t care. What she did instead was answer his question. “You may not be the nicest person to everybody, but you’ve been very pleasant with me. They may argue all they want, but I say there is some good in you. This conversation is proof.” She nodded her head as to re-agree with all the things she had just said. And still it was just them. She didn’t notice that people where beginning to glance over and watch her and Leo. This would, could, become some very good gossip. After all, she was who she was. Everyone had expected her to fail in the whole, staying-with-one-guy-for-a-long-time thing. This opportunity and moment with Leo seemed like the perfect place for her to slip up. Perhaps they would even get their wish. But again Rachel knew nothing off the other people in the room. She went from one question to the next. “Can I ask you a question, Rachel?” He asked her breaking the silence. “Of course.” She responded waiting for him to continue. She stopped to think about what he asked. It was hard to think with his fingers brushing her leg. It was almost upsetting to think he wasn’t having this kind of reaction to her. “Perhaps both, I know what they say about you. Especially the people who don’t exactly like you, since well … since you know.” She couldn’t come out and say dating AJ, it felt weird. “But I want to know you, from you. Not from a rumor or a comment.” She finally finished her thought. She couldn’t help but notice the way he was looking at her again. Then something happened. There comes a point in a girl’s life when things just get really clear. And for that brief moment, Rachel realized she was having an affect on him. They where affecting each other whether they knew it or not.

His next comment made her laugh. “You really are conceited. Some parents are just stupid I guess. My mother wouldn’t be convinced so easily. She’s been through a lot. With my dad, and my various boyfriends, and those ‘just friends’, she doesn’t fall for BS.” She informed him. There was something challenging about her tone, deliberate or accidental it was there. What wasn’t accidental and very much intended was her almost in Leo’s lap. For a moment she wasn’t using her head at all. She was doing what she felt was right, doing what she wanted. By the looks of it, this was what Leo wanted as well. They where having no problems with being physical it seemed. Rachel was awfully comfortable with this, all of this. Her mind was coming back though. She briefly thought about what she would do if AJ found out, but pushed that thought out of her head. How would he ever find out? She convinced herself. Not to mention Leo was very distracting. Once again it felt like they where completely alone. There never is a good reason for why people decide to cheat. Cheating was awfully immoral. But Rachel had done it plenty of times in her life. She was a pro by now. She pushed past morals, her mind was made up. ‘If he kisses me, I’ll let him.’ She decided. And her mind was made up. Nothing was going to hold her back. She was back in that lifestyle. She knew she should have been angry with Leo for bringing her back, but it felt so familiar, like coming home. She was strangely at peace. She knew that loyal was no longer something she could say about herself and her relationship with AJ. She was aware Leo was saying something about everyone wanting to be them. “Exactly. Who wouldn’t?” She repeated. The whole time not knowing how true it was. Half of the school wanted to be in either one of their shoes at this moment.

They where talking about her now. Modest had left with the other Rachel, the one she had been for awhile until today happened. So instead she smiled pleased. “Perhaps it’s the answer to why you can’t look away.” She told him, finally saying what she had been wondering the entire time they had been together. They where now talking about the way the two lived their lives. “It’s hard. I’ve been there. I’ll live it again, I’m sure. But the point of the matter is, our lives are very enjoyable to live.” She told him with a smirk. She watched him closely. She felt the way his body shifted, and the way he was tracing something into her leg with the tip of his fingers, she could smell him, it was a very defined smell, finally she heard his smooth and seductive voice. His next question made her smile. What kind of fun. Oh, what a question to ask. He answered the question for her. “Maybe … like …this?” Her heart was beating wildly. This was to be the last question in there conversation. The answer was a whisper of a kiss, one that Rachel fully intended to turn into a real one, but, and there is always a ‘but’, she felt a shadow fall over her and Leo; Rachel looked up annoyed to see someone who would find this scene very upset. Her eyes met AJ’s. “I thought I was going to apologize.” He said and began to walk away. Like he did earlier, except there was an even greater impact on Rachel. All at once, thoughts, feelings, logic. It all returned and she pulled away. “Uhm … thanks for the …uh … fun.” She managed to get out in a whisper as she went after her boyfriend, whom she feared wasn’t her boyfriend anymore. “AJ, wait, I can explain.” She said as they made it into the corridor. “And?” He asked. “It was weird, I’m pretty sure he hypnotized me somehow.” Rachel said. She knew this wasn’t the truth, but it was the best she could do. Somehow AJ bought it. He ran his fingers through his hair all of sudden seeming very tired. “Fine, but, I don’t like you with him. Not even talking.” He told her. It was a moment of truth. She could agree and be with AJ. Or she could say no and do what she really wanted. So she hugged her boyfriend. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. For everything. It’s entirely fault.” She said into his shoulder. He smelt completely differently from Leo, she noticed. And there they stood in the middle of the hallway in their embrace. Holding on to whatever they could as both drowned in their thoughts. A happy ending never fails in a broken Fairytale.