Sweet Escape. ((Jack, NPC's)) [PG-13]

[Riley Coxen G7]

Please note: this thread is rated PG-13.

Riles,

There’s going to be a party at Veronica’s place tonight. You’ve missed sooo much already! I can’t begin to tell you how much has happened while you’ve been locked away for the holidays. So, you should totally go tonight! We miss you! Even Christy’s starting to miss your daring nature. Come on now, don’t be a stranger. Bring Jack if you like, unless you’re over him already. There’s plenty of man candy just waiting in line for you if that's what you want ;-). Either way you better be there. Party starts whenever you want it to. We’re all at Veronica’s place already, so come whenever you like. Not too late though, can’t have you missing all the fun!

Much Love,

Erica and the Girls.

Riley sighed as she read the letter through once more. Tomorrow was Christmas Eve, and after that, Riley’s mother would go crazy with family plans. If Riley ever wanted to go out during this holiday break, tonight would be the night to do it. She looked out into the hallway, looking around for Connor. If she was going to sneak out tonight, she supposed she’d need his help. Riley doubted her mother would actually let her go. Mrs. Coxen was starting to catch onto the fact that her daughter was changing, but she really had no idea to what extent these things were happening in. She knew Riley had made new friends, as Erica had been over with Veronica to clean out Riley’s ‘horrific’ old wardrobe and refill it with hand-me-downs that neither of them wanted anymore until Riley could go shopping with them. (And what a fun occasion that would be) The girls were very good actors as well, for they had managed to fool Riley’s mother into thinking they were sweet, respectful young women. Upon seeing Riley’s new friends, Mrs. Coxen ranted on and on for what seemed to be decades about the old graduates she knew of that had graduated Hogwarts around her year and were now parents. She’d ranted about some Slytherin family she couldn’t stand, but Riley and her friends had barely been paying attention.

Riley ate her dinner as fast as she could without trying to look like she was in too much of a rush. Her brothers looked at Riley suspiciously. She shrugged. “What? I’m really hungry.” Riley murmured as she continued to eat. Her mother started rambling about how glad she was to have the family together before Christmas and how she wished Bruce could see the image of such perfection. Riley couldn’t help but glance around the room. Oz was a grumpy mess lately, Chace seemed to be retreating to his room and Seth even more so than usual, Cora was a freaking mess half the time (burying herself in her work and disappearing from the family for the other half) and Riley had gotten herself into a world of drinking, smoking, and some really bad influences. Riley didn’t see any perfection here. She sighed and continued to eat. She looked up slightly when suddenly, Chace decided to break the peaceful silence as the family ate. “Riley, I heard the Daughters were having a few parties this holiday. You know with Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs... Slytherins," Chace added raising his eyebrow, obviously making a reference to Jack.

Riley smiled falsely and kicked Chace under the table. Riley’s mother looked up kindly. “Oh, a party? Like one of those charming holiday celebrations? Oh I used to go to those all the time when I was young. When were you planning on telling me about this party Riley? When is it?” Riley dropped her fork in surprise and her mouth hung open slightly. She was almost sure her mother would have completely rejected the idea of Riley leaving the house and the family to go out with friends. Riley used to go out all the time with Oz and Oliver (though she never really looked forward to these outings) during the holidays, so maybe she shouldn’t have found it so surprising after all. But then again, this was a bit different. Finally regaining her composure, Riley spoke.

“Well um…I didn’t exactly plan on going…I figured you’d want me to be with the family all holiday so I told Veronica I wouldn’t be coming.” Riley said in a rushed sort of tone. Yasmin Coxen swallowed her food and looked up thoughtfully. “Well you’ve been cooped up in the house all holiday, and Cora’s coming over tonight to help me take another stab at finding your father’s will. I’m sure that’s the last thing you’d want to be doing tonight. What’s this party going to be like?” Yasmin asked, and now Riley could see why her mother had no problem with letting Riley skip out on family time. She wasn’t looking forward to an all out Riley vs. Cora battle, so she wanted Riley out of the house so things could stay somewhat peaceful while the search continued for Bruce’s will. She sighed, hoping Chace wouldn’t ruin things for her again. “Well it’s more of a family party than anything. Her parents and their friends will be downstairs. Me and the girls are just going to be upstairs having one of those sleepover things or whatever.” Riley said simply. Even though Chace gave her a look from across the table, he did not say anything to rat her out. “Well I never considered you the type for slumber parties, but I don’t see why not. So let’s see…I’ll be a bit busy in the house, and I’m not really in any mood to be apparating all across town. So why don’t you use the fireplace and have Veronica’s mother send me an owl when you get there? I’ll come pick you up sometime tomorrow afternoon. Veronica is the Hogsmeade girl, right?” Her mother questioned. Riley nodded, astounded that her mother was giving her permission to stay the night at someone else’s house. Perhaps Bruce’s death had affected her mother more than Riley thought. “I’ll take her.” Chace smirked, knowing it would irk her. Riley was about to take a bite of rice, but swallowed and set her fork down on the plate after realizing she was about to bite into a fork full of air. She placed the fork back down. She did not dare kick Chace again or try sending him a glare, so she simply sighed. “Well you know, he really doesn’t have to. I mean, I’m perfectly fine with taking floo over there.” Riley said, trying not to sound too worried. Her mother contemplated the thought as she chewed. “Well, I think it would probably be a better idea to have Chace bring you, just to speak with the parents briefly. Plus we’re almost out of floo powder and the stuff is expensive, so it’s probably best if Chace dropped you off.” Riley sighed and muttered a short ‘okay’ before excusing herself from the table to get ready.

Once in her room, she wrote down a quick letter to Jack, letting him know what was going on for the night. She wrote down Veronica’s address and attached it to her letter. She sent it out in addition to another letter to Erica, (letting her know she was coming) hoping Jack would be able to go. Either way, Riley planned on attending. She supposed this party would be fun, so why miss out on it? Riley searched through her closet full of new clothes and eventually decided on some dark blue jeans and a deep navy blue tank-top. Even though it wasn’t really all that revealing, it was still incredibly low cut for Riley’s taste. Riley was used to sweatshirts and large t-shirts, so this skimpy little number felt very out of place on her skin. Instinctively, Riley pulled a plain gray sweatshirt over her head and packed a bag full of stuff she’d need for the night. Riley walked out of her room and into Chace’s. “Okay, I’m ready. Do me a favor and please don’t snitch to mum? I really don’t want to deal with explaining. The same goes for Jack. If I want to tell everyone, I’ll tell them when I’m ready.” Riley said simply. Chace looked like he was about to say something but just shrugged and held out his hand for her to take. Riley took Chace’s hand and they apparated out of the home, and into Veronica’s in Hogsmeade.

Riley arrived at Veronica’s house moments later, with Chace by her side. They had arrived in a quiet and very dark study, which Riley supposed was Veronica’s fathers’. There was a half-empty pack of cigarettes sitting right on the coffee table nearby, and Riley no longer questioned how it was so easy for her friend to get a hold of such substances in her home. There was another pack, full this time of cigarettes sitting on the mantelpiece. If Riley had wanted to, she could take a few and no one would know they were gone. No one would know the difference. But of course, Riley didn’t smoke. Not on her own, anyway. The room was quiet, but there was a bit of noise going on outside. Riley figured the party had already sort of started, but it would be a long time before the celebration would be in full swing. She glanced up at Chace. Riley was surprised the comment hadn‘t come sooner. "Just be careful, Ry," he said to her as their eyes met. She smiled warmly. She appreciated that he cared, and that he wasn’t going to snitch on her. She needed to have her fun, especially in a time like this. “Don’t worry, Chace. I will. Thanks for caring.” Riley said with a smile, punching his arm playfully. She was glad that he cared. It was nice to have a family member that didn’t completely ignore her existence. Suddenly, the door opened and one of Riley’s friends walked in, holding a cup full of what Riley knew was probably some form of liquor. Judging by her expression, Riley was sure it wasn’t her first glass. Chace gave Riley a bit of a look, showing his disapproval at the sight of Riley’s tipsy friend. However, he didn’t say a word before he apparated away moments later.

((permission to god mode Chace was granted by his very creative writer . I guess anyone can post next, preferably Veronica since its her house. But anyone would be fine.))

[Jack Reid]

Jack had been at home in Scotland for a few days now, since the holiday break had started. His father had been welcoming to his younger brothers as they opened the door and rushed in before him, leaving him to carry more bags than he had planned. He had a sneer on his face as Bronsen was the first to reach the door, before he had even exited the car that had taken them from the train station to the Reid household. Jack had cursed lightly, wondering why he hadn’t just skipped the whole train ride and used the floo network. Mum had never been big on using the fireplace to get from place to place, but that was before...He pushed the thought from his mind as he had always done. Bronsen was still a child and likely was excited for the holiday, but Jack had been stuck with bringing the bags and presents into the house and getting them to where they belonged. That first day back his father had greeted them at the door, given August and Bronsen hugs, and had seen Jack back at the car. “What’s taking you so long, son? Get in here before you freeze!”, the old man had yelled over the light wind and the colder temperature. It was currently chillier than usual for Scotland, but Jack didn’t care. Back at Hogwarts the snow had been falling when they had boarded the train, so he was glad for a bit of a warmer climate.

The few days he had been home, his father had been his normal self. Acting like he cared deeply about Amelia, their mother, who had to sit in a wheelchair in front of the window all day because she could barely make one correctly enunciated word out of the syllables she grunted every day. It was pathetic really, to see his youngest brother still go up and talk to Mum as if she could understand and comprehend everything that was being said. Bronsen took time each day during every break to tell Mum about how his schooling had been going, as if she could really do something about all of the useless information. Jackson would come in and do the same, just to please the young boy. He would ask Amelia if she wanted anything to eat and bring her random dishes of food, only to eat them himself in front of her as Bronsen yapped away. Jackson also took no interest at all in finding out how Jack’s school year had been, but it wasn’t like Jack would go into much detail anyway. It was a standard year. Jackson was much too busy ignoring Jack and giving his attention to August and Bronsen. No doubt August and Jackson had talks late at night about how Jack was growing up and taking care of his brothers, neither of which were present in his current state. The only person Jack cared about right now was himself, and of course Riley, but if his father got wind that he was dating a Gryffindor, he would likely have his head.

The night had arrived quickly, on the day before Christmas eve. Jack had barely left the house that week, mostly just to get simple things to fill the fridge and necessities he absolutely couldn’t do with out. He hoped he would hear from Riley soon, to see when they could plan their short getaway. His idea of going to Italy sounded better and better as he mapped out what they might do during the day. Jack had taken a trip there once before and knew a restaurant or two, ones that would likely impress Riley and show her what she meant to the Slytherin. Jack’s mind wandered to the idea of the houses clashing, and how he still couldn’t stand the looks he got in the hallways from those in his house. Since when was it such a crime for a Slytherin to date a Gryffindor. Although Riley had been the talk of the school when she landed Jack, he had also increased in popularity. But the popularity number, the rank, was nothing he cared about. The fact was he cared for Riley, and that was what was important about their relationship. Jack had this thought and immediately decided to pull out his quill and write Riley a letter, asking her when she might be free. But before he could even wet the pen, a letter flew through the slightly open window in his large room, landing directly in front of him. The seal on the back he immediately recognized as from Riley, and ripped the letter open. He scanned quickly, appreciating the “I miss you’s” and the “I wish you were here’s” that he knew would have littered the hand-crafted letter. Towards the end of the short letter, he found an address and a time. Party at Veronica’s in Hogsmeade, huh? When...Tonight? That seems doable. Jackson is busy with attempting to take care of Mum and the boys are likely getting things ready for the big day. It was likely the perfect time for him to apparate out and have some fun with the person he had been dying to see all break.

Jack slipped a fleece jacket on over his casual dress shirt and pulled on his boots, fixing the ends of his dark-colored muggle jeans, and grabbed his wand, looking around to make sure he had everything he needed. With that, he thought of Hogsmeade and within a split second he was in front of Veronica’s large, luxurious house. The party seemed to be in full swing already, so he would need to ask around if anyone had seen the Coxen girl he no doubt would be on the lookout for. After knocking once and getting no answer, he deduced that the music was too loud for anyone to hear the knocking. He tried the doorknob and the door slid open. He saw students littering the foyer, all with some kind of drink in their hands. He pushed the door closed, unzipped his jacket and left it on, not daring to let it lay somewhere. The first couple he tried to sneak past, he asked if they had seen Riley, and they shook their heads as they kept making out heavily. “Thanks for nothing, really.” he said, condescendingly. He moved his way to the other rooms, looking for Riley, knowing he would be able to pick her out of any of the groups of students. He approached a group of girls, one of which looked like Riley from the back and walked right into the edge of them. “Have any of you seen Riley Coxen? She invited me tonight.” Hopefully this group wouldn’t be as helpful as the make out couple had been.

[Riley Coxen G7]

Riley smiled at Mia, who was surprisingly alone for once and not off with some guy partying the night away. She tended to always be off to meet someone. Either that or she was alone in her dorm singing quietly to herself with her guitar and a glass of wine that was disguised as a goblet of juice from the Great Hall. She hugged her friend upon seeing her, feeling Mia’s body sort of leaning against Riley for support. Could she even stand straight at this point? Mia giggled girlishly. “Ello, dear. You’ve missed…so much! Me and the girls missed you all those days..have I mentioned recently how..how much I love you?” Mia smiled as she took another generous sip, finishing whatever it was that was in the large plastic red cup. “I mean really, hon. You’re one of my favoritest daughters. HA! What am I talking about? You’re not my daughter!” Mia said, breaking out into hysterical giggles again. “Now come, come, come! Take that damn sweater off and let’s party!” Mia said, leading Riley into the main room, where the party was taking place.

Veronica’s place was beautiful, of course. It seemed that in minutes, it was already crowded with couples and groups of drunken teenagers dancing and retreating to corners of the room for whatever private time they could get for themselves. Riley slipped her grey sweatshirt off and it landed on top of her bag in the quiet office room, which seemed to be off limits to the party goers. There were a few people who were entering the party through the fireplace in the office, so she supposed Veronica had made it off limits to the muggles so they wouldn’t see anything they weren’t supposed to see. It took a while for her senses to become accustomed to the general surroundings of the party. The music was pumping loudly and there was a huge crowd of kids dancing in the center of the room. There was a rather tight cluster toward the center, where Riley could barely make out the figures of a large mane of curly blonde hair. She also could have sworn she heard Veronica’s laugh somewhere in the crowd as well. Mia led her to the drinks table and attempted to pour her a glass of pure vodka. Riley smiled and took the bottle from her just as she was about to spill the liquid all over herself.

“Here Mia, let me. And are you sure you really want another glass? You seem like you’re set for the night.” Riley said, concerned for her friend. She had always got along well with Mia. She was the newest daughter last year, so Mia kind of knew what it was like for Riley to adjust to such a new life. Riley was the closest to Erica of course, because she was like a big sister to her helping her through such a hard time. However, Mia could definitely be considered a very close friend, and Riley would be damned if she was going to let anything happen to her. Mia merely shook her head, making her long raven hair fly around her as she stumbled back a bit from the sudden movement. “Oh no, this isn’t for me. It’s for you. Here. You’re going to at least need a buzz.” Riley smiled and took the drink from her friend. She had long since gotten used to the taste of alcohol, to the point where she actually had no problem with drinking it every so often. Riley took a decent sized sip and Mia smiled. Mia’s eyes wandered just behind Riley to two twin brothers who looked a bit too old to be a Hogwarts student, but they both had their wands sticking out of their front pocket only barely hidden by their leather jackets. The first of the two approached Mia, leaving the other to lean against the drink table next to Riley.

“Hey Mia, I had a lot of fun last night at your place. You really know how to throw a party. Now eh, what do you say about you and me having a little dance or two? Then maybe we can apparate back to your place for some alone time?” The older guy said, putting his arm around Mia. What was he like…eighteen? Mia smiled and looked up at him with passionate eyes. Why would she waste her time on jerks like that? “Sounds like a plan. Later Riley!” Mia said as the guy led her to the dance floor, later disappearing into the crowd of dancers. This left Riley alone by the drinks table with the older boy’s twin.

Riley took a larger gulp of her drink, just a bit angry that Mia would ever even consider spending the night (more than once!) with a creep like that. She certainly didn’t intend on dating him and she was sure his intentions were pretty shallow as well. Riley glanced to her side, noticing that the twin had moved about an inch closer to Riley. Where was Jack? Perhaps he couldn’t make it? Maybe Riley could get Chace to bring her home.. “So I hear you’re the newest of the girls at Hogwarts. I’m Peter, me and my brother have been friends with Erica‘s family for years. You’re…Rachel, right?” Riley looked up at him suspiciously, draining a bit more from her glass. Straight vodka was a lot stronger than what Riley was used to, especially when it was in a much larger quantity. “Riley, actually.” Riley said a bit impatiently as her eyes wandered toward the door, where a couple was heavily kissing in a far corner of the room. Suddenly, Riley was greeted with the familiar face of Jack Reid. Riley finished off what was left of that first cup, finally feeling the “buzz” Mia was talking about. “You know, I’d love to stay and chat, but there’s my boyfriend now. Nice meeting you.” Riley said quickly, seeing the discouraged look on the man’s face as Riley walked away. “You looking for Riley?” Riley said from just behind him. “You know, I think I’ve seen her around here somewhere…”

[Ariane Chan]

((Riley, I hope you don't mind me posting straight here. Since you're on vacation, I thought it would be easier this way. ^^))

((Post written by me, Ariane Chan G7.))

``Erica Maple..
*^Click for Image^*

"Veronica's?" Erica grinned at Christy, motioning for her best friend to take her hand so she could apparate them to Hogsmeade. They were currently in Erica's bedroom, having spent about an hour powdering on heavy make-up. Erica frowned when Christy ignored her signal to leave and continued preening her perfect hair. "Christy, what's wrong? You've been acting so weird lately. Is it boys?" Erica gave a long, dramatic sigh. "Oh Christy, not another one."

"No!" Christy suddenly snapped, causing Erica to blink, her expression slowly forming a frown. "No, it's not that, Erica. It's just... Is Riley going to be there?"

"Of course Riles will be there!" Erica exclaimed as though Christy had just suggested that she wasn't the leader of Godric's Daughters. "You can't expect me not to invite our newest and brightest recruit!" Christy snorted and Erica's frown returned. She swept forward to lean her slender, tanned arms on her best friend's shoulders, staring at their beautiful reflections in the mirror. "Look, I know you've not taken to Riley much," Erica murmured. "She did have quite the reputation, but trust me, Christy - she has so much potential. I know her dating Jack Reid wasn't exactly part of my plan, but Riles is being unpredictable and I like it. That's what being a Daughter is all about. You should know - you founded this thing with me, babe!" Erica laughed loudly and pulled Christy up from her seat. "You'll always be my best friend, Christy. You know I would choose you over Riley Coxen any day, right?" Erica gave a big fake smile. "Now," she chided with a reassuring smile. "Keep your chin up, love, and let's go party. We've got some boys and booze to tackle tonight and you need to be at your best, girl."

Seconds later they were in Veronica's bedroom. Erica squealed at the sight of the younger girl and went to give her a tight hug and an air-kiss. "Evening darling," she declared. "Where's Mia? And Riles?" When Veronica told her they weren't present yet, Erica nodded. "Right. I'm going to go get myself a drink. The party's starting soon!" Giggling, she apparated downstairs, leaving Christy with Veronica.

An hour later, Veronica's house was packed with girls and boys dancing, drinking, smoking - you name it. Erica had so far spent her time laughing jubilantly with fellow partyers; she'd downed many glasses of goodness-knows-what and had kissed several boys - on the cheek. There was always Jay to think about; Jay Benson, her amazing boyfriend. When Erica caught sight of familiar blonde hair in the distance, she grinned and, throwing herself off the sofa with only the smallest of wobbles, she shoved her way towards Riley Coxen. "Riles!" she exclaimed in delight, her voice slurring a little as she grasped the younger girl by the shoulder and gave her a quick air-kiss. "So glad you could make it. Where's that boy of yours then? You decided not to bring him after all?" The voice of Jack Reid caused Erica to look in front of them at the familiar Slytherin face. "Hello Jack," Erica grinned slyly, flicking her hair out of her hot face. "Good to see you too. Now, you two don't go too wild tonight, yeah? Know your limits I'd say, right Riley?" Erica nudged the Gryffindor gently in the ribs and howled with laughter. The drink was really getting to her head. She bent and whispered loudly in Riley's ear whilst giggling, "There's a spare bedroom upstairs; turn left and it's the end one. I doubt anyone will hear anything through this racket." Erica managed to stem her giggling for a second to leave Riley's side and yell "Whooo!". "Don't you just love parties, Riley?" she shouted over the music and laughed.

[Jack Reid]

Jack quickly realized he wasn’t going to get any information out of the group he had just approached either, but before he could turn around in disgust, he heard a familiar voice from behind him. “You looking for Riley? You know, I think I’ve seen her around here somewhere…” The girl’s voice trailed off, and he knew exactly who’s voice it was. He turned around to face his lovely girlfriend, Riley Coxen, dressed in her best for the party. He took in her attractiveness again, as he found himself having a tendency to do each time he saw her. He swiftly wrapped his arms around her waist, hugging her tightly. “It’s so good to see you finally. I was beginning to think you forgot about me and ran off with some other boy that caught your eye. Maybe another spell book reader in a courtyard, maybe?” He chuckled softly, releasing her partially. He kept his one arm wrapped around her, holding her close, to show anyone around that he wasn’t ashamed of her at all, no matter what anyone might say.

Jack looked around and noticed he hadn’t seen any of Riley’s girls, so he decided to ask. “So where are the girls? Are they all still reveling over how you snagged me so quickly? Or are they trying to find their own tough, strong Slytherin men to satisfy their needs?” It was quite hilarious to think how far the two had come in only the last few months, through to Christmas. After that simple day in the Courtyard, things had escalated, and their feelings had been shown. Jack wasn’t sure what was next, but he knew how he felt about Riley. He wanted to be with her, and he had it in his mind to stick with her for a while. Jack wasn’t interested in anyone else at the time, and he didn’t see anything else happening. He had no intention of changing anything with Riley. He was happy. Happier than he had been in a while, and while time at home had depressed him a bit, especially seeing Mum again, the thought of Riley in his life for a good amount of time was becoming more and more comfortable.

The question was becoming, what was the next step? Whatever it was, he knew he was up for it, and he hoped Riley would be as well. As he pulled her closer, Erica bumbled loudly into them, throwing her arms around the girl and kissing her in the air. The smell of alcohol was strong on her breath, and the smell made him want a drink. Likely he and Riley would share a few drinks later, but right now, it was in his mind to get Riley alone. All he wanted right now was to be alone with her, to kiss her and hold her close, and talk throughout the night with her. But right now they were at the party and they needed to make “an appearance”, pretty much. Erica said hello to him, in her slurred drunk voice. “G’evening, Erica. Maybe you need to take a bit of your own advice on your limits, eh?” He chuckled, looking at Riley slyly as Erica whispered loudly about the empty spare bedroom upstairs. That would likely be where they would spend some of their alone time, but he would leave it up to Riley when they would get alone.

“Well, she’s a bit off her rocker, isn’t she?” Jack said in Riley’s ear as Erica danced around and laughed from the alcohol in her body. “So what have we got to drink here? Or can I have a little of this?” With his words finished, he leaned in, dipping Riley’s body down a bit, and kissing her passionately. He felt her lips tingle against his, tasting the light alcohol on her lips already, and knew he’d want a drink right after that. He pulled her back up and let go of her lips, pushing her hair out of her face and taking in her beauty again. “Let’s get something else to drink, shall we?” Jack took her hand and quickly apparated them both into the kitchen where the fridge was full of drinks. “You know this house better than I do, surprise me.” He didn’t care what she gave him to drink, he just needed something in his body.

[Riley Coxen G7]

It was safe to say that Riley was pleased to see Jack after all this time of separation. All this boyfriend and party stuff was still pretty new to her, despite what the girls had told her about handling a relationship. Mia of course, had suggested an open relationship and ways not to get caught cheating. Erica and Veronica had stressed that boyfriends were both hard work and lots of fun, but they never lasted long. They all seemed to think that this Jack thing was temporary. She knew they didn’t exactly approve of Riley’s status with Jack, even though they were the ones that had started it. Erica was most amused by her sudden relationship. Either way, Riley and Jack were together. She was close with the Daughters now, but she wasn’t going to let them get in the way of something or someone that made her happy. Not that they actually did though. Other than the sneaky little comments and advice, they weren’t stopping her at all. Nevertheless, the girls didn’t exactly help Riley with her lack of experience in this particular field. They gave her little tips, but those never really seemed to help Riley. Riley wouldn’t exactly call herself innocent, but she was far from experienced when it came to guys. She didn’t understand the concept of flirting (though she’d been told that she flirted constantly, though Riley refused to believe it) and before Jack, she had never so much as kissed a boy before. Not being in control unnerved her to no end.

The remarkably strong tasting drink in her hands started to burn at her throat and left a rather bitter taste on her tongue. She didn’t know why she hadn’t opted to mix it with something. After the first three small sips, Riley became tempted to just pour the stuff into a nearby plant and pick up a soda to rid herself of the bitter taste. Not to mention she would likely be close to Erica’s and Mia’s state by the time just this cup was finished. As the girls had often teased Riley for, Riley had come to realize that she was a complete lightweight. A pathetic lightweight. So she decided that before she took another sip, she’d go and mix in whatever sweet liquid she could find. After that thought though, Riley’s mind went completely blank. She couldn’t think anymore, because Jack was now at her side, greeting her by pulling her close. She smiled up at him in response to his joke. “Oh now, don’t be silly. I doubt that anyone other than you would be crazy enough to try and read in that noisy courtyard. Besides, I couldn’t forget you. Trust me, after that horrifically awkward train ride, my brothers won’t let me forget.” She said playfully as he wrapped his arms around her studying her closely.

Riley rested her head on Jack’s shoulder as he spoke to her, contemplating on that very fact. She had only seen Mia so far, and she supposed that was Christy’s beautiful cascade of curly blonde locks that she had seen at the center of that huge crowd of dancers. Erica, and the host Veronica were the other two Riley hadn’t seen just yet. She was about to answer when suddenly, Erica appeared seemingly out of nowhere and hugged Riley tightly, pulling her away from Jack just a bit. Riley laughed. She always got amusement out of seeing drunk people wobble around like lunatics. Erica attempted to whisper in Riley’s ear, but she wouldn’t have been surprised if the small group of Gryffindor boys nearby heard her words. Riley blushed. She would have enjoyed the alone time with Jack, but being alone in a locked room when everyone obviously expected something to be going on in there was a pretty unsettling thought to her. Of course, she’d considered what Erica was suggesting, but she still wasn’t even sure if she was ready for something as big as spending the night with Jack. She loved him, but she wasn’t sure if she was ready to handle it. It was something to consider, something to plan for the future maybe. But that thought didn’t stop Riley from blushing heavily at what Erica had said. “Thanks Erica, we’ll keep that in mind.” She said, somewhat nervous now. When Erica let her go, Riley returned to Jack’s side, instantly losing that nervous feeling in the pit of her stomach. She laughed. “Just a bit. Nothing out of the ordinary though.” Riley said with a shrug, her unwanted drink still in her hands as Jack peered into it. She would have offered him some, but before she could make any kind of response to his request, Jack dipped her and kissed her with such a passion it made her knees wobble like she was about to fall to the floor. In the heat of the kiss, Riley managed to let her drink fall to the floor, filling the air with the strong scent of vodka. Jack pulled away, leaving Riley breathless. Riley had no idea how long they were kissing. Whether it was a long or short period of time, she had no idea. Her scattered brain cells tended to forget about trivial things like time whenever Jack was so close. “Oops.” She managed to say breathlessly after he pulled away.

When Jack and Riley appeared in front of Veronica’s refrigerator, Riley was able to compose herself to find something for both her and Jack to drink. She figured he’d probably like a beer, and settled on a sweet wine cooler for herself. Riley was going to try to take it slow. She didn’t want to fall into a complete mess in front of Jack. Turning away for only a moment, Riley pulled the two bottles out and handed the first to Jack. “There you go. So, had enough of your family yet? I know I have. You have no idea how smothering my family can be.” Riley said with a sigh, opening the cap on her bottle and taking a much bigger sip. She trusted this drink a lot more than the vodka, so her sips were much more generous.

[Jack Reid]

Jack was surprised that his kiss to Riley had nearly (and quite almost literally) knocked her off her feet. She had dropped her drink, and as he lifted her back up and released her, he looked at the mess and instantly it was gone. “Well that takes care of that.” He knew Riley loved how he could be unpredictable at times, and he loved showing her that side of him. It was something Jack could experience with Riley and not hide from her. In fact, he hid little from the girl he called his girlfriend currently. At the moment, the only thing she didn’t know was how his family really was when he was home, which she wouldn’t have to know for a good while. That coming Christmas could be weeks away, he didn’t care. It was only a day or two away, he couldn’t remember, and no, he didn’t care. He apparated them both to the kitchen where there were only a couple of people talking over the loud music, and Riley reached into the fridge to find them both suitable drinks. It had seemed she hadn’t cared for her drink, so it was good they were getting something else. He was nearly parched from that kiss, and needed something if they were going to kiss more that night, which he hoped would happen.

Jack thought of his father as Riley asked about the holidays at home. She handed him a beer. “Thanks.” He twisted the cap off, taking a large swig of the semi-bitter liquid. Jack never thought of his father much, not unless he needed to, or if his brothers were around to remind him of the horrible upbringing he had to suffer through. “Oh I think I have an idea about what you mean by the word ‘smothering’,” Jack said dryly, taking another large sip of his drink, enjoying it wash down his throat. “My father has been his usual self. Pretending to take care of Mum when he’s really thinking about which sleeper he’ll sleep with next. The boys are oblivious, of course. At least they act like it. August and Bronsen want nothing more than one big happy family on Christmas day, and they’ll likely never have it again, as long as Mum stays the way she is.” He looked past her, knowing Riley was there but thinking about how clueless his brothers acted. Christmas and other holidays hadn’t been the same without Mum. Things were so different. Well, Jackson wasn’t different, save for the nights with those whores he loved each night instead of being faithful to Mum, the way a proper marriage should be. Jack knew in his mind that one day he would prove to his father that love lasted forever, not just until the love died.

Jack shook the thought of his father off, knowing Riley was likely waiting for his next words to come. He leaned close to her ear and said in a still small voice, “So are you up for going upstairs? I couldn’t help but hear Erica and her loud offer of the empty spare room.” Before she could give an answer, Jack wrapped his arm around her and kissed her forehead, apparating to the upstairs corridor, where they couldn’t be seen. They were close to the empty spare room, but he wanted to make sure she wanted to go in. “I figured you might want to go in, so I brought us up here without waiting for an answer I could pretty much assume.” He kissed her again deeply, showing her the depth of his desire in his eyes. He opened the door, and the warmth of the room welcomed them. Jack led her in calmly, with his hand on the small of her back. The room was fairly decorated with the makings of a spare bedroom, with nicknacks and little trinkets lining the walls and on the dressers. The room was a dark blue color, and the large bed rested against the center of the back wall, perfectly made. Like it had never been used.

Jack sat Riley down on the bed, and kissed her gently this time, forgetting about time, about the party, about everything. He slid his wand out of his jacket pocket and pointed it at the door, gently pushing the door shut, latching it so that they wouldn’t be disturbed. Jack stood up in front of her, brushing the hair out of her face again, as it had a tendency to fall in front of her face. “You are beautiful as ever, Riley.” He looked over at the one dresser and noticed a collection of musical toys. Immediately he had an idea. With the door shut, the blaring music was muffled enough that it was quiet in the room, and he pointed his wand at the toys. They floated up above the dresser and began playing a simple song, one loud enough for the couple to hear. He looked at the beautiful woman seated in front of him, and asked simply, “May I have this dance?” Jack held his hand out, expectantly, waiting for his lovely lady’s response.

[Riley Coxen G7]

Riley sighed, already noticing Erica out of the corner of her eye talking to that boyfriend of hers. Riley rarely ever saw the guy, but when they were with each other, he always seemed bored. Erica was stuck to him like glue, but his eyes were always wandering on other girls. Riley took another sip and glanced in his direction warily, not exactly sure whether or not she approved of Erica’s older man. He winked at her and Riley shuddered. “Creep.” Riley muttered to herself before turning around. She was enjoying herself, but Riley had never been one that enjoyed parties all too much. Sure, they were okay and all, but right now all Riley could think about was getting out of here and spending some time with Jack. She didn’t know why, but for some strange reason it was so comfortable to be around him. She didn’t have to pretend or act girly. Riley could just be Riley, and Jack loved her for it. She sighed. Her luck this year was unbelievable. And to think, it all started with the death or her bitter father, Bruce Coxen. Perhaps some good could come out of his life, after all? It was all thanks to him that Riley had decided to rebel and join the daughters. Then because of them, Riley was able to awaken a side of herself she’d never seen before. The woman. After that happened, it was only a matter of time before Jack came strolling along, practically falling on her lap. Riley wasn’t stupid. She knew that girls like Mia, Christy, Veronica, and possibly even Erica dreamed for the perfect man to sweep them off their feet. Riley was lucky enough to have him land on her lap with no work whatsoever. She couldn’t believe her luck. Part of Riley was just waiting for her luck to end, for the other shoe to drop so to speak. But she didn’t want to think about that now. She was too happy to have thoughts like that last for too long anyway.

Riley sighed and reached for his hand for a bit of comfort. Jack’s home life was almost as cruddy as hers was. Perhaps worse, even. She wouldn’t have been able to stand living at his place. “Urgh. Sounds like a drag. I’m almost glad I’m the youngest. Well, save for Connor of course, but he’s sweet. At least I wasn’t completely ignorant. I’m sure your brothers will come around though. Now your father on the other hand, seems pretty far gone. My dad was the same way. Never changed.” Riley said in a tone of total nonchalance as a couple of girls pushed past them, almost making Riley spill her drink. Riley glared at them. “Watch it!” She cried out. People at parties tended to be so rude. She rolled her eyes, muttering angrily to herself. She didn’t tolerate rudeness. In fact, if Jack wasn’t here, she probably would have gone over there to give them a piece of her mind. She was glad Jack had decided to come. Otherwise, it would have been an evening of dealing with creeps like Peter and his brother, drinking bitter vodka, and getting pushed into corners by groups of drunken teenagers.

Riley froze for a moment at Jack’s request. She knew what he was asking on the surface, but it was the meaning behind the word that confused her. Did he mean that he wanted to go upstairs for some time away from all the party madness for some quality time? Or was he thinking about something deeper, something more serious? Riley didn’t know, and surprisingly, she really didn’t care. It was true that their relationship hadn’t been going for too long. According to her mother and sister, girls usually waited months or even years before taking a relationship to the next level. But Riley didn’t need a few more months to know what she already knew now. She loved Jack and Jack seemed to love her. Would she regret her choice in the morning, when she woke up with Jack Reid by her side? Probably not. Maybe it was just the alcohol in her system that made her so willing to accept Jack's offer, but she didn't care either way. As her heartbeat accelerated to a speed Riley didn’t think possible, she let Jack lead her upstairs. Of course, he had decided to apparated up, something that hadn’t surprised her. She smiled. “The stairs would have been a fine alternative, you know. I can’t help but wonder how you stay in such amazing shape.” She added with a sly teasing smirk. “And I’d love to.” She said, accepting the deep and passionate kiss that followed. Suddenly, a chorus of wolf whistles and applause came from inside another room, one Riley had recognized to be Veronica’s. Apparently, the girls and their men had decided to leave the party early, all retreating upstairs to a game of what appeared to be strip poker in the next room. Riley rolled her eyes as both Erica’s and Veronica’s heads popped out of the door. Veronica snapped a picture. Riley rolled her eyes.

“Gosh guys, nosy much?” Riley said teasingly, though she was blushing deeply. She walked with Jack inside and locked the door behind her. She heard shushed giggles and whispers from the next room just before the door was shut. Now, all that could be heard was the muffled party music from outside, Jack’s steady breaths, and the pounding of Riley’s heart. She smiled, admiring the musical trinkets that played for them. She sat herself comfortably on the perfectly made bed as he stood close to her, brushing the hair out of her face. She pulled him closer to her, so that he was sitting next to her. “I really love the trinkets,” She said, pulling him closer still. She kissed him softly once, then again more passionately. “But I’d rather we skipped the dance. I’m not very good on my feet anyway.” She said breathlessly. “Besides, I’m sure the girls have their ears pressed against the walls expectantly. Might as well put on a show, right?” Riley added with a drunken giggle.

((So I guess you can end it with your next post, and we can move on to the Christmas post? Unless you want me to post once more about the next morning. Either way I'm fine. )

[Jack Reid]

Jack could tell that Riley was a bit hesitant of his request to go upstairs to the private room. It was a mixed question, and he knew it. It could mean quality time, and it could mean completely something else. He had every intention of finding out exactly what Riley wanted to do that night, and giving her exactly what she wanted. If she wanted romance and quality time, and wanted to work on their relationship, he would respect that. But if she wanted more, he was up for that next level already. It was an interesting change of events, especially since while he had been dating Juliet, he could have definitely had his way with her, but he had respected her as a woman, and she had betrayed him. Maybe if he had taken what he wanted, things would have been different. It didn’t matter now. That was over. He didn’t even know where Juliet was, and neither did he care. The woman he had his arm around and was about to go into a private room into with was the only one he cared about at the moment. Jack hoped Riley knew how much he cared for her, and that she knew what a treasure she was.

Jack let the trinkets fall back softly back to where they were on the dresser as he continued to kiss Riley passionately, sitting with her on the bed that seemed to get more comfortable the more that they two of them sat there. Jack found it funny that the girls were as nosy as ever see what they might do together in the locked room, alone. Was it that obvious? He guessed it would be. They were at the age when sex was sort of a taboo kind of thing, but with where Jack and Riley’s relationship seemed to be going at the moment, everything seemed to be going right. He wanted to be the gentleman tonight, which was why he offered the dance before they got to business, as some might say, but Riley seemed to have other ideas. She explained how she wasn’t too good on her feet. He chuckled. “Oh you’re fine on your feet. I swept you off easily enough because you had that bitter drink in your hand. I saved you from that, remember? You need to remember what you’re drinking, darling.” With that, he drank down the last bit of his beer and sat the empty bottle on the other dresser at the end of the bed.

As Riley kissed him passionately again, he knew what was coming. He decided to have a little bit of fun with slightly drunk Riley before they shared their full love with each other. “Why don’t we freak the girls out a little bit, huh? Watch this.” He took his wand and pointed it at the empty bottle he had placed on the dresser. He quickly shot it at the door, along with a few of the larger, less breakable pieces of furniture in the room, making them bang against the door and against a few of the empty parts of the walls. “Ahhhh!” he pathetically yelled over the music, going with the loud noises of the furniture hitting. It seemed he was a bit drunk as well. Why would he ever do such a thing. “Guess I’m a little out of it too, huh? At least I’m not as bad as Erica, right?” Jack couldn’t help but laugh and kiss Riley smoothly again on the lips, putting his hand on the back of her head and pulling her closer to him. “If you’re sure about this, I’m sure about it.” He looked into her eyes, those eyes full of wanting, full of love. Jack loved her, he knew he did. He might not admit it out loud yet, but that would come soon, he was sure of it. Jack looked Riley in the eyes again, knowing her answer exactly, and pulled the covers over them, turning the lights out with his wand, laying it down on the nightstand, the music only a dull roar now, and still fading as they got closer.

((I guess if you want to do the next morning, or we can just move on to Christmas. It's up to you. We need to wait for August for Christmas, so if you get some inspiration for it, go ahead. Maybe we can even keep this one going...they can talk about it a bit? haha))

[Riley Coxen G7]

Riley was floating. Wait…was she floating? It seemed like she was, yet she was still laying down on what seemed to be a bed. Though, it didn’t feel like her bed. Of course, the sensible thing would have been to open one’s eyes to see what was going on, but Riley never really had much sense in her to begin with, especially in the mornings. Besides, she didn’t want the dream she’d just had to vanish completely as dreams normally did once a girl opened her eyes. Even though her eyes had shut tight, she was already beginning to forget most of the finer details that had made it so amazing. All she could remember now were the lights…and Jack of course. Oh yes, and the snow. Jack, a white Christmas, and the bright lights of some big crowded area. They weren’t the annoying kind of lights that blinded people either. No, they were more the kind that you would stop to admire upon seeing, as if one simple look wasn’t nearly enough to get the full effect. God, it was just so wonderful, she didn’t want to wake up from it, even if she was curious as to where the hell she was. She definitely wasn’t in her room or even if she was in her own house at this moment. Why, she could be stark naked in the middle of some alleyway on a strangely warm and comfortable mattress and she wouldn’t know it yet because she just didn’t want to lose that heavenly dream.

But then Riley felt and heard someone stirring just next to her. Still not completely conscious as of yet, Riley figured it was probably time to let go of the dream’s remnants and see who in the hell she was waking up next to. She couldn’t remember much at the moment, but things were slowly starting to come back to her. She remembered Chace’s warning—very vaguely of course. Then there was the party, that scum bag Mia had run off with, and his brother attempting to make an advancement on her. Oh God. Riley thought to herself in shock, suddenly glad she hadn’t opened her eyes yet. I didn’t! I know I had a few drinks, but I would never! Would I? Riley’s thoughts went frantically on like this for another couple of minutes before they finally found a solution. Well there’s only one way to find out for sure.. Riley said as someone’s hand stroked her cheek. Whoever was lying down beside her was obviously awake, and knew of her presence as well. Riley inhaled nervously, getting ready for the absolute worst. Well, the girls couldn’t be too far, could they? Come on Riles, you’re going to have to open your eyes sometime. If worst comes to worst, just kick him out. Or leave, depending on whose house you’re in. Chace wouldn’t be too happy picking you up, but surely he will… Finally getting up the courage to open her eyes, they snapped open and she turned her head, noticing just before seeing the man’s face that her shirt was thrown carelessly on the ground beside her. So there was no question as to what was done, simply who it was done with. Had Jack decided to come to the party? Riley could only hope…

“Jack!” Riley whispered fondly with a sigh of relief. Waking up with Jack lying right next to her was definitely a much better turnout than Riley’s worst fears had imagined. Despite the pounding headache she’d woken up with, Riley was incredibly relieved. She nibbled slightly on her lower lip not out of nervousness like she usually did, but out of happiness. God, if only her mother knew what had really gone on the night before. Riley shouldn’t be this happy that she had just woken up after a wild house party with an older Slytherin guy right next to her. But she was, and she loved that she was. She settled herself closer to him, resting her head on his warm, bare chest. “Good morning.” She said, looking up at him. By now, she had completely forgotten about that heavenly dream. Though, waking up to this wasn’t exactly all that terrible an alternative. She glanced over at the door, which was blocked by a bunch of furniture and shattered glass. Riley sat up quickly, her face confused. Of course, this sudden movement was greeted with a sudden burst of pain in her head. So this is a hangover, eh? Well, I can’t stand it. Riley glanced at Jack with a half smile on her lips. “Did I put up a fight or something?” Riley teased, just as the furniture was magically moved from in front of the door and Erica and Mia walked through the door. The others had been pretty MIA for the night, though that was understandable. Veronica was the host, and Christy probably had the worst hangover of them all right now.

Riley, whose eyes widened in astonishment, pulled the covers tightly over herself. “Guys! Do you mind?” She groaned. Erica laughed and made some witty comeback Riley didn’t catch. She was holding a telephone in her hands. Mia was holding two glasses of some strange cherry red solution, smiling. Weren’t the both drunk out of their minds last night? Why were they in such good moods? “Gosh,” Mia exclaimed, glancing around at the chaos that was Veronica’s guest room. “You guys aren’t finished yet? That’s some serious energy. And I suppose all this broken glass was your doing as well? Congrats Riley, I didn’t know you had it in you.” Mia smirked as she handed them both that strange cherry red drink. Riley merely rolled her eyes, holding the covers to her body tightly. “Thanks, I think. And please, no more drinks. Haven’t you two had enough already? I mean, you were drunk last night. What happened?” Riley asked, raising her eyebrows. Mia merely smiled, urging them to drink. “It’s Erica’ specialty anti-hangover punch. Works pretty great, depending on how much you've had. More than three and it's pretty much pointless, hense why it never works on Christy. But seriously, drink. You’re brother’s downstairs and he’s demanding to see you. Should I send him up here…?” Mia said innocently, already knowing the answer. “NO!” Riley practically screamed. She ushered the girls out, downed the drink in one gulp, and dressed herself quickly while Jack watched her little morning dance with amusement. “Bye Jack. I’ll see you soon. Maybe after Christmas.” She said before kissing him deeply and hopping away, trying to get her sock on properly as she left. Chace was in the corridor, about to enter when Riley exited, practically slamming the door behind her. “High Chace! Um, I’m ready. Let’s go.” Riley said, out of breath and speaking quickly like she usually did when she was either lying or hiding something. Chace was suspicious of course, but took Riley’s hand and apparated her back home where Mrs. Coxen was anxiously waiting.

((another long one, sorry. Couldn't help it. And this was Riley's last post, but either one of the Daughters or Jack can feel free to squeeze in their last reply.))