Tessa:
Tessa loved her Grandfather, no one could dispute that. She doted on the old man and likewise he on her. She was not spoiled for no reason after all. However, even those who love and are loved in return need to get away from the person. One can only spend so much time with a person before the felt the small need to escape. To be off and doing something on their own. The need was even stronger when that person was a guardian.
Living in London always had its advantages. One such, Tessa was never at a loss of something to do when she needed to get away. This was one of those such times. She was dressed in a dark blue skirt with a sheer silvery silk like fabric over it, she wore a light blue gray form hugging spaghetti top, with a sheer white blouse, the front left open. She wore her usual rings but besides them she only wore her locket around her neck.
Entering Diagon Alley, there was a slight breeze that toyed with the dirty blonde curls, her hair having been left down today. On the bridge of her nose, covering her gray eyes, were her usual median size designer sun glasses.
Tessa felt somewhat bored ... even with all the bustle of people around the Alley she was bored. She wasn't in the mood for finding gossip or amusement in people's stupidity. Her mood was low today and she couldn't account for it ... well yes she could but she didn't want to think about it, so she didn't.
Maneuvering through the crowd, Tessa stopped at the outside ice cream parlor. She sat at one of the tables after she had ordered a vanilla sunday. With her head leaning against her hand, her eyes focused on her ice cream while she used her other hand to eat it with spoon. Ice cream always made one feel better ...
Tessa was glad for her normal mask ... for the fact it was in place, it saved her from people asking if something was wrong. She hated that question. They may feel they were only asking because they care, but what right did they have to ask or to care? Did she give them permission to? Did she want them to care about her?
No, she did not.
Andrew:
Stalling. that's what Andrew was doing. Thoughout the trip to Diagon alley, he had picked up loads of things he doesnt need, and barely touched the things he does. Dustin was off god knows where, probably with Eddie, Mum and Dad may have met up with him. And didn't know or care. All that mattered was that he was finally alone, free to do as he pleased. Which meant trouble for his surroundings.
While exiting one of his favorite stores, Weasleys, an ice cream shop caught his eye. He still had quite a bti of money left, and only a few books to get. He could afford a little treat today.
Ice cream delighted Andrew. All kinds. Any kind. He loved it all. Vanilla, Chocolate, mint chocolate chip, cookie dough, rocky road. All of it. entering the store, and choosing a floavour was the hard part. it wasn't crouded, but that just meant he would have to decide that much sooner.
Strawberry. It was simple, and somewhat girly, but it tasted good. Andrew turned around from the counter, cup and spoon in hand, searching for the perfect place to sit. Then, he saw Tessa. Andrew had had a crush on Tessa since atleast 3rd year. Mabey longer. She never really showed any signs of likeing him or otherwise. It confused him a bit, but And went with it anyways. He wasn't exactly one to give up like that. Not to mention it was bound to be public knowledge he had a crush on her. He was a bit obvious, and she was the gossip queen afterall.
Careful not to invite himself over, Andrew walked over to Tessa, and stood in front of her. She was alone, for once. Normally he had to deal with the whole snob posse. Though he had no problems with making friends with them. They were her friends afterall, he might as well. Vanilla. So Tessa was simple as well. Two things in common already. "This seat taken?" Andrew asked with a smirk.
Tessa:
Tessa allowed her thoughts to wander. Mostly they wandered to school and in turn her group of "Friends." The Snob Group as they were lovingly called by the rest of the school. However, Tessa could not consider any of the girls in the group her friend. Well, Amabel was of course ... But the rest of the girls? No not really. Tessa wasn't silly enough to believe such a thing. They hung out because bird of a feather flocked together ... they understood each other ... in a way at least. And besides, one needed to keep their enemies close. Those girls could easily turn on each other and dish out something mean.
It was why all of Tessa's secrets were hidden deep within her. There were even some Amabel didn't even know...
This seat taken? The male voice ripped Tessa from her thoughts. Her gray eyes glanced up over her sunglasses, her head not really moving, at the boy who had spoken.
Andrew Rodare. Her year and house. Younger brother to Dustin Rodare. Had a crush on her. Great. Perhaps Tessa wasn't a typical snob ... she had yet to try and use Andrew for her own gain ... she basically ignored and stayed away from him. She didn't trust people who she knew "crushed" on her. She didn't want to risk the chance of forming some sort relationship. Life was easier when you were alone, single.
"If I say yes will you go sit somewhere else?" she asked pleasantly. However, perhaps it had sounded a little forced, the pleasant note. She could not be sure. She very rarely had to work to keep her pleasant and friendly facade up.
Andrew:
With high hopes of a welcoming invitation, Tessa's reply almost broke Andrew's heart. Behind all of the smart remarks, and pranks, he did have a heart. Why is Tessa all of a sudden snobby to him as well? Normally she just acted as if nothing were different. Then again, normally they were together only with other people around too.
Perhaps it was the fact that Andrew was completely obvious. When he knows girls have a crush on him, and he dosnt feel the same, he definatly avoids them.Mabey she was just letting him know she wasn't interested. She just wants to be friends. Or was she really that snobby?
Whether Tessa was interested or not, Andrew was going after his prize. "Nope." He said smiling, then plopped down in the chair across from her. She had clearly mentioned it wasnt taken.If she were with someone, she probably wouldn't have already gotten her ice cream anyways. She would have waited. Or would she?
It was turning out that though Andrew had had a crush on Tessa for quite a while, he didn't know much about her. All he really knew was that she was in the snob group, his year and house, and she was hot. Though that's also all that really mattered at the moment for Andrew. He hadn't exactly developed the soft emotional relationship hormones yet. Or perhaps he was ignoring them. He didn't know that either.
Tessa:
"Had that feeling," Tessa commented in response to his refusal. But she could try. One couldn't blame the girl for that. She wasn't sure if she wanted company or not at the moment. She had wanted to get away from her Grandfather ... he overly concerned at her sub-due spirits ... she couldn't keep a happy facade up around him twenty four seven. She wasn't sure what it was about her grandfather but she couldn't.
Tessa lifted her head off her hand, that hand moving to her neck to tangle her fingers with in the golden chain to clasp around the gold locket as she took another bite of her ice cream. Her eyes glanced briefly at Andrew, looking at his ice cream. With her sun glasses she couldn't tell exactly what flavor he was eating. However, she wasn't going to remove her glasses. She couldn't be certain that her emotions were all hidden, even from her eyes. It was difficult to keep her feelings away from her eyes, especially when her spirits were low.
However, with her eyes hidden behind her sunglasses, she took the time to observe him, look more closely at the boy. She admitted to herself that he was cute, handsome even. Tessa didn't really know what her feelings were in regards to him. She had never thought about it, she had just automatically sort of avoided him. She hadn't wanted to think about it when she first learned about his crushing on her and she hadn't thought about it since. She was just going through the motions now.
She took another bite of her Sunday while she thought. Tessa knew she ought to be making some sort of conversation, it would fall in line with her usual habits... she was the friendly, chatty Gryffindor Snob, wasn't she? But she couldn't bring herself to think of anything to say. She didn't even want to try and probe and find stuff out from him, even if she suspected he had nothing of interest ... gossip wise.
Tessa supposed she could ask him how his brother was doing ... after all, didn't Elsa ruin his brother's relationship with Maia? But then, he would think her concern was probing ... but wouldn't it be that a little anyway? It was still gossip. It seemed no matter what she said, it could be considered probing ... she didn't know why that bothered her suddenly. It never did before.
She did not realize as she started to frown as she stared into her ice cream, her thoughts crowding her mind. Tessa placed the spoon into the ice cream, losing her ambition to eat it anymore.
Andrew:
Well there. She hadn't been completely repulsed by his response. She didn't totally detest his presence. That had to be a good sign. Right? It was also possible she was hiding behind a mask, like so many people seemed to do these days. If she was, maybe she hated him after all, in which case he should defiantly leave before making things worse, bu Andrew wasn't about to let that get in the way just yet.
Masks weren't him. He didn't use them. Didn't hide. He was Andrew Rodare. 24/7. Where ever he was. whoever he was around. Just because someone didn't approve of him didn't mean he had to change completely. There will always be someone who won't like you, no matter how much you change. And no one in Andrew's like was worth changing for quite yet. If it ever will be. Tessa wasn't that far embedded in his heart. She could be replaced. Probably by another snob. That Elsa girl was kinda hot...
It was kind of obvious when she had nothing to say. Tessa was notorious for constantly gossiping, if not just talking in general. The girl couldn't keep her mouth shut as far as Andrew knew. And now she hadn't a word. The fact that he had a crush on a girl never bothered And before. Why now? Was Tessa any different from all those other girls? Somehow the fact that she was acting so strangely made him feel a bit uneasy. Which was odd as well. It was rare for Andrew to feel out of place anywhere he was. He generally fit in with everyone. but now Tessa was making him feel out of place. Why her?
"So I suppose you're here looking for Hogwarts supplies?"
Tessa:
Tessa had been reduced to moving her spoon around in her bowl of ice cream, creating a cavity when he had spoken, So I suppose you're here looking for Hogwarts supplies? Tessa lifted her head away from her ice cream to look at him. She pushed the dead weight from her heart, she would not dwell on that ... not today .. but then it was always this time of year that it dropped on her ... she had never noticed it before when she was younger ... her grandparents seemed to pay particular attention to her at this time of year ... Tessa never really realized why.
However, when her grandmother died when she eight, she felt the weight the following summer, what they were keeping her mind from ... since then it grew ... especially when she observed others. Tessa may have been young when her parents died but the bond was still there. She could still sense a memory of them in side her.
She shook the thoughts away to focus on Andrew. "Not really ... I have all my supplies ... just needed to get away," she said quietly. She dropped her normal friendly tone. This one was sub-due and so strange to be heard coming from Tessa. Only her Grandfather and Amabel had ever heard her talk so. Heaven help her if someone in the snob group came in and started talking to her. Tessa felt and knew she would be an easy target.
"Have you gotten yours?" she then asked after a moment. Might as well try and keep the conversation going.
Andrew:
This was even stranger. Now Tessa seemed almost... sad. She was never sad. Always happy, always ready to pounce. and now she was opening up to Andrew? She wasn't exactly pouring her heart out, but he could tell she wanted to talk. Though what was going on now he had no idea. He'd be eager to hear th hough. Anything about Tessa was exciting to him, not to mention he's ad to listen to Dustin drone on about Maia all summer long. Any other news would be just grand.
Still puzzled, Andrew decided it was best to respond, and keep going, than to completely ignore her in thought when she's acting like this. There's got to be something wrong. "I've got a few more things to grab. Just a book or two." The fact that Tessa seemed almost interested in his personal life, was odd as well. Again, she wasn't exactly prying, but heaven knows she normally wouldn't have even said this much to him.
"How has your summer been?" Well, it was better than nothing. Though Andrew was rather curious about what she's been up to, it was a common conversation continuer. If that was even a word. Either way, it kept the small talk up, and often gave way to bigger things. Hopefully for Andrew, it would. Though he wasn't sure if he wanted to hear her problems or not. Her acting like this was crazy enough. She really didn't need to confide in him. Even though he wanted her to.
Tessa:
"Same as always," she stated non-committedly. Even though she felt down, she was no more used to telling her deepest secrets than Andrew was used to seeing her in a melancholy state. Her mind was telling her to pull herself out of her depressed state, and yet she couldn't bring herself to. Perhaps it was the fact that since she always acted happy, the sad aspects of her life had to be felt and shone. She hated it.
So some part of her mind was still working, enough not to let her give anything important out to Andrew. She had no reason to. This was the first time they had actually spoken. Why did it have to be on this day, the week she was in a fluke? Why? In such a state she felt so vulnerable as if someone could just swoop down and steal the secret in her heart, her pain and spread it for the world to know. It may not seem like such a big deal, but to her it was. It showed she had feelings, that she could be hurt.
Tessa didn't want to be hurt. But pain was part of life, she learned that early. Her normal act didn't show that. She was just the carefree spoiled rich girl who knew nothing of the problems of life. What could she possibly know?
"Been enjoying your summer?" she then asked Andrew, a touch of her usual tone back but barely enough for one to think her normal again. It was so much harder today. Perhaps this was why her grandfather had been coddling her. Tessa released her locket, placing that hand on the table as she folded her arms in front of her.
Andrew:
The more Tessa spoke, the more Andrew noticed how much there was wrong with her. "She must be going through something." It was obvious Thai Andrew now that she was totally down. It wasn't a break up. As far as he knew she hadn't been dating anyone. It didn't have to do with her parents, they were gone. Now she only had her grandfather, but he could have sworn they got along. What could possibly be wrong?
Whatever was going on with Tessa, he still had to answer her question. "It's been Kay. I haven't really been doing anything, since there's not really been anyone around. Yours?" There went that. "I already said that didn't I?" He indeed, had said that already. Though not in those exact words. Her summer was 'Same as always.' Figures. Andrew really hadn't expected to get a real answer out of her.
Andrew's ice cream was now melting. it was rather hot in the shop, considering it was full of ice cream. But with the constant opening and closing of the doors, on this beautiful day, he supposed it was hard to keep it all that cold. The ice cream was good while it lasted. Now it was a pile of strawberry liquid. Not exactly what Andrew wanted to snack on. Tessa's was probably a pile of chocolate liquid as well. She had gotten here before Andrew after all.
Tessa:
"Aye, you did," she stated in response to his asking if he had already asked her, a light smile touching her lips in amusement. Her eyes looked back down at her ice cream, finding it was a pile of liquidy white mush with swirls of dark brown. The heat had completely killed its shape. If Tessa had not already lost her appetite, seeing the ice cream now surely would have done the trick.
She probed it with her spoon for a moment before saying, "You'd think they would charm it to stay cold or something." Tessa let go of the spoon before she turned her eyes back to Andrew. The ice cream was turning into a sort of diversion for her. When there was a lull or she didn't want to look at him, she had reverted to picking at the mush with the spoon.
"How can something still touch you even though it happened so long ago?" she suddenly blurted out in question to him. It was bothering her. Tessa didn't like being depressed; it wasn't really in her make-up. After all, she may always seem the happy person, but most of the time that was really her. There was usually very little that could damper her mood. It was so easy to be happy ... however it was so depressing and blah to be sad. She disliked it.
After the words had left her lips, Tessa mentally cursed herself. Surely he could deduct something, anything from that question. Tessa did not like giving such information away freely and she just blurted it out!
Andrew:
Tessa was right. This was the magical world, why didn't they enchant the ice cream? They sure did it to everything else. It was ahrd to find something that isnt enchanted these days. Though charming ice cream would likely be a good way to lose money. The more ice cream that melts, the more people want another...
The heat didn't help either. Atleast the room was fairly cold compared to outside. But now Tessa was making the room uncomfortable. Now she really was confiding in him. "How can something still touch you even though it happened so long ago?" The thought passed through Andrew's head. "What happened to her?"
"Are you alright?" He knew the answer, but it was the only thing he could think to say. He couldn't exactly ask her what's wrong quite yet. She might get freaked out by that. Afterall, this was probably thier longest conversation ever. They didn't really chat all that often, much to Andrew's dissapointment.
Though, now it was almost for sure they HAD to get closer. Why else would she be telling him this? Or was she just that desperate? She coudl always be messing with him... He kind of deserved it. Falling for a snob and all.
Tessa:
His answer was kind of unexpected for her. Although perhaps it shouldn't have been since she knew he has/had who knows if he still did for the moment a crush on her. Tessa had actually expected him to answer the question not ask if she was alright. It had caught her off guard.
However, there was barely a moment between his question her answer. "I'm fine. It's nothing," she stated, lying only slightly, shaking her head lightly. She was physically fine, so she wasn't lying there ... but mentally .. well that was still in question.
"Forget I said anything," she then added. Ha! Like that would happen. Once something was said it could not be forgotten unless spelled away. However, it was a nice thought even though she knew it was not possible. It was one of the reasons why rumors, even if they weren't true, were so effective. The information was out there. It may be false and but people would remember it.
Although she had said to forget it, Tessa found herself wanting to know what his answer would be. However, once she said to forget it, she would not retract her statement, she did have a small smidgen of pride that shot in the most inconvenient times. Tessa kind of hoped that he would disregard her statement and answer her question anyway. It seemed like something he would do, but then she was acting uncharacteristic of herself, maybe he would sway from what she thought of him too.
Andrew:
This was almost getting to be rediculous to Andrew. How could Tessa expect him to forget that? There was obviously something very wrong, and he really did care for her. She had to know it by now. She was up to date on all the school gossip, there's no way this could have passed her by. And there's no way she could believe that he could just ignore her problems. If she did, mabey she wasn't who he thought she was.
And knew she couldn't possibly be fine, and was ready to tell her. "Could you tell me what's wrong?" He was being very stereotypical Andrew Rodare, but he couldn't hide it. Nor did he want to. Especially nto around Tessa. Now was not the time to ignore things, and pretend like nothing phased him, because it did, and Tessa obviously needs a friend.
Though Andrew couldn't understand why she went to him, he could understand why she didn't go to her 'friends'. They didn't seem like good friends at all. And could easily see her confiding in, say Elsa, and then her going back and blabbing eveything to everyone she saw. That's wouldn't help anything. And neither would ignoring it.
Tessa:
Could you tell me what's wrong? Tessa could not say she was surprised by this question. She had not honestly thought that he would believe her when she had said she was fine. Heck, she wasn't even sure she would believe herself in this mood.
"Nothing is wrong," she repeated off-handedly, the way she spoke indicating nothing was wrong. It had been difficult to get the tone in her voice to say such. Tessa had to grasp the small truth of the statement and hang on for dear life. If she allowed the untruth to slide in, she knew her response would not be believable.
However, she was sure that Andrew would not believe her. He had known her these past four years at the school and then add on the beginning of this little chit-chat. Yes, he would need to be an idiot to believe anything she said. However, he would need to be an idiot as well if he expected her to actually tell him what was wrong right now. She barely knew him. She had known Amabel since her first year, the girl was her best friend, the one she trusted the most and that girl didn't even know this pain!
Tessa felt that the start a circle was beginning, that they may go through this again, but then again they might now. He might realize she wasn't going to tell him anything more and drop it. However, Tessa was starting to wonder why she was still sitting there. Her ice cream was now just a puddle in its dish and hence she had no real reason to stay ... unless she actually enjoyed talking to Andrew ... could that be? If she didn't she would have found a way to walk away by now.
It had to be because her mood was low. That was all. She wasn't her normal self. Nothing to worry about.
She hoped.
Andrew:
Andrew knew full well that Tessa was not going to just spill her life out to him. They'd barely spoken in the past four years, and even then, never alone. Except mabey the occasional 'Hey' when passing in the common room. However, And was prepared to take on the challenge. Tessa was feeling out of it, and there was obviously something wrong, so anything he could do to help, he was going to attempt. Whether he failed misserably or not.
"Bullshit." It was almost offensive, but it was to the point, which was what And was going for. He raised his hand below his chin and rested on it. Then he smiled at Tessa, he knew this was going to bug her, atleast a little. She wasn't used to boys, or anyone rather being so ruda. Or atleast thats what And concieved.
There was no way Andrew was going to accept that there was nothing wrong. He knew she was just saying that, and he also knew she needed to talk about it. Well, he was there, so she might as well talk to him. It's not like there was really anyone there to eavesdrop either.
Most of the waiters were in the back room, and they were now the only customers left, as the old couple a few seats down had left a moment ago. Which was odd, considering the heat. Which was another reason Andrew wanted to stay here. He wasn't going to be able to leave for a few hours, and it was hot as blazes outside. He definatly did not want to go back out therem whether Tessa left or not.
Tessa:
Tessa gave a start when he spoke. He was correct in his assumption she wasn't used to such rudeness, or rather language. Her reaction was usually the same to it: blink a few times then brush it away. She raised her sunglasses resting them on the top of her head, the first time she had removed them since in his presence. Her eyes showed an expression almost hard, an anger, but beneath the anger lurked sadness.
"Oh, puh-lease, like you actually care about my personal life," she snapped at him, knowing very well that he probably had some sort of feelings for wanting to make her feel better. "You don't know me ... not even a smidgen of inch do you know," she continued in cold tone. She wanted to continue but she knew she was digging herself a hole. A hole for him to blow up at her, to yell at her.
"What you care about is only a face, a mask," she then stated a little more softly before she dropped her sunglasses back over her eyes. Her mind was telling her stand up and leave, to get out of there. However, her body would not respond, would not obey the order. Instead, she just sat there. Uncomfortably.
Coming to terms that she wasn't going anywhere for the moment, she prepared herself for his response. Surely he would respond angrily or coldly? After all, she accused him of not caring about her at all ... not that he had any reason to care in her opinion. She really was the spoil rich girl, making it seem as if the world revolved around her, in her mind she knew better. But it never came out of her mouth that way.
Andrew:
There she was! The Tessa that Andrew kenw was starting to show through. Her snippy attitude at his language was exactly what he was planning for. The fact that she thought he didn't know who she really was wasn't a surprise to him either. How should he know? They didn't talk much, but Andrew had as sort of sense. He always knew Tessa wasn't a complete snob, not like her friends were.
Falling into Andrews trap, Tessa was showing anger. "I know you better than you think." Though that came off a bit like a stalker, And knew what he was doing. He'd waited quite a while for this moment. Tessa was falling putty in his hands.
Tessa gave off a lot of herself that she didn't intend. Mabey that was how she was, or mabey that was how Andrew recieved people, he didn't know. "Try me." She showed with every mean thing she did, every harsh word to a fellow student, even every dirty look she gave to her professors when they weren't looking. She showed everyone how she was inside. She wasn't a monster, she was abutterfly. A beautiful butterfly. Trapped in a glass case.
Every moment they spent in the same room, Andrew could see Tessa's true self comming through. It was hard for anyone to hide. Eventually your emotions would build up, and everyone would see who you are on the inside, whether you want it or not.
If it weren't for the snob group Tessa had fallen in with, she'd be free. Andrew knew it. He knew she wasn't just a girl who's goign to accept everyone. No one is, but Tessa wasn't a cold hard snob either. She had a heart, she just chose not to show it sometimes. though she always used it, and Andrew knew it.
"And I do care about how you feel. No matter what you think." And he meant it. There was no one he cared for more than Tessa yet. Not even Dustin. Not his Phil. No one. And he only wanted to express it, but tEssa wasn't ready to hear what he needed to say, and she needed to know.
Tessa:
Tessa pushed her anger to the side, she knew dwelling on it didn't do anything expect to put her into a tizzy. It didn't really help any but release steam and when that steam was being let off one did not have control of the situation anymore. People became irrational when they became emotional and Tessa knew she was no different in that aspect. It was hard though.
However, she felt herself blink at his responses. He sounded calm, cool even. He didn't appear angry. This was wrong. Very wrong! That meant she didn't have control over what was happening; she didn't have the reigns on this conversation. And if she didn't have the reigns that meant Andrew did. Tessa did not like having no control over a conversation. That meant the other person was controlling her in some form.
They could hurt her.
It was a sobering thought.
Now he spoke, it was her turn to say something. However, she was unsure what to say. As her mind searched for something, she missed over one key thing. He was distracting her from her memories, her thoughts. The ones that were depressing her. It was so obvious, but she missed it. But then, it did not occur to her that he would be doing this to ease her mood. That seemed impossible, unthinkable.
"I'll believe it when I see it," she finally stated dryly after a moment in response. Harsher, meaner comments had came to her mind. However, she unconsciously felt she didn't want to scare him off. She was careful in her wording. Tessa really didn't want to get her into a situation she couldn't control and even the comment she did choose was risky. She could think of no better reply though.
Andrew:
Tessa's response was the first thing she had said since Andrew started to work his magic that surprised him. The funny thing was, she was still falling into the trap, even as she tried to dig herself out. The anger she gave away as she spoke said everything. Those few words were her mistake to make. You can't mask your emotions when you speak. It comes out one way or another.
What comforted Andrew was that he got to tell her how he felt. At least a little of it. She knew now that he cared for her. She could tell herself that he didn't, but he'd show her that he truely did care for her.
Now Tessa was playing her own game. Through this she showed everything as well. She was changing the topic to Andrew, instead of what was wrong with herself. That wasn't going to work however. "You're changing the subject."
Hopefully that would get things somewhat back on track, but it definatly let Andrew know to stay on his toes. Tessa was one with her own sleeve of trickery. He'd have to be careful with everything he said. Though he usually was.
To increase the intensity of the conversation, Andrew took his bowl, and placed it under Tessa's, then pushed them to the side of the table. He leaned a bit forward, all his weight on the table, with his arms crossed before him. Tessa wasn't going to get otu fo this. She had already started to play with Andrew, now she had to finish the job.
Tessa:
Persistent little devil he was. When he moved their bowls and leaned forward against the table, Tessa leaned back, her posture becoming straighter, tense even. Was she getting herself to something she couldn't handle? Tessa could not even begin to guess what was going through Andrew's mind. Every time she tried he did something completely different than she was expecting. Usually she could read people somewhat accurately. Why couldn't she do that now?
"Which subject was that?" she asked with a light smile. "We've been through quite a few by now." She knew which one he meant, but she couldn't just give in and go with it, could she? She didn't even want to talk about it in the first place. At least that was what she believe. Tessa was determined to stick with that thought.
However, by her last statement, she had feeling she was going to shake Andrew very easily. It was as if she had issued a dare to him. To prove to her that he cared about her. How he chose to fulfill that dare was left to be seen. And yet this seemed to be one possibility.
Tessa could feel that the atmosphere between them had changed. More intense. It just reiterated her feeling she was going into something she couldn't handle right now. She was not up to her quick normal wit, as one could call it. However, now that she had made a start she had to keep going even if it meant losing in some form. One could bet she wasn't going to go without some sort of fight though. However, she never thought she was playing with Andrew. This would not be something she called 'playing'.
Andrew:
Tessa was quite determined to keep her position. Andrew knew now that this was going to take quite a bit of effort. He was ready for it. Tessa leaned back. That meant what he was doing was still working. His leaning forward, had either intimidated her, or she had realised the pressure was on now. As if it wasn't before...
It was time to break Tessa of her lonesome habits. She had to see that life on her own wasn't going to work. She needed someone there to talk to, and Andrew was ready to be that someone. He was ready for her to cry on his shoulder.
Andrew knew what it was like to be alone. With no one there to care. It was not a road he would choose to go down again unless he had to. Even then he would be hesitant. He held a special price on friendship, one that he couldn't retrieve if he wanted to. He needed friends, and so did Tessa. Only Andrew knew it, and she had yet to understand.
Playing dumb wasn't going to work with And either. "You know what I'm talking about. What ever it is that's bothering you." He began to recall what she had blurted earlier, the thing that started it all. those simple little words.
"How can something still touch you even though it happened so long ago?" He ponderded to himself for a moment. Soemthing had to have happened. And it had a lasting effect. "What happened to you? I'm not going to let you sit here and deny that soemthings bothering you."
Tessa:
Tessa felt herself flinch when he had repeated her question from earlier. Why could she not have held her tongue. She had known the moment it had left her lips it would come back to haunt her, to bite her in the butt. And here it was. Andrew was now trying to work her sorrows out of her. If she had kept her mouth shut perhaps he would have left it be. But now he had a piece of the puzzle and she knew by the end of this he would probably be holding more.
Unconsciously, her left hand came up and clasped the locket that hung from the gold chain around her throat. "Nothing happened to me," she responded coldly. She knew she had given him another piece. Tessa had resigned herself to the fate that she wasn't going to escape this without losing a few pieces of the puzzle. She was still determined to keep them to herself.
He could not possibly guess that it was her parents' deaths that haunted her. It happened so long ago and would seem like something one would have gotten over by now. Especially since Tessa had been barely of the age to remember their death, and yet she did. However, she was not sure it was public knowledge that her parents had died when she was young, or at least how young she had been. That had never been information she had hid from the world. Perhaps that was why it would not seem the thing to conclude. One would jump first to either her Grandfather, her sole living relative, or her Grandmother who had died when Tessa was eight.
Tessa did not say anything further. Instead she stared at him through her sunglasses, her left hand continuing to clutch her locket. Her hold was not light around the golden heart.
Andrew:
She started to open up. Andrew was dancing and singing inside, but showed none of it. Though he was terribly happy, he couldn't express it one bit. That would ruin the whole thing. The moment he smiled, it would end.
So according to what Tessa had said, something happened to someone else that had directly affected her. It couldn't have been recently, as she said 'so long ago.' Only one thing came to Andrew's mind, but he wasn't ready to bring it up quite yet. Though he knew he had to.
From what he knew, Tessa's parents were dead long before Hogwarts, but her Grandmother had died not that long ago. Sure, it was a few years before either of them started learning, but it wasn't that long ago. Was that what was bothering her? Andrew didn't know. And probably wouldn't, at least for a few more moments.
Though, the death of her grandma had seemed rather far from her memory. She never seemed to be missing anyone, especially when she left for home again. The only problem with this idea, was that Andrew knew of no one else who was going through something like this. There was Dustin and Maia, but she didn't care about them, did she?
Elsa had started it, maybe she was feeling a bit of regret? No. It was too recent. Tessa wasn't even there when it happened. Though apparently everyone else was. Dustin kept his brother rather up to date on these things. It wasn't necessarily like him to get worried about gossip and relationships, at least not enough to tell Andrew, but Dustin sure wanted to talk about Maia. She must have meant a lot to him.
The thought of this lingered in Andrew's mind, but he managed to push it away after a second or two. That wasn't the problem at hand. Tessa's problem was. But what could it be? The Rodare family wasn't known for giving up, and Andrew definatly wasn't giving up on Tessa.
A few minutes went by without any words. They were btoh seemingly lost in thought. Then And decided to break the silence. It ahd to be done. Might as well be him. If she said something else, she might leave, and that's the opposite of what he wanted.
"Well who did it happen to?" It was the closest thing to a rational question that he could think of. Until then he had been keen, and full-knowing of what to say next, but when Tessa let out that someone else's problem was bothering her, it made his heart sank. He knew she cared for others, if only she could see that others cared for her.
Tessa:
After Tessa had spoken minutes had seemed to pass before Andrew had broken the silence. In that space of time Tessa had leaned back in her seat, crossing her legs with her arms crossed over her lap, an appearance of casual and comfort.
She had no intention of saying anymore and since Andrew was speaking, she had turned her gaze away from him and stared at the window. Her gaze was met with random people walking past the window. Some were along, some were couples, some friends, and some were families. It were the families she felt her gaze linger on.
Despite her parents' early departure, Tessa could say she had a good family anyway. Her grandparents had tried their best to keep her from feeling something was missing. It was still missing however. One could feel it every time someone dear to them died, whether they were family or friend.
Watching a couple with a small child, Tessa's mind seemed to automatically bring memories forth to her mind's eye. True, she remember these things on others day, but this day had always brought them to her mind in a real life sort of feeling. As if it was happening again. When she was younger she had never placed a significant feeling to this day. However when she had learned the day everything that happened had just became associated with it.
In her mind's eye she saw the robbery again, heard the shouting, some crying, the flashes of lights from the sticks they held, their wands, the collapsing of bodies, her parents around her, protecting her ... now that she was older, Tessa was able to fill in the blanks that she did not know as a child, when it had happened. Knowing didn't make it any easier.
Well who did it happen to?
Her mind was torn from her memories at the voice, seeming somewhat faded in the background of her mind. It took her a moment to refocus her eyes on Andrew, to bring her mind back from the present. She lifted one of her hands to rub something from her eye, a tear, hidden behind her sunglasses.
"I need to go," she in response, her voice soft. She didn't look at Andrew as she got up from her seat and left the ice cream shop. This was going too far, at this rate she knew she would be telling him her life story. Tessa was too emotional today. She should of just stayed home.
Andrew:
Tessa was about to up and leave! Just as Andrew thought that was the worst thing to happen. He couldn't let her go. What if something happened while she was feeling like this? Someone she didn't get on with could run into her, that would make an even bigger mess.
Just as Andrew was about to freak out, Tessa actually did leave the shop. Leaving the ice cream behind as well, he chased after her. The ice cream was no where near as important as this.
Andrew caught her as she was exiting the door. Luckily for him, she hadn't gotten that far out, and he was quite an athlete, if he were to say so himself. There was only one thing he could think to do.
Everything that they had just build was crumbling down. Once she walked out that door and he let her go, it would be all over. They'd be back to where they were. Him admiring her from afar, never saying anything more than the occasional, 'Did you do the homework?' Andrew wasn't just going to let them go back to that place. Not Tessa. Not ever.
Though th econ fusion and the anger and the sadness, Andrew felt a tear fall down his own cheek. He was crying for Tessa. He quickly wiped it away, leaving a slight wetness on his face. The Andrew did the only thing he could think to do. He let his emotions out. Just like Tessa did.
He turned her around and kissed her.
Tessa:
She had to get out of there, had to be alone. Leaving the house today had been a big mistake. Bigbigbigbigbig mistake. An even larger one was thinking she could acting like her usual self around people. She had screwed up big time. Tessa had shown herself weak, her weakness. Well one of them at least.
She had shown it to him, someone who could hurt her. She didn't date guys she actually liked. The guy had power in those situat-- wait. Like? Did she just use that in conjunction to Andrew Rodare?! Oh god. It felt as if her world was crumbling down around her today. Nothing was going right ... nothing ever went right on this day! She should of known! But every year she thought it would be different that she could carry on normally and every year it all toppled down around her leaving her crying herself to sleep that night.
Already she felt herself holding back the tears. Too many people. Too many families, showing what she doesn't have in her life. Some people would say she had it easy, living with grandparents she was hardly ever punished but they didn't know what it was life. Couldn't even imagine.
Tessa had just made it to the street, leaving the door of the ice cream parlor behind when she felt someone touch her. She barely had time to register this when she was turned around and kissed. Her mind was such a mess right now. Everything was happening so fast. The cool Tessa, the part of her mind that was always set aside to observe the situation was gone. She could not step back in her mind and evaluate what was going on.
Her mind was just an emotional mess right now. Perhaps she may have retained some sense of composure if she had escaped as she wish but with her revelation of feeling towards Andrew and then this kiss it had all gone down hill. She could not keep up anymore. The best she could do was give into the tears.
And thats just what she did. Breaking from the kiss, Tessa began to cry, cupping her face with her hands.
Andrew:
Though Andrew had accomplished his goal, he was almost disappointed Whit the outcome. He almost wanted Tessa to Wake up, slap him in the face, and go back to who she used to be. Who she always pretended she was. That would make everything easier.
Now she stood before him, hiding her face, crying. There was no time for remembering old Tessa, new Tessa was making a grand entrance. It took a new drastic measure. Not as drastic a kising her, as he had already done it once, and she hadn't freaked out on him. Well atleast not about the kiss...
There was a bench on the porch of the store, empty and white. Like a little hand made wodden thing, you'd see in front of an old womans house. She would have stories about how she made it for her parents as a gift, and her children loved it, and theri children loved it.
Andrew started to push Tessa a bit, not too much, but a bit to sit down on the bench beside him. As she sat, he was prepared to be her crying shoulder, and shoulder to lean on.
Andrew said nothing to Tessa as they sat. She was still crying, he was holding her, not in a dating way, but enough to show his support. There really was nothing to say. When she was ready to talk, she'd talk. She had to be close by now. She was sitting with him crying afterall.
Tessa:
With a day going so down hill one could only assume it could only go up now, right? Well lets hope so. At the moment, when the tears came Tessa became almost oblivious to the world. If some rational part of her mind existed it would tell this was not the place to break into tears. Anyone would see them there, her and Andrew, and if they were the gossiping type this news would be around the chain in a matter of days and still be making news come the first week of school. However, that part of Tessa's mind was not functioning so she currently could care less.
Real world intruded slightly, however, when she felt Andrew nudge her towards somewhere. She allowed him to lead her to the bench, not really be aware of what was going on until she found herself sitting on the wooden bench with him.
Tessa would not say how much time had passed. She had not even noticed when she had leaned against the boy's shoulder as she cried or when he had first started to hold her, or even that she had removed her sunglasses during loss of all rational thought. However, now thought began to intrude in the bubble that the crying had created. She still cried a little bit but not as bad as before.
Without really any thought, Tessa removed the locket from her throat, her fingers fiddling with the clasp for a moment as it refused to be undone. However, she was saved from frustration when it finally gave. She handed it to Andrew. "Open it," she said simply.
The locket itself was plain in design, just a golden heart, it was always her constant jewelry, it was the one thing she never appeared to take off. Inside the locket was a picture of herself as a toddler with her parents. It was a magical picture so the occupants of it moved with life.
"They died today," she whispered quietly.
Andrew:
As Tessa wept on his shoulder, Andrew kept holding on. He was finally getting what he wanted, btu he didn't feel the gratitude he had hoped for. She was opening up to him, showing him her heart. but the act was breaking it at the same time. This isn't what he wanted. At all.
She held out a locket. The locket. She wore it everyday, or atleast every time Andrew saw her. Tessa was holding it in her hands, trembling when she spoke,
"Open it."
It was worse than what Andrew had prepared for. Inside the locket were what he assumed were her birth parents. They were young, she was still only a child. IT was moving, and they were smilling as if nothign had changed.
"They died today,"
It hit Andrew hard. It must have hit Tessa hard as well, just saying it mus have been a bomb, but it pained Andrew more than one would think. This sort of thing had never really presented itself to And before, so he didn't have anythign to relate it to.
There wasnever a relationship he mourned over, remembering the good ol' days. Never a lost family member. The only one who'd died, he never knew, or never saw enough to remember them.
the onyl thing he could think to relate this to at all was Dustins porblems with Maia. Though they could not compare. They chose to be together, she chose to end it. Tessa and her parents were forced together, and were forced apart, after only so little time. By the looks of it, she had only been of toddling age when they were taken from her.
Andrew didn't even know what had happened. How they died. Why. All he knew was that they did die, and she was with her grandfather. that was all she allowed others to know. Atleast outside of the snob clique.
"Wh..." Andrew stopped. It was hard for him to say the words he knew she had to hear, and he knew he had to hear himself say.
"What happened... Exactly?" He bit his lip, still holding on to Tessa, waiting for her to respond. Though he hoped it wouldn't upset her more. and he prayed it wouldn't send her back in to the "you don't really care about me" phase. That would be the worst.
No. Elsa showing up would be the worst. Scratch that.
Tessa:
Tessa felt emotionally drained. So much so that her normal mask was gone. One could easily discern her emotions. The sadness and loneliness she felt with concurrence to her parents. Since the first onslaught of tears Tessa had pretty much given up on trying to hide anything. Although she was still weary of Andrew, but then she was weary of many people, she did feel as though she could trust him with this. She hoped she could.
She did not watch as he opened the locket. Rather had let the chain slide through her fingers as he took it and just folded her hands on her lap. Her eyes were focused on the ground. She knew the picture well enough and she did not want to see his expression. It was far easier just to look at the ground.
When Tessa had moved to remove her locket, she had ceased to lean against Andrew's shoulder and now that the locket was in his possession she did not return to her previous position. She felt the awkwardness of the situation a little now.
Here eyes stared to focus on her clasped hands while she waited for something to happen. She figured he had looked at the locket by now so she was waiting for him to speak to say something. Although it had seemed long to her, since she was waiting for it, probably little time had passed. Wh..."Andrew stopped. What happened... Exactly?
She grimaced a little at the question. Of course he would ask that. Knowing didn't make it any easier telling. She had barely been able to say that they had died today. Her top teeth gently chewed on her lower lip as she fought for the words, words that were failing to come. Another new thing for her. She had never been without something to say. Her mind was always quick to supply her with something to say and yet here she was trying to grasp something, and the right something to say.
Part of her mind, in the back, contemplated ending it here. To say no more. However, that was the cowards way out. And she was ashamed to admit that she had been trying to take that route for the majority of this meeting. With this realization she also knew that Andrew was not likely to let her go until she had drowned him with her feelings on the subject or at least something to that affect.
She closed her eyes for a few moments. She didn't need to go into much detail, so perhaps as few words as possible would be the best course of action.
"A ma-magical robbery," she finally stated, the words coming through with difficulty. She had still not looked at him. Did she need to say more? She assumed that if she did he would ask something more. This was far from an easy topic for her. In a way she was ruing her Grandparents for never sitting down and speaking about this with her before, at least more in detail besides a few short words and never speak about it again sort of thing.