Steam rose over the talcum powder-scented room, as few people laughed and dashed from the showers to the warmth of the changing rooms which contained their waiting towels. Will let her head lull against the tiled wall as hot water burned her flesh clean and she started to recall the relaxations that she found herself experiencing submerged in the cool water that was only a minutes distance from her now. Something about the smell and the waves, and the freedom of movement just flowed for Will, in, to strip away her anxieties.
The water stopped flowing from the shower and Will smiled, already enjoying the long left activity. This was hers, and no one could ruin it for her. Will walked over cool tiles, laced with footprints of swimmers before her, and her smile only grew when she saw a familiar face, standing next to a member of his band and looking disgusted by the boy and his costume-wearing girlfriend's tongue tennis, that was until he spotted Will and grinned, giving her a wave. Will also found herself smiling broadly, and gave him a little wave, but when he blushed the smile fell and she looked away, cursing Caleb for being such an abnoxious bastard to ruin her moment.
With that, Will took heavy strides to the edge of the pool and dove forcedully in, mentally kicking herself when she knew she'd performed it wrong; it was nice to know that Matt Olsen would think she was a failure in all degrees.. Mentally.. Socially.. Physically.. Why did she have to come swimming?
...
Elyon Escanor's eyes lit as she walked past the heavy, plain cherry-elm wood door that Cedric had pushed open with a glint of something in his eyes; something that prepared her, but nothing could prepare her for this.
A pale room, of lightest blues and shimmering velvet that shone between silver and gold. So vast and beautiful were the quaintly engraved darkwoods and lucious looking linens and thick, yet captivating rugs of painfully light, yet detailed patterning, which lay peacefully over yet another hard marble floor of waving silk blues and almost pinks, that gave off a delecate excellence, so enticingly elegant that going in seemed a sin. Even the slight crumple of the sheets seemed pristene, and only emasculated any right to disrupt the essentiality of the room, making it harder to walk forward, harder to breathe, but she was a step too late and only looked around to the Lord as Cedric most carefully pressed the door closed - a door that lay plain and bare on the outside, though the inner seemed entrenched in carved flowers and cherubs, which looked out to her with graceful smiles, as her Lord then strode purposefully, yet not with any aggression which might damage the air of the room, which due to her awe, seemed to be thicker than anywhere else she had been. She dragged her eyes along to follow Cedric, who halted at a vanity desk, motioning to the blue tapestry seat of the chair, though Elyon's eyes drew attention first to the desk itself. An immense clutter of jewels and make-ups that somehow only made the room seem more grand, despite, when she grew closer, the thin layer of dust that covered the items; causing Elyon to look back up to question the Lord, by means of wide, unsure eyes. "Magic preserves.. Your mother's room, Elyon. Until now there has been no heir to indulge in her impecable taste."
Elyon's eyes, now wide with awe and shock, stared from the charming smile to the masses which were apparently hers. Eleanor Brown had never worn a jewel in her life, and never could afford Elyon any. "R-really?"
...
"She doesn't want to fight with Cornelia..? Oh, how thee I count the ways and whys!" Caleb rolled his eyes, frowning at Irma's sarcasm, but it was, as it often could be, Hay Lin who blurted the words; generally something that seemed far too explicit to be coming from the young child's mouth - of course, ignoring his own youth and hypocracy.
"Well, maybe it's because Cornelia's always like a super-bitch to Will.." And then it caught on and Hay Lin slapped her hand over her tiny, little mouth and Caleb recalled the first time this had happened; little Hay Lin sucking in until he asked why, then blatantly stating that she was sucking the words back in... Of course. Hay Lin's little dark eyes grew wide and she looked directly up at Caleb who raised an eyebrow, waiting for her inherited insanity of the thankfully absent Yan Lin (God only knew where she went half the time), but Hay Lin blinked and pointed at Irma. "She said it."
Caleb grinned then, at the silly lie and the scowling brunette who'd raised a fist as if she'd ever hit Hay Lin properly. But then as the humor wore off he realized what she'd said and the chit-chat of the girls faded into the background, because how could he be so stupid? ..Will didn't like Cornelia. It was always displayed as the other way round, but other than to him, Will generally kept her critisisms to herself, and rarely said a rude word about another. And Will had to be nice to Cornelia. Because they needed Cornelia to stay, and because Cornelia was touchy enough without a reason to be. He was in the wrong after all. "Shit.."
Irma burst out laughing then, and Caleb looked dazedly from one girl to the other as Hay Lin pouted, "It's not.. That word..! I like it." But Caleb had no idea what they were talking about.
"Where did Will go?"
Again, single chapter today - homework always rears it's ugly head when I have a good story idea going.. Grr..
And I promise a longer segment of ExC will be in the next chapter.. I just wanted to get Elyon's veiw of the room, then Cedric's of the 'fluff'. :L :L