Of Friendly Admissions, and Fools (Isaline & Finley)

Guest

It had been a whole year since Finley had stepped in to Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop, and the thought of doing so made the Ravenclaw feel a little queasy. However, he had two purposes for being in the tea shop today. One was to pick up a nice blend of tea that helped him concentrate on his studies - something that was very important to Finley.

The second was because someone had said they'd seen a girl he'd been meaning to catch up with entering the shop.

In his hands, Finley held a small box of chocolates that had been neatly wrapped and labelled with Isaline Charlot's name. Finley had done this for two of his other, close female friends who were single at the time, wanting to make them... realise that Valentine's Day wasn't just for couples, but it was a day of love and kindness.

Finley had not been able to speak to Isaline since their first meeting - not properly, anyway - and he'd been somewhat grateful for this small amount of fortune. The kiss to his cheek had left the Ravenclaw with flaming cheeks, and an uncertainty with what it meant. Likely, the boy had read too much in to the situation, and it was just friendly, but he hadn't been able to speak to the witch to find out.

So, stealing himself one quick glance in the shop window, Finley slipped in to the tearooms and to the counter where he ordered the tea that kept his mind sharp, looking around for the girl that he had been hoping to catch up with. However, Finley being Finley, the boy saw Isaline, and turned away, facing the shopkeeper completely and trying to calm himself down.

Now that he was trying to catch up with her, he didn't know how to go about telling her he'd bought her some chocolates, as a friend, for Valentine's Day. It sounded stupid, even in his head. Yes, Sumire and Naomi understood this notion, but how could Isaline know Finley enough to know that was what he meant... Merlin... he was such a fool!

Guest

Isaline had always felt that Valentine's day was a desperate holiday. It was the one day of the year where couples could frolic around and make all of the lonely people even lonelier. For someone such as Isaline, Valentine's day was like an all-you-could-eat buffet. Lonely singles and lonely not-so-singles alike flooded every bar and restaurant for miles. It was the perfect time for hook-ups and make-outs with guys who needed someone as stunning and flawless as Isaline in their life. The best thing about Valentine's day hook-ups was that there were no strings attached. It was simply for fun.

Her first stop on the Isaline Charlot Valentines day tour had been the Three Broomsticks, but it had mostly been a bust. She had met some very drunk and very willing subjects, but that was too easy for her. She would not stoop low enough to take advantage of some drunken boy who would not remember her in the morning. Isaline was above that.

Her next stop was Madame Puddifoot's Tea Shop. She figured that this would be the best place to find someone sober and desperate. The girl figured that there would be others who had the same ideas as she. She could not be the only one looking for a Valentine's day romance.

The tea shop turned out to be a pleasant surprise. While the joint was filled to the brim with head-over-heels couples, there were single suitors scattered throughout. Her heels clicked against the floor as she made her way to a lone brunette in the corner of the shop.

"In need of some company?" She smiled. It was not a real smile, no. It was more of a tool she used in seduction, much like a siren's song. The boy smiled right back, loving the attention he was getting from a hot girl. He nodded and offered to buy her a tea, but his appeal grew old as soon as a familiar face walked into the shop.

"Perhaps you should try someone who is more in your league," she suggested, making her way over to Finley Allen.

"Finley Allen," She spoke. "What brings you to such a place on such a day? Got a hot date?"

Guest

Trying to steady both his frantic heartbeat and thought process, Finley had taken to counting slowly back from ten, concentrating on the wooden counter before him. It was not easy, living through a life of anxiety and incapability of good decisions around the fairer sex of the human species, but Finley Allen endured life through it.

Simply because he had no other option.

He'd gotten down to three by the time he heard his name, and even though he was highly sure it was the one person he'd sought out, Finley still jumped at the sound of his own name. His cheeks fluhed brilliantly as he forced himself to turn to Isaline, a sheepish smile on his lips as he looked for a way to get out of this situation. Only a moment later, however, Finley resigned himself to the fate of the evening.

He was not going to get out of this easily.

"H-hi." Finley responded to her greeting, pushing a warmer smile on to his lips momentarily. The smile faded with the next question though, and Finley probably looked something like a deer in headlight for a moment before his lips started to move before his brain could even engage.

"I... no. Yes. N-no... I..." Finley stammered in response, his cheeks flushing to a deeper red as he shook his head. "No. I d-don't have a date." Finley replied, realising the box of chocolates he'd bought for her were still in his hands. Letting out a soft sigh - at himself, not Isaline, Finley took the plunge.

"I c-came to see you." He explained, holding the box of chocolates out to the witch before him. "I got y-you these. I hope you l-like them." Finley explained, completely forgetting the bit about friends that he was supposed to tell the girl to make sure there was no confusion in his actions. However, Isaline was very pretty, and Finley Allen was easily intimidated by a woman's beauty, so Isaline was very intimidating in that respect, even though Finley thought she was a nice person.

The Ravenclaw prefect probably should have said more, but he went blank, simply looking at the blonde witch to see the reaction that would come from his present.

Guest

Upon their initial introduction, the Allen boy had surprised Isalne. He'd seemed nervous and unsure of himself, but at the same time he seemed to know exactly what he wanted from life. He had a perspective on the world that Isaline had never put much thought into before. The boy was like a book that she couldn't put down;she just wanted to know more.

Of course, seeing Finley at what was known as a place couple went was a bit disheartening. For just a moment she worried that he was there for someone else. Why couldn't a nice boy such as he find a nice girl unlike herself and decide that Isaline was not his type? Obviously, this hadn't happened before, but it easily could.

"I c-came to see you." Isaline's heart skipped a beat in what was either joy or terror, she could not tell the difference. He'd come for her? With chocolates? She worried that this would turn out like her previous romantic endeavors. He'd be like a puppy dog and she would crush him. Isaline did not want to kick the puppy this time.

"Thank you, Finley," she smiled, wrapping her arms around him for a hug that only lasted a couple of seconds. "These are nice."

"But if I may ask," the girl decided that the curiosity behind this gesture would eat at her unless she asked.

"What are these for? Is this something you do for all of your friends?" She figured that it must be, but something deep inside of her hoped that it wasn't.

She then gestured to what may be the one couple free table in all of Madame Pudifoot history.
"Would you care to join me?"

Guest

The thank you was a good sign, Finley knew that the thank you could not mean Isaline had taken his actions to be rude. And, for a brief, minuscule moment, the Ravenclaw prefect relaxed. However, relaxation in Finley's life never really lasted long, and the brief moment was overthrown as Isaline threw her arms around him and gave him a hug.

The boy simply stood there, awkwardly in that moment, forgetting to put at least one arm around the witch in response. The small hug was enough to leave the intoxicating smell of perfume on Finley's senses, short circuit his brain, and leave him stood somewhat stunned looking at Isaline as she pulled away from him.

With a few short moments to collect himself, Finley looked back at Isaline as she asked why he had done this. Finley's reasons seemed to escape him in that moment, instead his cheeks flushing a very nice shade of red as his eyes averted themselves from hers. He felt so foolish, really, forgetting his explanation as another explanation formed itself and left his lips. "It's Valentine's Day... T-this is what people d-do when..." The Ravenclaw paused, glancing up at the witch with a look that said he expected her to understand the rest of the sentence. when you like someone.

The answer he'd just given (though heavily mortifying for the Ravenclaw) was closer to the truth than the original explanation probably would have been. But, unlike most boys that were likely milling around that day, Finley expected nothing in return, he was just a boy who was sweet enough to give chocolates out to those people he liked in the school.

"Would you care to join me?"

Looking to the empty table that Isaline had pointed to, Finley hesitated for a moment - not because he didn't want to, but because he was uncertain as to whether he should be doing this - Finley nodded his agreement. "I'd l-like that." The Ravenclaw responded, moving towards the table with the girl and holding out the seat for her to sit. Finley might not have any kind of social standing in the world, but he at least knew how to treat women properly from his copious amounts of reading.

Guest

Public displays of affection were Isaline's specialty. On a good day, a single air-kiss would make a man's pants expand in a way that no man's pants had expanded ever before. It was as if the little man downstairs had a mind of his own. Any move she made was the right move, but this time was different. Finley was different. When she hugged the boy, he seemed to go limp. He did not return the action. He did not even simply place his arms around her torso as one usually does. No, he just stood there, obviously out of his element. This lack of a response fed millions of ideas and theories. Perhaps the boy was not used to physical touching. Or maybe he had sensitive skin? Whatever the reason, Isaline found it rather odd, but she chose to ignore it. The boy's awkwardness did not impede on his ability to be a worthy companion.

"It's Valentine's Day... T-this is what people d-do when..." he did not have to finish his sentence. Isaline knew what Finley meant. Awkward as he was, Finley was a teenage boy. Isaline was no newbie when it came to teenage boys. Their encounters collided with their hormones and any small bit of affection turned into feeling. She wanted to tell Finley that it would pass. It was just a puppy dog crush. He did not like her, he only liked the idea of her. All of these phrases swirled around in her mind, but she could not seem to release any of them.

Isaline was not a relationship kind of girl. She was a you'll fall for me and then we'll bang and I'll forget your name kind of girl. She was rarely able to replicate a feeling that someone had towards her. But Finley Allen was sweet and awkward. He did things like bring her chocolates and not bow to her. She couldn't help but blush a little when his intentions were hinted at.

But all she could do was blush. All she could do was say,
"Awh. How thoughtful! I love them."

She was not going to tell Finley anything that could possibly lead him on. She knew that dating herself would ruin the boy. She was not ready to ruin the boy. Perhaps later, but not now.

When both parties were situated at the table, Isaline's lips began to form words that then linked together into a sentence.
"I wish it was the holiday already," she laughed. "School is fine and all, but I'd rather be spending my days tanning in the Bahamas or eating croissants in Paris. How about you, Finley? What are your holidays like?"

Guest

Finley couldn't help but grin when a blush took over Isaline's cheeks, and she accepted the box of chocolates. He'd wanted to make her happy, and it seemed he had managed just that in the process of giving her the chocolates. "You're w-welcome." Finley replied after a moment, glad that he wasn't going to have to talk himself out of the situation because his mind was definitely not processing as it probably should be in that moment.

The conversation that cropped up was one that Finley didn't fully understand. He loved school. He loved being away from his parents for ten months of the year. He loved the freedom that he had gained at Hogwarts, but he wasn't about to say this to Isaline. Instead, he gave a small nod to show he (kind of) understood what she was saying.

The mention of tanning took Finley's mind to a place that he did his best to shut down quickly. However, the slight touch of pink in his cheeks would likely give away the fact he was not thinking completely in a good direction. He was male, it was normal, though Finley didn't allow the moment to grow out of hand. The Bahamas... well, Finley had only read about the Bahamas, and seen pictures on his computer at home. The idea of going there was one Finley found to be quite impressive - not to mention very expensive.

However, the ideas of luxury holidays, or croissants in Paris were quickly ruined by the question of his holidays, and Finley looked away with a small grimace. His right hand moved up to his neck, rubbing it slightly awkwardly. "I... umm..." Finley hesitated as he tried to think of an answer in that moment. Telling Isaline that he basically spent his holidays keeping out of his parents way was probably not the best idea in the world.

"W-well... this summer, I p-plan on getting my A-Apparition licence." Finley told her, hoping this was an okay answer. "I b-booked a course with t-the Ministry, it's t-two weeks long." He added, hoping the detail would be enough to move away from the subject of his home life.

» Wise men say, only fools rush in (Victoria)
» you followed me (Finley)
» A Familiar Face (Isaline)
» The News Letters Carry (Isaline)
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