Fate's cruel knot [Raleigh]

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Braelynn had lost track of time. She'd been in the library, studying as usual, when she'd caught sight of a clock. It was just a few minutes shy of the hour. Her eyes went wide, realizing her mistake. She was going to be late! She packed her back quickly, offering little explanation to those she'd been studying with, and hurried off. It didn't surprise her friends anymore. This time every day, the youngest Rousseau girl just... disappeared. No one knew where she went, or what she did, but they had a pretty good guess. As of late, Braelynn had been smiling more, actually smiling and not faking it like she usually did. There was only one explanation in their minds, and that was a boy.

And a boy it was.

She took the steps two at a time, trying to make up as much time as she could, heading to the vacant classroom they always used. As she stepped onto the fifth floor she slowed down, brushing one of her hands over her hair. She wasn't exactly a self conscious person, but her mother had taught her the importance of appearances. She'd never fully understood it until she'd met Zander though. Now, she didn't try to look nice because it was expected of her, but because she wanted to look nice for him.... It was an odd feeling.

She was just one corridor shy of her destination when her breath caught in her throat There, standing mere feet from her, was Raleigh Flint. She froze, fighting the panic deep in her chest. Thankfully her expression had only changed for a moment, before going.. completely emotionless. "Raleigh..." She finally said, her voice barely above that of a whisper. "Good afternoon...."

@leigh
@zander ((He should totally eavesdrop, seeing as they're just in the next corridor. XD))

[Deleted]

@braelynn

he was leaning against the wall when he saw her come around the corner. the expression on his face turned to ice as the person he was talking with sensed the change of mentality in leigh and made himself scarce. braelynn. he realised with almost a growl that she was going to come over to talk to him. they spoke while they were at home and while their parents were around but other than that he didn't see the point. he wasn't going to communicate with her when they were married so why should he force it on himself now. he rubbed his hand over the back of his neck and shifted, his blue eyes icy as he glanced her over. well she was more scrubbed up than usual and he had no doubt in his mind that it was for someone else's account. "meeting someone then are you?" he let the words slide out of his mouth, his tone icy as it alway was. he'd never taken the chance to get to know her, give her the time of day. if they hated each other some day someone had to give and say no more and he was hoping it was her.

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Braelynn had become unusually adept at avoid Raleigh. Being in different years helped, obviously, but it went beyond even that. It was almost like she didn't exist in his world. And... It was almost true. The way he always acted around her made it obvious what he felt towards the girl, and this arrangement. You'd think after knowing each other their entire lives, things would be different. But no... As children she'd only interacted when necessary, all for appearances sake. As soon as their parents had looked away though, Braelynn had run off to be with the youngest Flint child, River. She'd always gotten along with him best. He was the only thing in her mind that made this arrangement bearable.

She held back a frown at his harsh words. Instead, she forced that cordial well trained smile to take it's place. She hadn't offered Raleigh a real smile in years... and he knew it. "It's nothing important." she lied. Lately, she'd been lying a lot. When had that started...? "Just a study group." She added as she held her bag tightly to her chest. It was, in a way a study group.... Just not the sort of studying anyone would expect. She didn't moved quite yet, as if afraid to.


@leigh

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@braelynn

so it was nothing important. why was she hurrying. in his experience no one hurried for something like she had been unless they were meeting someone. hardly anyone was excited about studying. though she was a ravenclaw, he guessed in some cases they would be the exception. but not her. he knew her. he'd watched her for years they may not have talked or gotten along but they knew each other. "if it's nothing important .. why were you rushing?" he asked, his brow raising at her as he tilted his head down slightly to glance at her. being taller he had to admit he enjoyed looking down 'figuratively' on the people he was. "must be a pretty exciting study group"

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Raleigh saw right through her lie. She should have known he would. They had, in fact, known each other since they were children. Their parents had forced them to interact, hoping they would get along well enough that a marriage would work. While that outcome had yet to be reached, they'd at least created a sort of understanding. They could read each other. In fact, she could probably read Raleigh's body language and tone of voice better then she could her own sisters. But, maybe that was because he always had the same reaction when she was around...

Braelynn didn't respond immediately, pursing her lips a little as that smile slowly vanished. "Well, it is almost the end of the year. Exams are coming. Best to be prepared." She finally spoke, forcing her voice to stay even and emotionless. It almost sounded cold, though no where near as harsh as the tone Raleigh was using. "What are you doing up here?" She asked. Usually she felt quite safe up on the fifth floor. With her common room so near. In this moment though... the safety she usually felt was gone.

@leigh

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@braelynn

"Well, it is almost the end of the year. Exams are coming. Best to be prepared." his eyes narrowed and the frown grew on his face. why was she lying to him? making it worse. if he had been told the truth there would be no reason for him to press her for it. she'd be on her way and he'd be rid of this conversation. though he didn't really have to press her but he felt it his right and duty as someone who was going to apparently be marrying her. he had the right to hear the truth from her, even if she didn't want to tell him. "you think i'm that stupid i don't know when your lying?" he let the words out as a muscle in his jaw twitched. he had been taught to read people's words since he could talk. his father's doing. he shook his head and used his shoulder to push his form off the wall he had been leaning on and he watched her, his arms folded across his chest, his stance almost relaxed enough to fool someone into thinking he was. "quidditch training, i'm meeting people here" he said simply. he knew he'd e waiting a little while because classes could finish sporadically at the est of times and he was here first. ever the punctual one.

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Braelynn flinched at Raleigh's sharp comment, calling her out on blatantly lying to him. She didn't like lying, even to Raleigh. While their relationship was.... complicated to say the least, she had known him her entire life. She didn't consider him a friend, but he was still one of the constants in her life Ever since they were small children. Tightening her grip a little on her bag, her gaze dropped to the ground. "I've never thought you were stupid, Raleigh. Just uninterested in anything that involved me." She finally replied, this time honestly. He'd never cared before, why would that change now? Not only that... He was practically looking for a reason to have their engagement terminated. What if Zander was a good enough reason? Better yet... What would her parents do if they found out? Her parents weren't like Raleigh's. They'd never raised a hand to her, but there were worse things they could do.

"Oh." Was her simply and short response. Of course, Quidditch. It shouldn't surprise her. Raleigh was on he Slytherin team. One of his more... redeeming qualities in her mind. He was a good athlete. She, on the other and, was not. She stuck to her books. "Well, I hope you don't have to wait long." She added formally. She had to try and be civil with him... Didn't she?

@leigh

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@braelynn

"I've never thought you were stupid, Raleigh. Just uninterested in anything that involved me." he raised a brow at that. he wasn't really. he was more interested in the fact that she had lied to him about where she was going in the first place. he knew she wasn't being honest with him. the way she was gripping her back pack. he knew that she felt nervous around him but he'd never known her to act afraid. this was a new thing and it intrigued him a little. why would she all of a sudden start to act in this particular way. "i'm only interested in why you're lying to me" he said simply. his hands moving to fold across his chest and he stepped forward, his body moving carefully. "Oh." "Well, I hope you don't have to wait long." he nodded his head almost sharply at that. he hoped he wasn't here waiting long either. he didn't do well when there was nothing to do. he needed to be doing something either with his hands or with his mind. he didn't like being still a lot of the time. he'd much rather be up on a broom beating things than standing here talking to who was his parents hopeful for him to marry. he ran his hand through his hair, the sun catching it as it started to shine through the windows, the light falling on his eyes as they watched braelynn.

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Raleigh was relentless, determined to wrestle the truth out of her. Why.... Braelynn couldn't understand. Except for during the summer when they were around their parents, this was probably the longest conversation they'd had since they were children. Actually, it was probably the realest conversation they'd ever had, because it wasn't just to keep up appearances. To be honest, Braelynn didn't like it.

She didn't respond immediately, meeting his gaze with her own, unflinching, and completely emotionless. Not even that usual fake smile of hers was present. Given their 'history', she should trust him. The fact that the only people she'd known longer then him being his parents should count for something... right? "Maybe it's because you've never given me a reason to trust you with the truth." She finally, and quietly, replied. Her dark gaze never wavering. She wanted to walk away right then, but he was right in her path. Seeing how determined he was, she knew he'd never let her pass until she finally admitted what he already knew. "And even though it's none of your business, yes. I'm meeting someone." She didn't know where the snappy response came from, but she didn't take it back.

@leigh

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@braelynn

"Maybe it's because you've never given me a reason to trust you with the truth." his eyes flashed a little as he said she didn't trust him. okay maybe it was his fault that she didn't trust him. he'd be the first to admit he wasn't the nicest guy in the world. but he'd never raised a hand to her, never really done anything horrible to her other than treat her how he'd been raised to and resent her because they were to be married and he hated the thought. "never given you a reason? you act like i beat you sensless every time you say the wrong thing. or if you say the wrong thing or do the wrong thing i'm going to string you up alive for it" he said as he narrowed his icy eyes just a little. "maybe i should start. then your fear would actuallly be justified" he spoke coldy. like he said, he was the first to admit he wasn't a good person but even raleigh flint had his limits on how much he could torment a person. though it seemed bay was pushing for him to break those limits. "And even though it's none of your business, yes. I'm meeting someone." he let his eyebrow raise a little. wow. somewhere along the lines the girl had started to find a backbone. oddly, he liked that. he'd always thought of her as weak and submissive, timid and afraid to speak her mind. this? this was different. "what does your father think of you and xander lloyd?"

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Braelynn saw that flash of anger. She didn't back down though. She knew the comment had been justified, in her mind, and it was the truth. That was what he wanted, wasn't it? She wouldn't apologize for stating the truth. Not when her life that turned into such a web of lies.... As he spoke though, her eyes widened a bit, her eyebrows raising in actual shock. He'd never been kind to her, in fact he was incredibly cold and cruel. But he'd never, at least not that she could remember, threatened her. "Raleigh..." She started, but couldn't get more then his name out, her shock not only in her expression but her voice.

What does your father think of you and Zander Lloyd?

The girl flinched, actually flinched at those words. That shock turned to true fear. Raleigh knew. How..?! Had Desirae told him? No, she wouldn't have... Then who? Had he seen them together? Had she slipped up somewhere? "You know what he'd do if he found out..." She finally muttered, her gaze dropping to the ground. She wasn't denying it. Not after being so blatantly called out. "You'd be rid of me though, which is what you've always wanted." Taking a deep breath, she slowly looked back up, meeting his gaze once again. She was scared, yes, absolutely terrified. But.... there wasn't that usual defeated look in her eyes. "So why don't you tell him?"

@leigh

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@braelynn

"You know what he'd do if he found out..." he nodded his head once, sharp. cold. he did know what her father would do. nothing compared to what his own father would do to him if he decided to cheat probably nothing compared to what marcus flint would do to braelynn's father when he found out his daughter had broken the terms of their kids engagement. one that neither of them wanted mind you, but the agreement had been made. "You'd be rid of me though, which is what you've always wanted." true. but he had never wanted her to be harmed. as horrible as he was to her there was a line and he refused to cross it. would probably not let anyone else cross it too. he narrowed his eyes a little and before he could answer her she was speaking again, making assumptions. this time on something that wasn't justified. "So why don't you tell him?" he frowned a little and straightened a little. "because i'm not the monster you paint me as braelynn. you never assumed there was a reason i treated you the way i did? always assumed it was because of what .. that i'm evil? dastardly? not nice?" he faked a mock gasp and continued on. "my father .. believes woman should be spat on, treated as house maids, an occasional outlet for anger and used to make heirs to carry on the family name. that's it. you think you telling your father about the lloyd weirdo is bad? if my father found out i was nice to you" he visibly fought back a shudder as the mere thought of it sent his memory flying back to when he was a kid and had been sent down a flight of stairs for talking back. "lets just say house elves are higher up on his hierarchy than women are. or maybe he just rubbed off on me" he hadn't. but he'd just told braelynn something he never thought he would. he'd always thought he'd keep her at arms distance, afraid of him so there was no chance she'd let their arranged marriage go ahead, but here he was. talking. and he hated it.

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@leigh

When it came to this engagement, the two were stuck between a hard place and a rock. If she tried to refuse, she'd face her parents wrath and they would not take kindly to her disobedience. She loved her parents the same way as Desirae and Adalyn. And that was with a slight fear of how they'd react if she displeased them.

Then Raleigh was speaking again, in a way that made her eyes widen. He was... opening up? Braelynn didn't respond at first, her gaze dropping to the ground as she took in his words. She knew that.... Deep down. His father had never done anything to bad when she and her family were around, but there'd been signs. Marcus Flint had always come off as a cruel individual. And there was a part of her that was convinced Raleigh had picked up some of that from his father. He'd never made her think otherwise. Until now.

"I don't think you're any of those things, Raleigh. I also don't expect you to be nice to me. But at least you're honest." She finally managed to say, slowly looking back up at him. "I need to go..." She added, at least releasing her death grip on her bag so it could swing at her side and started to step around him. She stopped after a few feet, just before turning the corner. She didn't look back at him as she spoke once more. "If it matters. I doubt our engagement will last much longer..." The way she spoke... It was almost like she knew something. Which she did. Raleigh didn't know about the Purifiers or that Bay was being forced to cooperate with the group. But she knew when everything came to light... Everything would be different.

Without another word, she left...

(le end)