Seeing Through Green Lenses (Eli)

[Deleted]

It felt almost strange to be waiting for Eli in the library. They'd spent so much of their time last year meeting in secret that she could hardly believe their friendship was so open this time. She loved it. She hadn't talked to Katherine or Bianca about it yet, but she wasn't even trying to hide it when she did things with Eli. It was likely that one or both of them had seen her with the Hufflepuff boy and Ashley didn't care. She liked spending time with him. It was worth every second. 

Today they were going to study charms together and while Ashley would love to do so outside, it was snowing pretty heavily so the library it was. The plan was for them to meet pretty close to the entrance and then they could find their own spot somewhere further in. So she was sitting at a table, facing the entrance to the library, waiting for her Hufflepuff friend with the dark hair to enter the library. She normally was a pretty patient person, but today she really just couldn't wait for him to show up.  

When she saw him approaching, an instant smile crossed Ashley's face. Eli was here! The anticipation rose in her as their eyes met, but then he stopped. She watched as some cute, dark-haired girl started talking to him, expecting the conversation to take a second or two, but it didn't. Maybe ... maybe he wanted to talk to the cute girl. She looked down to the table in front of her, trying to push the jealousy away but unable to. Not even a second later she was watching them again, trying to read Eli's facial expressions. Did he like her? Did Ash already lose him, before she ever really had him?

Elijah Theron Fleming

[Elijah Theron Fleming]

only dust settles.

THE FACT THAT ELI WAS RUNNING A LITTLE LATE wasn't that surprisingly. He ran a little late to everything, but he usually didn't mind so much. He minded when he was running a little late for Ashley. His steps rapid as he was redirected by the moving staircase three times before making it to the library's level. His hair was in complete disarray from the constant contact of his fingers, tugging and pulling and smoothing. By the time he entered the library he was pink cheeked and breathing a little heavy, hair sticking up every which way.

Immediately, Eli saw Ashley. Her hair golden in the flickering lamp light, his heart picked up the pace just a little. But, suddenly, he felt a hand land on his arm. Eli's eyes snapped back. She was familiar, Ana something. With big brown eyes and a smile that she appeared able to turn on like an electric light. "Hey!" She exclaimed, and Eli mirrored it, though with a smidge less enthusiasm. She was always nice when they spoke and he'd had a laugh with her about Quidditch once or twice, but he was kind of in a rush.

"I'm handing out forms for the Blishwick Blind Date Roulette?" Instinctively, Eli's hand clasped around the slip of paper she was holding out. It was pink and emblazoned with black print. Eli didn't even register what she was saying as she handed it to him, her smile paired with Ashley waiting just a little ways away had him befuddled. Plus, he'd practically ran to the library. Ana's eyes seemed to follow his and she peeked over her shoulder with a knowing little laugh. "Look, I you know don't need it," She said matter-of-factly. "Not with that cutie of a girlfriend sitting over there." Her brows quirked salaciously and Eli burst out laughing, hiding his face behind the piece of paper before he corrected her.

It was a ridiculous notion, obviously. He wasn't Ashley's type and they were friends. But, just for a moment, he didn't correct her entirely. All he managed was it, "No it's-" He slipped the flyer down to reveal his eyes again and rolled them at Ana, who shoved his shoulder playfully. "Don't play coy, it's not cute on you." She shifted in place and Eli mirrored her awkwardly, his face incredibly hot. "Just... give the form to a needy friend, eh?" And just as he thought she was going to leave, she reached up and tried to wrangle his mad mop of hair. He swiped her hands away with a snort, ducking away. "Just... helping out a friend!" She sang at him, quirking her brows as she danced away.

For a moment, Eli stood stock still, staring down at the dusty pink form with a matching envelope attached to the back. 'What just happened?'. He didn't have a girlfriend and yet, he hadn't corrected Ana either. It had felt nice for somebody to assume he could be with a girl like Ashley. Maybe in his dreams, in fact actually in his dreams lately, if he thought about it. It wasn't a thing, and yet Eli felt no desire to rid himself of the fantasy. He scrunched the form up and shoved it in to his pocket carelessly, lifting his head and finally approaching the table, where he slid in beside Ashley with a screech of his chair legs.

"Hey, Boring." He joked, a smitten grin on his face, the remnants of red visible on the tips of his ears and nose. 

@ashley

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[Deleted]

Ashley could have sworn that Eli saw her when he walked into the library. She thought that their gazes met for a second, but then he was smiling at this girl who was grinning back at him and her heart ... she wasn't entirely sure what happened. For a second, Ash felt like her heart shriveled as she watched the two of them talking. Her hands felt clammy and cold and she was sure her face was pale as a sheet. Then her stomach started rolling and she saw red. Who the heck was this girl? What gave her the right to grab Eli's attention like that?

But ... he didn't seem to be trying to get away either. He was smiling and hiding behind a piece of pink paper that she gave him, slowly moving it so it didn't cover his eyes, but Ash could see how red his face was. Or maybe that was the fact that everything seemed red to her right now. She glanced down, looking into her bag where she saw a piece of pink paper too. She pulled it out, remembering getting it with the mail this morning at breakfast. It was an invitation to participate in another one of those date things. She'd planned on throwing it in the garbage but ... Ashley looked up to see the girl playing with Eli's hair, him laughing as he ducked away. Ash looked back down to the paper, hardly noticing that her hand was shaking. She smoothed the letter out on the table in front of her, pulling out a quill and feeling annoyed that they couldn't use pens here. Stupid British culture. Stupid British library and stupid British girls. 

She couldn't stop from frowning as she absentmindedly started filling out the stupid questionnaire. She wasn't even thinking about it, answering the questions absentmindedly as her mind replayed what she just saw. Was Eli still over there flirting with the girl? She couldn't look up. She didn't think she could handle seeing him flirt with that girl again. The two of them hadn't ever flirted like that, had they? Just playful, friendly teasing, and most of it in private. Her stomach was churning and Ashley thought for a second about trying to leave without Eli noticing. If he was still talking to that girl, he surely wouldn't notice. Then when she ran into him later she could tell him she wasn't feeling well. It wouldn't be a lie either. 

Eli's voice rang out in front of her and Ashley jumped as he moved to sit down beside her. She glanced at him in surprise even as her heart sunk. She knew he was just teasing her, that him calling her boring stemmed from their conversation on Thanksgiving and five minutes ago she would have loved that kind of greeting. Now it just stung, adding to the pain of seeing him flirt with another girl. She tried to force a smile, but felt almost positive Eli would see through it. She felt like she was grimacing instead of smiling. "Hey Eli," she answered, her voice not even close to her normal chipper tone, the cheerfulness obviously forced. She moved her hand to cover the paper that was almost entirely filled out now. Why was she covering it up? It wasn't like Eli would care. He had a girl, a very pretty one by the looks of things. Ashley couldn't calm the jealousy that swelled up in her as her mind recalled a picture of the girl. She should have known.

Elijah Theron Fleming

[Elijah Theron Fleming]

only dust settles.

AS ELI SAT DOWN BESIDE ASHLEY TWO THINGS became apparent to him very quickly. She didn't look that pleased to see him, her smile appearing forced. And secondly, he felt like he had interrupted something. "Oh, were you studying already?" He asked with a smile, shifting in his seat as he reached over and slid the paper out from under her arm. "Lemme see what smart girls do for work." And he held up the piece of paper, not really looking at it first as he smiled jokingly at her. 

However, when Eli's eyes caught the familiar pink paper his throat closed and his smile flickered on and off his face. It was one of those forms, for the dating roulette. The one Ana had given him for 'a friend', because she'd thought he was taken. Reality dismembered Eli's fantasies with such an efficient ease that for a second it didn't hurt at all. And then it collapsed in on him. "Oh... sorry," He muttered, deeply embarrassed. This time when his face heated up, Eli hated it.

"I didn't know you were taking part." He couldn't look at her, pulling his hands back to sit on them as they began to sweat. He didn't understand why he was so shocked and hurt. She was single and beautiful, of course she'd sign up. "Good... good for you." He managed to smile this time, blindly reaching in to his robes for the crumbled up form Ana had given him. If she was going to apply, why couldn't he. "You know, it's kind of funny. I was gonna sign up, too." He hadn't been, not at all. But, it felt imperative that he did. For survival. She wasn't his alone. "Could be fun..." He doubted it.

@ashley

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[Deleted]

Ashley felt like such a big idiot. She should have known that Eli was making friends, that other girls probably liked him. He was likable and fun and sweet and basically everything a girl with half a brain would want. What made her think that he would ever want to date someone who'd already hurt him so much. Sure, they could be friends and goof off together still, but it wasn't like he ever showed any sign of wanting any more than that. Ashley just had an overactive imagination. She saw what she wanted to see. 

She coughed at his question, trying to gain her composure. If all he wanted was friendship, at least it was better than nothing. She could handle that. At least she'd still have him a little. She shrugged, "No, I was just ..." Her eyes widened when he started to slide the paper out of her hands. "Wait!" she gasped, trying to stop him from taking the paper, but it was too late. He was smiling over at her and Ashley felt her face turn crimson. She didn't normally blush, but this wasn't something she wanted Eli to see. 

He apologized, obviously realizing what it was and Ashley shrugged, not wanting to say anything about it. She couldn't look at Eli. He probably thought she was pathetic. "It's fine," she mumbled, sliding the paper back so it was in front of her. She could feel that something was changing between them, but Ash didn't know what it was, or how to stop it. "I ... was just," she stammered, "I was thinking about it, but ..." she felt like an idiot. He was messing with his robes now, pulling something out and Ashley stared when she saw that he had one too. "You were?" her eyes widened in horror. "Wait, I thought you liked -" Ashley cut herself off hastily, shaking her head and looking away from Eli. She couldn't come out and say that she thought he was into that cute girl he'd met inside the doors. She really felt sick now at the thought of Eli getting set up with his "ideal" date. She wanted it to be her so bad, but that was ridiculous. She nodded mutely when he said that it would be fun, laying her head down on the table. She couldn't do this.

Elijah Theron Fleming

[Elijah Theron Fleming]

only dust settles.

ELI THOUGHT BITTERLY THAT IT HADN'T LOOKED like she had been just 'thinking about it'. The form was almost filled in completely. He felt something curdling inside of him, making him almost angry. Not at her, per say, but at the absence of something between them. That he had been mindlessly thinking about her non stop and she was thinking about blind dating. He realised suddenly, as he retrieved the form from his pocket, that he was angry at himself.

"Yeah, I mean, why not, right?" He said with fake cheer, pulling a quill from a pile she had set neatly in front of her. Always prepared, unlike him. Though his head snapped up at her half-finished sentence as panic set in him like a raging fire, his eyes wide. Did she know? Had she known all along that he'd begun to like her again? Perhaps that was why she'd started filling it out in front of him, knowing he'd be coming soon. Was she... letting him down easy? A lot of time had passed since they'd kissed, and he knew how that had turned out in the end.

"Like who?" He asked, feeling masochistic. He wanted her to say it, to air what had been bubbling between them. Something he realised could be entirely one-sided. She was flirty, she flirted with Jack. He wasn't. At least, rarely on purpose. 

@ashley

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[Deleted]

Eli looked angry to her. This definitely wasn't how Ashley wanted this afternoon with him to go. She wanted to be with Eli and date him, not some random person from a dating service. Sure, her date with Sav turned out nice and they were good friends, but that didn't mean she wanted to go on more dates with other strangers. The only reason she even started filling out this paper was because of that girl. Her stomach twisted as she thought of her again. 

He said that he didn't have a reason to not sign up, grabbing a quill and Ashley glanced down to the table for a second. She didn't want to watch this, but for some reason she was. What did she start? "I mean ... I guess there's no reason why you shouldn't," she answered, forcing a smile. At least it felt more real than the last one. "Have ... you ever done something like this before?" Ashley blurted, wishing she could fix this somehow, take away the tension and make things better between them.

"That ... girl," Ashley answered almost instantly when she heard his question, unable to keep the jealousy under wraps anymore as she gestured to the library door with one hand. "The one you ran into a minute ago. I mean, she's cute and pretty and she was all over you and ... and it's none of my business!" Ashley's face was suddenly crimson when she realized that she put it all out there. There was no way Eli wouldn't realize that she was totally jealous. She went on, trying to distract him from the truth. "I mean, if you don't like her, go ahead and sign up for the dating thing. It should be fun!" Why was she saying this? Shouldn't she be trying to convince him out of it somehow? Then she realized she was giving him dating advice, and it wasn't for him to date her. "I ... umm, Charms!" Ashley jumped, reaching for her bag. "W-where do you wanna start?" She felt so humiliated and couldn't stop wishing she wasn't so scared to tell him the truth.  

Elijah Theron Fleming

[Elijah Theron Fleming]

only dust settles.

ELI THOUGHT THERE WAS A VERY GOOD REASON he shouldn't apply. Namely as he was only considering participating at all because he'd just discovered Ashley was. He didn't want her to, but he couldn't mope around forever because she wasn't interested. That was just pathetic. So he began filling out his name in his scratchy hand-writing. The little details that would apparently aide in the discovery of his one true love, or something.

"No," Eli admitted with a slight laugh, the quill shaking in his hand as he bounced it restlessly on his thumb. "You?" At this he lifted his head, eager to hear her answer. Maybe she went on a lot of dates, they didn't exactly spend an awful lot of time talking about their love lives. Or, in Eli's case, a lack of one at all.

To begin with, the phrase 'that girl' left Eli confused, it had not been the answer he had expected. Brows pulling together, Eli became very still as he tried to figure out who she was talking about. Luckily, she elaborated and Eli's face split in to a smile as he couldn't help but snort. "Ana..?" He asked, baffled as he shook his head. "Why would I- I mean she's great but she's..." And then Eli looked a little closer at Ashley. At the stiffness in her frame, the redness in her cheeks. If Eli didn't know any better, he'd think she was jealous.

Dipping his head, Eli suppressed a smile as he stared intensely at his slip of paper. "She's just a friend," He finished finally, darting his eyes to catch a side-ways glance of her. He wasn't quite sure what he was looking for, but he knew what he was hoping for. Relief. "I don't really see her that way." In fact, Ana was sort of intimidating. She had a personality so big it clashed with Eli sometimes.

Laying the quill down, Eli couldn't help but look at Ashley once more. His mind was running in circles. Wondering if perhaps Ashley could have been jealous, or maybe she really was just interested. But her face was still bright red and Eli had finished filling out his form. Did she want him to apply? He was very conflicted. "Should be fun..." Eli echoed, nothing more than a mumble as he watched Ashley flounder around awkwardly - which was entirely unlike her. He was usually the one falling over himself. It was odd to see her like that.

He didn't push it when she pulled the Charms textbook out of her bag, her hands a little shaky as she ran her fingers across the pages. "I think we were on defensive spells." Eli clarified, licking his lips as he shimmied close to her. He felt like the air between them had changed and he couldn't tell if it was with realisation or just plain old hope. It made his chest tight and warm. 

@ashley

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[Deleted]

Ash watched Eli as he started to fill out the paper, cursing herself inwardly. Why did she have to start filling one out in front of Eli in the first place? She should have hidden it when he approached ... the only problem was she was filling it out so she wouldn't be watching him, which explained why she didn't see him walking up. Eli laughed, still writing as he said that he hadn't done one of these before. Then he was looking up at her, returning the question. Ash shrugged one shoulder, pretending like it was no big deal. "I went on one in the summer." She laughed at the memory. "My date ended up being Sav Macmillan. He's the Quidditch captain of the Gryffindor team," she said, wondering if Eli knew him. "We met at a karaoke place and it was fun. A good way to make friends in a place where you don't know anyone, you know?" That was why she'd signed up the first time. Of course, she wouldn't have minded if something romantic happened between her blind date and her, but she was looking to meet new people. And she had. Sav was now someone she considered a good friend, which was something she was trying to make sure Eli knew. Not that she thought he would care if they were more than friends. 

She had no idea how Eli was responding to her little outburst, since Ashley couldn't look at him. She was too embarrassed and nervous that he'd see through her and realize why she was really upset. Then again, when she heard him snort, she couldn't help but look over at him. Her mouth dropped and she looked back to her stupid pink paper when he said that she was great. Great. That's exactly she sort of thing she wanted to hear. Ashley tried to force herself to relax and stop being so tense, but she couldn't. At least, she couldn't until he added that she was just a friend. Ash couldn't help a small, relieved smile and exhaled slowly, trying to not let it show too much, but she was glad. "You don't?" slipped out and she mentally kicked herself for saying it. She wanted Eli to say that he saw her that way, but Ash definitely knew that was too much to hope for. She forced a laugh and added, "Well I'm glad. I'd hate to lose my study buddy to someone else." She'd hate to lose Eli in any way, but she couldn't come and say it outright. 

Eli echoed her, saying the dates should be fun and Ashley nodded, "Yeah ... I mean, it's not supposed to be anything serious, you know. Just a different way to meet someone?" She was finally looking at Eli now, hoping that somehow he'd understand something that he probably didn't even suspect. Now that they were both signed up ... she was hoping that maybe he'd be her blind date. The chances were astronomical, but she found herself hoping it anyway. 

He moved closer when she changed the subject, correcting her and Ashley nodded. "Yeah, sorry I forgot. Do you want to study here or find somewhere a little quieter." The front of the library was notoriously loud, with all the people entering and talking and checking things out. She didn't mind waiting here, but as a general rule Ashley preferred to study elsewhere. Also, she wouldn't mind a little more privacy with Eli. That way when they took one of their inevitable breaks they could have more fun. 

Elijah Theron Fleming

[Elijah Theron Fleming]

only dust settles.

IT SHOULDN'T HAVE BOTHERED ELI THAT ASH HAD went on a date during the summer. They hadn't even been friends again, still at odds. But, it niggled him slightly when he thought about how he hadn't been able to stop thinking about her, and all the while she had gone on a date. Like he wished it had been as easy as that for him.

"Oh, he goes here?" Eli asked stupidly, leaning forward on the table and attempting to appear open and curious. "Karaoke, that's cool." He smiled thinly, rolling on the front two legs of his seat. "I love Karaoke." Though, Eli was not distracted enough to miss that she'd said 'friend' and nothing else. His galloping heart slowed slightly.

"Ana is almost as bad at studying as me," Eli revealed with a laugh. Plus, it'd take more than a pretty face to make him stop turning up to his study sessions with Ashley. Sometimes, they were the highlight of his day. And Eli rarely said that about anything that involved school work. "I'm not looking for my true love or anything," Eli agreed with a shrug, grinning as he dipped his chin to catch her eye. There was a beat where neither of them said anything. Where Ashley caught his eye and his smile quivered at the corners. He wanted her to ask him not to participate. He wanted to ask her not to. That they should just toss out the word 'blind' and date each other.

Eventually, the bubble popped and it was business as usual. Eli's palm was flat on the table, when he lifted it slightly, he found that the pink form was stuck to his sweaty skin. He peeled it off and stuffed it haphazardly in to his pocket. Even Charms with Ashley was more interesting. "Whatever you want," He shrugged, but he was still looking at her oddly. She always liked when they were alone, their moments often private. More and more Eli began to ask himself, did Ashley like him?

@ashley

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[Deleted]

Eli was asking questions about Sav and Ash couldn't figure out why. Was he just curious because they kind of avoided talking about the summer during their time together and now she brought it up? She didn't know why he would care, unless he cared about her ... Ash shook her head. That definitely wasn't the reason. Eli couldn't like her now. That ship had long sailed, even though she wished it hadn't.

She looked over at him, forcing a smile. "Yeah, he ..." she thought, trying to think of a way Eli could put a name to the face. "He and I danced a bit together at the Halloween dance thing," she answered, wondering if Eli would remember calling Sav her date. She didn't want to actually bring that up specifically though. Sav hadn't been her date, they just had fun hanging out. Eli was busy having fun with his own friends then, like Brigh. "You like Karaoke? We should do that sometime! Sav ... wasn't really into it. He's more the athletic type, but he sang once with me," she said, rolling her eyes a little. 

He laughed, telling Ashley that Ana wasn't very good at studying either and she couldn't help but feel more relieved. Good. For all she cared, all of Eli's friends should be bad at academics. Then they wouldn't be able to pull him away from their time together. Wow, that was selfish of her, but she didn't feel bad for thinking it. "Is it bad that I'm kind of happy she is?" she asked, shrugging a little. "Me neither," she agreed, unable to pull her gaze from his. The way he was looking at her ... Ashley wanted to believe that it wasn't the way Eli looked at his friends, but she doubted it. She'd tear up the paper now if he asked her to, but as the seconds stretched he didn't say anything and neither did she. 

Ashley finally dropped her eyes, pulling herself back to the moment at hand. He told her they could do whatever she wanted and Ashley nodded, her decision already made. "I'd rather study further in the back," she answered, packing away her books and leaving that stupid pink paper for last. She glanced at Eli before packing it away. "I don't think the librarian would appreciate it if we were to goof off up here during one of our breaks," she explained, nudging his shoulder a little, her smile playful. "You ready to go?"

Elijah Theron Fleming

[Elijah Theron Fleming]

only dust settles.

RECALLING THE HANDSOME STRANGER ELI HAD seen Ashley with at the dance was like a smack to the face. Had that been their second date? He didn't think so, but the idea curdled in his stomach unpleasantly and it took all of his self control not to look down-trodden when she mentioned it.

"Right!" He squawked, nodding with a very thin smile as he remembered. They hadn't been friends then, he wasn't allowed to be bothered at all. "I'll do karaoke with you any time." He told her, because he'd probably sing all night if it was what she wanted. It pleased him darkly that he had one thing in particular in common with her that 'Sav' did not.

"No..." Eli said with an eye-wrinkling smile. He didn't think that was a bad thing at all. In fact it lightened his mood so much that he thought he felt a little bit dizzy. "I kind of like it, it's..." He shrugged his shoulders and dropped his head. "It's like you're jealous or something." The words hung suspended in the air between them. He'd said what had played on his mind and he felt brave for doing so. Even if he was way off the mark.

As Ashley suggested they work further back, it felt like something of a confirmation for Eli. He wasn't planning on making any moves, or declaring anything just yet. He wasn't that brave. But, as they gathered their things and snickered to each other, whispering back and forth. "I do not goof off." Eli felt more and more sure that he was on to something. His mind was far from Charms for the rest of the session.

[END ELI]

@ashley

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[Deleted]

Ashley absolutely loved the fact that Eli was willing to do karaoke with her. It meant that he wasn't intimidated by the fact that she was good at singing and that he didn't mind joining her, which was something that really encouraged her. Eli didn't mind doing things with her! Of course, she should know that now since it wasn't uncommon for them to do things together, but there was still always a bit of hesitation at the back of her mind. "Really? You're the best, Eli!" she enthused, leaning over and giving him a quick, possibly semi-awkward side hug. She couldn't care less. He wanted to sing with her!

Eli said no and Ashley wasn't entirely certain what he meant by that. Was he saying that no it wasn't bad Ashley was glad that Ana wasn't the best with her school work? Or was he saying that no it wasn't bad she wanted to keep on studying with him. Ugh, it really just didn't matter. He went on to say that he kind of liked it and she stared at him. He liked that she didn't want him to be spending his time with Ana? Was that what he was saying? As he continued, Ashley's jaw dropped, her eyes widened and a light blush covered her cheeks. How did he know she was jealous? "What, me? Jealous, I- psh, I ..." Ashley hesitated, not wanted to lie to Eli. It was one of her promises to herself. "Even if I am, you'll never get me to admit it," she answered softly. It was likely that he would see that for what it was, an admission, but she couldn't help it. She couldn't lie to him, she wouldn't. 

He argued, saying he didn't goof off in a whisper and Ashley had to stifle her giggles. "Yes you do. We goof off together," she retorted, glancing up to make sure the library hadn't noticed them yet. To her relief, she hadn't. "Come on, you goof. Let's find a spot where we can study and mess around together," Ashley teased, grabbing his hand and pulling him along with her. At least she could hope that with their studies somewhere else she wouldn't get jealous again. Hopefully she could just enjoy a fun afternoon with her best friend.

--- the end ---

Elijah Theron Fleming