Blishwick Speed Dating Bonanza ¦ Open!

[Arlo Bletchley]

With his few Winder date's Arlo's self confidence had grown ever so slightly. Though, he was far from self assured, he felt slightly better about himself. That was chiefly what had pushed him on and given him the spontaneity to sign up for the Blishwick speed dating bonanza in the Three Broomsticks. Now he was here, he glanced around and his nerves began to eat away at him. Although it seemed somewhat of a mixed bag, taking in the other participants, Arlo wasn't sure what he had gotten himself in for. On the form he had filled in to sign up it had said that there was indeed something for everybody, and now he glanced around the pub, he was sure that was right. All sorts and shapes of people looked back at him. 

Eyeing a group of much more mature women, he very much hoped he wouldn't have to suffer their company for too long. He was sure there was rules to be accounted for, and it was an evening affair so there was nobody underage anyway. With a sip from his pint he eyed a group of people closer his age from LIFE. That was more his speed. 

DING DING. 

The bell that signified the beginning of the event had tolled and with that Arlo took a seat at one of the smaller tables. It wouldn't take long before he was put out of sympathy and his first victim slid in front of him. 


OPEN to anyone

[addilyn elara slater]

but i'm not drowning

there's no one here to save

February 14, 2028
Arlo Bletchley

Addy couldn’t believe it. Despite all her years of mastering that external self-control, she could not hide the scowl on her face or how her brow furrowed disapprovingly at this whole thing. Brígh had signed up her for speed dating. And after picking her jaw up off the floor, Addy asked in total disbelief what in Merlin’s name had possessed her to do such a thing. And without asking her. Brígh had cheerily responded, her chest puffed out proudly, that it was time for Addy to stop moping around and move on with her life if she wanted to get past their friend and ex-boyfriend. At that, Addy rolled her eyes and crossed her arms defensively but didn’t respond.

But suddenly, Addy turned to grab her cloak, purse, and other items to hide the burning in her face at Brígh’s following statement. Evidently, she had taken notice of Addy’s guests frequenting their flat, although she did not know who it or they were. Addy would never admit that it was Jack, the boy from their holiday, especially not that she still occasionally saw her ex-boyfriend. So, here Addy was at the Three Broomsticks in some vain attempt to hide her little secret from her best friend.

The bell rang, and she took a deep breath as though she were preparing for the Quidditch Final at Hogwarts or her end-of-the-year exams. Addy could handle anything. She walked toward the assigned small table, where a young man was already sitting. Merlin, she knew that smug face. Addy always wondered if she would know half the people she knew if not for her six years on the Slytherin House team. She cleared her throat and looked around, but she couldn’t see everyone’s face to see who else she recognized.

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[Arlo Bletchley]

As the girl across from him took her seat, Arlo had a flash thought about how pretty she was, before that was quickly replaced by the alarm bells ringing to let him know that he already knew her. It was Addy Slater. One of his old SlythQuid rivals from Hogwarts. One of Lulu's ex-teammates. At the thought of Lulu, an uncomfortable feeling rose in his chest and caused his cheeks to flare red subconsciously. He didn't like to admit it at all but he was still fairly beaten up over the whole thing. Unsurprisingly Addy would likely think the blush was secondary to her taking the seat across from him, and he hated that.

With a silent curse, he gave her a small nod of acknowledgment, unaware of her apparent burning distaste for his face. "Hey Addy" eventually he uttered in a quiet tone, unsure of what else to say. "How have you been?" cocking his head to the side he gave her a tight some, attempting to push through the awkwardness regardless of how little liking she had for him.

Just his luck, he thought, but then the wizarding world was small enough. He was bound to run into someone he knew in the dating pool eventually. He just didn't think it would be this quick, or on a night when he was already feeling as shitty and self-conscious as he was. It was good, in a way, that he was so oblivious to Addy's dislike for him, otherwise, that may have totally pushed him over the edge and caused him to run to the bathroom and disapparate all too quickly without giving this ridiculous night a chance.

addilyn elara slater

[addilyn elara slater]

but i'm not drowning

there's no one here to save

February 14, 2028
Arlo Bletchley

Well, she supposed the speed dating had done its job already. Instead of dwelling on her present relationship status—or lack thereof Addy thought of how much she missed Quidditch. Not simply the feeling of leading a team as Captain but flying through the air and leaving one’s problems on the ground. The boy in front of him, Arlo, had played on the Gryffindor team. Would Brigh ban her from not only dating the ‘artsy’ types but now the athletes too? Addy needed to settle her wild thoughts. Surprises like this were not welcome as a planner, but that wasn’t Arlo’s fault. Only his former housemate and her best friend’s fault.

”Arlo.” She greeted him simply. ”I didn’t expect to run into you here.” Addy paused, looking down at her hands on the table for a moment. ”Well, I’m not sure what I expected of all this.” She tried to recall her last year at school. Arlo had been close to…Lulu? It annoyed Addy to have lost those details of her seventh year, but the castle burning down took up an extraordinary amount of space in her brain. Still, Addy didn’t mention it in case she remembered incorrectly. His presence here only meant he was just as single as she was. Oh, how their inter-house Quidditch-related relationships had clearly failed.

”I’ve been…alright, I guess.” She lightly shrugged with one shoulder. In hindsight, there had been a lot of dating between players of the house teams. Addy had garnered a reputation for her academic status, skills in the pitch, and no-nonsense style. And yet, nobody was all that surprised when she and the Hufflepuff House Seeker got together that spring. Not that it changed her team’s practice schedule, but he never managed to get her to move her practice times. ”And yourself?” She returned the question. At seventeen, Addy would’ve ridden that competitive spirit during such an interaction, but that felt like so long ago now. So much had changed.

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