in my veins | sari

[Nathaniel David Forrester]

now you see me.

MAY 2024

THE END OF FIFTH YEAR WAS ON THE HORIZON and OWL's were merciless. Nate had worked tirelessly to do his very best, which meant he had very little time to relax. He rose early and went to bed late, studying for each exam. 'Mediocre' was not acceptable, and since it was his first year completing OWL's, he put in double the effort to anticipate for pitfalls and surprises. So, when he attended his last exam, he felt... listless afterwards. As if he'd forgotten something important.

In the end, he ended up wandering the hallways in search of something to steal or draw - whichever landed in his lap. However, the opportunity which did arise was unexpected. Nate had not seen Sari Fawley since she'd kissed him and stormed off. His face twitched as if to smile as he saw her mane of wild blonde hair. She'd been studiously avoiding him, which might have been a blessing, had she not intrigued him so much. This was the first time he'd seen her and she hadn't immediately turned in the opposite direction, but that was probably because she hadn't seen him yet. He seized his opportunity, sidling up beside her so that - should she desire to flee, she'd need to rush past him.

"Hey, Fawley," He drawled, a knowing smirk on his face. Turning, he began moved in front of her, so to better see her face, walking backwards with hands tucked in to his pockets. "Are you avoiding me?" He asked teasingly, tilting his head and pouting out his bottom lip as if he were sad, he wasn't. "I thought we were friends..."

@sari

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[Deleted]

pitiful decisions.

FIFTH YEAR’S ENDING was one Sari had waited for, especially with the introduction of OWL examinations, which would determine if Sari was as smart as she claimed to be. For weeks- no, months on end, mornings were spent with focus and evenings too, but being the night-owl she was, the nights were the moments in which the Fawley had a clear conscience. As well as the time when she had the free-will to conjure up stories in her mind, or ways to even change the things she regretted. Unlike her previous years, fifth provided the blonde with a rollercoaster, especially with the likings of Nathaniel Forrester, a Slytherin within the same year as herself. Their time together was brief, mostly spent in classes alongside one another, with his scores outshining her own. For someone so quiet and mean, he was strangely smart.

Like a lovesick puppy, Sari had come across the Forrester at the weirdest of times one night, hiding away in the Library with a book hidden within his robes that most certainly didn’t belong to him. The events of it all still made her cringe. Since their…Kiss, Sari ensured she would avoid him, focusing on what mattered instead. Academics instead of her hormonal emotions and needs. During the early afternoon like now, her hair was blown wild like most days, the risk of bleaching her hair leading her to becoming lazy to do anything else to it aside from washing and letting it air-dry like the next crazy person. Her face washed pale and rid of the simple makeup she wore, especially since she didn’t sleep the night prior. And if fate hadn’t played enough with the Fawley already, the presence she had been avoiding…For what seemed like months on end had crawled up behind her, like an unwanted insect upon the walls.

Jumping at the sound of his voice, the hand that was free from not carrying her school books rose, resting over her chest as she tried to control her breathing. ”Jesus.” She muttered, attempting to force a smile. ”H-Hey…Forrester…” And here came the hot flushes. Her cheeks tinted a light pink and Nate hadn’t even said at least twenty words to her. ”A-Avoiding?!” She repeated in a stutter, her walk down the hallway slowing in pace. ”Pfft. No. I’ve just been busy with classes.” Classes she literally shared with him, what an awful lie. His pout led to the Fawley looking away, in an attempt to crack a smile on her lips at his words. She knew Nate well enough to guess when he was kidding around with her, and their…situation-ship was one too complicated to explain. ”Yeah. Yeah, we are friends.” She nodded. That was fine right? Some friends kissed and awkwardly avoided one of the others for months on end. At least she thought so. ”Did you ever come to wonder, maybe…Maybe you were avoiding me?”

Nathaniel David Forrester

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[Nathaniel David Forrester]

now you see me.

IT WAS ALMOST INSULTING, THOUGHT NATE. THE look on Sari's face a blatant lie as she panicked at his side. She had most certainly been avoiding him, the very least thing she could do was have the balls to admit it. And so he scoffed at her hurried excuse, rolling his eyes towards the ceiling before casting them down to her derisively. "We're in the same classes, you know." He said, because they both certainly did know it. "Who do you think you are?" He exclaimed, a haughty look about him. "Cinderella?" Because she had disappeared in to the night. She simply didn't have the courtesy to even leave him a glass slipper.

He didn't really care if they were friends or not. Ever since that night in the Restricted Section, Sari had definitely made a point of being elsewhere whenever Nate was around. He hadn't cared enough to share the same sentiment, until she had begun to avoid him that is. And then Nate had took it upon himself to break that knew habit. A little insulted that she didn't even look at him. "You kissed me, remember?" He said, airing that tense thing between them. "Why would I avoid you?" This seemed entirely illogical to him and is showed on his face, scrunched as if he'd smelled something bad. 

@sari

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[Deleted]

pitiful decisions.

IF THERE WERE an award for Hogwarts worst liar, Sari Fawley knew she would be awarded it. The transparent sweat on her brow that felt like it trickled lightly down her face only made the blonde feel more tense, especially at Nate’s point. She grimaced at the comparison, considering Cinderella had some sort of elegance to her, at least gifted from her fairy god-mother. Flowing dress, tied up hair and dark roots out of sight, while the Fawley girl was a mess, robes hung on her, hair bundled into a mane and dark roots poking out from all angles. ”Right…” She trailed off, teeth searching for her already chewed bottom lip. ”What classes do we have again? I always forget.” Play the dumb route. That always seemed to never work.

The grimace continued a little while longer, with the reminder of their kiss sometime in fifth year, in the small alcove that had them squished up against one another like God-awful bugs that refused to die. Sari breathed in deeply, exhaling heavily through her nose before her head swayed to the side, pale eyes looking up into his. The same ones she avoided for months. ”I told you…I just…Read the situation wrong then.” The scrunch of his face only complicated the situation further, given their…friendship…class rivalry or whatever they had was complicated in its own way. ”Well. That happened. Then…I guess it just felt like…you fell off the face of the Earth?” The last part sounded uncertain, just like the expression that crossed her lips, her teeth chewing deeper into the dead skin that already hung off her lips.

”So I technically wasn’t avoiding you. We avoided each other.” Especially with exams around the corner, Sari put effort into her attempts at avoiding the Slytherin. She didn’t need that hot stirring feeling to mess with her mind during an OWL. It was bad enough as it was. Clearing her throat, Sari shook her head lightly, blinking profusely as if the actions would rid her of this nightmare. ”I’m sorry. By the way. For doing that.”

Nathaniel David Forrester

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[Nathaniel David Forrester]

now you see me.

WITH A WORLD WEARY SIGH NATE REALISED that Sari wasn't going to give in easily. She'd committed herself to her lies, as if she hadn't been watching his every move in an attempt to avoid any interaction with him. Nate had noticed, you couldn't fool a watcher. Plus, Sari wasn't even subtle about it, so he didn't even deign to reply. Simply pursing his lips at her as he shook his head slowly, the urge to storm off itching his heels. But, he didn't. Because he wasn't finished with her quite yet.

"Okay..." Nate said, tongue in cheek as he tried to think of what to say. Something to shake her ruse and not make it look like her kiss had had quite the opposite effect on him. She'd read the situation wrong, but she'd sparked his interest as well. That didn't change the fact that he still found her almost insufferably annoying. She was much more entertaining when she was kissing him, he'd decided. "Well, I didn't." He said, crossing his arms and eyeing two fellow students as they wandered past. Ever paranoid, Nate stopped for a second and snagged Sari's robe.

"C'mon." He told her, tugging her along with him as he pushed the door of a very small and unused classroom. He knew this hallway wasn't used any more, not since there was a fire next door. Not enough ventilation in these parts, you see. It still smelled of smoke and the desks all had a very fine layer of dust on them. A few chairs upturned. It was the epitome of privacy. 

"Cut the bullshit, okay?" He said, wheeling around on her once the door was closed. He had a very thin smile on his face, the corners just barely turned up. "You talk so much and you never really say anything." He told her with a half-laugh. "You kissed me, pussied out and now you're avoiding me." He shrugged like it was nothing, but it had very clearly bothered him. "You don't just get to do something like that and then pretend I don't exist..." Nate was used to doing that, not having it done to him.

"Also, stop saying sorry all the time, it's embarrassing." He told her harshly, crossing his arms and cursing himself for talking so much without a breath. That was embarrassing. His foot was tapping incessantly and he was suddenly regretting his decision of closing them in together, but it felt oddly reminiscent of the last time. Slowly, his eyes narrowed and he looked up at her, as if he was accusing her of something. "Do you like me, Sari?" 

@sari

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[Deleted]

pitiful decisions.

AS STUBBORN AS SHE WAS, Sari knew her walls would break eventually. Nate was that kind of person anyway, to keep bugging at the things he found interest in. But it just confused the Fawley as to why she had become a sudden interest. Sure, she had kissed him, following the wrong vibe in that small alcove. Before she could even respond, protest that he had been avoiding her as much as she had been avoiding him, her robes were tugged at and the two of them were pushed into a small hallway, one that Sari knew was most definitely out of use…Because of that fire! Nate began to talk, without seemingly catching a breath and all the blonde could do was…Bite her lip. It was her ruse, to try and get herself out of this conversation without even saying a word.

She couldn’t help it though, watching as his lips thinned out, to how he shrugged, his tone changing and even the folding of his arms. It left her annoyed, flustered at the thought that even the tiniest things about the Forrester could work up the Fawley, even when he was making a point. She was full of shit, considering how she didn’t like to confront any sort of situation, and the mistake between them was one she hated to be reminded of. ”Like I…Like I said—“ She began in a stammer, a hand raising to anxiously run through her hair. ”I read the situation wrong. I didn’t mean to kiss you. I just thought…” Her voice lowered now, while her head slightly tuned in embarrassment. ”…You wanted to kiss me.” She murmured, the hand that ran through her hair now rubbing at the fine hairs at the back of her neck.

Sorry was just her safe way of getting out of situations, taking the blame in times the blonde didn’t believe it was her duty to. The tapping foot and the silence that hung in the air was enough for Sari to break until Nathaniel asked one more question. Like him? He was Nathaniel Forrester. A total jerk. Hated Sari’s guts but was now…somewhat interested in her…Did she like him? Did she? ”Pffft.” She began trying to play it out. But even her false sense of confidence was weakening. So she did what she knew best. Reading situations wrong. The blonde stepped forward to Nate, her hands lightly cupping his cheeks before she made the same mistake she had hated herself for. Kissing him all over again was a trip.

Nathaniel David Forrester & dammit sari.

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[Nathaniel David Forrester]

now you see me.

NATE COULDN'T PROPERLY FOCUS ON WHAT HE was trying to say when Sari kept biting her lip like that. He was only human, after all. And she kept gnawing on it, turning it a sharp red that he kept looking at and then away, scrambling to keep himself on point as he demanded some kind of clarification. Nate didn't quite understand why her avoidance bothered him so much. Maybe because it was usually Nate who did the avoiding. He felt beaten to the punch.

"I... I didn't." He admitted, not meaning to insult her, but not able to help himself either. She was obviously still eager to scramble his brain, after all. Nate's eyes narrowed, wondering if perhaps she was doing it on purpose. After all, she'd defied every other assumption he'd had about her character. And then she was stepping towards him, his hands falling aimlessly at his sides as her hands sought out the sides of his face and she yanked him to her viciously, their mouths colliding in a gnashing of teeth and lips.

Nate froze for a beat, just like before, but he reacted quicker this time. His hands came up first, resting on her hips as he sighed in to her open mouth, as if relenting to something he hadn't wished to relent to. But, he didn't pull away either, one hand coming up to tangle in her messy hair as he kissed her back in earnest, closing the short space between them until he had to strain his neck down to reach her, eyes squeezed shut as if in pain.

"You're so fucking confusing." Nate panted as they pulled away for a breath, her lips redder now, almost bloody at the force she'd pushed in to him. And then he went back, chasing her mouth and pressing them against the doorway they'd just come through, hard enough to rattle both of their spines. It all felt like a terrible idea, but Nate couldn't deny that it felt pretty incredible too. Like breaking a set of rules he hadn't known were erected between them. 

@sari

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[Deleted]

pitiful decisions.

WITH THE TABLES TURNING FASTER than Sari could even get her words out, she couldn’t help but simply gnaw on the dead skin settling on her lips. She knew it would rush with a blood-red colour, given how hard she had been biting, but even as she looked up to see where he was looking, she noticed he was staring right back at her. She looked away the moment he revealed he hadn’t wanted to kiss her. It riled up how embarrassing her actions truly were, and not even the best of time machines or skilful wizards could change it. ”Oh.” She simply managed to say, a hand reaching up to scratch at tight blonde curls. ”I feel…Silly now.” The same way she had done when she originally done the deed.

Avoiding had been the best thing for the Fawley, but a person could only run for so long. She was tired of it, and she knew she would have to answer curious questions eventually…So kissing him to avoid those questions were the next best thing for Sari. Hence why she unfolded the mess of it all, kissing him all over again. It was abrupt, unexpected like most things between the two of them, but what the blonde hadn’t been expecting was a response back from the Slytherin. He moved this time, hands resting at her hips while their lips locked and moved, opening and closing. Sari was sure she let out a shuddering gasp as he grabbed at her mess of hair.

Her eyes were squeezed shut, until they broke away just for a breather. She breathed heavy then, lips redder and so were Nate’s. She couldn’t help but stare at them then back up at his eyes. He called her confusing and just for a brief moment — Sari smiled. The need for his lips on hers only grew now, and Sari sighed from relief once they were kissing again, bodies pressing against the doorway. She winced slightly at the pain against her back but eventually ignored it. She wanted to live this moment, even if she knew it would be brief — and potentially never happen again.

She felt terrible. Her stomach burned with anxiousness, but the more she touched and kissed him, the more she felt herself ignore the feeling. The two were known, known amongst others that they disliked one another simply because of how different they were. But like the night they had been squeezed in the alcove, pressed up so she could only see, hear, smell and touch him, maybe she was growing to like him. Her hands reached up then, a cold palm cupping the nape of his neck while her teeth grazed at his bottom lip. This was a bad idea.

Nathaniel David Forrester

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[Nathaniel David Forrester]

now you see me.

NATE HAD MADE A LOT OF BAD DECISIONS OVER time. Some he regretted, but not many. And in retrospect he wouldn't class many kisses as mistakes. Maybe that one time he kissed a girl who was dating a ripped footie player, his black eye hadn't appreciated that. But, he thought briefly and suddenly, that he was going to regret this little exchange. It was just a shame that he didn't care as his upper body leaned in to Sari's, her tongue in his mouth.

It was more a battle of wills than a simple kiss. She bit his lip and he dragged his teeth across her tongue, his thumb leaving an indent in her jawline as he pulled away to run his lips down curve of her neck, his breathing harsh, heart rattling in his chest. He nipped at the juncture where her neck met her collarbone and sighed, his nose brushing against her skin. "What... are we doing?" He asked suddenly, his eyes squeezing shut, his bottom lip brushing against her neck in temptation.

Pulling himself away took an immense amount of control, but when he managed it, it was almost destroyed by the dumb look on Sari's face. Her milky skin flushed, her lips bruised and swollen. His head wobbled as if to lean in, but he let go of her instead and leaned back. "I have to go," He said, and he grabbed the door handle and yanked it, almost toppling Sari on to the ground.

But, before he slipped out and headed to his next class, he turned back and, without thinking of the implications and the impression it would leave, grabbed her face and kissed her again. Briefly, but fiercely, a sharp smile on his face as he pulled away and edged through the gap in the door he'd made. His head was light and he could still taste the kiss on his mouth. He felt like he'd done something terrible and illegal. It was an incredible high. And he had the sudden realisation that he'd probably do it again. And soon. 

@sari  
because he's evil...

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[Deleted]

pitiful decisions.

KISSING NATE WAS A COMPLETELY bad idea. Though, Sari knew she couldn’t pull herself away from any of them. Nate was everything and more when it came to bad news, but why did all of those qualities simply…Bring her closer to liking him? She hated it. She hated herself for even setting eyes on him, let alone having her tongue down his throat anyway.

What the Fawley hadn’t been expecting was Nate to pull away so quickly and her small fantasy of having Nate enclosed like this, close to her and even…touching her like this. ”I-I…” The blonde was lost for words, her lips swollen while her mind shook, trying to piece everything together collectively. Sari couldn’t even come up with an answer. But when she did find the words, Nate was already leaving, pent up with aggression that it left her confused — dumb almost. ”W-what?…”

She knew he probably didn’t hear her and before she could wallow in her misery, lovesick over a boy that didn’t like her back, Nate returned, pulling her in and kissing her once more before leaving, quicker than he did the first time. And it was at that moment, Sari knew she was completely and utterly head over heels for him. Because even in that moment, when he proved that Sari would probably be worth nothing more than stolen kisses, she didn’t mind. Instead she simply wanted to do it again.

[END]

Nathaniel David Forrester

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!