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[sub]A collab between [@Hedgehawk] & [@HaleyTheRandom]; Featuring [color=8BD3E6]Alistair LeRue[/color] & [color=FF7B7B]Ryan Reid[/color].[/sub]

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Alistair had a rather productive morning. At least by his standards. There was nothing that boosted his ego more than putting down the confidence of others. He had also come up with some rather creative insults too. It was always nice to start the year off on a high note. Marabeth arriving however put a slight damper on his mood. It seemed that she was trying to cancel out his insults with compliments. He was going to make an insult aimed towards her, but decided against it. Marabeth wasn't exactly a threat, but he had learnt that the rest of the senior year, sometimes acted like a pack. Attack one of them and the whole herd moves against you. 

Instead he focused on making his insults more vicious than her compliments. He was also doing his best to target Freshmen. They were far easier to keep compliant than older students. After a while however, Alistair was getting bored. The flow of arriving students had slowed down, and so instead he checked his phone to see if he had any messages:[i]Nothing[/i]. It seemed Persephone was having her own plans to deal with. Alistair placed his hands on his pockets. It seemed he had time to kill. What to do? He pondered for a moment before walking back inside the iron gates and into the campus proper. He ultimately decided to go on a walk; patrol the campus. Look around and try and see if there were any good groups of people that he could barb on. His walk had taken him to the edge of Cavendish hall, more specifically to the side entrance to the multifunction hall that they were going to be using for the assembly later. 

Part of the benefits of living at Edgebaston year round was being in the know. If you knew how to eavesdrop on people's conversations, you really could learn a multitude of things - and Ryan had done just that. She had heard of some of the renovations coming to the school this summer, & had even gathered some of the names of new scholarship winners. What had interested her the most, however, was the arrival assembly this evening. Ryan knew that she would have enough time to have the auditorium to herself to do what she needed, seeing as most of the equipment was set up the day before. The directing team wouldn’t be doing a sound check until closer to time - leaving her an opening to create one of her best art pieces yet. 

Waking up early that morning, Ryan was sure to shove all of her supplies in her backpack and make her way to the auditorium just as the sun was rising. The stage curtain was still lowered, offering her all of the extra cover that she would ever need. Ryan knew that there were no cameras inside of the buildings on campus, but the extra coverage still eased what little bit of nerves she had. Once she had made her way inside the building, and up the stairs to the stage, Ryan began her work. 

Standing back and taking it all in, she was rather pleased with the giant picture of Baphomet on the wall. On the left she had written “welcome to hell!” followed by “eat the rich today!” on the right side. Once she was happy with the finishing touches, Ryan put the spray paint back in her bag before covering her hands in rubbing alcohol and making sure that she removed all of the spray pain from her hands and arms. She changed from her sweat pants and crop top into her [url=https://i.pinimg.com/564x/b7/ec/64/b7ec641d1b68a9214908dd9194d3f420.jpg]chosen outfit[/url] of the day before making sure everything that she needed was back in her bag before exiting the building. 

Using the side exit, Ryan nearly hit a familiar blonde figure with the door on her way out. 

Looking the boy up and down, she scoffed. [color=FF7B7B]”Piss off, Alistair,”[/color] she greeted him warmly. 

Alistair nearly jumped as the door came swinging forward. Seeing Ryan walk out made him smile slightly. It seemed he was getting lucky with the people he was meeting. The introduction was something he was used to by now, so he just let it slide. [color=8BD3E6]"Nice. Don't worry, I ain't going to tell that I saw you sneaking out of the assembly hall"[/color] Alistair turned his smile into a smirk. [color=8BD3E6]"Looking forward to the rest of the peasants coming back? I imagine that summer is a time when you make very low sales."[/color]

As Alistar spoke, Ryan repositioned her bag so that it was firmly planted on her shoulder before crossing her arms across her chest. His words had only solidified her decision in the words she had painted on the walls the moments previously. 

At his mention of business, Ryan’s eyes locked on his as she pursed her lips - doing the best that she could to fight the shiver running up her spine due to recent summer memories. 

[color=FF7B7B]”Business has been fine,”[/color] she replied simply, still putting on her tough girl facade. [color=FF7B7B]”You're aren’t the only one around this town with money to spend, you know?”[/color] Taking a deep breath, she rolled her eyes. [color=FF7B7B]”Do you have anything of substance to talk about, or are you just wasting my time per usual?”[/color] 

It seemed as if Ryan was throwing up barriers again. All summer he had noticed that Ryan had been slightly more distant and guarded against him. With a deep sigh he leaned up against the brick wall. [color=8BD3E6]"Well, I need to talk about my birthday next month. We are having an official party at the country club, but that will be boring and bland. I need to know if we can do something more underground for the afterparty"[/color] Alistair arched his eyebrow, trying to suggest he was hinting at something, subtly wasn't his strong suit. 

Listening to him speak, Ryans mind shifted into planning and business mode. Going over her mental inventory of hang out spots she had required around town over the last year, the dark haired girl quickly settled on two options. [color=FF7B7B]”There’s the river by the railroad tracks - about a ten minute drive from the country club, and a half-mile hike - or the hike to the lake, about a mile off campus, through the woods behind Independence Hall. It depends on where you think people would actually want to go. I honestly think the one closer to campus is best. Easier for people to access and shit, ya know?”[/color]

[color=8BD3E6]"That checks out. We will need all the drinks and favours and the nice stuff. I am willing to pay double given the shorter notice and the fact it's my birthday. So I want it to be special."[/color] Alistair gave off a small smile, admiring Ryan's petite frame for a second. He would be lying if he wasn't always entranced to be near her. Something about her always seemed to draw him closer, even if it was going to get burnt. [color=8BD3E6]"It's going to be lit though. We are going to get upto so much trouble"[/color]

Ryan nodded her head, breaking eye contact as she watched Alistair look her up and down with a look she knew all too well. A look that she had seen from boys and men alike - women as well; one that screamed of hunger, thirst, and everything in between - but also a strong, deep rooted hesitation. The young woman hated how it made her skin crawl, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t going to use it to her advantage. 

Eyebrows raising as he mentioned to pay double, her head tilted sideways ever so slightly as pondered his offer. She knew that she could help Alistair with his request on any given day - it was just a matter of did she [i]want[/i] to help him. Then again - it wasn’t like she had much say in the matter any more, given the recent paths she had been taking in life. 

[color=FF7B7B]”I suppose we can make that work,”[/color] Ryan responded, beginning to put her hair up into a bun as she spoke. She took just enough time tossing her hair here and there, positioning it into the right places and exposing her collarbone and neck as she did so. He was always too busy playing checkers while she was playing chess. [color=FF7B7B]”’Nice’” stuff,”[/color] she questioned him, now placing her hands in the back pocket of her jeans. [color=FF7B7B]”Obviously you mean expensive booze - but what else does Alistair LeRue consider ‘nice’,”[/color] she questioned him, taking extra time to make sure that his name flowed from her mouth like honey. 

[color=8BD3E6]"Well I consider attractive girls nice…[/color] Alistair let out a small groan as he looked at her exposed neckline. [color=8BD3E6]" Well, I consider you the most attractive of the girls though"[/color] He knew he was about to get shot down. But he would try nevertheless. Maybe this time she would say yes and finally he would score a little win. 

Swallowing the bile that quickly rose to the back of her throat, she forced a sly smile while quickly becoming interested in her converse sneakers for a moment. Looking back up at him, Ryan chuckled. [color=FF7B7B]”You know,”[/color] she began, moving to close the space between them. [color=FF7B7B]”You ride around on that high horse that daddy bought for you, calling the rest of us peasants, but you’re the one that seems to do the most begging.”[/color] 

As Ryan closed the gap between them, His heart skipped a beat, his breath went short. She was teasing him, and he was falling right for it. [color=8BD3E6]"Well, I only beg for the things that I [i]really[/i] want."[/color] He would smirk at her and lean in that ever bit closer, making the gap between them almost nonexistent. While he enjoyed his games with Daphne, Ryan was on another level. He enjoyed Daphne, he [i]needed[/i] Ryan. [color=8BD3E6]"And I really want you"[/color] His voice dropped in volume, trying his best to sound seductive, but more than likely coming across as goofy. 

While Alistar dared to inch closer, Ryan's smirk grew. Wrapping a finger inside of one of the belt loops on his jeans, she closed what very little distance was left between the two of them by pulling him towards her. Alistar may have been a whole foot taller than her, but with him leaning over her, she was able to whisper a few words in his ear. 

[color=FF7B7B]”You’d just love that, wouldn’t you,”[/color] she questioned him, taking the time to make sure that each word was enunciated as her breath lingered on the side of his neck. [color=FF7B7B]”Tell me Al - is that your wildest dream? Skin on skin, my body on yours, each breath becoming one?”[/color] The thought made her laugh once more as Ryan moved her hand to his chest, pushing him away from her. [color=FF7B7B]”Down, boy.”[/color] 

Pulling her phone from her pocket, Ryan quickly looked down at the notification before swiping it off the screen and turning her attention back to her current target. 

[color=FF7B7B]”Message me with a list of everything you want for the party, and I’ll round it all up,”[/color] she said, her tone losing all traces of flirtation. 

Alistair's heart began beating faster as he felt Ryan tug at his belt loops. As she spoke, his breath became heavy, and his hormones began to kick in. He agreed with everything she was saying. Yearning for it. It was suddenly cut short as in the flick of a switch Ryan changed her demeanour and pushed him back. Alistair coughed slightly at the back of his throat, embarrassed by what just transpired, he would try and control himself and suppress the hormones. He felt humiliated. Ryan had strung him around like a love sick puppy. But he still wanted it.  [color=8BD3E6]"Ye… Y.. Yeah I will. I will do that. Not sure what I want yet"[/color]

Watching Alistair squirm was the most fun that Ryan had had in months. Despite that fact, she still didn’t wish to be in his presence any longer. Crossing her arms once more and raising an eyebrow in his direction, she rolled her eyes. [color=FF7B7B]”You should really think about what you want before you run around propositioning people, Alistair.”[/color] Clapping her hands together in the best fake cheerful demeanor that she could muster, Ryan added [color=FF7B7B]”See you on the flip side.”[/color] Turning on her heel, Ryan began to walk away from the boy. 

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