WHO: Evan Rosier & Cecilia Hooke (with an appearance by Kalista Rosier)
WHAT: Bringing sexy back.
WHEN: Evan's apartment
WHEN: July '78

Her wine goblet was resting between her fingers, her wrist moving in a circular motion to swirl the crimson liquid that was inside. The two girls had just finished their dinner and were now doing what they did best. Gossiping. It had been far too long, and they had so much to share! When they weren’t talking about other people, they were either talking about what they were going to do to other people, or about how fabulous they were. Because, they were just that.

“Oh my God, did I tell you about the girl with the leopard pants in Diagon Ally? It was horrible! I thought she had gone blind, to even dare to wear something that tacky. And if that wasn’t bad enough, she was wearing a Zebra print tube top, which was utterly grotesque…you could see her fat rolling off the edges. And her acne! Poor thing tried to cover it up with an inch of concealer…it was nauseating…” She sighed dramatically and took the final sip of her wine. “Even Evan couldn’t help but smirk. He denies it, but I saw him. He never laughs, though…or well, he does, but I never understand what he does laugh at.” She rolled her eyes. “Whatever.” She stared at her cup before she gasped, remembering something. “Oh, I totally need to show you the skirt I got while I was there! It’s the cutest thing ever!” With that she uncrossed her rather long legs and rose to her feet. “Oh, if you want to grab another bottle of wine, it’s in the kitchen!” She called back to her as she made her way into her room to search through the piles of boxes for her skirt.

What she didn’t know, was that Evan had wondered out of his room to grab something to eat, and was currently sitting on the island in the middle of the kitchen. He would have sat on one of the stools, but he never really liked them much. He prodded with his chopsticks at the lo mein that was in the bowl. He was keeping his distance, giving the two girls their privacy…or, he was trying to.

Cecilia nodded as Kalista excused herself, muttering something like an 'alright', and shifted on the couch, crossing her legs in the opposite manner. She really didn't know why she was so fidgety--after all, she had been assured beforehand that either Evan was going to be out, or he would keep to himself in his room while they were around. It was just.. this place, it was his and it was so difficult to not think about him when she was there and when she was trying so hard not to. Ridiculous... weeks ago, it had seemed like such a good idea to go on and flirt with him, but now she could have smacked herself for it. Twice. Ten times. Had smacked herself for it.

Fuck, she hated men. Especially the egotistical, arrogant, pricks. The kind she hadn't imagined that Evan could be, but he now inexplicably was... he was a hot prick, of course, but--

--but nothing, she had to stop thinking about him, she was doing herself all harm and no good. Sighing, Cecilia drank the last of her wine and looked at the bottle... yeah, more wine sounded like just the thing she needed right now. Maybe there was a chianti in there, she thought as she smoothed out her skirt and stood, preparing to walk into the kitchen. Chianti always made her feel better, it was so--

Whatever her thought had been, the ending was lost in her head as she halted at the threshold into the kitchen. Said thought was replaced with about a million more choice words as she let her eyes focus upon the blond man sitting on the counter, tucking in to his bowl of... something, whatever. Bugger, what was she supposed to do now? To greet him felt like it would be too polite, seeing as he had been a total jackass to her before, but to not say hello seemed horribly snobby.

Wait a bloody second, snobby was exactly what he deserved. No, what did she care, she could be as snobbish as she wanted, completely ignore him and give him the cold shoulder and not even spare him a passing glance. Cooly composing herself, Cecilia proceeded the rest of the way into the kitchen, towards the refridgerator, and opened it as if he weren't there at all, as if it weren't his flat at all. He didn't even exist to her.

Evan prodded some more, not even noticing that Cecilia was standing infront of him until he glanced up, just to see what time it was. A brow arched, watching her move around the island he was sitting on. Oh, he knew she noticed him. It was hard not to notice someone sitting directly in the center of the room. He sighed, and placed some food into his mouth, chewing silently as she moved to the refrigerator. Did he want to say something? Of course. Would he? Nope. He knew what she was doing, and he wasn't about to be the first to cave in. That was...until he noticed that she had been standing with the fridge open for quite some time.

"It's to the back, on the second shelf." He said, gesturing with his chopsticks to the wine that was laying down on it's side. It wasn't like he had been snooping on them or anything, but Kalista had chosen to shout about the wine, so he overheard…not that that was the only thing he overheard. It was a rather large apartment, but he did have wood flooring. Sound traveled like a bullet.

Going back to his food, he put another small amount into his mouth, once again chewing and swallowing the left over Chinese.
"Oh, thanks."The words were out of Cecilia's mouth before she had even thought them, and--augh, fuck it all! It must have been some plan of his to say something, to make her break her façade and... no, that was ridiculous, there was no way that he had thought that far in advance that quickly. She was just being paranoid... and honestly, she had reason to be. He had proved once already that he had just been playing games with her, that he was stringing her along and letting her think he was interested until she threw down her walls and reciprocated that and it all made her so bloody mad all over again!
):
She took a moment behind the door to regain her cool demeanor before grabbing the bottle of white--fuck, not chianti, what kind of a person was he not to have chianti around--and closing the refridgerator. Cecilia stared at him for a moment (well bloody hell he was right in front of her) and furrowed her brow quizzically--she bit her lip in wondering if she should speak, but oh hell, she had broken the silence already, what did it really matter now?

"Is there a reason why you're sitting up there like a neandrathal, or do you just aim to be such an obvious pathetic bachelor?"

Oh, so she was speaking to him now? He looked at her, and then behind him, to see if there was someone else she was talking to. It wasn’t like he expected anyone to be there, but he was just ‘shocked’ that she had decided to say something to him at all.

Taking a second to adjust himself he gestured over to the stool that was next to the counter he was sitting on. “They’re too tall.” He said this as he twirled some noodles around the pointed sticks he held between his fingers. “I never got around to getting shorter ones, and I don’t necessarily enjoy having my room smell like…whatever the fuck they put in their food. And, I knew you two were using the dining room, so that was out of the question…so, I took a seat on the counter.” His eyes finally met hers. “Is that a good enough of an explanation for you? Or, were you just expecting me to say that it was the latter?” After a few more seconds of looking in her direction, he stared down into his bowl, getting ready to take another bite.

“So, let me ask you something now…How come you couldn’t manage to get out of coming here tonight? I thought you were such an ‘experienced liar’…” he quoted, as he put more food into his mouth, waiting till he swallowed until he spoke again. “You seemed so sure that our paths would never cross again…and yet, here you are.” Evan had a very good memory, and he usually made sure he used that to his advantage whenever he could. “Not that I’m not pleased to see you, of course. I was just curious.”

Setting the chilled bottle down on the counter--because it seemed as if he was going to make an attempt at initiating barely civil conversation--Cecilia crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back against the surface casually. Funny, how much calmer she was when she was mad, when she was putting her mind on so many other things than how much she (undeniably still) wanted him. Things like what method of castration would prove better did he utter one disagreeable syllable, things like how much their last encounter over journals had hurt her... it was unforgivable, that last alone, and enough to spark a horrible ire in her. Cecilia Hooke was not hurt by men--she did the playing. She did the hurting.

He would indeed teach her to never, no matter how she was tempted, give into a man's games again.

"You assume that I wanted to get out of this dinner," she answered back flatly, her voice betraying no emotion. "No, I was rather keen on the idea, actually. I thought it over and eventually came to the conclusion that no matter what number of vile bastards may reside here, I am not going to allow them to influence me to bar myself from the enjoyment of the presence of my best friend." Cecilia's eyes narrowed as she paused for a split second, before adding. "That does not, however, serve to mean that I reciprocate such pleasure in seeing you. My feelings--shall I remind you? Loathing, disgust, utter detestation, et cetera--have not wavered an inch."

He was smirking now, almost as though he was trying not to actually smile. Yeah, because he did that so often. It was so amusing to him, how she tried to make it seem like she wasn’t interested him in the slightest. Shaking his head back and forth, he got ready to take another bite of his food. “You’re not as good of a liar as you’d like to think you are.” And as he placed the food into his mouth, Kalista emerged from her room before Cecilia could say anything more. The female Rosier was not only holding the skirt, but she was wearing it, making Evan’s smirk fade and his brows furrow together as she twirled to show it off.

“Isn’t it just gorgeous?” She asked her friend, only noticing Evan’s expression as she turned back around. “Don’t you say anything.” Her eyes looked between her brother and her best friend now. “You remember Cecilia, right Ev?”

A single nod was given before he looked over to her. “I remember her quite well.” Those blue eyes merely glanced over to the brunette. Kal, who was now standing with her arms crossed over her chest looked to Cecilia. “Don’t you just think it’s so cute?” Her hands flattened the rather short skirt that she was wearing.

"Mmm.. fabulous," Cecilia answered distractedly. She hadn't been expecting Kalista to come in there so quickly... or maybe she just hadn't been keeping as good of track of time as she thought, not that it mattered. She was happy she had come back, now she wasn't alone with Evan anymore. Funny, how a month or so ago she would have died to be alone in a room with him--funny how things changed. Not that she didn't still think he was gorgeous. If he had any other personality, she probably would have been completely annoyed that her friend had chosen now to return.

But she was over that. Completely. Fully.

She hadn't even noticed that as she spoke to Kalista, she was still looking straight ahead at the man in front of her. Quickly, she made an attempt to nonchalantly check out the skirt she had just commented on, but it was hard to be nonchalant when you'd just been not paying attention for ten seconds. "I... think I saw one like that when I was out, yesterday. I almost bought it, good thing I didn't," she said quietly, in an attempt to recover.

Since it had gone quiet for a few seconds after the question had been asked, Kal had cleared her throat rather loudly, brows raised as she shifted her weight to one foot, a bit impatiently. When she finally got the answer she wanted, she grinned and ran a hand through her hair, about to speak before she was cut off by Evan. “Don’t you think it’s a bit short?” On anybody else he would not have minded, but seeing that small piece of fabric on his sister bothered him. But, she was so used to this by now. A cluck of her tongue was given, as well as a roll of her eyes. “It’s not that short, Evan.”

“Kal, it’s barely existing.”

“You’re just being dramatic.”

Now it was his turn to roll his eyes. “Okay, I’m going to go change again. I’ll be right back.” She turned, and headed back to her room to get dressed.

“She’ll be at least 20 minutes…” he muttered, now hopping off of the counter. He wasn’t wearing a shirt and tie, which was a change since that was all she ever saw him in. Instead, he was wearing dark blue jeans with an old t-shirt and a blazer. Another characteristic that passed through the Rosiers was their fashion sense. “She feels that along with getting dressed, she’ll have to redo her hair, and reapply her lip gloss before she comes back out to grace us with her presence...” He looked over his shoulder at her. “Not that you care, but I thought I’d tell you how long you’d be sitting alone in the living room. Since, you probably want to get away from me as soon as possible. You don’t tend to hang around people you loath for very long.” Turning, he reached over to grab his wand, getting rid of the extra food before he placed the bowl in the sink to wash it later.

Cecilia rolled her eyes back in her head, much like Kalista had, at Evan's words. "Yeah, I think I'm used to her lack of punctuality. We have been roommates for six years," she reminded him. Picking up the bottle again, she pushed herself off of the counter and was about to make her way back into the living room when he spoke again. Ugh, she should just... smash this stupid thing over his head or something, it was just--every time he said something that was normal and civil he had to go and say something that ticked her off.

"Actually," she said curtly, matter-of-factly, "I'm afraid you're assuming again. I loath you, yes, but that doesn't mean that I do not possess the resolution of spirit to be in your presence if forced to be so."

“So, what you’re saying is you’re being forced to stay in the same room as me…? By who?” He rose his brows curiously and leaned his back against the counter, wondering what she would say to answer his simple question. Kalista hadn’t ordered her to stay in the same room as him, and he hadn’t threatened her to stay. “I think you just don’t want to leave. You’re not the type of girl who gets forced into anything. No…that wouldn’t make you enough of a challenge, would it? You like being a challenge.” He rested his elbows on the counter, making himself comfortable.

“You’re the type of girl, who chooses her fate. Makes her own decisions. The type of girl, who will let someone think they’re calling the shots when, unbeknownst to them, you’ve been leading the entire time, to get what you want.” He took a good look at her.

“Before you jump to conclusions, no, I don’t think I have you figured out…but I think that the only reason you despise me as much as you do, is because for once, you don’t know how to take the lead…”

Cecilia had her mouth half open to correct him--to say that no one forced her to be there, nor did she feel forced, nor had she even said that this was a situation in which she was being forced into staying--but instead of formulating proper verbal practice, her mouth stayed half-open. In something like mild shock. Okay, complete shock.

It was just--how did he--there were no words to--how in the world had he just spouted all of that? She hated to admit it, but fuck, how could you go around denying someone when they were so miracuously, so suddenly spot on? Merlin's pants, not even she could have put all of that into words like he just had, it was like Evan had just jumped inside of her head and spoken for her. How did he know all of--

--she shook her head. No, fuck, no, she was letting herself forget that this man she was currently in such awe over had just treated her like a toy. That she was resolved to despise him because he had done such a thing, that he was not worth her time no matter what fancy words he used. If she fell for him again now, all she was setting herself up for was the same hurt, because even now, all he could possibly be doing was playing with her again. Fuck, why did she have to fall for the smart one?

"If you're looking just to get further amusement out of me, then you can stop right now," Cecilia said crossly, but there was a tinge of something pained in her voice. Sodding man, ugh. "You're right: I don't know how to deal with you. But it doesn't matter because I'm not going to deal with you because you don't give a shit. You're not worth getting my fingers burned again."

He wasn’t smirking, nor did he show any sign that he was getting any amusement out of her…because, he wasn’t. It was hard to tell what was going on behind those blue eyes, though. It was usually a relief to see him looking somewhat amused, because when he wasn’t smiling he was somewhat intimidating. He had such an intense gaze that it could probably start to hurt after a while. But, he gave her relief by actually glancing away from her to the tiled floor beneath their feet. Thankfully, this was the only room that didn’t have floors, and if they kept quiet enough Kalista wouldn’t be able to hear any of what they were saying. Not that she was paying attention, anyway, but still.

“’You don’t give a shit’…” he repeated under his breath, biting at the side of his cheek as he thought of what he really wanted to say. He wasn’t at a loss for words, he just needed a second to form them into what he wanted to say. “It’s a shame, that you think that...” His eyes reconnected with hers, his head tilted the tiniest bit to the side. “Though, I haven’t given you much reason to think otherwise, have I?”

Cecilia could still hardly believe the words coming out of Evan's mouth, but maybe now more than ever. How could he honestly be standing here, saying that it was a shame that she thought badly of him, like--like there was no reason why she should think this way? The only thing keeping her from storming out of the room right now was the softness of his voice... and the way he was looking at her, that was different too and and and what had she ever done to deserve to be in situations like this?

It just wasn't fair that this shit should come to her, bloody hell.

"No, you haven't," she agreed, sounding stern without much effort at all. "In fact, I'd go as far to say that you've never once given me much reason to think to the contrary. Why, are you saying now that you do care, or are you just leading me on again? I'd appreciate it if you'd tell me now so I know whether or not to end this conversation."

A few moments went by before he nodded his head. He figured that as much fun as it was to reel her back in after shoving her away, it was getting old. And, he was sick of torturing himself. “Yeah…I do.” He said with a shrug, straightening out. “If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be standing here, analyzing your thoughts, now would I?” He raised his brows, now standing up to his full height, taking a few steps towards her. It wasn’t enough to make Kalista suspicious if she decided to come out of her room, but it was closer than they had been all night.

“How did I do with that, by the way?” He knew he was dead on with everything he said, but he wanted to see whether or not she’d admit to it or not.

It was a curseable thing that her heart would dare skip a beat at Evan's words, but it did, Merlin's pants, no matter how much she wanted the contrary... or did she? No--well, yes, because this was a great thing that he was saying, but no, because what if this was all still part of his scheming? After the hotel, she wouldn't put it past him, but holy crap did she want to because she wanted to believe that he was telling her the truth now because augh--

--she still liked him. A lot.

Cecilia didn't remember him stepping forward, but when she looked up he was right there in front of her. She almost missed his question when he asked, and in fact had to stop a second to think what he was talking about, but--"Oh... yeah." Ugh, she should have stopped and played it cool, but her mouth was working of its own accord for the second time tonight. Damn him, he was the only man she had ever met that sent her into such an unintelligible tizzy.

That fact that her answer didn’t even make sense, got him to do what he so rarely did. He smiled. It was brief, and if you were looking away for a moment you would have missed it, but it was still a smile. “Yeah?” He questioned, with a raise of his brow. “Interesting answer, but I’ll take it.” They stayed quiet for a few moments, before he decided to ask her one more question. She was actually talking to him. Not that he thought she wouldn’t after a while, but it was an improvement from the lack of conversation they were having before.

“Just, one more thing I’d like to know…have your feelings wavered at all? You know…loathing, disgust, utter detestation, et cetera…?” Even if the answer was ‘no’, he knew there was still time. And, if it was ‘yes’….?

She really wasn’t as good of a liar as she thought she was.

Ugh, this was so unfair, she should have smacked him or something for that. What was he doing, standing there and asking her that when he knew she was in a situation where she wasn't going to lie to him, but she didn't want to admit the truth--not that she didn't want him, but it was the principle of the thing! She had already said she hated him, how was she supposed to back out on that now?

Very easily, apparently. She really wasn't that good of a liar.

"Slightly," she finally admitted, so quietly that it was hard to say if she'd actually said it. Either way, the only thing he would need to notice was the soft blush on either of her cheeks--when was the last time she had blushed, holy crap... "A little."

“Good.” His answer came a few moments after her second reply. He didn’t know why, but it felt as though a huge weight had just been lifted off of his shoulders. He had wasted so much time and energy pretending he really didn’t mind that she had been avoiding him for so long. But, as soon as he heard she was coming over to spend time with Kalista, he got…nervous? No, maybe it was more like anxious. But still, he didn’t understand why he felt anything at all.

For a second or two, he had forgotten that his sister, the reason why Cecilia was there in the first place, was home. But, the sound of her door flying open, and her shoes clicking against the hard, cold floor, reminded him too suddenly that they were not the only people in the apartment.

Damn it.

Now, standing in the wide opening to the kitchen stood Kalista. “So, what’d you two talk about? Was it anything I’d find even remotely interesting?”

Motherfucker, Cecilia thought quite colorfully at the sound of her friend's voice. That girl was lucky she liked her so much because this was totally grounds for disownment--oh, and that she didn't know, too. For a moment, she wished that Kalista did know, because then at least she might have had the decorum to not walk in at such a crucial moment.

... then again, if Kalista knew, Cecilia might not even have been there at all.

"Not at all," she answered, stepping away from Evan and back over to her friend, forced smile and all. "Completely dull, I'd say, so I won't bore you with the details--want some more wine?" Cecilia grabbed the bottle off the counter and as she steered Kalista back into the other room, dared once to glance back over her shoulder at the man still in the kitchen. A ghost of a smile flashed across her features, and then was gone as quickly, as was she.