Despite the worrying prospect of the challenge, Kendall couldn’t help but to imagine a Quidditch team, a junior one at that – all seven faces staring back at him … in admiration of course. He was their father, after all. Who wouldn’t be proud to be part of his little Rookwood clan? All seven faces, mirror images of himself, beaming at him … in his imagination. There was a certain quality of endearment in that mental image, narcissistic as it certainly was. A sudden growl in his stomach broke the reverie. Kendall followed after Athena. In an attempt to put off confronting the question at hand, the boy took his time with the bread in his hand. Deliberately, every bite was followed by meticulous chewing. For as long as he could, Kendall concentrated on the miserable piece of bread. And then, alas, it was done.
Painting his face with a smirk of amusement, he then returned his attention to the girl. “An important life lesson, taught by the one and only Athena Goyle.” The sarcasm offered held an oddly affectionate tone of voice. Kendall continued to look at her, grinning in a show of bravery, as if the idea of marriage did not perturb him. “I suggest you allow your impeccable head a rest too … Any task taken up by Kendall Rookwood will always be dealt with, with talent, by Kendall Rookwood. There’s no such thing as not being able to deal with …” He shifted to accommodate his body, relishing the position that Athena had chosen.
Leaning towards the girl, Kendall stopped when his face was just a couple of inches away from hers. “Ready to be a Rookwood then, Goyle? Might suit you better, I reckon.” He teetered dangerously close to being potentially offensive, but stopped himself in time. Kendall wouldn’t have meant it, should any rudeness have been allowed out from his conceited lips. It was a good thing, then, that he had reined in the impulse. He was beginning to lose that bit of discipline he had been so cocksure about. There was something odd about him, as of late. Kendall bit his lower lip as he occupied himself with those thoughts. Rashness was never part of his personality. He could not allow himself to slip into the damaging habit.
Attempting to distract both the girl and himself from his words, Kendall leaned even closer, allowing his lips to brush the girl’s. Then, lifting himself just slightly away to re-frame his vision of her, he smirked. “Missed me, Goyle?” Confident and deliberately teasing, he didn’t consider a negative response to that.
by 
