Fire in the Classroom (Chase)

Sterling entered the classroom, with no true intention in mind. He had been much more relaxed since exams were over, incredibly relieved and willing himself to start socializing as his sisters so often instructed him to. Not just yet though, he told himself.

He conjured wood with a lazy flick of his wand, pointed at the pile in the center of the room and muttered "Incendio!" and it ignited instantly. She reclined himself lazily, his regular dark blue robes with their sleeves rolled up lazily as he sat by the fire.

Chase was strolling down the hallway by herself. Which was a first for Chase because normally she was surrounded by a gaggle of people. Both guys and girls. All striving for her attention. But she had shaken them off at the Great Hall saying she needed to get something from the library. Which was a lie. She never went to the library. But here she was, walking down a deserted corridor when she smelt something. Something like..burning wood. She stopped and turned around worriedly. It was coming from what SHOULD be an empty classroom.

Spinning around she grabbed out her wand and prepared a water spell in her head. Then opened the door quickly pointing her wand at...Sterling? She lowered her wand the door slamming into the wall behind it. "Oh, I'm sorry!"She said her voice oddly high pitched today. She had been loosing her voice for a while now and today it decided to go squeaky and high. Smiling at him she stowed her wand away. "I thought there was a fire."She said after clearing her throat carefully.

Sterling goggled up at her. Was it possible? Of all people? He seemed petrified to the spot unable to move. He didn't feel at all threatened when she pointed her wand at him.

"Oh, er... hello Chase." he said politely. He insides churned as she smiled at him. His eyes darted around nervously... and his heart leaped as his stomach boiled. There was nobody else there. The fire's warmth suddenly seemed insufficient as he let out an involuntary shiver. "What brings you here?" he asked conversationally, highly conscious of his voice cracking. His dark gray eyes surveyed her, to ensure she wasn't imaginary.

Chase smiled at him looking at him. It was times she hated having a slight lazy eye. People got scared of it. He looked scared all right! "Well, I managed to shake off my friends and was walking down the hall when I smelt the smoke from you're fire."She said smiling at him again her teeth flashing in the dark room. "It ok if I sit by you?"She asked moving into the room.

Sterling's eyes widened and his heart rate accelerated to what had to be a highly unhealthy rate. He summoned a desk next to his using Accio nonverbally. "Of course!" he blustered. The dim firelight in the darkness triggering an unrecognizable emotion within him. Chase herself seemed to have a visible aura that brightened the room. Sterling stopped breathing as she approached.

Chase grinned at him and then walked over. "What made you want to start a fire in a classroom?"She asked sitting down, bringing with her the scent of fresh rain. She smiled at him and let her hair fall down over her shoulders. Fixing it calmly she smiled and glanced out the window. "I mean, we have fireplaces in common room's and stuff." She turned and looked at him and smiled, flashing her teeth at him. He looked like he had stopped breathing and she carefully sniffed in. All she could smell was her perfume and the smell of the fire burning. She smiled at him again hoping he'd be ok. "Erm..it's ok to breath"She said looking a bit concerned.

He didn't want to tell the truth when she asked why he started a fire in an empty classroom. Truly, he had previously wanted alone time to think... but he wanted somewhere warm and inviting at the same time. However, the horrible thought of her leaving made him not vocalize his true intentions. Instead, he said something along the lines of "Just wanted to see if I could," in response.

Then she sat down. His stomach swooped, he felt momentarily as if he were in free fall. His heart beat still faster and harder. She gave him consent to draw breath, and as he did so, inhaled the intoxicating scent of perfume and fresh rain... it was intoxicating. He sniffed again, trying to be casual. He smiled at her back every time she smiled at him, the only reaction he had to the now familiar boiling sensation in his stomach.

"Thanks for letting me breath by the way, for a moment I forgot how." he said a little awkwardly, without knowing what else to say. He accompanied the comment with a faint smile. He secretly wished she would smile back at him again.

Chase laughed, her head thrown back, when he said he forgot how to breath. "Well we do need it you know."She pointed out and poked him lightly on the arm. "Well it's a nice day to do this, looks like it's gonna rain."She said casually letting her head fall back and stretching her feet out under the desk. Today she was wearing an adorable pink mini skirt with leggings of the same colour. Supported by her ever visible Gryffindor scarf tied around her waist. Her shirt consisted of a halter top with the Gryffindor crest on it. She smiled at him and crossed her hands behind her head. "Plus now that you've done this you've given me a perfect opportunity to not go to the library like I told my friends I was!"She said laughing again her head thrown back. She looked over at him and smiled when he gave her a faint smile. "Aww, cheer up buddy, you can smile!"She said laughing again and patting him on the shoulder.

Sterling smiled naturally for the first time in months--smiled unintetionally, without forcing it. Chase was dressed in the least formal, most comfortable way possible. Sterling was filled with a wave of envy for the ease at which she lived.

"Glad I could help you escape from your friends." he said happily. He wasn't sure how he would have reacted if she had appeared in the classroom accompanied by a wide group of friends. He shuddered a little.

Sterling noticed the relaxed position Chase seemed to be in. Sterling's left hand twitched and he placed it on top of the desk. It fidgeted from side to side. He held it down with his other hand, then released it. It started fidgeting again. He distracted himself with his hand as for an excuse not to stare at Chase, which would have been a much more natural thing to do.

Chase noticed how stressed he seemed. Giggling to herself she slipped out of her seat and moved around to behind him. She watched his hand for a second and then giggling put her hands on his shoulders and rubbed. He just seemed to stressed so of course what else to do but rub his shoulders? That always helped her. Say she had a hard year at Hogwarts, and when she got home her personal masseuse would rub her back. She had learned a few things from that lady. Like what muscles needed worked out the most after a year of not having them worked out. She had also learned that when you're gone for a semester you're dog has a fit when you get home. First they snap at you, then they cuddle you, then they follow you around for the entire summer and refuse to leave you're side. Least that is how her dog was. He was a little Chihuahua and he bit hard after such a long time of not seeing her. She smiled and worked out his way to tense shoulders. "You need to get out more, stop hunching over books, you're going to have the worst back ever when you get older."She said shaking her head slightly. This was crazy, she had never felt someone more tense in her life.