[Forest] Trying to hide

[Carolanne Roberts]

Carolanne threw her hands up in slight defeat. He was still fighting her was he that stubborn? Of course he was, as was she. It was the only reason the argument lasted so long, "Fine, blah can be a feeling, happy?" she asked him, rasing her left eyebrow slightly.

Laney turned her attention to her figers as she played with a ring her mother had bought her years ago. She didn't know what would happen in Ashton or Cristian found out. She knew they'd both fogive her with time but was it worth it? Maybe; only time would tell. "No problem," she said glancing up at him. Carolanne watched his hands as they flailed around and gave a small laugh she tried to hide, "Okay, fine. Stays with us, I got it."

Laney couldn't beleive what was happening but she loved it. She could feel his smile as they kissed and because of that simple word 'kiss' she smiled as well. She placed a gentle hand on the side of his face as her tongue slid across his. Her other hand was placed on his chest over his heart.

[Max Hennerdale]

It seemed to Maxi that they were both admitting defeat in one way of another, of course he was still fighting her, fighting this. Whatever this was. Things were so much simple when he believed himself to be a straightforward gay guy, but now he wasfull of complexes and in all honesty, he didnt think his poor mind could handle it. "I guess I'm happy" He said with a small smile. A lot of things Maxi was leaving unsaid, he didnt mention any of them right now, he was confused about all of this and he didnt know what he was going to do about it. Part of him wanted to turn on the spot and run in the other direction, the other part of him liked it where he was.

All Laney needed was someone to hold onto, and it seemed as though she had chosen Maxi for that. Could he give her what she wanted tough, was he strong enough to let go of his worries? Let go of the things that was holding him back? Sometimes he wished he could be more like Mark, Mark always knew what he wanted and he always got what he wanted too, he was strong and he could let go of everything that held him back, he put himself first, Maxi found it hard to do that. Maxi wasnt panicing, he was stressing about this, okay maybe he was panicing a little. "Laney!" He laughed, spotting her laughing, "Its not funny, I'm serious!"

He was beginning to think this was a good thing, though refused to let himself believe it. Maxi had caved in, he had changed and he couldnt stop himself, more to the fact he couldnt help himself. Though that question of why was still in his head as his hands moved up her back. This was going to take some explaining at some point, and he was not looking forward to it.

[Carolanne Roberts]

Carolanne tilted her head slightly as she observed Max. She felt bad for just throwing all of this on him, but it needed to be done. Laney sighed, "Max, that's all I want. For you to be happy," she said gazing into his eyes. She didn't really want to know his reaction to her statement but it was the truth.

Carolanne watched as the blond gryffindor observed her. What was it he was thinking about when he looked at her? Laney shook her head as she stifled yet another laugh, "I know it's not! And I'm serious too! It won't go past the two of us, alright?" she said putting on a rather serious expression. She wanted him to know that she completely understood him.

There she was in Maxi's arms; the two still engaged in a kiss. She could feel his tension so she broke away for only a moment, "Don't think. For once, just don't think, Max," she whispered before she locked her lips with his once more.

[Max Hennerdale]

Maxi could help but wince, and smile at the same time. She wanted him to be happy, hurting people didnt make him happy and he would end up hurting someone. His heart ached at the thought of more pain on his account as he closed his eyes and let out a shaky breath. What he wouldnt give to be at home right now, dancing the night away in one of those clubs with the strobe lights with his friends and Rieko. "I know," how could he say this didnt make him happy hurting others, "I want the same for you."

Sometimes Max didnt know how he managed to stay sane. All the thoughts that ran through his head would drive anyone crazy, or maybe Maxi was crazy and he just hadnt realised it yet. "Alright then." There was really nothing more he could say on the matter, he had given in to her wants instead of standing his ground, but the first kiss Laney gave him took him by surprise and he had wanted more. Just like any typical guy. What could he do? He was now the other man, as soon as this thought struck him, he mumbled, "Oh god" and looked away, putting a hand on his head stressingly. He couldnt believe this was happening, yet he couldnt help but laugh.

"How can I not think." Though when she kissed him again, once more he was taken by surprise. Pushing her away, he licked his lips subconsiously and looked at her."What are we doing?" This was wrong, he couldnt help but fight it, he would fight anything that he knew was wrong, despite how right it felt.

[christianmartinez]

Cristian had been looking out the window of the Astronomy tower when he noticed Laney run into the forbidden forest. He frowned, unknowing why she was going there. She'd been acting funny for a while now, and he didn't want any harm coming to her, so he grabbed an extra jacket for her to wear and headed outside. He entered the forest quietly, not wanting to alert any creatures out there that there were students in there at night or they'd be dead.
He crept through and noticed Laney...He was about to say her name when he stepped forward and saw her kissing Maxi. His mouth dropped, and then Maxi pushed her away.
He was so confused. What had just happened? Why?
He dropped his foot down, causing a crunch in the brown leaves beneath him. He was devastated. Hundreds of questions and feelings ran through his head, but only managed to stutter...
"W-why? I thought you love me?" he said, a silent tear fell down his face.

[Carolanne Roberts]

Carolanne had just been pushed away from Maxi when someone too familiar to her caught her eyes. Oh God, she screamed inside. Laney covered her face and turned around quickly. "wha-" she said shaking her head hoping to wake up from a nightmare. "No, no no no no," she said turning around to face Cris. "Cristian?" she whispered. "Why?"

Laney looked from Maxi to Cristian. Her heart was racing she could feel it in her throat. What did she just do? "I-uh..." she stumbled through her attempted sentences, "I-I..." her body was shaking now. Laney, calm down! her body screamed.

A single tear rolled down her cheek as she looked at the ground ashamed, "I do love you, but as a friend," she muttered. She broke his heart. She told him she wouldn't and she did. This was on her and she knew it. She looked up, "I just," Carolanne broke off, "I'm not sorry for doing it. I wasn't happy," she explained. She couldn't lie to him, especially now.

[christianmartinez]

Cristian felt his heart ripping into pieces. It felt as if he was having a heart attack, and he began to panic and sweat.
"All you said to me was a lie, WASN'T IT? After all i've tried to do for you. The grief I got off Ash saying if I ever hurt you he'd kill me. I promised him, and all along you were going to be the one to hurt me. Not just me, but Ash as well. Laney, how could you do this. I never thought you'd cheat, we were always honest with each other. What's changed?...You never loved me" he said this all in one giant speech, tears now streaming down his face. At that point everything he had, had been ripped away from him with such a force that he struggled to breath. He couldn't look at her, he was disgusted in himself and her. He collapsed on the floor clutching the extra jacket he bought for her to wear. He didn't want her to get ill. He cried as he looked at the floor where he just stood, his shoes imprinted into the dried leaves.

[Max Hennerdale]

Maxi dared not turn around, he didnt need to turn to know exactly who was stood there and this looked bad, very bad. In fact it probably looked at though Laney often snuck out to meet Maxi, though it wasnt like that. He felt dread wash over him and a sudden wave of nausea hit him. Maxi's throat went dry, how could this have happened? The day had been perfect, the moment he stepped in the forest everything went bad.

"Why?"

That question had been flung around a lot tonight, especially by Maxi. This wasnt easy and there was no noticeable way to get out of it. Maxi swallowed the lump that had been swelling in his throat and turned to look at Cris. This was not what Max wanted, he wanted none of it. Looking down at the floor he bit his lip. How could he have been so stupid? How could he have let this happen. He knew Laney was shaking, but he darent reach out and touch her. Maxi didnt want to rub salt in Cristian's wounds.

"She's not sorry?" Maxi looked at her, surpise, shock and confusion on his face. She had meant what she said. That didnt make this any easier at all. Cris was heartbroken, Laney was breaking hearts, and Max seemed to be making a profession out of it. How did he let them get this far? He should have said no, sighing, there wasnt much he could do now, the damage was done.

Ash. Oh god, how could Max have been so thoughtless. This was going to break him, Maxi had to think of something, he had to. This was a mess, a bit mess, not a little one, a big one. He wasnt sorry for what he did with Laney, he didnt regret it, but he was sorry for the pain he caused others, the pain he caused Cris. Running a hand through his hair as Max stayed silent, he didnt know what to say. Broken hearts werent mended easily. When he fell to the floor, Maxi wanted to go over to him, like he would with anyone he saw in this state, but it would be unwelcomed and he knew that. He was stood a little infront of Laney, as if he was trying to protect her. He would rather be the one hurt, than Laney.

[Carolanne Roberts]

Carolanne couldn't believe Cris was here. Why did he have to follow her? Laney inhaled and exhaled rather violently. Her body was near shock and she could feel the blood drain from her body. She had gone pale and nauseous in seconds.

Laney shook her head, "No no, it's not true!" she yelled at him bringing her hands to her face. "It wasn't all a lie," she said after she had calmed herself down, "Believe me when I say that, please," she pleaded. Laney let her hands fall down to her side, "Cristian," she said softly as her eyes let a few tears escape. She didn't know what to follow his name with. She couldn't say, 'I'm sorry' because she wasn't. She didn't regret it. Instead, she stayed silent.

She looked at Maxi then back to Cristian. The moment Cristian hit the floor, Laney had already made it past Maxi to see if he was alright. She was hesitant about actually approaching him but she needed to make sure. She kneeled down and looked at him. She didn't want to touch him incase he lash out so she kneeled there. "I can't be with you, Cristian," she simply said.

[christianmartinez]

Cristian saw out the corner of his eye that Laney had kneel down infront of him. He turned his head away from her and to the side, still looking down. He sat there thinking for a moment. Every single thing they had ever said and done together came flashing into his vision. He was going to smile at the thoughts, but realised they were all lies.
He stood up, and quickly wiped his eye, it was a bad day for him to be wearing eyeliner as it was now in streaks down his face.
How could she be so casual about cheating on him?
"You have no heart Carolanne...I hope your happy now" He simply said after a moments though and thrust the jacket into her chest. He was just glad that it was her jacket that she had left the night before in the common room.
He looked up to Maxi, no pain or heartache showed on Cristian's face anymore, but anger through gritted teeth. He thought about going up to Maxi and punching his face in until he felt better, but he didn't have as much of a problem with him than he did with Laney at this awkward moment in time.
He clenched his now empty fists, and decided he could just manage to look her in the eyes one more time. He stared deep into her eyes for a minute, so she could see every ounce of every feeling he felt, and with that, he walked away.

[Max Hennerdale]

The moment he heard Laney tell Cris she couldnt be with him, a groan escaped him. Maxi hadnt wanted this to happen, he tried to say no, but after all, he couldnt. He was only human. Taking a deep, shuddering breath, Maxi tried not to let this situation get out of hand, his head snapped up when Cris said Laney had no heart.

"You know thats not true" Came Maxi's voice as he stepped infront of Laney, which meant he was in punching rage of Cristian, if he got smacked now, it would be his own fault, though Maxi wouldnt just let Cristian punch him, besides, Max was twice the size of Cris. Though it wasnt difficult, Max was twice the size of anyone. "Laney has the biggest heart I've ever known, but its not her fault if her heart is telling her its not you she wants. Her mind might be able to lie to her, but a heart never lies." Maxi's voice wasnt cold, but it was toneless. His eyes were glazed but you could just about see the sadness in them. He tried to keep all the emotion out of him, but what Cristian had said just wasnt fair. Though, looking at Laney, what they had done to him wasnt fair either.

Max saw the look Cris gave him, he knew Cris wanted to smack him. God, Max wanted to smack himself. He would too, if he could. Cristian started to walk away, Maxi ran to step infront of Cristian, why, he would never know. He just felt like he had to. "Dont walk away like this, man" Maxi said in a low tone,"I didnt mean for this to happen, it..." Maxi furrowed his brow and looked at the ground, "It just did. Dont blame Laney, I'm the one it boils down to in the end for not discouraging it when I first met her like I should have done. Its not her fault."

[Carolanne Roberts]

"You have no heart Carolanne."

Laney had been staring at the ground until that small phrase came into play. Glaring up at Cristian she shook her head. "I hate you for that," she said coldly. When asked if she was happy, she wiped her face of the tears and fought back those still trying to escape, "You know what? Maybe I am," she continued.

Once the jacket was thrust into her chest, she had had enough. Standing up she threw the jacket on the ground. She didn't care who's it was anymore. She listened to Maxi speak. She couldn't let him take the blame. It was her fault, not his. She lead Cristian on not Maxi.

When she realized Maxi had chased Cristian down, she followed. Hearing him speak, she grabbed his arm to tell him to stop. Letting go quickly, she looked at Cris then at Maxi. "You can try and take the blame all you want, but it's not yours to take! I did this, Maxi! You couldn't have prevented it! You incouraged nothing either! It was all me!" she said rather loudly trying to get them both to back down. At least Laney knew when something was her fault.

[christianmartinez]

Cristian had been watching his own feet as he walked away, before being interupted by Maxi. He slowly looking up to see him infront of him. Why wouldn't he just leave it.
"If she wasn't heartless, why would she of said that?...Your kidding yourself" He said. At this moment, Cristian didn't feel much like a Ravenclaw, but a dominant Slytherin.
"Your welcome to her, Mate. She'll find someone else better than you soon, like she did with me. I meant nothing to her and that's the end of it" He turned to Laney who just came up infront of Maxi. He just glared at her for a minute, then looked back to Maxi with glazed, evil eyes.
"Move out my way" He grimaced as he pushed him out of the way and continued to walk out of the Forest. He wished he'd never met Laney, and saved her on the stairs. Maybe he should of walked away back then, and let Jeremy Wheeler drool over her and he could of been in Cristian's shoes right now instead of him. As he began to walk away again, he felt remorse. With every step he took away from her, he could feel himself dying, and his heart felt heavy. He couldn't do anything, she'd made her decision.
What did I do so wrong? I only tried the best for her. I've lost everything now. Everything seemed to flash before his eyes again. Remembering what he said just a few days before about wanting to be with her forever and talking about kids, made him cry silently. He didn't want them to see him break down anymore than he had.
He entered the castle and closed the door so they couldn't follow. He slid his back down it and began to break down.

[Max Hennerdale]

Maxi felt something grab his arm and turned to see Laney, pysical contact, here and now? Not good. Maxi shook his head as she once more, argued the fact that it wasnt Maxi's fault, though Maxi knew it was no good thinking about the what if's and the but's. This had happened, and now they would have to deal with it, consequences and all. "I didnt discourage you though, like I should have, did I?" Maxi said, the sick feeling rising in his throat.He should have stuck to 'No Laney.'

"Im not kidding myself" Max aswered, though Cristian was losing his cool, Maxi was doing what he always did in a heated moment, he remained calm and emotionless. He wasnt pleaded for Cris to forgive them, nor was he going to say the famous line of 'This isnt what it looks like' because lets face it, Max and Laney had just had a tongue battle. No two ways about that. "Stop!" Maxi said raising his hand as though a signal to tell Cristian to shut up, "It would have been more heartless to carry it on."

Taking a chance, Max stepped towards Cris, not his best move he might add and put his hand on his shoulder, not out of pity, or out of sympathy, it was simply something Maxi always did. "Look, this!" Again he waved his hands around them, "This, Me, Laney. We kissed thats it!" Maxi sighed in exhasperation, "We're not eloping."
"Fine, you want to leave like this then go!" Max stepped out of the way and watched Cris walk off, taking hold of Laneys arm he shook his head, knowing she may try to go after him. "Dont." He told her, "Leave him be, let him calm down." He felt worse for Laney than for himself, she still had to share a common room with both Cris and Ash. This was more than likely going to be harder for her, than for him.

[Carolanne Roberts]

Carolanne's head was spinning so fast, she barely knew what was up and what was down. She just wanted to be in Maxi's arms again. At least that made sense to her. She stared at a tree somewhere in the distance holding her breath. Maybe she'd pass out, wake up and be back a month before when Laney first met Cris and stop it all.

She just let the guys exchange words. She was tired of screaming, yelling, crying. Her voice was hoarse as it was! She watched Cris walk off and she went to follow him but Maxi had grabbed her arm telling her not to. She looked at him, searching for something. "We kissed thats it!" The sentence replayed in her mind. Did it honestly mean nothing to him.

Carolanne continued to gaze up at Maxi. She needed to hear something she didn't care what it was. The silence was killing her already. Max! Just say something, please! her heart shouted, Tell me I'll be alright, tell me that you're still here for me. Her eyes were doing the talking now.

Laney sighed as tears fell down her pale cheeks. Wiping one away with the back of her hand, she turned her head and stared at the ground. She didn't know what to do. Maxi was the only one she had now.