(Lake) I Could Get Used To This

[Professor Ashton Laurent]

Ashton flopped down on the banks of the lake with a happy sigh. Looking around with a smile, he remembered when he had been last time. He'd been with Maxi. Maxi. A smile spread across his face as he thought about the blond haired boy. A stark, but beautiful contrast with his own raven-black hair. Ashton smiled as he thought about the song he had written sort of on a whim the night after meeting Maxi. But it was also a hope of things to come... closing his eyes Ashton began to hum softly to himself.

[Ashlee Van Dort]

<sup>Ashlee was sitting under a tree nearby. She heard a beautiful song and wondered where it was coming from. She looked to her left and noticed a Ravenclaw boy sitting with his eyes closed. He must be humming, Ashlee thought.

She stood up and walked over to the boy with a smile, "That's a lovely song you're humming. Does it have a name by any chance?" she asked.</sup>

[Professor Ashton Laurent]

Suddenly a voice snapped Ashton out of his little dream-world and he sat up startled. Looking around, his eyes fell on a girl who looked to be a couple years older, he blushed as he nervously bit his lip and replied softly. "Um, yeah, it's called I Could Get Used To This." He gave the girl a small smile before continuing. "I wrote it a couple weeks ago after I met someone here at the lake." Ashton stood dusting the dirt and grass off his robes. He held out his hand. "I'm Ashton. Ashton McLane." he shrugged, "But most of my friends call me Ash, or if they're trying to annoy me they call me Ashy, and it works!" he said with a slight laugh.

[Ashlee Van Dort]

<sup>Ashlee smiled, "That's kinda ironic," she said with a laugh as she returned the handshake, "My name's Ashlee Van Dort. Friends call me Ash or A.J.," she remarked.

"Well whoever you wrote that song for is very lucky. You have talent and I'm glad you don't waste it," she said pulling her hair back into a pony. "Has this mystery person heard it yet?" she questioned.</sup>

[Professor Ashton Laurent]

Ashton blushed as usual, and smiled shyly. "Thanks." he said quietly. He shook his head. "No, Maxi hasn't heard it yet. But I may play it for him soon." He looked up at Ashlee. "Think I should?" he asked uncertainly.

[Ashlee Van Dort]

<sup>Ashlee nodded with a smile, "I definitly think you should play it for him. I'm sure he'd love it," she said with a small wink.

Ashlee looked out at the lake for a moment then looked back at Ashton, "So what are you doing out here anyway, if you don't mind me asking."</sup>

[Professor Ashton Laurent]

Ashton shrugged. "Oh, I don't know. I just needed a place to get away and think. And this seemed like a pretty good place." He eyed Ashlee out of the corner of his eye, "If you don't mind me asking, you didn't seem that surprised or shocked. Or disapproving even when I said, 'him' instead of 'her'. Why?"

[Ashlee Van Dort]

<sup>Ashlee shrugged, "I'm a pretty easy going person. I think love is a beautiful thing no matter who it's between. Plus I'm open to the fact that a guy is capable of liking another guy. You wouldn't be the first guy I've met that says 'him' instead of 'her'," she said with a smile.

Ashlee looked at him, "Are there people here that disapprove of you and Maxi?" she asked.</sup>

[Professor Ashton Laurent]

Ashton shrugged. "I don't know. I mean we've only been on one date so far. And it went great, but I get stares, and I know people talk behind my back. I'm not stupid. Although they seem to think I am." He said bitterly as he drew his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. Ashton sighed and layed his head on his knees as he gazed out at the deceptively calm waters of the lake. Illusions can be so comforting... he thought to himself.

[Ashlee Van Dort]

<sup>Ashlee sat down next to him and looked out at the lake, "You know what I think? I think that what other people think shouldn't matter to you or to Maxi. If you're happy then ignore the stares and just go about your business. That's what I did when I was in love... with a dead guy... a long time ago," she said with a small laugh.

She nudged him, "Ignore the words spoken behind your back and the stares that are thrown at you. If you give the words and stares attention, they'll never stop. It's kinda like an advertisment you see on a billboard. If you ignore it, it goes away. Do you get what I'm trying to say?" she asked.</sup>

[Professor Ashton Laurent]

Ashton smiled shyly. "Thanks." He said gratefully. Then he looked at her curiously. "What do you mean you were in love with a dead guy?"

[Ashlee Van Dort]

<sup>Ashlee sighed and played with a string hanging from her shirt, "Well, I was in love with a professor but since I was a student it was forbidden. Then, one day, I find out he's dead. I was completly heart broken and left in the middle of my seventh year to find out what happened. I came back this year after months of searching for something I never thought I'd find and decided to finish my seventh year of school. It turns out he's alive now and I know who killed him but I'm not sure why."

Ashlee looked at him with a saddened expression, "He's not the same anymore. I mean," she looked away, "His eyes are cold and empty now. He's not the guy I fell in love with. It's just something I have to live with now. I'm trying to move on, but every day it gets harder and harder for me."</sup>

[Professor Ashton Laurent]

Ashton could almost feel the pain that Ashlee was going through. "Wow... that's... alot to handle. But if he was dead... how did he come back to life? And what do you think changed him?" he asked twirling a blade of grass between his fingers.

[Ashlee Van Dort]

<sup>Ashlee shrugged, "I don't know how he came back to life, all I know is that he is alive. I wish I did know how it happened but I'm afraid to question it."

Ashlee looked back at him, "And it's obvious that the death changed him. Plus all the trouble he's been through before and after his death. I can't answer that question honestly because I can't get inside his head and see or feel what he's going through."</sup>

[Professor Ashton Laurent]

Ashton gave a sympathetic smile. "I'm sorry. That's gotta be hard."