Sunbathing

The sun, so hot, so lovely, so..shiny! Chase lay in it looking content as anyone could possibly be. She had managed to get out of the school in one of her most flirty outfits possible. Though she wasn't planning on flirting, she just really loved this outfit. A skirt the same length as the Hogwarts skirts, but in pink. And a strapless belly shirt. Basically a strap of cloth over her chest. Her legs were crossed in front of her as she leaned back on her hands and let her head fall back. Her long brown hair falling back over the ground and laying in small curls there.

This position, plus her clothes, added for the most tanning she was able to get. Her skin was so white! No matter how much time she spent outside she never got a tan OR a burn. So she stayed Pasty white all summer and it drove her crazy. So she was hoping to change that by sitting out here, on this lovely day. She grinned slightly to herself. She must be quite the site to any guys passing by her. Sitting out there, her frame perfectly viewable to the public. Showing off so much skin it wasn't funny. Oh well, she didn't really mind the stares. She was popular wasn't she? She had to get used to it.

Chase sighed and lifted her head up looking down at her glaring white legs and groaned. "Why won't you tan?!" She grumbled to herself. "It's not fair." She rolled over onto her stomach and rested her head in her arms trying to get the back to tan. Like that would ever happen. She sighed and closed her eyes again. What a bore, her friends were all still in class, meaning no one to giggle with her. There wasn't even that lovely Ravenclaw girl she could talk with. She had already checked Moaning Myrtles before she had come here and the only person in there was Moaning Myrtle herself moaning and droning as always.

Chase sat up again looking upset. There had to be SOMEONE to talk to! She was popular after all. Looking around she saw a group of people she knew, but they were going inside and she didn't want to go in quite yet. Besides them she was alone on the grounds. Besides a few nerdy looking boys reading books by some trees. Like she was going to talk to them! Shaking her head she put her legs out in front of her and looked at the lake. So sparkly today. Oh well. Someone would stumble upon her eventually, they always did.

Sterling was strolling the grounds. He wasn't sure what drew him outside--perhaps it was the bright, sunny weather of a summer's day that drew her out of the castle, in contrast with the usual misty gloom that enveloped the castle.

He wasn't wearing his usual dark midnight blue robes he wore inside. He wore muggle clothing. Casual jeans and a T-shirt. he was about to turn back into the castle, find something interesting in the library when his eyes were drawn by a glare of what appeared to be white parchment. He realized a moment later it was the bare leg of a girl he did not recognize. (Then again, who DID he recognize?)

She seemed discontent about something, sprawled along on the floor. He felt drawn to her inexplicably and found his legs moving in her direction without much conscious thought. He slowed as he approached her, looking nervous. She had a glow about her that made him uncomfortable. She seemed to be too much for him. He turned tentatively, not sure if he wanted to embarrass himself by attempting to engage in conversation with someone more socially adept than he was.

"Er... hullo." he said cautiously. It was awkward, the distance from which he said it. He raised his voice so he could be heard. It almost seemed as if he was shouting, summoning from across a long distance as opposed to casually making conversation. He looked away and turned. If he left now the damage wouldn't be TOO bad...

Chase sat up when she heard someone say Hi. She looked over and shielded her eyes from the glare. A boy? Oh yay, someone to talk to, even if he was a bit scrawny. She smiled and waved to him. "Hey!"She said smiling. But he was turning away. Hm. That made her smile. She must have scared him or something. Then she saw another girl walk up to him. Ah, so he had friends. She smiled and stood up. Stretching leisurely she walked over. "Hey, don't be afraid."She said smiling at him. "I'm Chase." She said sticking out her hand for him to shake.

The sun was so hot, she felt so comfortable, even if she WAS wearing next to nothing. Oh well. She smiled and turned to the other girl her hand still stuck out to be shaken by someone. She didn't find it awkward at all. But that was just Chase. "Hi."She said a big goofy grin on her face. She glanced at the other boy one eyebrow raised and then giggled. This was to much fun! Sure she didn't know these people's names. She would have to add them to her list, but meeting new people was just one of her hobbies.

So what if she loved to be nice. Her mom seemed to hate it, but Chase loved talking to people. No matter what their blood status was. Even though that seemed kind of big to her. She was supposed to only talk to Purebloods, and for the most part she did. Well, she hoped she did. But meeting half bloods, or dare she think it, Muggleborns! Was an adventure for her. Smiling she bounced back and forth. "I don't know if you heard me."She said looking from one to the other. "But Hi! I'm Chase!"She said putting on another goofy grin.

Ne'os was walking next to the lake when he saw Sam and a few other people he walked over to them and giving Sam a hug.

Samantha was walking over to the new people she hadn't meet yet when Ne'os walked over and gave her a hug. "Hey love, just meeting some new people." Samantha said then leaned over and whispered in to his ear, "I think this guy likes this girl." Samantha then smiled.

Samantha turned towards chase and smiled, "Hi, I'm Samantha Burns, 2nd year Hufflepuff, and this is my boyfriend Ne'os. It's nice to meet you." Samantha said, then shook her hand.

Sterling stared at the girl. He was being friendly to him? He shifted uncomfortably where he stood, changing his weight from foot to foot. He knew he must have a dazed look on his face as he so often did when his existence was actually acknowledged.

He seized her hand slowly and shook it firmly and deliberately, in the professional manner he usually went about things. He smiled, the dimple much deeper on his left cheek than his right, the smile unbalance to the left side as was the stronger side. "Hello Chase, I'm Sterling," he said as warmly as he could muster, his mood lightened only by the good weather. He shifted uncomfortably again.

He was vaguely aware of another presence, but as he so often only focused on one thing at a time didn't completely register this. Sterling struggled not to fidget or let his gaze falter as it so often did when he was nervous, but he instead stared intently at Chase's face, unintentionally examining every detail of it. The sunlight dazzled his gray eyes, making them water, but he didn't dare blink.

Just then, the presence (which had actually turned out to be two presences) approached Chase. He thankfully backed away, giving him a chance to catch his breath from the embarrassingly rare social situation. They were saying words but they glanced off of him, he didn't know or care what they were saying... he still regretted ever getting involved... there were too many people for him to handle... he was the shortest one there... except for the second year girl that had just appeared.

Ne'os leaned over to Samantha and whispered "this one is extremely nervous" he said. and then straightening up said "Hello im Ne'os im a 5th year Slytherin.

Sterling turned to the Slytherin. The thought of the stereotypes of poisonous personalities and hatred of muggleborns like his parents filled him first... but this one seemed polite enough. He smiled unevenly again. "Sterling. 4th year Ravenclaw." He said. He was a bit more comfortable now that he was being directly addressed.

Chase smiled warmly. This was more like it. People to talk to. She was right about people always coming to talk to her. She WAS Chase Moor after all! Smiling she shook their hands and let her own drop to her side. "Well it's nice to meet you Sterling, Sam, and Ne'os."She said smiling at them all in turn. Giving them the happy smile that always came along with meeting Chase. She had to add these people to her list! So many so quickly!

She shifted her weight, not uncomfortably like Sterling, but happily, happy she could be talking, and maybe even getting a tan while she stood here. Her pasty skin made her uncomfortable when she could see the glare of it reflecting on darker clothing. She decided to ignore it, just one more thing special about Chase. She never got burnt!

Looking at Ne'os, who seemed to be fawning over Sam she grinned inwardly to herself. Even when she was so popular it was hard to find a boyfriend like that. One who would randomly run up and give you a hug no matter who was around. That's what she needed. Shielding her eyes from the sun to look at them all she grinned. This was to much fun! It made her want to bounce. And bounce she did. Bouncing on the balls of her feet. The only person who didn't look overly excited to be here was Sterling. She gave him a smile, just for him! His very own smile from Chase. She had a feeling he was a Ravenclaw. By the way he looked like he was about to flee she had a feeling he was.

"It is very nice to meet you all on such a lovely day. Oh and I'm a 6th year Gryffindor!" She said. Of course, just like Chase to comment on the weather. But how could she not? It was just a lovely day! Hot, bright, sunny! It wasn't moist either making it easy to keep her hair down. She didn't sweat much so it wasn't hard to keep the moisture off of her skin. But it was a bit cooler here as they were a bit closer to the lake then normal. Bouncing on her toes she looked around at them all, her hand still shielding her eyes from the glaring sun shining directly on her.