not strategic at all! (Ainsley)

[erick]

There weren’t very many girls that would get double flirtations from Erick. No, he was usually the type with the “one and done” stand point, meaning that he would flirt with them maybe once or twice and probably never again. But then, there were those girls that intrigued him. Slytherins mostly, as they thought they were so much better than everyone else. Aside from that, they all looked like models. Occasionally there was the Hufflepuff with flawless skin that barely said a word… and then there was Ainsley. And… various other Gryffindor girls that made Erick turn his head. Ainsley was different though. She ran, a lot, and was pretty vulgar for a girl. Not that he cared. Maybe that was what intrigued him so? Either that or it was that she was undeniably one of the prettiest girls in his house. That, and she was in his year. Ainsley had a lot of things going for her it seemed…

Which was why Erick was out by the lake at an ungodly hour… seven a.m. On a Saturday. How ridiculous was that? But no, it would not be ridiculous for a guy who decided to flirt with one of his favorite victims. Could you consider Ainsley a victim? Erick did not know. But either way, that was the reason he was out by the lake. At seven a.m. On a Saturday. This was the time that Ainsley had decided on going out for a run. For all Erick knew, she’d already been out there for awhile by the time he’d dragged himself out of bed.

Erick held a hand over his eyes to block the early morning sun. He squinted a bit, and thought that he saw someone coming… and Ainsley was the only girl he knew that ran at seven a.m. on a Saturday. Who would want to be up that early to go for a run? Erick surely didn’t know. He was more of a night owl. Either way, Erick had a plan. He didn’t usually go up to Ainsley to talk to her… it was more than likely because he found her a challenge, and had to actually think about what he was saying before he said it while around her. Today, though, he had a plan.

You see, there were a few trees that were place strategically along the lake. Well, maybe not strategically. But they were there. And they were key points in his plan. Erick sat down before the girl got quite into view, and as she approached the few trees further down by the lake, Erick had quickly, and stealthily, conjured a branch to form between the trees, maybe causing her to trip?

Erick’s plan was to help her up. Have a conversation. Flirt a little. See where it goes.

Probably no where.

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[ainsley]

Ainsley, in contrast to her older brother, was a morning person. Tristen was a night owl and in his last year at Hogwarts. This was his last year of school to enjoy and party too hard while slacking off just the right amount in class. This was why Ainsley was running solo for most of her morning runs, unless Liam dragged himself out of bed to accompany her. Then again, that boy was more like her brother and favored sleeping in to normal times on the weekends. No doubt he attended some of the same parties that Tristen did. He could have been his protege or something, only with an added Irish accent, blue eyes, and nearly blonde hair.

Ainsley didn't mind running alone, though. It was peaceful and invigorating at the same time. The morning dew was set on the grass and the air was delightfully cold so that it hit you in the face when you walked out of the main doors, waking you up and announcing that it was a new day. The sun peaked over the forest trees and a small smiled played on lips. What exactly went through Ainsley's mind as she ran? Well, usually not much. She didn't run to release aggression or handle her drama. Nothing like that. She ran for the feeling, and so most times her mind was blank. Ainsley would just take it all in, the crunch of leaves under her feet, her warm sweat mixing with the cold air, her lungs contracting and expanding in a heavy rhythm. It was a miraculous experience and Ainsley would never tire of it.

She didn't know what she would do if she wasn't able to run for an extended period of time. Sure, running could take a toll on ones knees and ankles, and Ainsley having run for years did have a few problems here and there. Her worst fear was being laid up on the couch and incapacitated for more than a week or two, though she ordinarily went stir crazy if she missed just one day of running. It was quite possibly that she had ADHD or something of the like, with her inability to focus on school work and her high energy level. Running was a necessity and an addition. It was her everything and one simple stumble with a wrong twist of the ankle could take it all away.

And then she felt it, her foot, which was supposed to be lifting off the ground and propelling her forward, stopped. Likely a branch under the leaves that had fallen from the nearby trees. Not that she had time to consider this as she collided with the ground, bracing herself with her hands. Luckily, her ankle did not twist. "Bloody hell!" she cursed, attempting to disentangle her foot from now uncovered branch that she had stumbled upon.

[erick]

It most definitely was Ainsley that was running towards him! Erick believed that his plan might actually work out for once! He of course did not think at all that she might actually hurt herself because of his stupid idea… no, that did not cross his mind at all. But then again… now that he had thought of it, maybe he would be able to carry her up to the hospital wing? Surely… yeah, she was a little thing. He would definitely be able to help her… but then again she might smack him for trying something. But he was just innocently reading, wasn’t he? Yes! That’s why he attempted to look very surprised and slam his book shut when he heard a familiar voice cuss. ”Bloody hell!” Yes, this was going to be fun.

”Who was that?” he asked, peeking around the tree and making his eyes grow wide. ”Ainsley? Are you alright?” he asked, standing up and heading towards the girl that sat on the ground trying to disentangle her foot from the branch. ”Do you want some help? I’d gladly try and help you if you need it…” Erick knelt down on the ground near her and held his hands out, giving Ainsley a soft smile before pulling at the branches, releasing her foot from their grasp. ”Running before the rush?” he asked, attempting conversation.

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[ainsley]

”Who was that?”

Ainsley's heart jumped at the sudden voice. Not only had the graceful and avid runner tripped on a bloody branch, but someone had now also witnessed it. It wasn't that Ainsley was a self conscious girl. She just...Well, it was just well known that she was a running freak. Ainsley was Gryffindor's standard tomboy and Tristen's little sister. Guys heeded both of those descriptors and steered clear of interacting with her unless it was in an obviously platonic manner, usually having something to do with athletics. Like...standard guy friends, like Liam. Except, Liam had even pulled a little something with her lately. Okay so her breasts had grown a bit in the past year..what was the big deal?!

”Ainsley? Are you alright?”

"Yeah it's just this bloody random ass branch decided it wanted to interrupt my run or something," she said, slightly irritated. The adrenaline from her run and the sudden fall was still coursing through her veins, so she wouldn't notice the pain associated with the unseen gash on the front of her ankle due to the branch being bigger and having blunt pieces coming off of it...one apparently tearing into her flesh as she fell.

”Do you want some help? I’d gladly try and help you if you need it…”

"Uh...sure yeah that would be great, Erick," she said, forcing a small smile on her face. Ainsley was a kind person herself, trying never to judge based on reputation, but only on her own experiences. Of course, this didn't mean she was unaware of someone's reputation. She wasn't unaware of Erick Ekern's. They had never really talked much and it was because of his reputation. It wasn't a judgment on it, but merely because he was one of those more flirty guys that avoided her with reason. Or, that's what Ainsley assumed. But, he was in her year and her house and things were amiable.

”Running before the rush?”

"Before the lazy runners come out. The hungover ones or the ones that only run to burn calories, hate it, and get in the way," she said, bluntly, with an amused little smirk, taking his hands to help herself up. This would be when Ainsley realized the semi-deep gash as the front of her right ankle, pain shooting up her leg. "F*ckin' A!" she hissed, taking her left hand and putting it on Erick's shoulder, lifting her right foot to locate the source of the pain. Her eyes widened, viewing the gash. She felt a little woozy, not from the blood or the pain, but because of the possibility that this stupid gash could impede her run.

"This is shit," she said, sharply letting a sigh escape her nostrils as she still balanced, holding on to Erick's right shoulder. Her right hand had lifted his left so she could see the gash without an obstructed view and was still, supposedly, held in the air.

[erick]

”Yeah it’s just this bloody random branch decided it wanted to interrupt my run or something.” Erick held back a smirk and then offered to help her untangle her foot, to which she obliged. Erick knew that Ainsley knew about his reputation. He knew he had a reputation… but it didn’t bother him a bit. Of course, it was harder to get girls to like you when you were such a flirt… since they don’t think that a guy who is flirtatious has the capability to be faithful. That was the thing… if Erick ever did manage to get a relationship… he would be faithful. He would just have to work on the flirting… to make his girl happy… ”Before the lazy runners come out. The hungover ones or the ones that only run to burn calories, hate it, and get in the way.” Erick offered Ainsley his hands so that she could stand up, to which she took, and quickly a look of pain crossed her face. Erick furrowed his brow. ”F*ckin’ A!”

”What’s wrong?” Erick wobbled a little as Ainsley grabbed hold of his shoulder. Erick looked down as she did. ”This is shit.” And now Erick was starting to feel a little bit bad. She was actually hurt. He hadn’t meant to hurt her at all, it had just happened! ”Here, sit down,” he asked her, and assuming that her creator obliges, Erick helped her sit on the trunk of the tree, a root that protruded from the ground. Erick took out his wand from the pocket of his jacket and he waved it in attempt to heal the cut that was on her ankle. ”Trust me on this one…” he said, shifting his blue eyes up so they were looking into her own greenish-brown ones. ”Vulnera santeur…” he muttered, hoping that it would work. He knew that it was the spell you used to heal deep gashes… but there was a chance something would go awry. It was Erick, after all.

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