Beauty Distracts

[Roxana Strix]

Erika Bellefonte; one of Roxana's targets, was throwing a party. A Boat House Party, to be specific. Roxana was not one for parties, but as it was being thrown by one of her targets, she had to at least check it out. Take a look around the party, make sure that everything looked safe, and that no one at the party was going to end up being a potential threat. Roxana had already just finished up checking the surrounding area of the boat house, making sure there was no one lurking around or any shady businesses was going on. She already had camera's set up too, so she was not completely worried on the matter but she did still have a job to do.

Once the surrounding area checked out, she moved closer to the boat house, checking the plugs to make sure a fire or anything crazy was going to break out. All of it seemed to be in order and people were starting to flow in for the party and for some fun. That meant it was time for Roxana to make like a ninja and vanish off to somewhere else and watch from a distance. On her away from the party however, she got distracted by the bonfire. The fire burning and cracking the wood and various marshmallows made her think back to the fire at the library if only for a moment.

Then she was distracted by the beauty of the flames itself against the night and the still lake in the background. She pulled out her sketch book then, drawing the moment that her eyes had just captured down onto paper. She could hear music from Beau and Elizabeth in the background. The laughter of those inside playing the various games, and even the sound of the fun around the bonfire all reached her ears.

[Heather Sutherland]

Heather had yet again, decided that it was a good idea to go to a big party, Erika seemed to be pretty damn good at throwing them, and it sounded like pretty awesome party. When she got there, most people were already drunk, and although she sporadically spotted people she knew, they were mostly engaged with other activities, or drunk.

The young redhead already had been nursing a building headache, before she had equipped herself with a dress and and heels. Then she entered a room full of already drunk and some aroused teenagers, and it quickly worsened. She grabbed herself a soft drink and after a few minutes decided that the area outside would probably serve her better for a little bit.

She walked outside with a scarf that she had gained from Seattle, a striking green, contrasting a little bit with her dress, though Trevor had pointed out that it looked good on her with her eyes, so she had decided to wear it out. She strolled by the fire, trying to clear her head a little, attempting to focus on individual emotions to try and help.

She picked up on some which felt quite different to most of the others around her and approached them somewhat timidly. Only to see a woman she recognised. She was drawing, and there wasn't really anyone nearby her, she seemed quite interesting. She really enjoyed trying to learn more about emotionally interesting things here in the US, it was something she had been trying to do since she wasn't stuck in her room back at St Bethany's all the time. 

"Urmm, Hello? You were the person who was being really nice to that sweet girl at the truth or dare event weren't you?" She asked sheepishly. The woman had struck her as quite nice back then, looking out for and encouraging that girl who had received quite a nasty dare. 

[Roxana Strix]

Roxana had paused in her drawing for a moment even before Heather had spoken to her. She could practically feel that someone was approaching her and it made her take a quick glance over in their direction before she went back to her drawing. In her quick glance she saw that it was no one that she immediately recognized and she was not drawing anything that she didn't want anyone to see. So the situation was fine and she continued to draw, even as the other girl spoke up. It was about what had happened at the Truth Or Dare Game that Roxana had been for merely a few minutes before she had left. She didn't really think she had been really nice to the sweet girl; Luxanna, but she supposed that was a matter of opinion.

"If by really nice you mean that I simply supported her in her decision, then yes that was me." Roxana said, not looking over to the girl as she wanted to finish a few stroke on the fire. She then tucked her pencil behind her ear and gave her attention to the girl. Looking at her now Roxana already started to figure out who she was. In fact she knew more about this girl because she had been an international student and she had paid close attention to their files when they had come over to compete at BA. She even looked closer into the files of those who had decided to stay even after what had happened here. "I'm Roxana. You are?" Roxana asked. Normally she would have extended her hand to be polite for introductions but things were different.

This person was an Empath and Roxana didn't particularly like them. Not because they were bad people or anything like that but purely because of what their power was. She was extremely skilled at keeping outward emotions practically nonexistent and had gotten pretty good at covering up the ones she felt inside. The few that she felt. Still, Empaths made her uncomfortable because they picked up on emotions and she didn't like that one bit. It was practically up there with those who could read her mind but she would still deal with them. Just not for long and most certainly only one of them at a time.

That was why she left the game last time, because there had been too many in one room for her liking. She still kept her emotions practically nonexistent even now, working to keep things in a calm and relaxed state on the inside as well.

[Heather Sutherland]

Heather smiled just a little nervously as the woman responded, she was the one from the game then, that was good. Heather hadn't been trying to get a particular emotional read on anything that day anyway, she had just been trying to be social and not be too awkward. 

The woman had seemed to her to actually be very nice, being supportive was being nice. Feeling like people were behind you rather than up against you was always a great feeling to have. She tilted her head slightly. "That was nice though. Everyone else was trying to shelter her and stuff and then you encouraged her and helped her." She spoke in such an innocent matter of fact manor.

She smiled as the woman adressed her. "Nice to meet you Roxana, it's a pleasure. I'm Heather Sutherland." Her accent probably made it obvious where she was from, but she didn't expect the other woman to recognise her last name. Some students at the academy didn't even realise that Erika and Elsa where the heiresses of the school, so it was understandable that barely anyone knew about Heather and St Bethany's. 

She watched the fire, enjoying the warmth that spread out from within it's centre. 

[Roxana Strix]

“That is what she needs the most. It’s what most people need the most. You can’t let a flower grow tall and healthy if you tied it down to the earth or stands over it and not let the various elements get to it.” Roxana said, going rather poetic for a moment there. It was because she noticed the way she had stated her words that she paused. Not long, just enough to glance away for a moment before refocusing. Everything she said was true however, in terms of an actual flower, and that flower being Luxanna in that situation.

The rest of them behaved too much like the ties to the soil or the ones standing over and keeping her from getting the sun, rain, or even the occasional bug that wanted to nibbles at her leaves. Still, that was their choice and they did know Luxanna longer then her. Well Jack did, Tim not so much and she didn’t really look into the others and their relationships with Lux. “Nice to meet you Heather.” Roxana said as she gave a friendly smile for a moment. She already knew the girl’s full name, her power, and so much more. Still, she acted as if this was new information to her as she always did in this sort of situation of talking to someone ‘new’.

“Why did you decide to remain at Bellefonte Academy?” Roxana asked, pretty much getting to the point. She had an idea based on files and words she had picked up on, but that were not the same as getting it from the source. So she as asking the source, if they so cared to answer. If not that was fine too. Either way she was going to pull her sketch book back out, grab her pencil out from behind her ear, and complete the scene that was remaining trapped inside her mind.

[Heather Sutherland]

Heather's slightly nervous smile softened somewhat while listening to Roxana's reply. It was always nice to hear someone being so supportive of anyone, even if it was in a little sister, or friend kind of way. Support was something Heather didn't really know a gigantic amount about, she had always been one to just have expectations stacked in front of her and then had to do her best to meet them.

She'd only really learned of it since coming to Bellefonte, and making some real friends. "I just wanted you to know it made me smile. It's a great feeling when someone doesn't just automatically try to shield you or bat you down, and rather helps hold you up... If you get what I mean, sorry. I'm rambling." She murmured. 

Heather blinked at the question, she guessed Roxana must have been on the security team, or something of the like. "Ummm..." She paused for a second. "I... I guess it's the fact that I can be myself here, I can make friends and be independent, and be around people who are supportive of my choices, as opposed to people who have expectations based on them." She realised afterwards that it sounded a little bad on her grandparents. 

"Not that there is anything wrong with that! It's just... I like not being back at home for now." She rambled more, feeling kind of embarrassed. 

[Roxana Strix]

Roxana looked at Heather for a split second, with a confused expression. Only a split second, hardly noticeable. It was just odd to hear about someone saying that she made them smile but watching what she had done. What little she had done. Perhaps it was because Roxana had not been feeling like herself completely that she was over thinking a lot of things that she didn't really need to even think about. She was uncertain, but she was certain that she was confused on the matter but choose to cover it up and act like the words had not stomped her a little bit.

"I understand. I'm...happy that if made you smile. You have a very beautiful smile." Roxana pointed out as she gave a small smile at the girl. Roxana listened to the answer, but she was not really satisfied with it. It didn't answer why the girl had chosen to remain at BA when she had come from another mutant school, and a whole other country. Why did she have a hard time making friends there? Was it really that she didn't like how strict things were done over there? She probably does not even know just how strict things can actually be. Roxana thought to herself, still drawing but paying attention to the other girl.

"So you transferred to BA because you felt like here you would have more freedom to be yourself, then?" Roxana asked, seeing if she understood the gist of what Heather had told her. Roxana then finished up the last line in her sketch, tucking her pencil behind her ear once more before looking at the drawing. She was pleased, but only half pleased. It felt like such a work never really could do the real thing justice but it felt nice to still try and convey the feeling Roxana got from looking at the fire burning with the lake in the background.

[Heather Sutherland]

Heather picked up on the small bit of confusion that radiated from the slightly older woman, she had hoped that her explanation made sense, evidently it wasn't quite as clear as she had intended it on being. It was all of the confusion over her own feelings around her family, and her friend's thoughts on that. Everything could be confusing at times. 

She blushed gently at the compliment. She still wasn't really the best at taking compliments in her stride. "Well thank you, it's nice of you to say so." She didn't really think of herself as beautiful, at all really, so it was still nice whenever someone called her it. 

She contemplated the other woman's statement a little. "Yes, kind of. Basically, I had a lot of pressures and expectations thrust on me back there, and while I can still work towards them here, I don't have someone breathing down my neck, I have friends." She gulped for a second. "Real friends, who would support me as I study and... I guess prepare myself for stuff later in life." She hoped that her words provided a better explanation. 

[Roxana Strix]

Roxana noticed the blush, but said nothing on it. She did make a mental note that it was easy enough to get this girl to blush if such a simple complement had her turning red. Roxana knew that some people were easy to get flustered then others and in a way it made sense that an Empath would be quicker to show their feelings then other people. Empaths were truly interesting, but that didn't change the fact that Roxana didn't like them. It was less them and more so their power, so it was probably better to say that she didn't like what they could do.

Rox just gave a small nod and put that slight smile back on her face. She didn't really understand why someone would get flustered when she was just stating her opinion based off an observation. Perhaps people just didn't hear about how beautiful they were often enough, or perhaps it was Roxana's artistic eye that caused her to notice even the simple things. Roxana still listened as Heather went to further explain her earlier statement, clearing things up for the most part for Roxana now. So Heather was here for an easier life, away from the strict style of teaching and living at the school she transferred from.

Roxana could understand that on some level in terms of wanting a break from the pressure. She did not understand why you would want to leave it forever. Rox was not at BA by choice, she had been made to come here. She handle how strict her school was without any real problem, she had a few friends back at her old school, and she felt more useful when she was closer to her family. Here she had to speak another language, was cut off from her family, and was basically playing camera when it was something she was not particularly all that skilled at.

"I supposed that makes sense. So long as you are pleased with the outcome of it all in the end, then nothing else really matters." Roxana said as she looked at her sketch for a moment before tearing it out of her sketch book and crumpling it up.

[Heather Sutherland]

Even though Heather did feel kind of timid and nervous around some people who were a little older than her, she did try to be social. She really did. But in most cases she was only able to push past it if she found herself intrigued by a person, such as she was by Roxana. She did her best to clear up some of the awkwardness that was creeping into her voice, shoving it aside.

Heather nodded her head gently to Roxana's comment, none of her movements really had much force behind them, unless she forced them too. That's why the redhead had trouble getting respect from students sometimes, everything she did naturally came out either timid or gentle. "Yes, I agree. And if the outcome is me meeting more people, making friends and learning to make more independent decisions, then it's worth it." 

She looked puzzled at Roxana crumpling up the sketch she had been working on. "Didn't you like it? You seem to be very good at stretching." It wasn't a veiled compliment or anything of the kind, it came out more as if the redhead was stating a fact, her soft blue eyes still observing the other woman, curious as to why she had decided to draw that. 

[Roxana Strix]

Roxana could see it all. The body language that came from Heather made several things clear and Roxana had a feeling it would be easy to break the girl. Not that she had any intention to do that at all, but it was a thought that slipped its way into her mind. It was more so her minds way of telling her that someone was not a threat and that she could relax a little. Even still, Roxana had a hard time completely relaxing but she was trying to at the moment. She worked to make sure that no real emotions were coming from her, to just have a void there. Of course there would be a hint of curiosity but that was pretty much it.

Heather agreed with her words and then went to add more to why else she thought it was a good idea to be here. So long as the other girl was happy with her choice and thought the outcome was going to be good Roxana was not going to tell her differently. Bellefonte Academy was an interesting place and by the events that had happened at the school she could not say nothing was impossible. Still, because of what happened here she figured people would be smart and not transfer here but sometimes she gave people too much credit. Or not enough. It all depended on the situation and how she was looking at it. Roxana just nodded her head at Heather's words, not really having anything else to say on the matter.

There was a question then, about if Roxana didn't like her work with a sort of complement tied in there. Roxana uncrippled what she had drawn, looking at it for a moment before looking over to Heather. "It could have been better. It was not that I did not like it, but for a moment I felt foolish for drawing such a thing." Roxana admitted. At times she did realize just how foolish it was for her to keep drawing when she could not make anything of it minus the passing of time. "Seem to be?" Roxana asked. Not that she was seeking a complement but hearing 'seem to be' was a new one for her.