We Fell in Love in October? PV Ethan Smith Finished

As students bustled about the great hall, chatting and enjoying their meals, there was an air of excitement in the air. This was because in just a few short days, the ball was going to be held on Saturday. The ball was an event that all the students looked forward to eagerly. They would get to dress up in their finest clothes, dance the night away, and socialize with their friends. The students at the school seemed very excited about the ball that was coming up. Ethan noticed that everywhere he went, students were talking about it. It seemed like the ball was the only thing in everyone's mouth. Even in the great hall, students could be overheard discussing the ball. Ethan felt like he couldn't escape the topic.

Except for this one girl, sitting quietly reading a book, is the only person in the room who doesn't look excited about the upcoming ball. Everyone else looks like they can't wait for it to start, but she couldn't care less. She's just focused on her book and enjoying her lunch.

She's different, and that's what makes her more attractive.

Ethan can't help but be intrigued by the woman he's looking at. She's absolutely beautiful, with long blonde hair and brown eyes. His heart skips a beat just looking at her sitting there, looking as stunning as ever. Something about her attracts him in ways he can't understand. He feels he could look at her endlessly without becoming bored. Her beauty is captivating and alluring. It's like a drug that entices and intoxicates. It's bewitching and mesmerizing. It's spellbinding and seductive. It's alluring and irresistible. Her beauty is intoxicating. She's definitely the most beautiful girl he's ever seen. 

@Adelaide Barlowe

Interacting with: @Ethan Smith Mentioning:

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Date: 3rd October 2022 Time: Lunch Outfit: Uniform

Some time passed, and Adelaide had finished her lunch, but she stayed seated to finish the chapter she was on, partly for the reason that she had an unspoken rule to never stop reading halfway through a chapter and also because the book was getting right to the climax, and it was too interesting to just put it down. Tucking a strand of loose hair behind her ear, she rested her chin in the palm of her hand as she continued reading. Oddly, as she was reading, the Ravenclaw had the sense that someone was watching her, but she shrugged it off. Why would someone be watching her in a room full of people anyway?

Someone nudged Adelaide with their elbow, startling her out of the world the book had created in her mind. She turned her head to the side, giving the girl who had nudged her an annoyed glare. "What?" She hissed, clearly very annoyed that she'd been interrupted. The second year thought it was common sense to not interrupt someone who was clearly busy reading.

The girl, however, did not seem to notice or care about Adelaide's annoyance, "What about you? Do you have a date to the ball?" She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively as the people surrounding her, her friend group, Adelaide guessed, let out a chorus of 'oooooo's. Adelaide scoffed before shaking her head no and returning her attention back to the pages of her book, clearly indicating that the conversation was over before it really began. Truthfully, for every ball she had attended, and this one included, Adelaide wasn't that interested in going with a boy. Getting a date for the ball wasn't on her number one list of priorities right now, and she was perfectly content just finding a friend to tag along with. Romance and crushes weren't something she was interested in right now.

Finally finishing the chapter, she reluctantly put the bookmark in and closed the book. The blonde was about to put her book back into her satchel but as she raised her head her eyes locked with a boy at the Gryffindor table who was...

Staring at her?

She blinked in surprise, and then raised an eyebrow questioningly. It was likely he was just zoned out, unaware that he was staring, because there was no way he'd just be randomly staring at Adelaide, right?

As soon as she laid eyes on him, the world seemed to stop. He felt as if he couldn't breathe, as if everything around him was a blur. All he could focus on was her. She's beautiful, she's breathtaking, and she looked right at him. It's hard to believe that someone so lovely could be interested in someone like him, but there it is. She made eye contact, and his heart skipped a beat.

“You're not going to finish your meal, are you?” He was startled by the voice beside him. It was loud and sudden, and he jumped in surprise. The voice belonged to a woman, who was standing next to him with a concerned expression on her face.“I'll finish it” He glanced over at the woman sitting next to him and replied to her. The woman just nodded in response.

The boy turned his attention to the ravenclaw girl and saw her already staring at him. He felt a jolt of surprise, and then quickly looked away, feeling embarrassed. Air rushed into his lungs and he fought to control his breathing. He met her gaze and saw confusion reflected back. Why was she still looking at him? He muttered under his breath, “Great, now she thought I was some sort of lunatic.”

@Adelaide Barlowe

Interacting with: @Ethan Smith Mentioning:

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Date: 3rd October 2022 Time: Lunch Outfit: Uniform

Ironically enough, their roles had reversed. Now Adelaide was the one doing the staring, but only because the blonde was trying to decipher why the boy was staring at her in the first place. She came to the conclusion that he was merely zoned out, because when he noticed her staring, he looked away immediately. Probably embarrassed. Adelaide chuckled to herself, shaking her head as she put the book back into her satchel and closed it up. There was still a while of lunch left but since Adelaide had already finished her meal, she found no reason to stay any longer in the hall and was instead planning on making a quick pitstop to the common room so she could say hi to her cat, Nina, before her next class.

Sparing another quick glance at the mysterious boy, she got up from her seat and started to make her way towards the door. If she was being completely honest with herself, a small part of her was still confused on why he was staring at her so intently. It was an uncomfortable feeling she just couldn't shake. Sure, she had chalked it up to the boy just being zoned out and his gaze having unfortunately landed on her, but for some reason something inside her doubted that was the actual reason. But maybe she was just overthinking the situation, making it into something more than it was. There was no reason for her to keep pondering over it, so she tried her hardest to shake away the uncomfortable feeling.

The Ravenclaw had a lot more things to worry about than catching a boy staring at her. Keeping up her good grades, staying ahead in all of her classes, learning more spells and using her free time to practice ballet and piano, maybe even pick up some new hobbies while she's at it. In short, being perfect and being better than everyone at everything she does. All things she needs to worry about and focus her energy on, and that boy was way, way down the list. Very unimportant in the grand scheme of Adelaide's life. So, she made a promise to herself that she would forget about the slightly weird encounter as soon as she stepped foot out of the Great Hall.

Ethan is interested in a girl he is staring at, and he wants to get to know her better. The upcoming fall ball provides the perfect opportunity for him to speak to her and potentially ask her to be his date. He hopes that by doing so, he will be able to learn more about her and potentially start a relationship.

But when he saw her leaving, he didn't want to miss the chance to speak to her, so he ran to her as fast as he could. “Hey, wait up!” When he caught up to her, he was out of breath and had to lean against a wall to catch his breath. "Okay.. let me breathe first.” He breathed deeply, then exhaled slowly, trying to catch his breath. His heart was beating rapidly and he felt tired. “I'm sorry,” he said in between breaths. “I didn't intend to stop you.”

He then looked up at her with reverence, feeling a profound appreciation for her beauty. When he was close to her, he realized that she was even more gorgeous than he had ever thought possible. “I'm really sorry for staring at you like that. I know it was probably really uncomfortable for you, but I just couldn't help it. You're really, really beautiful, and I just couldn't take my eyes off of you.” He could feel his heart racing in his chest, and his face felt hot and red. “I haven't introduced myself, have I? I'm Ethan, first year.” he said while smiling so broadly that his smile reached up to his ears.

“Do you enjoy reading books? I'm curious to know if you have any favorite genres or themes that you enjoy reading about. I don't really enjoy reading books that much. Maybe you could recommend me some books that you think I would enjoy?” He looked at her and noticed that he had asked a lot of questions. He felt a bit embarrassed, but he was also curious about her. He wondered what she was thinking and if she was enjoying the conversation.

“Sorry for asking so many questions, but this is really the last one..” He took a deep breath before asking his next question. “Would you like to go to the ball with me?” He stands there looking at her, waiting for an answer. His face is expectant and his body is tense, as if he is anticipating her response. He seems to be hoping that she will give him the answer that he wants to hear, but he is also prepared for the possibility that she might say something else.

@Adelaide Barlowe

Interacting with: @Ethan Smith Mentioning:

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Date: 3rd October 2022 Time: Lunch Outfit: Uniform

A shout from behind her caused Adelaide to stop in her tracks. She turned around to see if whoever was shouting was addressing her, and her eyes widened almost comically as she saw the boy who was staring earlier run over to her. Though, she quickly schooled her face into a neutral expression once he got closer. She gave him a small smile, "Yes?" Did she forget something? Leave something behind? She was sure she hadn't, and even if she had, she didn't know why a Gryffindor would be hunting her down when a Ravenclaw could just as easily catch up to her to give back whatever she had forgotten. She hadn't actually forgotten anything though, so she had no clue why this boy had ran after her. He had clearly run for his life too, his heavy breathing being a clear indicator of that. What in Merlin was going on?

"It's fine," she replied, even though she had plans to go to her common room really quickly before the next class. Hopefully whatever this boy wanted wouldn't last that long, or Adelaide would just have to make up an excuse and bolt out of there. And then, with the next words that came out of his mouth, Adelaide just couldn't stop her eyes from widening so large they looked like saucers. He was staring at her because he thought she was... beautiful? She blinked, not knowing what to say to that. Surely she should feel giddy when a boy calls her beautiful, her cheeks should probably be reddening with blush right about now and butterflies should've erupted in her stomach. At least, that's what everyone always made it sound like. Yet she felt nothing. Just an overwhelming feeling of shock. "Um, wow, thank you?" It was not often she was at a loss for words, but she truly did not know what to say in response. Is she meant to compliment him back? He wasn't a terrible looking boy in any way, and she supposed he was quite good looking, but Adelaide Barlowe is quite literally at a loss for words right now. "Your hair is nice," she settles on, giving him a small smile. Boys like being complimented on their hair, right?

The blonde gives a curt nod at his introduction, "Adelaide Barlowe, second year. Are you enjoying Hogwarts so far?" Getting stopped by a random first year boy in the Great Hall wasn't on the itinerary for today, but she could probably spare a few minutes to talk to him. Maybe all he wanted to do was give her a nice compliment, introduce himself, talk for a couple of minutes and be on his way. That was probably what he wanted to do. And then he got onto a topic she could talk about for hours. Her face lit up then, a genuine smile making its way onto her face, "I do love reading! I read everything and anything, so I don't really have an all-time favorite genre. How come you don't like reading, though? It's amazing! Being able to live in a whole other world for a while, going on different adventures and falling in love with the characters along the way, it's amazing! You should really start reading more," she trailed off momentarily as she thought of some book suggestions for Ethan. Not knowing what he would or wouldn't like, especially since he said he doesn't read, she just decided to name anything and everything, "Hm, have you read the Tales of Beedle the Bard? You're bound to if you've grown up in a wizarding household, but if you haven't then that's definitely a must read. Quidditch Through the Ages too, if you're a Quidditch fan. I'm not, so I haven't actually read that one. The classics too, all of them are definitely a must read. Pride and Prejudice if you're into romance, Little Women, Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights..." she slowly came to the realization that she had gone on a long-winded ramble about books, which definitely wasn't what Ethan had asked for. He had only asked for some suggestions, and she'd given him an entire presentation. Adelaide would be surprised if her rambling hadn't managed to turn him away from ever opening a book.

"Sorry, I sort of went on a bit of a tangent there. I just love reading, but I guess there's some recommendations if you want. I'm sure all of them would be in the library, or you could always buy your own copy if you can't find it there." She finished, shrugging. Then, when Ethan mentioned that he had one more question, she raised an eyebrow, silently indicating for him to continue. And suddenly all over again, a weird sense of Déjà vu hit her as he asked her the question. Her eyes widened again, her eyebrows raising in surprise and her mouth dropping open slightly.

Merlin.

So that's why he came over to her. To ask her to the ball. Her brain short circuits and she can barely think straight, and she knows very well that she's going to regret this later, and even now a part of her has no idea why or how it had happened, but it had. Her mouth opened, nearly of its own accord, and she could vaguely register her saying the words: "Oh, uh, yeah, sure." And then it was too late, and it was out in the world, and she had just said yes to go to the ball with Ethan. She couldn't take it back now, that would be too mean, even for Adelaide. She'd already said yes - even though she doesn't actually know how that happened - she'd just have to suck it up and go with him. He seemed like a nice guy, so it would be fine. Probably. Hopefully. Maybe.

Adelaide thinks she should probably be feeling excited right now. Elated at the fact she actually had a date to the ball. A nice, handsome boy to go to the ball with, that's what any girl would hope for, right? So why wasn't she feeling excited? Maybe she was broken. Maybe the part of her that should be giddy and happy when a boy not only compliments her but also asks her out wasn't working right now. Maybe it just needed a little push, a little something to get it working. Or maybe there was just something wrong with her. Still, she plastered on a smile for Ethan, hoping the boy couldn't see through the fakeness of it into the inner turmoil underneath.

Sometimes, the smallest things can mean the world to someone. For Ethan, a simple compliment from Adelaide meant a lot. Maybe it's because she's an attractive girl that he's interested in. Or maybe it's because he simply appreciates her noticing the effort he puts into his appearance. Either way, it was a kind gesture that brightened his day. He smiled shyly, looking pleased with the compliment. Ethan's eyes shone brightly with happiness, and his grin stretched from ear to ear. “Thanks,” he said, his voice soft. He ran his hand through his hair, pushing it back, revealing a soft, fair forehead. “I'm glad you like it.”

Adelaide asked him if he was enjoying his first year at the wizarding school. He nodded in response, indicating that he was enjoying it so far. “Yes, I generally enjoy spending time at school. I'm really excited to see how we do in our first quidditch game this October. I joined the team earlier this year, and I'm really looking forward to playing.” Ethan had always loved Quidditch, ever since he was a little boy. He had always dreamed of playing on a team, but he never thought it would actually happen. So when he joined his school's Quidditch team, he was over the moon. Bench-sitting wasn't exactly what he had dreamed of, but he was still happy to be a part of the team. He loved watching his teammates play and cheering them on. And even though he didn't get to play as much as he wanted to, he was still content. Because at the end of the day, he was part of a team and that was all that mattered.

Ethan watched as Adelaide spoke about the books. She described how they made her feel and he found himself entranced by her words. He could tell that she was passionate about reading. Reading seemed to transport her to another world, one where she could escape the everyday troubles and concerns of life. Ethan felt himself drawn in by her enthusiasm and was soon eager to hear more about the books she was reading. There's no doubt that he'll read the books she recommended. “It's fine, I can definitely see that you love reading a lot” There is a clear difference between the two. She loves reading while he doesn't. He loves quidditch while she doesn't. The thought of it made him chuckle.

While he waited for her answer, his heart beat rapidly. He was anxious to know what she would say.

Then she said yes..

He felt like he could float away with happiness. She had said yes! She had actually said yes to him! He couldn't believe it. He grinned from ear to ear, showing off his pearly white teeth. His eyes crinkled at the corners, and he just looked so happy. He was practically bouncing on the balls of his feet, he was so excited. “Soo.. I'll see you at the ball.” Now, just like everyone else in here, he's very excited about the upcoming ball. He can't wait to dance with her. He's going to take her out on the dance floor and show her what he got. He's going to twirl her around and make her feel like the most special girl in the world.

@Adelaide Barlowe

Reducio

OOC

I REALLY HAD FUN WRITING THIS! i just hate how i write Ethan like "i called you pretty, now go with me" but he is not that type of person

Interacting with: @Ethan Smith Mentioning:

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Date: 3rd October 2022 Time: Lunch Outfit: Uniform

All she done was smile and give the boy a curt nod when Ethan thanked her for the compliment, not exactly knowing what else to say after it. At least the compliment she settled on had been a sufficient enough compliment to elicit such a massive grin from the boy. Boys really seemed to love being complimented on their hair, so at least Adelaide wasn't wrong about that.

"Hogwarts is definitely great," she replied in agreement, "I hope you enjoy the Quidditch game. Personally, I prefer Dueling, but to each their own." The Ravenclaw was currently on the Dueling waitlist, but she had been able to participate in one of the Dueling matches during summer camp. Her jaw clenched as she thought back to then and the fact she had failed, had been knocked out. It made her feel terrible, and even though a part of her brain, the more logical part, was aware that she couldn't win every single match, she still couldn't shake the feeling of failure no matter what she did.

Snapping out of her thoughts after realizing where she was, she blinked and unclenched her jaw, hoping Ethan hadn't noticed that she'd been elsewhere for a second. "Oh yeah, I definitely do love reading, if it wasn't obvious," her mouth tilted up into a slight smirk, "I do hope you'll read some of the books I've recommended." Books were something she could take about for hours on end, fiction and nonfiction combined, so she was glad that Ethan didn't seem to be annoyed that she had rambled on about them, and hopefully he would actually read some of the books she'd recommended, even though it was likely he just asked her to continue the conversation. Maybe, though, after listening to her talk about them, he would actually pick up a book and start reading.

Her heart twisted when she saw how happy Ethan looked about her saying yes. The blonde couldn't help but feel guilty. Guilty because he looked so excited, and she didn't feel the same. She tried her hardest to plaster on a bright smile, to seem just as excited as Ethan looked. Honestly, she didn't know why she wasn't excited. He was a nice, handsome boy who had asked her to the ball and yet she didn't feel elated or buzzing with excitement. "Uh, yeah! Yeah, I'll see you at the ball," she gave him one final smile before turning on her heel and walking out of the Great Hall. Hopefully it didn't seem like she was running away from him, even though it certainly felt like it. Running away from that entire conversation and all of those uncomfortable, unwelcome feelings that came with it.

Maybe it'd be fun. Getting to actually dance with someone this time, being twirled around like a princess. Maybe if she stopped catastrophizing and thinking of the worst possible scenarios, she'd actually have fun. Ethan didn't seem like a terrible person. If anything, maybe she'd get a friend out of it. Even if she is now dreading the thought of the ball because she can't help but imagine that it's going to be the worst experience of her life. She doesn't think she'll be able to concentrate on anything else for the rest of the day.

Merlin. What had she done?

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