skin | c.h

nine: i just want information

As she entered the chaos once more, Diana couldn't help but stare at her 'heroine' Andrea. 

Andre was beautiful that much was obvious, but there was something more to her that Diana couldn't quite figure out. Andrea moved with the grace of rose petals in the wind and stood tall with the posture of bamboo. Trailing behind her, it was just beginning to process in Diana's head what had just taken place outside moments ago. "Uh.. thanks for that.. out there," she muttered which Andrea somehow heard over the noise of the house, stopping in her tracks. She turned around her eyes squinted and lips spread as she smiled sweetly.

"Of course," she responded softly, "that is no easy endeavor." 

That? Diana thought to herself. Is she talking about Calum? Andrea gave a small cheerful hum and resumed her trek with Diana following. 

As the two re-entered the entrance room, Ashton was the first to spot them, his eyebrows furrowing immediately upon his discovery. "Diana..," he said uneasily as he approached the two, the couplet turning to face him, their expressions contrasting.

"Hey Ashton," Diana nodded, her eyes dimly lit as she was evidently upset about her encounter with Calum that Ashton had left her to. She watched as Ashton and Andrea exchanged a glance at each other for a brief moment, ice practically forming over her body from their cold glares. 

"I'll fetch us some champagne, Diana," Andrea asserted before leaving the two in each other's company. Diana watched as she walked, transfixed. She had been so emotional earlier she hadn't really paid any attention to Andrea besides a superficial once over at her appearance, but even that was enough to rock her to her core. From the way she pronounced every syllable in every word, the light veil of channel that graced her skin, to the way her feminine physique was so subtly extenuated in her dress. It all finally came together. Diana finally concluded what made Andrea so compelling. 

"She's so elegant," she whispered as Ashton's eyebrows only furrowed further, following Diana's gaze to his treacherous foe strutting away. Admittedly his gaze might have lingered on the well fitted dress that fit almost too well a second longer than acceptable, but he quickly shook himself out of his hypnosis. Turning to shake Diana out of hers, he gently placed his hand on her shoulder. "Hey, what happened out there with Calum?" he asked quietly as she blinked a few times before refocusing on the concerned blonde before her. 

"Oh," she sighed. "He basically made it seem like I was stalking him, then reminded me I wasn't his girlfriend and threw a fit when I tried to leave."

"He has some tenacity, now doesn't he?" a voice chuckled behind the two as they turned to face Luke who stood almost arrogantly in front of them. "Diana right? So you're the lovely girl that has been causing Calum's heart to flutter?" Diana's surprise morphed into a small tang of annoyance.

"We've already met.." she trailed off as Luke simply smiled, his eyes quickly skimming over her which made her in turn squirm uncomfortably. Whatever the boy was thinking, he seemed to be adeptly skilled at hiding as his smile (or more so smirk) didn't even falter. 

"Care for a drink? We have a lovely selection of wine here tonight," he offered as Diana's expression subtly hardened. Geez how do they drink so much without getting plastered? 

"I've already taken care of that," Calum announced as he approached the two, two glasses of white wine in hand. This time Diana's expression turned to stone. 

"Well there was absolutely no need for that," she spoke through clenched teeth, Calum's bold confidence quickly melting into flushed embarrassment. Diana felt a hand place itself on her arm comfortingly, glancing to the side to see Ashton taking an almost defensive stance.