Higher in Your Ways // OPEN

It was unlike the girl to not notice footsteps, especially those that were coming from directly in front of her. Addie felt as though she was going to lose it upon seeing Ben's face and flung her arms over him in an instant. "It's so terrible." Whispering into his neck and just clinging to him tightly not wanting to let go. Burying her nose away from the cold she couldn't help but hang onto him. She and Integra weren't exactly close friends, but Addie held some sort of respect for the girl as well as Rabastan even if she wasn't going to word it outright. Horrible, she felt completely helpless and horrible and she had no idea what to do about it. Comfort was an area on the social ladder she lacked, but she had to do something.

"It's Rabastan, you know Integra's boyfriend, he was arrested... you.... you should have seen the look on her face it was horrible Benji!" Addie was well aware that Tegs was one of Ben's bullies, but the raw emotion she witnessed sent her over the top. She needed to do something to help even if they've had moments. Brushing back a few tears on his shoulder so stepped back and looked at him with puffy eyes. "And..." She couldn't say it.

She saw the papers on her mother's desk, the notes on the Myers case. She couldn't tell Ben could she? Addie had to, she just had to. "And...your... dad...." Rubbing her eyes, Adeline shook her head and tears just started to pour down her cheeks, the trail nearly freezing from the weather.

Taking a deep breath her eyes lingered on his and soon her face contorted into such a pained look. Trying to calm herself down, the mist from her breath lingering for a moment before she could force out any words. "Mum, my mum, she... took him, and I was an idiot and should have never broken into her office." Inwardly kicking herself she took a step forward and decided to tackle this one issue at a time.

"I saw the paperwork... all of the paper work, all of it. He... necromancy? Is that even possible for someone like him to perform? It's dark magic, he'd never do it. I can't believe he would do it, I don't know him very well, but he's always so quiet, but this? Someone had to of made a mistake." Addie was just blurting what came to her mind in order to get this over with quickly and out in the air. "I watched her take him away and she looked so... I don't know, not like she does when she takes people away. I've seen it before all the time, but this time was different. Something is going on."

And then Ben's dad. Grabbing onto his shoulders more tears started to form and hit the cold stone ground. "I'm so sorry... I couldn't help but look, but he used you. Your dad used you and is still using you and I'm so sorry." Her entire body was shaking, pulling her sleeve further over her hand she wiped the tears and snot from her face. "I can't even thing right now... all I want to do is hug you and love on you and I'm so scared for you, but I don't know how to handle it right now. I'm just so sorry it was none of my business. It was just there."

Benji fell silent while Adeline vomited words all over him. The look on his face was unfamiliar, it was so far gone that she almost hadn't recognized him until he spoke. Even the tone of his voice was different, familiar, but with an edge. Shaking her head quickly as the curls of her hair covered her face. Voice barely above a whisper, "I'm so sorry." It was all she could get out, he was mad or irritated. This wasn't the same Benji she saw prior to classes this evening, but instead something that she hadn't registered completely.

Moving her hand to his cheek she just stared at him, honesty was the best policy, right? "There were papers... pictures... things scattered all over the walls. I would be lying if I said my curiosity didn't get the better of me." Clenching her jaw more tears started to form and she blinked them away quickly. It wasn't like her to pry. Especially when that person was her boyfriend.

"She found out that your dad was using you to make you a weapon or something and now he's trying to recruit you... as one of them. That's all I know I swear. I didn't read anything else it was just the paper that was on top. I'm so sorry... I didn't mean to look, I just glanced it was the first thing I read. Please... please don't be mad at me, please." She was pleading with him now, knowing full well what she did was wrong and out of character. Taking a step back away from him, hands falling to her sides, voice getting choked up in her throat.

Burying her face into his chest, Addie did all she could to listen to his voice coming from his throat. It was much deeper and she instantly relaxed into him with a nod. "I'll tell you everything I read, all of it, in as much detail as I possibly can, but you have to promise me you won't get mad at me. I really didn't mean too, it was just there..." Muttering into his clothing quietly she swayed with him taking a breath trying to calm down more.

"Just... I don't want people to hear." Tea sounded phenomenal. Her chin was forced up as he he wiped her tears away. The only thing that resounded from her eyes was worry, pure and raw worry, and it was only for him. "Come on. It's freezing, and I know I shouldn't have looked, but it was right there. I won't say anything to anyone but you. I promise." Slowly her hand moved from his chest to his arm. She couldn't help but touch him, to be with him.

Pulling him lightly back toward the castle she looked around making sure the coast was clear, not wanting people to see her at her weakest. "To the dorms or would you rather go to the room of requirement?" Keeping him as close as possible was all that mattered. She hadn't a care where they were going, as long as she was with him.

Alone with Benjamin Myers. Any other situation and this alone time would have been completely different, but the circumstances that surrounded the both of them was too dramatic for any of that lovely nonsense. Taking the handkerchief, the girl filled her lungs to max capacity and slowly let the air out. Closing her eyes for a moment in order to focus in on what the paper said. "I can't really remember all of what I read, but I can tell you that what I read involved dark magic, your dad using you as a tool for destruction and that he's trying to recruit you."

Leaning back against the couch and popped her neck slightly, he eyes moved to his. "Mum thinks he's a death eater more so than just a bad guy, but what's the difference anymore?" Swallowing, the girl hated talking about things so sensitive, but these walls were thick enough to hide even the most darkest of secrets. It seemed like it was getting a lot of use these days anymore. "I don't know what I read Ben. I just scanned the document not really taking everything in. That's really all I have, she made a note that perhaps lessons would help you in Defense Against the Dark Arts, but I don't know why she would write that down it seems menial to me. That's all I know though, that's it I swear, I didn't read anymore because I know if, or rather when she finds out I was in there without her I'm going to be in deep shit."

Death Eaters and Dark Magic didn't scare Addie, it never had and it probably never will. The fury of her mother on the other hand was so terrifying to her that her bogart was even her mother. "I am truly and honestly sorry I pried, I won't do it again. If... if you have something to tell me you'll tell me, right? You'll be honest with me?"

Adeline shook her head no. "You... you're the tool." Swallowing tightly the girl rubbed her eyes and looked over to him. "I think mum thinks that is why you suck at offensive magic." Her voice was quiet and she reached forward for the cup of tea that was sitting on the small table in front of the both of them.

Pulling her knees up to her chest, looking him over and taking in the entirety of his face. His hair was getting longer again and he needed it cut, but she kind of liked it shaggy and longer. Why she was focusing on this now bewildered her for a moment and quickly she turned away. This was some serious stuff. At first she was worried about Integra and how she would be able to handle this, and then she saw the documents that involved Ben. Things were starting to pile up against them all and this year was turning out to be darker than ever before.

Blue eyes moving back to Ben's as his lips began to move. The words that came from his mouth worried her instantly. Never had they fought, everything was going swimmingly. Or so she had assumed, but maybe she was wrong. Maybe he wasn't happy, was she a failure of a girlfriend? All of these thoughts swam through her head and she took in a deep breath preparing herself for the worst.

"Okay. I'm listening."