We just stand there in an uncomfortable silence for a moment. I kind of want to know more about what’s going on, but I also don’t want to impose and figure that if they want to tell me, they’ll do so eventually. The guys all seem tense, and I don’t know how to fix it. It’s not like we can go and get our fortunes read again.
“Let’s go to the musical area. There’s food and drinks, there’ll be rock music soon,” I suggest. If we can be distracted by some music just like Meggy told me and forget about the whole Celia situation, everything’ll be better, right? I don’t tell them that we’re a bit early and will probably see the last of the bagpipers performance. They’ll find out that bit of information when we get there. I give one final look around to see if I see a girl with a purple dress and a wig, but I instantly see three and give up trying to find the mysterious Celia.
When the guys agree to come along to the field where they set up a stage, we pass the back of the fortune teller’s tent, and she gives Jonah a last big wink as she gives an over the top come hither look. It doesn’t have the effect the fortune teller was probably going for, but it does put a smile on my face again.
It's getting dark when we reach the stage. There’s picnic tables all around beneath canopies, as well as out in the open. Most tables are occupied, but Jonah manages to snag one that’s mostly empty. The two girls that are sitting at the table move away quickly when there’s four men sitting down next to them. It’s funny to see these girls be so affected by my friends. They're not intimidating by any means, but perhaps the four stacks of muscle come across as less than friendly when you don’t know them. Now, it’s not like I know all of them that well, but I do know Jonah and O and they’re friends with Gil and Dean. I really trust their judgement. And my own experience with them tells me the same. These are nice guys and they’re here to stay.
The area we’re sitting in is lit by small lights, bonfires, and fairy lights. There’s some booths for food and drinks all around, and in the middle of the area is a stage where performances are given. The bagpipers just finished their acts as we sat down and were now breaking down their equipment. While there was no music playing right this second, the area was rowdy with people talking and having fun.
“I’m in the mood for one of everything foodwise,” Gil says as he looks around hopefully.
“You’re always in the mood for one of everything,” Jonah answers.
“Quit your bitching, fit-boy. You also always want one of everything and you always end up eating more than I do. Then you bitch about it, get a good workout in and burn all the calories.”
Jonah huffs but doesn’t acknowledge what Gil says.
O stands up. “You guys coming?”
“What are we doing?” There’s a confused look on Jonah’s face.
“I already know how this is going to go. You’re going to go back and forth about this for half an hour. Then you’re going to get hungry, give in and get one of everything. So let’s skip the argument and get some food.”
“Geez, you act like such a muggle when you’re angry,” the clothed-in-Slytherin-robes man says while getting off the bench and starts looking around to pick a booth to start with.
“I’m not a muggle.”
“Your tag says differently,” I point out.
“It’s not a tag, it’s a sticker,” grumpy O points out.
“See, he doesn’t believe in magic, so to him his tag is just a sticker,” I fake whisper.
The guys start laughing while O gives me a look Professor Snape would have been proud of. They keep bickering as they take off and it doesn’t take long for O’s laughter to reach my ears. The sound warms me.
Dean and I stay at the table to keep our spot occupied. Whenever someone tries to sit down in the open spots at the picnic table, Dean growls at them and they run off scared. The two people who actually try to sit down after he growls at them, get scared away when he smashes Mjolnir on the table and says this table is only for Avengers. We sit and people watch for a while and both of us are perfectly content to be in each other’s company. When I’ve turned sideways to see someone in a marvellous Jack Sparrow costume walk by, including wobbly sea legs, Deans eyes focus on me, and I get pulled into his stare.
“You look very beautiful today,” Dean says as he gives me a once over.
“Thank you, Morgana is happy to hear the praise.”
“Not Morgana, you. You look very beautiful. Don’t get me wrong, Morgana is one hot witch, but that’s not it.”
I don’t really know how to accept a compliment like that, so I just say nothing, taking the coward’s way out and staying silent.
“Is O anywhere near?” he suddenly asks while scanning the people behind me. I look around but can’t see him at the moment.
“No, why?”
“You see, that dress is doing all sorts of wonderful things to your boobs, and I kind of feel like ogling you, but I don’t want to get hit by O for staring at you inappropriately.”
I start laughing. “O wouldn’t defend my honor against you, he let me dance with you in Tempest. It probably had more to do with that Fool not knowing me and being a creep.”
“It might surprise you what O would do for you,” he says softly. There isn’t a trace of humor to be found in him. I don’t really understand what he’s trying to say about O. I’ve been flirting with all of the guys, except O. He’s been acting like the friend I knew all those years ago. He’s also the only one who hasn’t flirted with me. The talk we had after the disaster dinner on Tuesday on the porch only made it more clear we were searching for very different things in life at this moment.
I realize Dean is staring at my chest while I’m lost in thought about O. I smack his arm and laugh. “Stop staring!”
He shakes his head with a daring look. “Make me.”