In the end, I'd do it all again.

Maria sat in the Café at a table by the window, looking out into the street, random thoughts flying around her mind. She stared off for who knows how long, the constant buzz of coffee machines and workers mumbling in the background. It was a few steps down from what she was used to, being rich and all, but the size could be over looked. In all honesty, Maria found the small town somewhat charming. The girl's attention was averted when the door opened, the bells jingling about. Seeing a boy walk in, she could only assume one thing. That must be the "all mighty" Sophia's boy. Well, no need to worry. All flowers that bloom must eventually fall. Maria motioned for him to come sit down with her hand.

Normally, he wasn't one to be thrilled about going to the café. Their coffee to him was subpar to him at best, and half the treats on the menu were either bland or often sold too old for his tastes... But there was nothing in the fridge, he'd found the grocery store close, so he figured he might as well give the place yet another chance.

When he looked around for someone to seat him, however, he found a stranger instead. A pretty girl with an empty seat, beckoning him over. Preston was slightly wary, but it wasn't as if he'd ever purposely turn a lady down if she happened to be so inviting.

And so he walked over, taking a seat across from her, although... Something seemed slightly off. He smiled anyways. "Can I help you, Miss?"

"Well, that depends." She asked. "I'm kinda new hear and I'm kinda having trouble finding my way around." Maria explained, though she knew perfectly well where everything was. Her face held the smile of an honest girl, Maria was known for her "smiling poker face". "I was wondering if maybe you could show me around?" She kindly asked. And the fun begins.

He glanced around the cafe, wondering again if this was some sort of prank, or something before looking back to the girl. "Not even going to tell me your name first, Sweetheart?" Preston smirked, leaning back in the booth and getting comfortable. "I don't know, I'm starving. And you seemed to have found your way here just fine." He made sure to eyed the cute waitress who walked by as she passed their table. "How long have you been here?"

"Maria." She answered, watching him look at the waitress. "Well, this school is pretty big. How long have I been here? A couple of days." She put her elbow on the table and rested her head on it. "I guess we might as well have a bite. Preston, right?" She asked.

Preston frowned, raising an eyebrow and glancing back her way. "Yeah, that's right." He said simply, waving his arm and flagging the waitress down, although he didn't so much as spare her another glance. "How did you know that?"

"I have my sources." She said slyly. "No, no, a friend of mine told me." She laughed, loving when she got the best of people. When the waitress came over, she thought for a moment. "I'll have a Caramel Brulée Latte. With an extra shot of vanilla please." She smiled and looked back towards Preston. "What would you like?"

He didn't seem entirely satisfied with that answer. "A friend of yours?" Preston repeated, but the way she laughed and seemingly dismissed the subject told him that was about all he was going to get out of her. He glanced at the waitress, then back to Maria when she glanced his way. "I'll just have a vanilla americano. And whatever sort of muffin you have hiding back there." He said nothing more until the waitress finished their order and left. "So, what else did this friend of yours tell you?" He was unwilling to drop it yet completely.

After the waitress left, Maria looked back to Preston. "You sure re curious." She smiled. "For your information, it was Jake." She said reassuringly. "Listen. I'm pretty new here and haven't have that much time to talk to people. We only talked for a few minutes. I just asked him about Prefects and who I should look out for." She said honestly.

'Oh, it was that jackass,' Preston thought lamely, but he chose not to say anything, offering Maria a feigned smile instead. What the hell kind of business did that trigger happy bitch have talking about him? He thought back on the way Jake had threatened him, and Sophia. And that mute chick too. Last he heard, he'd somehow convinced Jane to go to the dance with him. Should he have warned her?
He reminded b himself of his last evening with her, knife pressed up delicately against his skin and decided quickly she'd be fine.

"And I'm one to look out for?" He asked, holding back a yawn. "Generally, that means stay out of their way, not invite them to sit with you for lunch."

Maria smiled as there was a moment of silence when Preston was thinking. Damn. He just doesn't give up. "Should you be someone to look out for? Or someone to be a friend with." She asked in a slightly sly but charming tone. The waitress soon came back with their drinks and a muffin. The girl gave a smile to the waitress and after she left, Maria got out her wallet. The girl did it half under the table, not to attract unwanted curiosity. Requip, wallet. She thought to herself, wondering if it would actually work without saying the words aloud. With a flash on light, a wallet was soon in her hands.

Preston let out a heavy sigh, looking almost bored. "That depends," he said simply, looking over Maria again. How was she, he wondered. She was certainly one of Beata's... more developed looking students. "What kind of friend you were looking for?" He watched as she pulled a wallet out, seemingly picking it out of thin air. An impressive gift, he supposed, though he didn't think that much father on it.

The young man stared her down for a moment. The way she sat, poke, even looked at him, it was clear what was on her mind. He supposed there was nothing wrong with letting her go on thinking she had the upper-hand here. "If I could be friends with a beautiful lady like you, I think I could count myself lucky."

"Oh you know. Some one to trust..." She stopped there. Never give to much info on your desires, or it'll all go down in flames. Maria watched the boy, seeing him stare her down. It always works. Make 'em curious. "Uh huh." She laughed sarcastically as he said beautiful lady. He was defiantly a player. The way he looked at the waitress earlier, and how he didn't know she knew about Sophia. "But enough about me." She said. "You seem like a fun guy."

Someone to trust, he thought. As in deep dark secrets or stupid rumors? That could've meant anything really, and if she were looking to buddy-buddy up with someone, then she really was looking in the wrong place. But whatever. "I suppose you could say that," Preston said back coolly, shrugging. In truth, when he wasn't out cooking or with his lady friends, he was in his dorm playing video games, but she hadn't need to know that. "I know how to keep a girl happy for an evening. I'm guessing though that Jake didn't tell you that?"

Maria gave a knowing smile, understanding exactly what he meant by "keep a girl happy for an evening". "Listen. I'm not looking for a lover." She stated plainly, her tone becoming a bit more serious. "I know you are one of those player type of guys. All I am searching for is an ally. I've been observing Beata's students, not in a creepy way but just passing through the halls and such." She went on. "And it looks like it's good to have friends in places." She looked him in the eye. "You know what I mean, don't you?" She was practically staring into the student's soul.