You'll WALK With Him

"If we're headed in the same direction," you reply, "may as well talk. I'm meeting other people for breakfast already though."

"Fair enough," Victor replies with a nod as he falls into step next to you, "So do you mind if I ask what you've heard of me so far? Just the way you're acting lets me know it must be quite ghoulish."

"What can I say? I'm suspicious of people accused of trying to **** their ex-girlfriend and allegedly forcing another girl into an arranged marriage."

"'Accused' and 'Allegedly'," Victor muses aloud, "Maybe you should look into being a Warlock Lawyer when you head on to college if you already understand how to use those terms."

At both Tara's and your impatient glare he smirks and raises his hands defensively. "But seriously," he says, "As far as the former goes, you may have noticed Parisa acts a bit... vindictive when she thinks she isn't getting her way. It may be true I did take a little advantage of her... but only in the sense of being a red blooded male unable to resist the charms of a busty classmate enamored with your family name. It was a purely physical relationship on my end and I thought I was quite clear on that fact from the start. When I decided to break it off because she wanted more, she accused me of something conveniently hard to prove or deny so she could play the victim and act as if she was the one to end it."

He suddenly frowns as he adds, "And I hear before she made her move on you, she was claiming the worst kind of accusations at some boy she thought would be an easy rebound score but ended up spurning her attempt to seduce him. Even caused a small incident in the gymnasium when she broke his arm 'accidentally' during a class. So bit of a pattern forming there, wouldn't you say?"

With no offense intended to Artie, the idea of someone like Parisa hitting on him seems very... strange. Yet what you saw in that gym class and what she said when you were first alone with her seemed strange as well. And the twin blondes WERE into him, so maybe there was something there you were unable to see.

"And as for the second charge," Victor suddenly continues, snapping you out of your internal thoughts, "the truth of the matter is that our families have been on and off about me being engaged to her or one of her sisters ever since the two of us have been five years old. So while I cannot say I DISLIKE the idea of... breeding someone as fit as Harmony has grown, I'd much rather prefer to pick my own partners AND I've known her long enough to realize she's much high maintenance than her sisters are for any sort of deeper relationship. Frankly, I'm hoping they decide to attach me to Belle instead of her when we graduate. I find I prefer older women when I have a choice in the matter."

You grunt. "Seems like if Harmony was already... preoccupied, that happening becomes a lot easier."

Victor sighs. "Ah yes, the unfortunate accident in the match," he stops walking for a moment to fully turn towards you and gives you a surprisingly serious look, the playful smugness fading away, "I swear to you, on my ancestors mausoleums, anything that happened that night was all as Harmony planned. I was only following her instructions to the letter because I trusted my friend, and she IS my dear childhood friend, and thought she knew what she was doing... and maybe she did. If anything, we're both victims of the same women to different degrees and there's no need for mistrust."

You hear a loud raspberry from your shoulder as Tara sticks her tongue out at Victor to give her own opinion on the situation. In response, Victor gives your fairy a sour look and adds, "But I see that is not going to happen so easily. A pity."

The two of you resume walking, giving Tara a small smile as the two of you share a look. "You do have sort of an untrustworthy vibe," you say after a little bit.

"I actually have been told I come off a little too smug for my own good sometimes," Victor replies, "I was even awarded the title 'most punchable face' in my grade school yearbook."

You snicker despite yourself.

"I can understand why some might feel that way," he continues, "especially ones who are in a much more unfortunate life than mine. I'm quite aware I have all I could ever need to get by in life. It's part of being a Kyrie after all."

At your side-eyed glance, he clarifies with, "It's the key difference between Harmony's family and mine. The Ashcrofts are all about ACQUIRING power. Hence why Harmony seems so eager to get her claws into you, one way or another. The Kyrie's are about KEEPING power. So long as you don't try to threaten my family, and you have no reason to do that, I would have no reason in turn to see harm come to you. I may not have your trust for the moment on that matter, but perhaps we can work on changing that another day."

To your surprise, the two of you have already reached the cafeteria and as you enter Victor moves off towards another table. "Have fun with your friends!" he says in an unexpectedly cheerful tone as he departs.

Oh right, you had said you were meeting people... even if it had just been a lie to make Victor back off on his invitation.

That said, you do see two immediate options you can take as you spot Liam and Keira sitting together as they always are at meal time, eating and talking. Your other instantly notable choice is Selena and Mana, the former spotting you and waving you over as she notices you are alone. You could also just find a seat for yourself, keep looking for others or... swallow your pride and seek out Victor and whoever he was going to join.