1 Nov 2019, 21:52
all smiles over here
any amount of people can join this thread!
Brooding. Lots and lots of brooding. All he ever had to do was saunter around the halls of the school, have the face of a child who was just about to shout in pure anguish, and something would happen. He'd felt bored, lately, and he knew it had to have been the worst part of growing up.
A side effect to male puberty, he remembered, was being a hedonistic ole chap who only wanted to see things break and burn. He knew that there were two types of teenagers; the type that thought they were different, and the type that thought everyone was the same. Both of them were depressing as hell, only because you didn't really get to choose which one you believed in. If you thought you were different but wanted to believe everyone was the same, you'd think you were different for thinking that. If you thought everyone was the same but wanted to believe everyone was different, you'd focus on the similarities everyone had with one another and start to give up on your very own belief.
Gem could never decide which one he wanted to be. He'd leant towards the idea everyone was different, but he always noticed how similar teenagers acted. The conformity, anyway, the way they'd meld into their friend groups and hold back the kind of person they were. The thought made him wanna spit out on the floor, but he had a piece of gum in his mouth - that, and he was inside. He'd been raised right, with manners drilled into his head so they were at the very top of his memory. He remembered his manners more than his very own birthday. His dad was right terrible, but he always said 'please' and 'thank you', and he'd never forget that. You were downright rotten if you didn't say please and thanks, or apologize or say excuse me, and Gem would never not think that.
He had his book tucked comfortably in his palm, his fingers curling around to secure it there. He'd read it before, but his mum hadn't gone back to him to send him some more books. The only three he had were The Catcher in the Rye, 1984, and the Outsiders. Right now, he was strapped up with the very last. He'd read it about ten times before he got truly sick of it, and even then, he'd read it more times than 1984, no matter how many times he said he liked George Orwell more.
With a contemptuous huff, he dropped himself into his seat and opened up the book, relishing in the way the spine (that had well been bent hundreds of times) cracked quietly, a weak sort of wisp. He sniffed, dragging his eyes across the page, the very first sentence. He wanted to imagine what life as an American muggle would be like, back in the sixties. He could see himself dressed up like Ponyboy, with that long hair all slicked back. He knew his personalty would be compared to Johnny's, but he liked to think he'd look all cool with his hair like that, the shoulder-less shirts. He unknowingly reached into his pocket, getting a toothpick out to chew on-- it wasn't like he could go around smoking indoors, but oral fixation called, and he had to answer.
He adjusted his sweater, pulling it up his shoulder so it didn't slide off his collar. The last time he looked in a mirror without a shirt on, how thin he'd gotten since the beginning of the year. He wanted to grip his collarbones like handlebars. He felt them over his shirt, pressing his finger into the dip of skin. He had been as comfortable as ever, maybe not mentally, but physically, he was well occupied and had no place to complain yet.
Last edited by Gem Stuart on 10 Nov 2019, 12:34, edited 1 time in total.
What really knocks me out is a book that, when you're all done reading it, you wish the author that wrote it was a terrific friend of yours and you could call him up on the phone whenever you felt like it. That doesn't happen much, though.
3 Nov 2019, 07:31
all smiles over here
Lauren was feeling insidious. She hardly knew what the word meant but if it had anything to do with being harmful, then it was perfect for her. She didn't really know where this aggression came from. It was like this school had rubbed her the wrong way but she reacted to it at the most random times. Like fore instance during class, specifically herbology, they were removing some screaming plants from pots and a girl did it so roughly that dirt got everywhere and she dropped the infantile thing, probably on purpose. Lauren usually would've minded her business but instead she snapped at the girl.
'Can you be any less careful? Gosh, that's probably what your mother did to you when you were born—' She had immediately cut herself, know that had entirely been uncalled for, but students snickered around them, causing the girl to turn beet red. She quickly cleaned up and avoided Lauren, but Lauren never bothered to apologize. She was half trying to defend herself and half trying to figure out why she'd been so vicious.
The Hufflepuff common room, much less the dorms, was the last place to go relax in. Students ran in and out and did everything but sit down and chill, and she didn't mean sharing light gossip or random creatures one found, but actually laying down to chill, alone. When Lauren was frustrated, everyone could tell, or at least back home they could. They'd avoid her like a wasp nest, but here they flocked towards the distressed, like it was their job to figuring out what was going on with her. No, she had herself own self for that. It was the one thing she really didn't like about the House of Badgers, they were incredibly noisey, most of them at least.
Overtime Lauren came to find that the library held a sort of sanctuary you couldn't find in other places. Even when students flooded it for study time, even though there was an actual little-used study room not that far away, it was great to be in. Lauren never went to libraries often because muggle school was easier than magic school, at least for her case. She knew next to nothing about all of the "common" knowledge of this curriculum and it was downright daunting, especially for her standards. At least in potions class all she had to do was follow the instructions down to the tee and she'd do great.
Lauren slid herself into the library, carrying a small pile of books: one for Potions, one for Charms, and one for Transfiguration, the easiest classes. She figured that these three were the basics and her father always told her that one couldn't get the rest if you didn't have the basics downpack. She was looking for a place to released this rising and falling anxiety she was getting, being at this damned school, and she also needed to focus on her schoolwork so she was going to kill two birds with one stone. A boulder would've been better.
She found a table and placed her things down, sitting down promptly. She was just getting settled, with her Potions book spread open and parchment ready to be scratched on, when she glanced up. Lauren wasn't even sure why she did, it was like her head was moving on it's own accord. She looked down again, shaking her head, but then she realized what had caught her eye: a boy. She looked up again, this time without moving her head. Her eyes were trained on a dark haired boy; he was sitting comfortably, she presumed, in his seat, reading his books or perhaps he was lost in his thoughts.
She couldn't take her eyes off him for an unsettling moment. Lauren watched his face from the distance, just wondering. A million ideas and thoughts went through her head, like twinkling lights, and she couldn't focus on just one. But then the one most repeated shined the brightest: he was extremely cute.
Oh, God, she thought, almost groaned. She almost said that aloud but she was too furious herself; she had too much too worry about, and now liking a boy? She was eleven years old, people said she shouldn't like people that young—but then again, she didn't care much about what other people thought anyways, so she threw that whole thought away.
Lauren knew she was blushing hard, probably bright as a frickin' tomato, so to hide it in case he looked up, she raised her book up. But it was just short enough so she was able to peek over. She tried to focus on her work but she kept looking at him to the point where she was full on staring. And she couldn't stop blushing! I'm going absolutely mad. And as if to support that, she followed with, Maybe I should throw a book at him. If he tries to hit me back, I definitely won't be liking him.
'Can you be any less careful? Gosh, that's probably what your mother did to you when you were born—' She had immediately cut herself, know that had entirely been uncalled for, but students snickered around them, causing the girl to turn beet red. She quickly cleaned up and avoided Lauren, but Lauren never bothered to apologize. She was half trying to defend herself and half trying to figure out why she'd been so vicious.
The Hufflepuff common room, much less the dorms, was the last place to go relax in. Students ran in and out and did everything but sit down and chill, and she didn't mean sharing light gossip or random creatures one found, but actually laying down to chill, alone. When Lauren was frustrated, everyone could tell, or at least back home they could. They'd avoid her like a wasp nest, but here they flocked towards the distressed, like it was their job to figuring out what was going on with her. No, she had herself own self for that. It was the one thing she really didn't like about the House of Badgers, they were incredibly noisey, most of them at least.
Overtime Lauren came to find that the library held a sort of sanctuary you couldn't find in other places. Even when students flooded it for study time, even though there was an actual little-used study room not that far away, it was great to be in. Lauren never went to libraries often because muggle school was easier than magic school, at least for her case. She knew next to nothing about all of the "common" knowledge of this curriculum and it was downright daunting, especially for her standards. At least in potions class all she had to do was follow the instructions down to the tee and she'd do great.
Lauren slid herself into the library, carrying a small pile of books: one for Potions, one for Charms, and one for Transfiguration, the easiest classes. She figured that these three were the basics and her father always told her that one couldn't get the rest if you didn't have the basics downpack. She was looking for a place to released this rising and falling anxiety she was getting, being at this damned school, and she also needed to focus on her schoolwork so she was going to kill two birds with one stone. A boulder would've been better.
She found a table and placed her things down, sitting down promptly. She was just getting settled, with her Potions book spread open and parchment ready to be scratched on, when she glanced up. Lauren wasn't even sure why she did, it was like her head was moving on it's own accord. She looked down again, shaking her head, but then she realized what had caught her eye: a boy. She looked up again, this time without moving her head. Her eyes were trained on a dark haired boy; he was sitting comfortably, she presumed, in his seat, reading his books or perhaps he was lost in his thoughts.
She couldn't take her eyes off him for an unsettling moment. Lauren watched his face from the distance, just wondering. A million ideas and thoughts went through her head, like twinkling lights, and she couldn't focus on just one. But then the one most repeated shined the brightest: he was extremely cute.
Oh, God, she thought, almost groaned. She almost said that aloud but she was too furious herself; she had too much too worry about, and now liking a boy? She was eleven years old, people said she shouldn't like people that young—but then again, she didn't care much about what other people thought anyways, so she threw that whole thought away.
Lauren knew she was blushing hard, probably bright as a frickin' tomato, so to hide it in case he looked up, she raised her book up. But it was just short enough so she was able to peek over. She tried to focus on her work but she kept looking at him to the point where she was full on staring. And she couldn't stop blushing! I'm going absolutely mad. And as if to support that, she followed with, Maybe I should throw a book at him. If he tries to hit me back, I definitely won't be liking him.
3 Nov 2019, 08:05
all smiles over here
interacting w/ @Lauren Wheeler
Insidious, a word defined as proceeding in a gradual - or, subtle - way, with harmful effects. Gem felt himself squint when the word ran through his head, puncturing his momentary investment in the book he'd been very half-heartedly reading. He wasn't positive as to why he'd even bothered bringing a book he knew (in the very back of his head) he wouldn't be particularly engrossed in to the library. This lead to the predictable; spacing out while he'd had his eyes very emptily peering at the pages. Had his eyes not been lidded, he'd've looked like he was in La-La Land, but he mastered the art of subtle daydreaming long ago.
The only thing that managed to pull him out of that state was the sound of a chair scraping against the glossy wooden floors, a noise that made him retract his head and wrinkle his nose into something between the expression of disgust and irritation. His eyes lifted to the source of the unnecessarily loud screech, his eyes briefly stopping on a young girl, clearly flustered, with lightly colored hair and a twisted expression. He felt himself smirk at that, the way she'd composed herself, and looked back down at his book, rereading the very top of his page over and over and over again, until it got horribly boring.
Again, he was frustrated with his predicament and, as a result, spit the toothpick out of his mouth, watching it hit the tabletop with the smallest prick of a noise emitting from it. He had the urge to reach over and take it, and break it between his two hands, but was, again, distracted by something. This time, it felt like someone staring at him - distinct, familiar, though it was a feeling that brought him a feeling of unease, nonetheless.
His brown pupils slowly pulled over to the corner of his eye, and when he caught no one looking, turned his whole head - and there, that's when he found the culprit. Little Miss Light-hair, with those long eyelashes and blue eyes, and how couldn't be notice the reddest cheeks he'd ever seen? Could she be any less subtle? He felt himself smile again, coyly, and instinctively lifted his hand up to wave at her, albeit a bit awkwardly, but an acknowledgement to her-- what would it even be called? Gaze? Whatever. He picked his book back up, forcing himself to look back down at the pages, no matter what just happened --
except it did matter. It was killing him.
What really knocks me out is a book that, when you're all done reading it, you wish the author that wrote it was a terrific friend of yours and you could call him up on the phone whenever you felt like it. That doesn't happen much, though.
3 Nov 2019, 08:57
all smiles over here
Sorry about my poor spelling and what not on my last post, you can definitely tell how many times I've proofread my writing.
He waved. Lauren took a very, very long time to swallow, or at least that's how it felt to her. Actually, her swallow could be called insidious, because it was a very gradual process, only to have the harmful effect of being louder than an atomic bomb. She tried to stop mid-gulp, for some dumb reason, and ended up choking half to death, literally.
She was still holding her book but when her body started to jult from coughing, it fell down with a slam. Lauren's ears reddened, making her entire face the same shade of red-frickin'-obvious, but she quickly picked it up back up in it's place. She doubled over and buried her face into her arm to muffle the coughing.
Crap, crap, crap, was what filled her mind, instead of the fact that maybe she should get a sip of water. Do they even have water fountains here? She never seen one but hey, in a magic school anything was possible.
Maybe it wasn't possible, though, to be any more awkward than this poor young Hufflepuff known as Lauren Wheeler. Speaking of her, she was currently showing off her House pride, bearing a sweater that was mustard yellow with a black stripe across the chest. She wore a pair of sweatpants and had her hair in a low ponytail, but it still stretched passed her waist. One almost couldn't tell whether she were human or tomato, though, given the current state of her face.
As if nothing had happened, Lauren cleared her throat and sniffed, pretending that the boy was not there. If he had said anything to her about coughing she never heard, and she wanted to pretend like he didn't exist now. But the image of him was still burned into her mind, no matter how many times she tried to force the sight of potion ingredients in there, like eyeballs, toenails, and whatever else people used for their magical concoctions.
There was something enticing about this guy, she couldn't figure out why she was enchanted by him of all people. He was just another ordinary kid. She had to forced herself super hard not to look up...but she eventually failed, which would've been worse if it hadn't been a good view. Her eyes slid up, dancing from
his luscious dark hair, like waves at night
to his alluring dark eyes, like orbs of nothing but everything (makes no sense)
to his creamy light skin, like tusks of ivory
to his...
I'm weird, I'm weird, I'm a fool, I'm— Lauren clapped her hands together involuntarily. This action came to such a surprise to her that she froze, her hands still clasped together. She glanced up again but her eyes darted away as soon as she felt like he was going to look. He had caught her eyes that one unfortunate time, but never again—
“So I'm, uh, Lauren.” It came out very loud, indeed. Louder than when the darn Sorting Hat called her name, louder than when her stepmother screamed her name—the sound was probably a few decibels from being ear-splitting.
And her face was still red, more or less. But she continued to wait for his response, peering over her book. She wondered what he was thinking right then and there, because she were in his place she would've ignored her and left the library, calling it a day.
He waved. Lauren took a very, very long time to swallow, or at least that's how it felt to her. Actually, her swallow could be called insidious, because it was a very gradual process, only to have the harmful effect of being louder than an atomic bomb. She tried to stop mid-gulp, for some dumb reason, and ended up choking half to death, literally.
She was still holding her book but when her body started to jult from coughing, it fell down with a slam. Lauren's ears reddened, making her entire face the same shade of red-frickin'-obvious, but she quickly picked it up back up in it's place. She doubled over and buried her face into her arm to muffle the coughing.
Crap, crap, crap, was what filled her mind, instead of the fact that maybe she should get a sip of water. Do they even have water fountains here? She never seen one but hey, in a magic school anything was possible.
Maybe it wasn't possible, though, to be any more awkward than this poor young Hufflepuff known as Lauren Wheeler. Speaking of her, she was currently showing off her House pride, bearing a sweater that was mustard yellow with a black stripe across the chest. She wore a pair of sweatpants and had her hair in a low ponytail, but it still stretched passed her waist. One almost couldn't tell whether she were human or tomato, though, given the current state of her face.
As if nothing had happened, Lauren cleared her throat and sniffed, pretending that the boy was not there. If he had said anything to her about coughing she never heard, and she wanted to pretend like he didn't exist now. But the image of him was still burned into her mind, no matter how many times she tried to force the sight of potion ingredients in there, like eyeballs, toenails, and whatever else people used for their magical concoctions.
There was something enticing about this guy, she couldn't figure out why she was enchanted by him of all people. He was just another ordinary kid. She had to forced herself super hard not to look up...but she eventually failed, which would've been worse if it hadn't been a good view. Her eyes slid up, dancing from
his luscious dark hair, like waves at night
to his alluring dark eyes, like orbs of nothing but everything (makes no sense)
to his creamy light skin, like tusks of ivory
to his...
I'm weird, I'm weird, I'm a fool, I'm— Lauren clapped her hands together involuntarily. This action came to such a surprise to her that she froze, her hands still clasped together. She glanced up again but her eyes darted away as soon as she felt like he was going to look. He had caught her eyes that one unfortunate time, but never again—
“So I'm, uh, Lauren.” It came out very loud, indeed. Louder than when the darn Sorting Hat called her name, louder than when her stepmother screamed her name—the sound was probably a few decibels from being ear-splitting.
And her face was still red, more or less. But she continued to wait for his response, peering over her book. She wondered what he was thinking right then and there, because she were in his place she would've ignored her and left the library, calling it a day.
3 Nov 2019, 09:25
all smiles over here
@Lauren Wheeler
Reducioomg bro i get u don't even worry about it lmfao
Gem had almost been waiting for the introduction, though he didn't put too much faith in that possibility - some people just wanted a little exchange, nothing more, and they'd call it a day. Still, when she introduced herself, his head snapped over in her direction. Maybe he seemed overzealous, not that that mattered very much, and felt himself smile. She was loud, or... maybe just loud for a library, but he had no room to comment on it - he didn't care very much, and she seemed nervous. Feeding into her anxiety was just... dumb. Dumb and rude.
"Good name, I'm Gem. Pleasure," he slunk over the table, holding his hand out to shake. He only stopped when he realized how weird that position was, and instead gathered his book and presence and slid over to her table, right in the seat across her. It was no use shouting at each other to get a conversation done, not in this situation. She seemed flustered as is, he figured he'd make her life easier so they wouldn't both simultaneously throw themselves off a bridge. How poetic.
"Right, let me guess. Yer a Hufflepuff." He raised an eyebrow, looking her up and down, an obvious nod to her particular choice in outfit for today. He wasn't sporting anything quite expressive of his house, just a Strokes shirt and some old jeans - and his favorite red sneakers, but those weren't quite noticeable. This conversation could go really well, if they both relaxed enough - a very difficult feat for someone like Gem Stuart.
What really knocks me out is a book that, when you're all done reading it, you wish the author that wrote it was a terrific friend of yours and you could call him up on the phone whenever you felt like it. That doesn't happen much, though.
3 Nov 2019, 10:05
all smiles over here
By the grace of God, Lauren found enough will to control herself. It was like her sanity was hanging on a miniscule thread, literally threadbare. What was with her? He wasn't that good looking, she has seen boys better than him, but he was just so intriguing...ugh, she honestly felt bad for him. She knew that her mind would force her after this boy, whether it would be to befriend him or more. Really, what was the deal with puberty? Couldn't it wait until next year, at least?
He said her name was good...that was good, at least. No one had ever said that to her before, then again she'd always thought her name was as plain as the word plain so this was an upgrade.
But...did he say his name was...Gem? “Pleasure...,” she echoed, sucking in her cheeks. Lauren watched as he made to give her a handshake, which she told herself she wouldn't have accepted anyway but knew she definitely would have. She licked her lips, just as he stood up to move closer. Her heart skipped a beat, just as he sat down in the seat before her. Now she has a full on view of this boy—this Gem.
Oh, God, the puns I'll create, she thought. She swallowed again, but this time in a better fashion than before, which she was grateful for.
He mentioned her house, looking her up and down. She didn't like that, not at all. Even if he didn't particularly mean anything by that gesture, she hated feeling judged, especially by people who didn't even know her. She narrowed her eyes and before she could stop herself, she snapped, “And let me guess, you have eyes—”
Her face blanched, losing the redness for a brief second, before she murmured, apologetically, “Um, yeah. You?” But it was that obvious, huh? She should've just worn her grey hoodie, which had been her first choice, but yellow was a nice color on her.
She fiddled with her fingers over her book, which was now flat on the table. She stared at them. Now she couldn't look him in the eye. What she had said was more than rude, but Lauren was sensitive sometimes, especially at this school.
He said her name was good...that was good, at least. No one had ever said that to her before, then again she'd always thought her name was as plain as the word plain so this was an upgrade.
But...did he say his name was...Gem? “Pleasure...,” she echoed, sucking in her cheeks. Lauren watched as he made to give her a handshake, which she told herself she wouldn't have accepted anyway but knew she definitely would have. She licked her lips, just as he stood up to move closer. Her heart skipped a beat, just as he sat down in the seat before her. Now she has a full on view of this boy—this Gem.
Oh, God, the puns I'll create, she thought. She swallowed again, but this time in a better fashion than before, which she was grateful for.
He mentioned her house, looking her up and down. She didn't like that, not at all. Even if he didn't particularly mean anything by that gesture, she hated feeling judged, especially by people who didn't even know her. She narrowed her eyes and before she could stop herself, she snapped, “And let me guess, you have eyes—”
Her face blanched, losing the redness for a brief second, before she murmured, apologetically, “Um, yeah. You?” But it was that obvious, huh? She should've just worn her grey hoodie, which had been her first choice, but yellow was a nice color on her.
She fiddled with her fingers over her book, which was now flat on the table. She stared at them. Now she couldn't look him in the eye. What she had said was more than rude, but Lauren was sensitive sometimes, especially at this school.
3 Nov 2019, 19:02
all smiles over here
@Lauren Wheeler
Both of Gem's eyebrows raised at that, the way she snapped at him like that. It was scarily immediate, the way he was about to snap right back like a dog, just like his father did. Even when she apologized, his tongue pressed on the inner part of his jaw, his eyebrow raised high, and his eyes peering right at her like he wanted her to know that he was holding back a statement just as, if not more, snide as hers.
He felt relieved it went away, however, and took a second to look away and breath a little chuckle. Maybe she was still adjusting to the environment, homesickness always did that to people. It would've been too easy to rip into her, he decided, sitting up against his seat, chewing on the gum that had lost its tang when he hadn't noticed.
"Actualleh," He said, leaning forwards, "I don' have eyes. I joost know, cos' Hufflepuff is me favorite house- aside from Ravenclaw, ov course. I can sense yer... uh, Hufflepuff-y-ness, an' I like ya, so I could joost tell. These brown thin's right there? They're joost there ta scare off predators." He opened his eyes all wide, batting his eyelashes to really get the point across.
"Are you... all right, though? Bit of a lashin' out there, I didn' mean ta make ya feel like ya can't show off yer house pride. Also, ya might joost look good in yellow, which... ya know, ya do." He shrugged, folding the corner of the page of the look he'd left off on, even if he knew he wouldn't ever get back to it. He never really did.
What really knocks me out is a book that, when you're all done reading it, you wish the author that wrote it was a terrific friend of yours and you could call him up on the phone whenever you felt like it. That doesn't happen much, though.
3 Nov 2019, 22:00
all smiles over here
Lauren's eyes darted up and noticed how he worked his jaw, probably from chewing gum but it seemed also more than that. It was as if he were forcing himself not to retaliate, which she could definitely understand. She wouldn't have held back, she would've told someone like her just how ignorant she was.
But she was relieved when he just let out a chuckle. She waited a beat and then relaxed her body; she hadn't realized how tense she had been before. Lauren was still wary of this boy but...he seemed not to mind that much about how weird she was being...and she appreciated that.
Lauren brushed a hair behind her ear, just as he went on to explain. He said that Hufflepuff was his second favorite house, second to his own, which was Ravenclaw. This sparked her interest; she actually thought he was a Gryffindor, but that was because most people she came across were from the House of Lions. Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs were usually natural friends, or so it went in Hogwarts, a History, but...it was probably just because she couldn't really make friends with a lot of people here anyways. She found herself either ignoring or yelling them, whichever fit her current mood.
“—an' I like ya, so I could joost tell. These brown thins—”
And he likes me? Oh my God, oh my God—no, he didn't mean THAT, idiot, he meant something else, stop being dumb, Lauren. Even though that's what was going through her mind, Lauren had actually just squinted at the table, like it had suddenly become very interesting indeed. And then he decided to bat his eyes at her. Why was he torturing her so?
“Are you...all right, though? Bit of a lashin' out there, I didn' mean ta make ya feel like ya can't show off yer house pride,” said Gem. Lauren was about to assure him that it was alright, but then he added, “Also, ya might joost look good in yellow, which...ya know, ya do."
Lauren coughed into her fist, hard. She blushed and kept her fist held up to her mouth, to hide the smile that was trying to force it's way into her face. Oh no, she was definitely not going to reward him with a smile. He had already taken away her ability to think clearly, and that was already too much. His flirtation was too much. Boys never flirted with her.
Lauren sat up in her seat, smoothing out her book. “Um,” she said, as if that were all. She needed to find something to say, anything.
“Um,” she repeated. Then she looked up at him, casually as possible. Inside she felt painfully awkward. “Why are you flirting with me?“
DID. I. REALLY. JUST. ASK. THAT? Lauren wished she could just disappear, forever. And ever. But that little amount of confidence she had managed to scrape up made her level eyes with him, her watery blue was gazing straight into his milky brown ones.
But she was relieved when he just let out a chuckle. She waited a beat and then relaxed her body; she hadn't realized how tense she had been before. Lauren was still wary of this boy but...he seemed not to mind that much about how weird she was being...and she appreciated that.
Lauren brushed a hair behind her ear, just as he went on to explain. He said that Hufflepuff was his second favorite house, second to his own, which was Ravenclaw. This sparked her interest; she actually thought he was a Gryffindor, but that was because most people she came across were from the House of Lions. Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs were usually natural friends, or so it went in Hogwarts, a History, but...it was probably just because she couldn't really make friends with a lot of people here anyways. She found herself either ignoring or yelling them, whichever fit her current mood.
“—an' I like ya, so I could joost tell. These brown thins—”
And he likes me? Oh my God, oh my God—no, he didn't mean THAT, idiot, he meant something else, stop being dumb, Lauren. Even though that's what was going through her mind, Lauren had actually just squinted at the table, like it had suddenly become very interesting indeed. And then he decided to bat his eyes at her. Why was he torturing her so?
“Are you...all right, though? Bit of a lashin' out there, I didn' mean ta make ya feel like ya can't show off yer house pride,” said Gem. Lauren was about to assure him that it was alright, but then he added, “Also, ya might joost look good in yellow, which...ya know, ya do."
Lauren coughed into her fist, hard. She blushed and kept her fist held up to her mouth, to hide the smile that was trying to force it's way into her face. Oh no, she was definitely not going to reward him with a smile. He had already taken away her ability to think clearly, and that was already too much. His flirtation was too much. Boys never flirted with her.
Lauren sat up in her seat, smoothing out her book. “Um,” she said, as if that were all. She needed to find something to say, anything.
“Um,” she repeated. Then she looked up at him, casually as possible. Inside she felt painfully awkward. “Why are you flirting with me?“
DID. I. REALLY. JUST. ASK. THAT? Lauren wished she could just disappear, forever. And ever. But that little amount of confidence she had managed to scrape up made her level eyes with him, her watery blue was gazing straight into his milky brown ones.
3 Nov 2019, 22:42
all smiles over here
@Lauren Wheeler
Gem waited for a proper response, one aside from um. Well, he hadn't expected such a straightforward question, but he figured that would do - not that it was easy to respond to. He shifted in his seat uncomfortably, tapping on the edge of the table, sucking his cheeks between his teeth. How was he supposed to respond? It would be a bit rude to say no, unless she wasn't interested at all, but it would be worse if he said yes - just because... you don't just ask if someone was flirting with them, right? That's what his dad said.
"Uh," He scratched the back of his head, his fingers getting tangled in that messy hair of his. He always forgot to brush it in the morning, he swore he was going to wake up with some damn dreadlocks one day. "I- ehm..." He looked over his shoulder, his eyes suddenly dropping to her textbook. He chose not to give her closure, only because he had absolutely nothing else to put with that. He barely learned her name, and... God. Jesus. Jesus, Mary, Joseph, this was a bloody mess.
"Potions! Yer learnin' potions, do ya need help wiv that at all? I'm quite good at it," he coughed into his fist, reaching his free hand out to slide it across the table, peering at the chapter she was opened up to. Environmental potions, wow. Wow wow wow. He read the first paragraph in silence, and, without looking up, answered.
"I suppose I was flirtin', only if tha's all right wiv you."
The worst part had to have been the fact he wasn't sure if he was trying to please her or telling the God honest truth.
What really knocks me out is a book that, when you're all done reading it, you wish the author that wrote it was a terrific friend of yours and you could call him up on the phone whenever you felt like it. That doesn't happen much, though.
3 Nov 2019, 23:42
all smiles over here
Lauren had to smirk at that. She was infamous for being blunt and straightforward at the most random times. Sometimes she took delight in the discomfort of others, but go feel uncomfortable herself...well, let's just say that it never bode well for either side. Which is why she was going to try something different.
She cast a quizzical look at him, watching him struggle over finding something to say. He wove his fingers through his hair and she wondered when he was actually going to answer when his eyes dropped to her textbook. Lauren pursed her lips, having a good feeling on what he was about to do next.
She allowed for him to take her book, watching as he read the page like it was actually interesting. Lauren wondered if Ravenclaws were the actual bookworms like everyone said. She didn't like to follow biased opinions but so far he kind of fit that description, with his own selection of books and his sudden interest in what she was studying. She recalled his focus on his book earlier.
He asked her if she needed help. “No,” she said, drawing out the word a little. She pondered over that after saying it. She actually did need help, considering her circumstances, but she didn't want his help. She wanted to figure things out on her own.
Lauren thought he was going to continue on with his subject change act but then he said, not even bothering to look her in the eye, “I suppose I was flirtin', only if tha's all right wiv you.”
Lauren parted her lips, but then closed them. Then she opened them again. And closed then. Being at a lost for words was extremely annoying at this point. All Lauren could do was be increasingly awkward. Or was she, even? He seemed uneasier than her, but maybe that was because of her blunt query.
Her eleven-year-old mind fumbled around her brain, trying to piece together the best words to answer with. She wanted to reply with something snarky but she didn't like the look in eyes when she tried that the first time. Lauren wasn't at all afraid, necessarily, she just knew, sometimes, when to back down from the heat.
In her head, she meant to say, 'It's alright if you're cute enough.' which is what she remembered her older stepsister saying to someone before.
But instead what came out was:
“Why would you want to flirt with me?”
Okay, that definitely didn't come out right. Why was her heart so hard-headed? But she was tired of blushing, or at least her cheeks were, so she just waited for him to answer. Besides, if he liked her, why was she so bothered? Wait, does he like me?
She cast a quizzical look at him, watching him struggle over finding something to say. He wove his fingers through his hair and she wondered when he was actually going to answer when his eyes dropped to her textbook. Lauren pursed her lips, having a good feeling on what he was about to do next.
She allowed for him to take her book, watching as he read the page like it was actually interesting. Lauren wondered if Ravenclaws were the actual bookworms like everyone said. She didn't like to follow biased opinions but so far he kind of fit that description, with his own selection of books and his sudden interest in what she was studying. She recalled his focus on his book earlier.
He asked her if she needed help. “No,” she said, drawing out the word a little. She pondered over that after saying it. She actually did need help, considering her circumstances, but she didn't want his help. She wanted to figure things out on her own.
Lauren thought he was going to continue on with his subject change act but then he said, not even bothering to look her in the eye, “I suppose I was flirtin', only if tha's all right wiv you.”
Lauren parted her lips, but then closed them. Then she opened them again. And closed then. Being at a lost for words was extremely annoying at this point. All Lauren could do was be increasingly awkward. Or was she, even? He seemed uneasier than her, but maybe that was because of her blunt query.
Her eleven-year-old mind fumbled around her brain, trying to piece together the best words to answer with. She wanted to reply with something snarky but she didn't like the look in eyes when she tried that the first time. Lauren wasn't at all afraid, necessarily, she just knew, sometimes, when to back down from the heat.
In her head, she meant to say, 'It's alright if you're cute enough.' which is what she remembered her older stepsister saying to someone before.
But instead what came out was:
“Why would you want to flirt with me?”
Okay, that definitely didn't come out right. Why was her heart so hard-headed? But she was tired of blushing, or at least her cheeks were, so she just waited for him to answer. Besides, if he liked her, why was she so bothered? Wait, does he like me?