A Walk Beside the Lake
Ginger and Skilmer meandered around beside the lake together. A free block of time was perfect for enjoying a friend's company, but at the moment they were quiet, just watching the giant squid float just beneath the surface of the cold water.
Eventually Ginger felt she had to break the silence. "Um--" Sure. Great way to begin a conversation. "Do you like this weather?" Well, that sure was the lamest conversation starter she'd ever heard.
"What? Oh, it's okay." Skilmer wasn't really paying attention. He was looking at the dark clouds hurry past the rest of the gray sky. Ginger scowled at herself. Just like that, and the conversation was over. she thought, slightly irritated.
"Well, I don't mind the coolness, but I don't like the humidity," she made an effort to continue, but Skilmer didn't answer, and she broke off. They slowly and silently walked around the edge of the lake some more.
"Whatcha thinking about?" Ginger finally said.
"Oh, um, just how nice it is to be here. At school. I...I really missed the castle when I was at the orphanage."
"I bet!" Ginger replied with feeling and a glance at Skilmer's leg, which was no longer lame, thanks to Madam Pomfrey. Her eyes then flickered up to the cut on his cheekbone and the bruise on his chin, which hadn't healed yet.
"I missed the school's food too. You have no idea how good the Welcoming Feast tastes after several months of food storage."
"No, I would think not. But, speaking of food, in the introductions you said you liked gruel. Why?"
"It's kind of a funny story. It has to do with John Black..." Ginger listened attentively to Skilmer's story (if you don't know it, see Skilmer's app.), and although she found the end slightly funny, Ginger was by no means entertained by the situation he'd been in.
"Honestly, you'd think they'd be concerned about the kids enough to keep stuff like that from happening," she shook her head and looked at Skilmer worriedly. He hated it when she took things like that. As far as he was concerned, he was alive and at school, and with his only friend in the world, and he was happy.
Though the story was not altogether the most pleasant in the world, it did the trick and started a conversation. Ginger and Skilmer sat down next to eachother at the bank of the lake and continued chatting.
Alvin came skipping into view, his broomstick slung over his shoulder and his cheeks flaming in excitement. He'd just returned from his Qudditch try-out. Spotting Skilmer and Ginger sitting by the lake, he debated whether or not to walk over to them. Normally he wouldn't, but he was feeling unusually confident today. However, taking a second look at the situation, he wasn't sure if it was one that they'd want to be interrupted.
Re: Alvin
But he didn't have to make the choice, as just then Skilmer saw him and waved. The two got up and walked to Alvin. It wasn't like they were complete strangers: they were all some of the only third years.
"Oh, you have a broomstick, have you?" asked Ginger when they got a little closer. "Have you tried out for the Quiditch team?"
Re: Alvin
Ginger laughed and even Skilmer cracked a grin. "So...what do you plan to do now? Or would you just like to sit with us and enjoy the day?" Ginger looked wistfully at Alvin's broom. "Wish I was good at Quiditch, but I can barely stay on a broom. Couldn't have counted the appendages I'd have lost if I'd tried out."
Lacole Lover
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(22/3/04 5:44 pm) Reply
Supreme snob on her way...
Loral walked through the double doors and out onto the grounds. In her hand was a textbook that she'd gotten behind on memorizing. It was always a good idea to memorize textbooks, because it made people gape, and it gave one good grades that made them gape again. Unfortuanately, it was no good to try and memorize courses in the common room--too noisy to concentrate--though it would have been nice to see some of the other kids' mouths drop open when they realized what she was doing.
She headed for the sunny side of the field--and on second thought, changed her direction toward the lake. But, coming closer, she saw her cousin talking with some other third years. She couldn't think very highly of any of them--you're judged by the company you keep, after all. And they hadn't been using this time to study? How inefficient and downright stupid. The imbeciles...
Alvin
Alvin spotted Loral first, and suddenly his spirits took a plumit. He didn't like Loral. The last thing he needed was someone picking on him right after he'd had such a wonderful moment.....
OCC: But please do ;-) lol
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(27/3/04 11:38 am) Reply
Re: Alvin
OOC: Why shouldn't I? I'm getting out of practice anyway: I'm shy about snubbing my friends, like I said before somewhere...
IC:
Noticing the expression on Alvin's face, Ginger and Skilmer turned around in time to see Havelly before she started talking.
"Good morning," Ginger said, trying to prevent the inevitable with a polite word or two, and trying to keep the various unpleasant feelings caused by Loral's approach out of her voice.
"You mean good afternoon." Loral said with no emotion.
"Whichever it happens to be."
"Well, it happens to be afternoon. But no matter. What are you all doing here?" Loral sneered. "Aren't you studying?"
"It's such a pretty day; we thought we'd enjoy it," interjected Skilmer, trying to turn Loral's attention away from his friends. He gave Ginger a look, trying to suggest that she and Alvin meander around to the other side of the lake while he took the unpleasant job of providing Loral's entertainment. But either Ginger didn't understand the look, or she didn't want to subject Skilmer to Loral alone. In any case, she didn't move.
"You can enjoy it while you study. Or did that not occur to you?" Loral's expression was pitying, and it was sickening when coupled with the faint curl of the edges of her lips.
"We can enjoy it better when we are not studying," replied Skilmer steadily, meeting her gaze unflickeringly.
Alvin
Alvin stared uncomfortably down at his feet, not making eye contact with Loral, or even Ginger and Skilmer. He could feel a sudden tension come over thier little group, and felt it best not to interfere unless spoken to, and even then he'd have to choose his words carefully--what on earth was wrong ith him? It was simply LORAL, not a werewolf. RELAX. Still, he couldn't help but feel that nothing good could follow the current conversation.
Lacole Lover
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(28/3/04 7:17 pm) Reply
"talking" with Loral some more...
As Loral, preoccupied with her cousin, heaped the indirect insults higher and higher on Skilmer, Ginger became more and more furious. Though Skilmer was used to it, could bear it, Ginger was regarding Loral as nothing less than an arch-enemy. Skilmer felt her anger on his behalf even without looking at her--feelings are a lot more tangible than most realize, and Skilmer and Ginger were very close--and he was grateful that someone cared--but he knew that when she got angry she lost control, and that worried him more and more as Loral continued. Loral began to sense this, and topping it off with a grand "I don't know what your mom did to make you come out this way," she decided him conquered and turned on someone else. She noticed Ginger first, and was pleased to notice her struggling not to do something drastic, but she hadn't said anything to the little wimpy one that she didn't really know yet. He seemed uncomfortable: all the better.
"And you? I can't think much of your choice of friends. You're judged by the company you keep, you know. I would have expected better."
Re: A Walk Beside the Lake
Aaron walked out to the broom closet and then stoped as he heard voices by the lake. He saw two third year boys -- one of them was Alvin -- and two other girls who seemed a little older. He grabbed a broom he had been using for a while and started flying around, and on one pass he thought he heard something. He started back around and sweeped by over-head, waving cheerfully.
"And you? I can't think much of your choice of friends. You're judged by the company you keep, you know. I would have expected better," he heard someone say.
He soared around a while more and then decide he had heard enough. He hoped the older girl who had been snubbing everyone liked nuts. Or was a prefect. Or maybe he would have to come up with some other prank.
Alvin's mouth opened as though he was about to say something, yet no words came out. He'd never been good at sticking up for himself. He looked helplessly at Ginger, whom looked as though she was about to tackle Loral in a matter of seconds.
Lacole Lover
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(6/4/04 7:37 pm) Reply
Re: Alvin
OOC: My apologies to the non-spanish-speakers. And the spanish-speakers who
"Callate!" Ginger shouted, fast being rendered unable to exibit any sort of self-control. "No hable mas! No puedo tomar mas sin hacerte algo malo!" she cried, breathing fast and clenching and unclenching her fists.
Shocked at Ginger's sudden outburst in a foreign language, Loral was momentarily speechless. "Care to repeat that little comment, in ENGLISH this time, Jengibre?"
Lacole Lover
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(6/4/04 7:39 pm) Reply
Sorry about the OOC thing there
I meant to say:
Sorry to the non-Spanish-speakers. And the spanish speakers who know how to put accents and stuff on. Translation: Be quiet! I can't take any more before I do something bad to you!
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(12/4/04 9:23 am) Reply
The climax...
"I was..." Ginger, suddenly red, faltered.
"Speaking in Spanish. How brave to stick up for your friends by hiding behind another language." Loral sneered.
"I was trying to let you know that I couldn't take any more before I lost control," Ginger replied, anger rapidly returning.
Loral smirked again at Ginger's lack of self-control and started on another series of nasty comments, but before she was halfway through the first one, Ginger lost it. She stepped towards Loral menacingly, and Loral broke off abrubtly and took a step back. A step that was a little too far off the edge of the bank...
SPLASH!!! And Loral was sitting in the water entirely covered with mud and various aquatic plants. Shocked, Ginger held her hand out to help her up, but Loral stood up defiently by herself--and then slipped and fell again. Ginger couldn't control the mirth inside her and turned away, shaking with laughter as silent as she could get it. Skilmer pulled Loral to her feet and escorted her inside, as Loral was too shocked and shamed to protest.
"Spit is lighter
than water."
Posts: 517
(12/4/04 2:54 pm) Reply
Re: The climax...
Desperately in need of some fresh air, Lily Evans decided to walk down to the lake for a few minutes before finishing the day's assignments. No sooner had she cleared the castle door, however, than she was confronted by a most unusual sight - a sodden and dripping Loral Havelly, escorted by Skilmer and a red-faced, very-nearly-giggling Ginger.
"What is the meaning of this?" Lily asked in surprise. She hoped that Skilmer and Ginger hadn't pushed Loral into the lake; she didn't think she'd blame them if they had, but it would be her responsibility to send them to their Head of House.
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(13/4/04 10:07 am) Reply
Re: The climax...
Skilmer looked at Ginger, then at Loral, then, as Ginger seemed to be too overcome with hysteria to answer, and Loral too embarrassed (for once), set himself up to answer.
"Well, we were by the lake, talking, and Loral came and started talking with us..." Ginger turned away as a new wave of mirth broke out on top of her head. "And Ginger started getting mad and Loral took a step back and fell in the lake." Skilmer wished that Ginger had been in a state to answer Lily. He didn't know her as well, and he wasn't a good talker anyway--that all must have sounded really stupid and lame.
"Spit is lighter
than water."
Posts: 530
(13/4/04 12:42 pm) Reply
Re: The climax...
Lily nodded and turned to Loral.
"Loral," she said as kindly as she could, "Did Skilmer or Ginger in any way push you or - cause you to fall into the lake?"
Lacole Lover
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(15/4/04 4:20 pm) Reply
Re: The climax...
"Ginger threatened me," said Loral, as dignified as she could be all covered with mud.
Ginger turned back around, all traces of laughter suddenly gone. "I did WHAT?"
"You told me that you were going to hurt me."
"I did not! I said that if you continued insulting us, I'd lose control--"
"And hurt me. And you did try to. And I got out of the way, but in so doing, fell into the lake."
Skilmer watched nervously. How could Ginger get in trouble if Loral had been provoking them? He shifted and unconsiously put himself facing Loral and next to Ginger, as if he was planted on Ginger's side and Loral was his opponent.
"Spit is lighter
than water."
Posts: 561
(15/4/04 5:29 pm) Reply
Re: The climax...
OOC: WW has been really busy lately. Our class has an enormous research-paper-slash-oral-presentation to do next Wednesday...I'd assume she's busy with that.
IC:
Lily resisted the urge to throw up her hands in exasperation - Loral Havelly was just too, too much. Doing her best to remain calm and collected she turned to Ginger and Skilmer.
"Did Loral do anything to provoke you into conflict?"
Lacole Lover
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(18/4/04 7:58 am) Reply
Re: The climax...
"YES!" exclaimed Ginger.
"I was merely stating the facts," Loral sniffed.
"Facts?! That Skilmer's a loser, and Alvin choses bad friends," Ginger spat the words out. "And I--"
"I think I understand," Lily put in hastily, before the conflict could reach full flame again.
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