Congratulating the new prefect on Teppenpaw Commons

Michael Grosvenor

January 17, 2013 12:44 PM

Congratulating the new prefect by Michael Grosvenor

Michael didn't think he had room for any more feelings when he arrived back at Sonora. Summer had been mental. He'd spent time with Eris and got to explore England, which had been completely awesome (and, until mere hours ago, he hadn't thought he could wait to tell Laurie about it). But then he'd heard from Josh telling him about Brianna and the visit to her had been pretty heavy going, but not at one constant level. His feelings had had to go up and back down – not that any bits of it were really great, it had just been some moments were more like actual hell than others. Then Eris had come to stay with him and that had been fun. He'd shown her all the “crazy Muggle things” like the microwave and the DVD player (popcorn, movies and take away pizza had been had) and taught her how to ride a bike. But he was also still thinking about Brianna, and really worrying about her, but having to pretend it was all ok cos he really didn't want to talk about it.

Going back to school hadn't exactly made any of this go away, so he was still musing on it all when the prefect announcements were made. He had whooped, genuinely delighted for his two friends, and had been applauding enthusiastically when he'd suddenly had the thought that always occurred in relation to Laurie. Preston. What if Laurie's cousin saw him cheering so enthusiastically for a guy who was supposed to hate his guts? He guessed he could always say he'd been cheering for Mellie, and made sure to clap extra hard when she got her badge and to scowl when Laurie got his, just in case Preston was spying. It had made him wonder though... For the last two years, Laurie had kept up the charade of being a snob. Of looking down on Michael and people like him. That was the face he put on in class, in the commons... Everywhere except in utter private. But the teachers still thought he made a better prefect than Michael. Didn't it matter that Laurie acted like he hated half the school? Or did it matter so much that Michael was hearing impaired? Or from the wrong sort of family? He'd never felt like the teachers were racist, or that any of them thought he was less capable because of his disability. But here was what they thought... A guy who wouldn't speak to half the people in the school was a better role-model, a better representation of their house, than he was.

He had sulked through dinner, the first feast he should have been able to socialise at, and hadn't hung around in the common room afterwards, even though that would probably mean seeing Laurie sooner. Not that he was mad at him. It wasn't like it was his friend's fault and he wasn't jealous. Michael hadn't even thought about prefects until the announcements had been made, so it wasn't like it had been his heart's desire. But he was hurt to think people saw him, for whatever reason, as so useless and incapable.

“Congratulations,” he said when Laurie came into the room, really wishing he could make it sound convincing. He should be happy for his friend – after all, secretly, Laurie was a really nice guy and deserved it. He'd never been a good liar though and, for all he hated talking about his feelings, his voice usually betrayed what they were. His tone was flat and unenthusiastic, not matching the word he'd spoken at all.

13 Michael Grosvenor Congratulating the new prefect 199 Michael Grosvenor 1 5

Laurie Stratford

January 20, 2013 6:05 PM

That would be me by Laurie Stratford

Laurie was in excited shock. He couldn’t really believe he had gotten the Prefect badge. The redhead looked down at his badge every so often to make sure it was really pinned to his school robes. He honestly didn’t know why he had won it when he could think of another person better suited for the job. The Teppenpaw hardly spoke to anyone, even when he was a rather friendly boy, but he felt like betraying his best friends in the whole wide world if he started procuring other people. The fifth-year only wanted to be a good friend.

However, he couldn’t deny the smudge of satisfaction, which made him feel smug, over having the badge simply because Preston hadn’t won the title the previous year. Laurie felt vindicated and quite happy about having something his older cousin had coveted. He had won over him for the very first time. The redhead had never been too competitive, but he was sure Preston deserved whatever came his way, and Preston couldn’t hide from divine justice for too long. Laurie was sure the universe was on his side this time, and he was grateful for it. It had been rather amusing to see Preston storm out the Cascade Hall to sulk somewhere where people wouldn’t see him. He knew he shouldn’t be happy about Preston being miserable, but he just couldn’t help it. His cousin had basically destroyed his entire life at school and the resentment was still there and would probably never leave.

With that in his mind and a big, excited grin on his face Laurie entered his room in search of Michael. He wanted to share his new found glory over Preston with him! His best friend would really understand how this was so awesome it almost made the world explode. However, once he opened the door to their room and saw Michael, his grin faltered, and he stood there looking at him like a sad puppy, “Thank you,” he responded bewildered at Michael’s attitude.

Laurie’s big green eyes were fixated on his best friend. The Teppenpaw had never seen Michael treat him so indifferently and it hurt, especially because he wanted to share this joyous occasion with him, and all he got was like a cold blizzard from Antarctica. “Is everything all right?” he asked concerned as he walked to his bed and sat down on it. His stare didn’t move from Michael’s general direction. Laurie was concerned and confused, and he didn’t know what to do with this new situation. Maybe Michael was tired of their secret friendship.

0 Laurie Stratford That would be me 0 Laurie Stratford 0 5

Michael Grosvenor

January 20, 2013 6:33 PM

Yup. It would indeed. by Michael Grosvenor

The way Laurie deflated at the tone of Michael's voice made him feel awful. Even though Brianna had now apologised for some of the things she'd said, the niggling little voice at the back of his head pointed this out as confirmatory evidence that he was a toxic person to be around. He'd hurt Laurie's feelings simply by walking into the room and saying one word.

“Yeah,” he lied – just like Brianna had said he did, “It's fine.” Except this wasn't a total lie any more. He managed a half smile at his friend. A smile that was genuine but still had something on its mind. “I'm really happy for you, and the Laurie I know totally deserves that.” He said this emphatically but the tone of his voice also implied there was a 'but...' Normally this would have taken some prompting and some drawing out but the way Laurie's eyes were boring into him was enough of a question. Plus it was Laurie. His bro. You couldn't really keep things from your bro.

“It's just that the Laurie I know... is a secret. Credit to your acting skills, you do a pretty good job of pretending you're looking down on people like me. And.... they...” he hesitated. Now he was faced with Laurie in person it was so much harder to say than it had been to think. He was essentially saying his friend didn't deserve the badge and... well, friends didn't say that kind of thing. The trouble was that Laurie was two different people. And one of those Lauries didn't deserve it. He just hoped his friend understood the difference. “It makes it seem like that kind of thing doesn't bother them. The staff. Like they think it's ok. Or like there's something wrong with me specifically. Like...” he trailed off again, not specifically labelling his hearing impairment. Laurie should get what he meant.

13 Michael Grosvenor Yup. It would indeed. 199 Michael Grosvenor 0 5

Laurie

January 24, 2013 3:56 PM

It has its silver lining! by Laurie

Laurie’s excitement dwindled down as he listened Michael speak. His friend was right. Deep down Laurie knew it, but he had clung to the small spark of revenge towards his cousin that the badge that ignited. He had questioned – if only briefly – why he had merited such an honor when better people had been overlooked. The redhead flopped on his bed defeated, embarrassed of the world in general, before attempting to open to his mouth to say something. Nothing came out, and he closed it without uttering a word of comfort.

The redhead took a very deep breath before sitting on the bed once again and looking at his friend. He was sad that Michael felt bad, because he was the reason of it. He had done enough damage already. “I am sorry,” he finally spoke up.

Laurie offered Michael a contrite smile, “I wondered that myself,” he confessed before looking down at his hands. The Teppenpaw was thinking about what his friend had said and suddenly got angered that he thought he wasn’t good enough because his insignificant impairment. Well, at least Laurie never thought of that as something that would belittle someone. Michael was one of the best people he knew, and Laurie had come to love him like a brother. He was so different from what he knew that not loving his free-spirit and take on life was almost a sin. The redhead could be himself when he was hanging out with him and that helped his self-esteem.

“There is nothing wrong with you,” Laurie spoke up a little angry. It really angered him that Michael felt that way, because he didn’t see the qualities that had drawn Laurie to seek a friendship with him and why he remained his friend. The Teppenpaw got up from his bed and without any warning hugged his friend in a very manly hug. “I don’t know why I got him, but just think what Preston is feeling now,” he said grinning evilly after letting go of him. “He is probably sulking somewhere.” And it served him right for being a snitch and a jerk.

0 Laurie It has its silver lining! 0 Laurie 0 5

Michael Grosvenor

January 31, 2013 2:01 PM

Which is that you're happy by Michael Grosvenor

“Don't be,” Michael shook his head when Laurie apologised. “You didn't do anything wrong. I mean, if they do think like that, it's them that's wrong, not you.” It was surprising how clearly Michael could define the problem and its causes, as it was a slightly tangled up issue and usually even fairly straightforward ones caused him some degree of befuddlement. It was an indicator of how much he wanted to not have to be mad at Laurie that he had over-ridden his naturally tendency to let the subtler points of problems wash over him.

Michael was a bit surprised when Laurie seized him in a fierce hug but just about managed to pat his friend on the back in return.

“Thanks man...” he blinked, slightly overwhelmed by Laurie's very decided affirmation of him. After the up-down summer with Brianna, and now this, it really helped to know someone really liked him. Just.. for him. And that was way more important than the teachers thinking he had whatever elusive qualities you needed for prefect. Laurie knew him inside out and still thought he was great. “Hey, maybe your acting skills are kinda crummy. Perhaps the staff see right through you,” he smiled, “If they knew what you were really like, they couldn't choose anyone better.” He hoped he could repair the damage he'd done with his sulking – he wanted Laurie to be able to enjoy his achievement.

“Ha, let's hope so,” he grinned, when Laurie mentioned how much it would gut Preston to see his 'less than perfect' cousin get what he hadn't. Michael was generally a nice guy who didn't wish ill on anyone. But even Teppenpaws could make exceptions...

13 Michael Grosvenor Which is that you're happy 199 Michael Grosvenor 0 5

Laurie

February 06, 2013 8:24 PM

Yey happiness by Laurie

It was times like this that Laurie wished his life was different. He loves his family to pieces, but he hated how they acted. Their way of thinking was so closed that since he was a child he usually played alone or with a few friends that weren’t that uptight. The worst thing was watching his family treat people like garbage when they thought different than them or had actual jobs. There were so many people that had more substance than some of his family members. Michael was an excellent example of people that were worth than Preston.

He smiled, his previous anger had already faded and he was ready to catch up with his friend. “I am pretty sure he is,” he said grinning. The redhead was usually a pretty mellow and nice guy, but when his older cousin was involved he couldn’t help to be a tad bit petty. “In his eyes, the lesser cousin got the title he coveted.”

The Teppenpaw shrugged and jumped on his bed, “How was your summer? Anything interesting happened?” The redhead had spent most of his time at Quidditch Camp and had a blast. He really liked his friends there, with the exception of one boy in his cabin, but David was a jerk. The days at camp consisted of fun activities, practices, scrimmages and show games for some sport’s agents. He was sure that all that he wanted to do after Sonora was play Quidditch forever and ever. There was nothing better for the redhead than the feeling of freedom he got to experience when he was in the air, well, except maybe girls.

0 Laurie Yey happiness 0 Laurie 0 5

Michael Grosvenor

February 09, 2013 7:03 AM

And adventures by Michael Grosvenor

“I went to England!” Michael exclaimed, when Laurie asked him what he'd been up to over summer. It would have been the headline news if the whole prefect thing hadn't got in the way, and he was glad to put that to the back of his mind and get on with sharing his excitement with his best friend. “Dude, it was awesome! I was staying in Yorkshire,” he said, still pronouncing the second syllable like the Hobbits' homeland in spite of having spent two weeks there, “with Eris but she took me to London too. I saw all the Muggle things, like Big Ben and Buckingham Palace and all the wizardy places too, like Diagaon Alley.

“And then Eris came over to Oregon and Muggled it up. I taught her how to use the telephone to get take out and ride a bike. I never realised how interesting my life was,” he joked. Eris' family was magical and his was not, so they'd both had a lot to learn about just the day to day way in which life was lived.

He wasn't really sure how to bring up the fact that he was now dating Eris, seeing as Laurie probably thought that wasn't news. Plus it wasn't really something he was used to talking about. He didn't tend to get into personal things very much anyway, and it wasn't like he had any experience of talking about this. Perhaps if Laurie had had a girlfriend first it would have been easier. He would have had some sort of example to follow.

“How about yours?” he asked of Laurie's summer.

13 Michael Grosvenor And adventures 199 Michael Grosvenor 0 5