The Captains Craven
June 13, 2006 10:28 AM
QUIDDITCH SIGN UPS! by The Captains Craven
Sorrel still wasn't entirely sure what to feel as they made their way back up from the hall. Stephen's initial reaction to her had been to completely ignore her. That wasn't an easy thing to get her head around.Still, some things were important enough not to let Stephen get in the way of. Or anyone or anything else. When they got to the Common Room, she pulled a notice that had been folded into about eight out of her pocket, and Ash tacked it to the notice board.
The lines were written alternately, one by each twin, but their writing was so similarly scrawly that you'd have to be an expert to differentiate.
Write your name, year and prefered position(s) below.
Returning players from last year must sign up.
Try outs will be announced when there are enough on the list.
Captain Sorrel Craven, fourth year, Beater
Captain Ash Craven, fourth year, Beater\n\n
Subthreads: Alright! by Lizzie with Ash Craven, Stephen Baxter
I'm game by Saul Pierce
Shoot!Out of the beater position! by Caedence Redoak with
Another year won't hurt. by Ginger Silverstein
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The Captains Craven
QUIDDITCH SIGN UPS!
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The Captains Craven
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Lizzie
June 13, 2006 2:53 PM
Alright! by Lizzie
Liz entered the common room sometime later after the opening feast in a chipper mood, as she usually was upon returning to Sonora. Some of the last memories she had in the commons came back to her as she looked around. The after-game/House Points celebration jumped into life in her mind's eye, and the insanity that had surrounded it. With a grin still on her face, Lizzie noticed the quidditch sign up list. She pulled her wand and with a flick of the wrist, her name wrote itself on the bottom of the sheet of parchment.Lizzie Lavine, Fourth Year, Chaser \n\n
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Lizzie
Alright!
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Lizzie
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Saul Pierce
June 13, 2006 3:30 PM
I'm game by Saul Pierce
Saul was on his way to his first day of second year classes when he spotted the Quidditch Sign-Up sheet hanging on the bulletin board. Despite the near death experience from last year, he didn't hesitate before pulling out his quill and writing down his name:Saul Pierce,
He'd been a bit leary about heights right after his fall during the game last year, but he'd spent the summer working with the stage crew and had probably logged more hours on ladders or hanging off scaffolding than he'd been on the ground. He was now a master at falling and not dying. He was also getting pretty good at painting and setting up lights.
Besides, it was fantastic to be part of the show rather than just the stage crew and one little fall wasn't gonna keep him from a spot in Sonora's biggest entertainment event. He'd just maybe have to take flying lessons again so that next time he got hit with a bludger he wouldn't loose track of his broom.\n\n
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Saul Pierce
I'm game
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Saul Pierce
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Caedence Redoak
June 13, 2006 5:19 PM
Shoot!Out of the beater position! by Caedence Redoak
Caedenc's heart sank as she read the two captians names. Next to them, in glaring ink, was the word beater. It seemed to mock her. 'Stupid firstie, did you honestly think that there already wasn't beaters?' it screamed to her. Stupid firstie indeed!Taking out a quill she set her face. Fine then! If I can't get what I want, I'll want what i get! But what was what she could get? Chasers requred much practice. Keepers werent much better. As for seekers, she laughed inside, well lets say she wasn't a seeker.
Picking from the list, she decided to try for chaser. After all, the team couldn't yell at her if she messed up too bad since there were two others to yell at. So she scribbled on there in her neat, loopy handwriting, 'Chaser, but will be flexible. If needed, beater alternate' With a smirk she walked off. Only being one of THE beaters could top being an alternate. But she'd rather have an option open. Humming slightly, and shooting deadly glares at those wanting to talk to her, she walked to her dormitry.\n\n
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Caedence Redoak
Shoot!Out of the beater position!
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Caedence Redoak
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Caedence
June 13, 2006 5:23 PM
oops, add this on to the end of my post by Caedence
Stopping at the entrance she realized something. She corgot her name! And her year! What a mess! 'I hope that they wont notic this blunder.'she thoughtRushing back to the sign up she paused. Softly cursing her bad luck, she noticed that she broke her quill. Looking around, she spied a quill atop someone's books. The person wasn't nearby, so she grabbed it. In less fancy, more untidy scrawl, she wrote 'Caedence Redoak first year' under it with an arrow pointing at her perferred position.\n\n
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Caedence
oops, add this on to the end of my post
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Caedence
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Ginger Silverstein
June 13, 2006 6:48 PM
Another year won't hurt. by Ginger Silverstein
Ginger went into the common room to make sure that her cat wes okay on food and water before she went down to Cascade hall for something to eat. Her Summer had been alright, but she was so upset that she didn't beat three games because of her brother. Sam had recieved three games for his birthday, and he just had to beat them all! So Ginger would find herself on the computer posting in her live journal and making dolls over the internet because her brother comandeered her playstation so many times. She was glad that she was finally away from her brother.She wasn't able to get to a portkeye to get to the place where Zack was in time. The portkeye schedules didn't match with the time they were going to play dungeons and dragons. Perhaps she could arrange something next Summer. If she could stomach it, she could try to stay at school over the holidays.
She noticed the familar quidditch sign up on the bulliton board that was posted last year. She was happy that she had managed to get the position she wanted last year, and she managed to catch the snitch in their game against Crotalus. She pulled out a pen from her pocked.
Ginger Silverstein, year 2, seeker \n\n
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Ginger Silverstein
Another year won't hurt.
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Ginger Silverstein
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Ash Craven
June 13, 2006 9:19 PM
Got you! by Ash Craven
Ash was lounging in the Common Room 'reading' after the feast. He was really keeping an eye on how much attention his and Sorrie's sign up sheet was getting. He grinned as he saw the first person go up to it. Having been too busy at the feast bothering Mia and wondering what Stephen was playing at, he took this opportunity to put down his book and greet another of his better friends.Sneaking up very quietly, he grabbed Lizzie from behind.
"Got you!" he crowed triumphantly, "In more ways than one," he added, nodding at the sign up sheet, and - not being privvy to her diary - not knowing how accurate that was in a third way too.
"Good summer, Lizzie?" he asked, pulling her away from the sheet a little, so they weren't blocking other people from signing up. \n\n
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Ash Craven
Got you!
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Ash Craven
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Lizzie
June 13, 2006 11:07 PM
Indeed by Lizzie
Liz was just surveying her work on the sign up sheet (she had just recently gotten her cursive spell perfect) when she was caught from behind by non other than Ash Craven. Obviously caught by surprise, Lizzie let out a gasp. That however turned into laughter as she realized just who it was."Ash, hey!" she said, grinning, "It was great, actually... How about y'all? I heard a certain sister of yours was getting married... I hope it didn't go completely horridly."
One of the less-known and more recent developing reasons Lizzie loved coming back to Sonora was seeing her friends again. Well, that was well known, except this year she was coming back with a desire to see one friend in particular. Only the night before (or really the morning of to be presice), Lizzie had pieced out to herself that she indeed was rather... fond of Ash. But so far, no one knew of it, save Jen, who only knew that she liked someone. Lizzie intended to keep it this way until she had further time to think things over.
"I wish you guys could have hung out with Jen and I this summer," she said, nodding back at the quidditch sign up sheet, "We saw some awesome games, and the players on the Hurricanes were really helpful when we asked them questions and stuff."\n\n
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Lizzie
Indeed
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Lizzie
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Ash
June 14, 2006 2:18 PM
Dark haired girls by Ash
As Lizzie turned around to face him, it struck Ash that she had black hair. Not that this was something he hadn't noticed before, but he sort of renoticed it because black hair had acquired some... er... 'interesting' connotations for him over the summer. His eyes automatically flicked downwards very briefly, before he brought them up to look Liz firmly in the eye."It was nauseating," he replied, with regards to Mariella's wedding, grinning at Lizzie's understanding of how it was likely to have been, "But on the plus side, she's moved in with Simple Simon now, so we'll see a lot less of her in the holidays."
"Well, if you want us round just say. I'm sure Sorrel and me can find it in ourselves to generously keep you company at a load of professional matches that you get into for free," he grinned. "How's your bro's team doing? He getting fame, fortune and chicks kissing the ground he walks on?"\n\n
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Ash
Dark haired girls
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Ash
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Lizzie
June 14, 2006 9:05 PM
...are awesome by Lizzie
"It was nauseating,"Only to be expected. From what Liz had heard about the twins' sister Mariella, she was just about the antithesis of everything the two stood for. It was only natural for them to have had that sort of feelings for it, and Lizzie didn't blame them in the least. It was one of those intstances where she was glad that she was the only sister in their family.
"Well, less is definitely more in this case," Liz laughed at his later comments then replied with a roll of her eyes, "Of course I would be honored if you found some spare time in your busy schedule to grace my family and I with your presence. As for Javon, well... He's just about as big-headed as he was before, but he's the good sort and doesn't let it run too far away with him. The stadium is really amazing though, especially for an expansion team. Maybe that's why the team's doing so well. We made Divisional South League last season, and I think we've got enough to make it to Nationals this year."
Lizzie noticed Ash seemed a little... well, she couldn't really call it tentative, for in no way, shape, or form was Ash Craven ever tentative, but he was acting a little different. Not hugely so, but just... different. Lizzie didn't really know what to make of it. Guys were getting to be so complicated. She had noticed the fact that it had taken him a second to respond, as well as the small downward eye flick that had occured just before he did. Liz didn't really care though, and in all her excitement to see him forgot about it.\n\n
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Lizzie
...are awesome
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Lizzie
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Ash
June 15, 2006 11:47 AM
Yeah... That's the connotation. 'Awesome.' by Ash
"Yup," Ash grinned, "The less we have to see of her, the more fun we can have. Though I dread going on family visits to her house. At least at home the living room was neutral territory. It will be like an entire house where she's applied the rules of her bedroom," he grimmaced.He was glad of Liz's invite though. If he could spend some time at her house, and maybe some time at Stephen's (or have Stephen at their place) it would considerably lessen the opportunities their parents would have to drag him and Sorrel to Mariella's.
"Congrats," he grinned, as Lizzie told him how Javon's team was storming the league. "Did you manage to fit anything except Quidditch into your summer?" he asked, slightly teasingly, "Although if you did lots of rigorous training, I'm not going complain," he grinned. The idea of Liz spending her summer out in the sunshine in shorts and a little strappy top, improving her Quidditch skills was pretty good. After all, the Crotalus Chasers had almost given them a run for their money last year. \n\n
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Ash
Yeah... That's the connotation. 'Awesome.'
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Ash
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Lizzie
June 15, 2006 12:24 PM
*rolls eyes* Guys. by Lizzie
Over the summer Liz hadn't really changed much, but she was still getting used to the idea of, well, liking guys. Sure, she had had her fair share of crushes on quidditch players she didn't even know, but now that her affections were directed towards a good friend like Ash, the situation was different. Lizzie, however, laughed as Ash described his sister's house. What a drag, Liz thought to herself, I'm so glad I have brothers who don't have stupid rules and stuff."Well, you know, it'd have been easier to play well if we weren't all on the ground with Saul..." she countered with her usual quick wit, "Anyway, that's not all we did this summer. Jen and I went shopping for a bit... Okay, maybe it was all that went on this summer. But it was fun."
A habit she had aquired as of late, Lizzie twisted a small piece of her black hair. It was terrible, she knew, but it had become something she couldn't really help.
"And what about you?" she added, to keep conversation going, "Surely you didn't spend the entire summer at a wedding."\n\n
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Lizzie
*rolls eyes* Guys.
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Lizzie
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Ash
June 20, 2006 2:46 PM
You love us really by Ash
Given that he hadn't criticised Lizzie's skills at all, Ash felt a bit put out by her jibe at his and Sorrel's failure to protect Saul. Retorting in the only way he could think of immediately, he poked his tongue out at Liz.He cocked an eyebrow at Liz as she mentioned shopping. Normally he would have been revolted by the idea, but there were certain, secret aspects of girly shopping that he wouldn't have minded more closely inspecting. Though only with certain girls. A certain photographed female came to mind again.
"No, thankfully," he managed to tell Liz, dragging his mind back to their conversation. "And it was early in the summer, so we didn't have to spend the whole time helping with preparations either. The slide show of the wedding pictures felt like it took several days though," he said, rolling his eyes with a grin. "We just spent most of the rest of the time on the beach and stuff as usual." \n\n
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Ash
You love us really
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Ash
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Lizzie
June 21, 2006 3:21 PM
Occasionally... by Lizzie
Rolling her eyes seemed to be something that Lizzie did a lot around Ash. She attributed it to the fact that every few things he said or did were "eyeroll worthy". It had become such an often occurence that now Liz felt odd when she didn't roll her eyes at him. Sometimes it felt immature, but it didn't matter as sticking her tounge back out at him seemed like appropriate retaliation at the time."Well, small blessings, I guess," she said, "Bummer about the slide show though."
Upon the mentioning of "beach", Lizzie felt her thoughts drifting slowly away from their conversation to a picture in her mind. A certain friend and teammate on a beach in the summer, probably laughing, shaking out that slightly-too-long black hair and wearing just board shorts. Liz realized that she was not mentally in the conversation a slight second later, but a second long enough to have that picture last in her mind.
"So..." Lizzie said trailing off while looking back into those identical blue eyes of his. She'd noticed a few years before that the two of them were very much alike in physical appearence, but reflecting on their current appearences, it didn't seem like there was too much in common. Liz was curvier in places, and Ash, like any guy their age, was taller than her and well built from quidditch practice. But still there was the fact of the black hair and blue eyes. What were the chances of her liking this guy who could have easily passed as another one of her brothers?\n\n
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Lizzie
Occasionally...
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Lizzie
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Ash
June 21, 2006 7:48 PM
... some more than others? by Ash
Ash found it was becoming increasingly difficult to keep his mind off models and on the conversation. Especially when Lizzie reminded him of one he liked and wasn't saying much. He was too busy almost zoning out that he failed to notice that she did (which was probably a good thing, as - had he successfully probed and found the reason - he might not have liked it too much)."So... I was just trying to keep an eye on the Quidditch list, and now I'm sure I've caught at least one person, I should be off," he said, deciding getting out of this conversation was probably a good move, before he did something stupid. Deciding the duty to unpack wasn't going to be believed, he left it with a simple "G'night, sweet dreams," winking at Liz (to show he'd only wish someone something as sugary as 'sweet dreams' jokingly, unaware of what else he might be implying).
He breathed a sigh of relief as he got back up to his room. He was fairly sure she hadn't realised he'd spent most of the conversation pitcuring her in a certain set of lingerie. \n\n
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Ash
... some more than others?
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Ash
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Lizzie
June 22, 2006 1:53 AM
I suppose so by Lizzie
The whole conversation for Lizzie was an interesting one. Her mind was half-staring at Ash and half lost in the picture that was still floating about in her thoughts. Liz's relationship with John had never had moments like this. Thinking back, she'd never really felt so... Well, words seemed to escape her mind these days, so she decided to leave it at that. However, she was saved from any further thoughts on that subject for the moment by Ash."Right, well, goodnight then," Liz said with a grin of her own, though slightly taken by surprise with his abrupt goodbye. It was for the best however, since after he left bounding up to his dorm, Lizzie turned and continued up to her own room. Though she lay in bed for hours, sleep was driven away with thoughts swirling about. Finally Liz fell asleep, images of that certain boy on the beach in her mind.\n\n
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Lizzie
I suppose so
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Lizzie
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Stephen Baxter
July 11, 2006 11:46 AM
Oh that's rich... by Stephen Baxter
OOC: I'm going with the senario that I'm working towards in the CH where Stephen leaves, taking Mia to the Infirmary (whether she agrees or not :-p) BIC:Finally getting the the commons, much later than he'd originally planned because of the side trip to the visit the new Medic in the Infirmary, Stephen almost walked in on a scene he hadn't really expected. Warned by the voices as he closed upon the end of the passage, and still in an unusually pensive mood, Stephen slowed and then stopped where he could just see what was going on. Not, he decided a moment later, that it would make much of a difference, if he'd entered the room properly anyhow. Ash and Liz seemed quite firmly focused on each other.
A frown slowly furrowed Stephen's brow as he watched and listened. Somehow, he didn't think it was the time to interrupt, and somehow... he was building up to his previous grumpiness - which he thought he'd got rid of - which was compelling him to remain.
He kept his spot a few minutes longer after both had retreated down the seperate ways to the girls and boys dorm respectively before making his way properly into the room, and over to the board. He signed up again, in a messier hand that usual, which he blamed on the grumpiness, stood back to look at it
It'd have to do. For there were more pressing concerns right now. Loping up the stairs, Stephen didn't even notice that climbing them two at a time was becoming easier. He didn't even look twice at the girls corridor before making his way down his own, and into the room he shared with Ash.
He didn't say anything at first, making his way to his bed, and checking on Fido, before sitting down and looking at Ash.
"Ok, what the hell is going on?"\n\n
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Stephen Baxter
Oh that's rich...
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Stephen Baxter
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Ash
July 16, 2006 1:59 PM
Don't call Lizzie 'that'. And she can't help being wealt by Ash
Right. He'd got away with it that time. He thought... But next time - there was bound to be a 'next time' he saw Liz. What if he had the same reaction? It was probably just surprise, because he'd sort of forgotten when he'd been looking at that other girl with dark hair and blue eyes that Lizzie had them too. But still, he could afford to be sitting in class, or doing Quidditch practise (somewhere where it actually mattered whether he got distracted) and picturing her... like that."Stephen?" he called. He'd taken Mia to the Infirmary, and Ash hadn't noticed him go past, but then there had been a chick in front of him in her lingerie. In his mind. When he got no response, he lifted up the corner of his matress (it was, he thought, a rather ingenious hiding place), and pulled out the leaflet. She looked nothing like Liz. Focussing for once on the girl's face, he tried to drum her features into his head. She looked like this, she wore the underwear. Liz looked like Liz, Liz did not weat that underwear. Probably.
He was saved the chore of keeping himself from wondering what kind of underwear she did wear (not that he was interested, obviously, his mind just wandered, he couldn't help that) by footsteps on the stairs. Hastily, he shoved the leaflet back into its hiding place, and grabbed the nearest thing out of his trunk. Unfortunately it was a book, but he didn't have time to reselect as Stephen came in at that moment.
'Ok, what the hell is going on?'
"Nothing!" he lied. He was a little taken aback by the strength of Stephen's reaction but, luckily, he'd got quite good at quick, convincing 'nothing!'s in his life, though his mum and Sorrel could see through them instantly. "We have got Charms tomorrow, right?" he said, with only the briefest of hesitations as his eyes flicked surreptitiously over the cover, "And the Grump's bound to pick on me 'cos he'll think I haven't done the reading. That's all." He didn't labour the fact that Stephen's tone had implied the ending of the world, rather than him just holding a bleeding book, because he could never turn things back on the other person without sounding guilty. \n\n
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Ash
Don't call Lizzie 'that'. And she can't help being wealt
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Ash
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Stephen
July 16, 2006 2:19 PM
she can't help being 'wealt'? Poor girl by Stephen
Stephen paused a beat, taken aback himself."Has everyone gone mad?" he asked, incredulous, throwing his arms into the air. "I don't care about the stupid book! I want to know what's going on with Sorrel, and I want to know-" he stopped himself in midsentence as he noticed that his voice was going perilously close to either cracking or yelling. "I want to know," he continued, in a quieter voice, "why it is that every time I-" no, it was no use. He stopped again.
Jumping to his feet he started to pace, trying to get himself back under at least a small amount of control, to get rid of some of the... angry energy that was starting to leak. If he couldn't have his good humour, he could at least have that.
"First, you lie to Sorrel. Then you make me lie too, and I'm useless at lying. I hate it. And she's changed, and... how come its ok for her to wear makeup, but she has a go at all the other girls for doing the same thing? What the hell happened during the holidays? Those letters... geeze, Ash." Vaguely, Stephen was aware that he wasn't acting particularly like himself, but he was a bit too upset to care. Sorrel had been an absolute cow about Ty last year, and Ash hadn't been any better. And then there'd been the little scene he'd witnessed down in the commons.
It was beyond the joke. He wanted to make a snide remark asking if Ash had got Sorrel's permission to talk to Liz, but held it back, just. The effort of holding so much in showed on his face though, as he continued to pace, pausing only once, to kick his trunk out of his path. His returning good mood had definitely gone out the window.\n\n
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Stephen
she can't help being 'wealt'? Poor girl
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Stephen
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Ash
July 19, 2006 12:38 PM
And I can't help the title bar cutting things off by Ash
Right. Sorrel. Yeah, that was possibly quite obvious, Ash realised, trying to work out what sort of look would make him look less guilty so he could adopt it. Luckily Stephen was too busy... yelling? - Ash tried to recall if he'd ever heard Stephen yelling from anger before - to probably take much notice. He let Stephen carry on mainly because, by the time he got around to forming full sentences, Ash couldn't get a word in edgeways."I didn't lie to Sorrel," was his first point, and he sounded angry at the accusation. He would never lie to his sister - never, never could. She always was able to tell (plus it made him feel too bad). "I wrote to you, you wrote back, and I didn't tell her. What was I supposed to say? She'd have demanded to see your letters, and how was I supposed to explain what you were asking about her? I'd think you could figure out that I couldn't show her them, so it's not my fault you got yourself into hot water over who'd written to you.
"She's changed? No f***ing kidding!" he snapped, a little on the sarcastic side. "That's what I told you. I don't know what her deal is. She's got this whole thing about how she wears it is different, and that it's a statement against the way other girls wear it. I mean, she's got a point. It's not like it makes her look pretty and cutesy," he added, feeling almost disloyal. He hadn't meant it to come out as meanly to Sorrel as it might have sounded. "I don't know what happened," he said, sounding exasperated. Ok, they was the Infamous Shopping Trip, but he was sworn to secrecy on that. "She just... went Teenage Girl on us. But in the hormonal strops way rather than giggling and blushing. Which I guess is more 'Sorrel', but...
"And the letters? What about them? I was trying to prepare you that she was acting weird, which you're telling me now like it's news. And," he said, his voice rising to a yell again (Sorrel's temper was quicker than his, but he still didn't take crap from anybody), "how did YOU think YOU were going to help ANYTHING by ignoring her?!" Stephen was acting like it was Ash's fault Sorrel was acting strangely, or like he hadn't even given Stephen fair warning. Sometimes attack was the best form of defence, especially when you didn't consider yourself to be in the wrong.\n\n
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Ash
And I can't help the title bar cutting things off
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Ash
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Stephen
July 23, 2006 8:30 AM
Ok, I'll grant you that. by Stephen
"Yeah?" Stephen yelled right on back, never having wanted to punch anyone so much as he wanted to hit Ash just that second. Did he think that Stephen was stupid? "Where exactly did you tell me how she'd changed? All I knew was that she was being weird and touchy as all hell and I wasn't supposed to upset her! And then I didn't know what the hell to say when I did see her 'cause she just looked so different and I didn't know what I COULD say to her! I wasn't ignoring her," the yell faded, but his voice was still definitely not within the usual speaking volume levels. "I wasn't. I was waiting to know what I COULD say. You said she was weird, but that doesn't mean I was prepared to find that she wasn't Sorrel anymore. Or, not the Sorrel I know."He stopped abruptly, out of breath, kicked his trunk again and sat down heavily on his bed.
"Girls suck." He pulled a face and looked at Ash. "Fine, fine, whatever, I don't mean it like that or-" he threw his arms up in the air, a gesture of defeat, "or something, anyhow. I mean," he pointed out, still feeling unaccountably angry, but not so much at Ash anymore, "you don't see guys doing that. Being one thing one day, and then the next time you see them having gone under some kind of crazy personality shift. Or maybe you do," he added, recalling the scene from down in the commons suddenly. The yelling had shoved it from his mind for a moment. His scowl returned full force. "Has Sorrel personally approved of Lizzie?"
It would be beyond unfair if she had. Every time Stephen had expressed any interest in any of the girls at the school she had seemed to come down on it like a house of bricks; disapproving, cutting, cruel even. Sure Ash was her twin, but Stephen was her best friend, wasn't he? It had to count for something and the idea of Ash being able to like a girl without repercussion filled Stephen with a feeling he hadn't really had much experience with. Resentment.\n\n
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Stephen
Ok, I'll grant you that.
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Stephen
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Ash
July 23, 2006 11:19 AM
How very gracious of you by Ash
Stephen sort of had a point, Ash realised grumpily. He was still trying to work out what he could say to defend himself when Stephen threw in the towel and blamed it all on the girls. That was more like it!"If it helps, I think she's still Sorrel underneath it all. She chilled out a bit more towards the end of the summer with me, though it probably helped that Mariella moved out. I think you just have to rough it out for a while to get through the new defences." He was even beginning to be prepared to chuck Stephen some chocolate - the universal language of apology and friendship - when he had to go and spoil it.
Liz. What did Stephen mean? The meaning was actually pretty obvious, but Ash didn't let his guilty conscience jump to the wrong conclusion and get him into trouble. Stephen couldn't see inside his head and he'd just been chatting to Liz, so there had to be some perfectly innocent explanation for Stephen's words that he just couldn't see.
"Approve of her for what?" he asked, genuinely perplexed. "We've always been friends... She's always been on the team...." he said, running through the options that Stephen could mean. Cos he didn't mean what Ash thought he meant because he couldn't know that. Right...?\n\n
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Ash
How very gracious of you
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Ash
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Stephen
July 23, 2006 9:26 PM
It was rather, wasn't it? by Stephen
"Are you trying to say that you and Liz...? I mean," the eye of resentment and anger had been sure to notice details, "she was twirling her hair and you were both over there and close together for an awfully long time. Come on Ash, you know what I'm talking about. You like her, and I don't blame you 'cause with that hair and those eyes..." he trailed off and grinned in a way that was supposed to provoke a reaction more than because he felt like grinning.Well, mostly. Liz was pretty hot in her own way, and that was something to grin about.
"Of course, Sorrel doesn't seem to like that kind of thing. Or didn't last year either. Or, no, wait. Not this year either. I guess that's something that hasn't changed or she just really has a problem with Princess."
And there was the heart of the problem. How would it be fair if Ash got to get around with Lizzie if Stephen couldn't get around with Ty or Mia or whoever the hell caught his eye next without Sorrel reacting so badly? It was stupid anyhow. Sorrel was his best friend, it wasn't like he had any plans for that to change anytime, what was she so worried about anyhow?\n\n
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Stephen
It was rather, wasn't it?
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Stephen
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Ash
July 23, 2006 10:12 PM
Terribly so, old bean by Ash
"I don't!" said Ash, defensively but genuinely. He thought the lingerie model was hot. Liz had reminded him of her. But she wasn't really like her. It had been a one off thing. Sure, he'd do the lingerie model given half a chance. And Liz reminded him of her. But wouldn't any more! And it didn't mean he wanted that with Liz. He didn't! Did he? "I mean..." he said, sounding now slightly confused and uncertain. "Was she really twirling her hair? What's that meant to mean anyway? They're girls... They do that kind of thing. You don't think she likes me? Do you?" he asked."You know she's never liked Princess. Why the hell d'you think she calls her 'Princess'? It's not exactly a term of endearment coming from Sorrel, is it? And you ignoring her - or whatever it was," he added, before Stephen could start rowing about that, "right in front of Princess. She's obviously going to do anything not to loose face in front of her. She doesn't like girly girls. So make uppy, magaziney... girly girls. You know that."
So much for Stephen's theory that guys were stable and unconfusing. Either Stephen was being complicated or had hit his head in his motorbike accident. He needed it explaining to him that Sorrel didn't like Princess (why it mattered, Ash had no clue. Stephen couldn't help having her sit next to him at the feast, but it wasn't like she was going to be hanging out with them). And he seemed to have this weird semi-understanding of how girls worked, and what meant they liked you. It was a good job he'd had that thing with Ty last year, or Ash would have worried that he was queer. Although the Ty thing had ended pretty quickly...\n\n
0
Ash
Terribly so, old bean
0
Ash
0
5
Stephen
July 23, 2006 10:58 PM
Jolly good by Stephen
"See, this is just one of those times where having an older brother rocks," Stephen instructed with a superior grin. "How to tell a girl likes you. One, doing stuff with the hair, twirling, fixing up regularly when they think you're not looking, etc. Two, that weird 'shy' act they put on where they don't always look you in the eye. Three, they make more of an effort with how they look when they meet up with you - that whole makeup thing. Usually. Don't know how that's supposed to work in Sorrel's case. And there's other girly stuff they do, but I can't recall what Alan said about it just now. Basically, they turn even more into girls than they were before."Girls 1.01 had turned out to be quite interesting actually. And it was much better to get this advice from his brother - who Stephen knew had gone through a few girlfriends back in high school before he'd settled down with Mandy - than from his Dad, or heaven forbid his Mom. There had been the tips on how to tell they liked you, and then there had been advice on things not to say - apparently bringing attention to their boobs just didn't work well with girls, which was stupid because Stephen knew he quite liked them and wouldn't mind seeing more of them sometime - stuff like when to give them presents and how flowers were good for apologies, but you couldn't ever look guilty when you gave them or you'd be in for a world of trouble. And they were suckers for poetry. Yes, it had been very useful. The biggest pity is that he hadn't been told that stuff before Kimmy and Ty. But nevermind, plenty of girls were around and it was just a tragedy that there was only one Stephen.
"So yeah, I'd say the answer to your question is yeah. She likes you. And she's hot, so... if you don't think Sorrel's going to object, what's the problem? Ask her out or something. I bet you could even cop a feel, you lucky bastard."
He shook his head, even as he took in the reminder about Sorrel and Princess. "Mia's not that bad," he said. "Especially now that she's lost the glasses and ... yeah, she's definitely got hotter now. And Ty, she wasn't a girly girl. Sorrel can be such a bitch sometimes."\n\n
39
Stephen
Jolly good
0
Stephen
0
5
Ash
July 24, 2006 1:41 PM
Very bad by Ash
"Wait, wait," Ash said, "They do stuff when they think you're not watching that shows they like you? That makes no sense. They'd just act like they always act if you're not watching, wouldn't they? What's the point of acting differently about someone when you think they're not looking?" he asked. "Anyway, Liz only played with her hair a bit, she didn't do any of the rest of that. And I'm not asking her out cos I don't want to," he told Stephen. "And bet I couldn't," he said, in response to copping a feel. "She's a Pureblood. They all stay perfectly good and chaste until they get married off by their families." Even though Liz wasn't a snobby Pureblood and was, indeed, quite unconventional and liberal, he still assumed that she'd be like that. It was what Purebloods did, and she was a Pureblood.He rolled his eyes at Stephen's comments about Mia, preparing to point out to him how entirely he had missed the point when Stephen said something that pushed it all aside.
"What did you just call my sister?" he asked, even though he had perfectly well. Ash got into fights, he got nasty and he got angry quite a lot. But the contrast between those times and the look on face now was huge. Anger tore right through him. Normally he would have just lunged at the person, but - with as much control as he could muster - he reminded himself Stephen was a mate. It didn't stop his hand clenching into a fist though, and an ugly look settled on his face. "You'd better not mean that, and you'd better take it back," he said, every note shaking with the repressed urge to beat Stephen into the ground. \n\n
0
Ash
Very bad
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Ash
0
5
Stephen
July 24, 2006 7:58 PM
very true by Stephen
"They're girls," Stephen said. "Who said they had to make sense?" Girls, after all, weren't boys which was just as well. Stephen couldn't imagine having to find boys attractive. Much better to have girls around."What did you just call my sister?"
Stephen looked up.
"You'd better not mean that, and you'd better take it back."
Stephen paused a second, taking in the look on his room mate's face, the clenching of the other boy's fist and then his eyes narrowed. "You heard me. I'm her best friend. Doesn't mean I'm stupid or blind. Sorrel is a bitch. Sometimes. Don't act as though I've just broken news. You're her twin, if you haven't noticed you need a frickin' new brain."
"And," he said, going back to the earlier subject as though there wasn't a threat, "Liz is a girl even if she is a pureblood. I still say you could go for it."\n\n
39
Stephen
very true
0
Stephen
0
5
Ash
July 24, 2006 8:25 PM
Let me rephrase... Do you have a death-wish? by Ash
Ash ignored Stephen's attempt at a subject change. He had just called his twin sister a b*tch. Twice. How the hell did he think he was going to get away with that? The logical part of Ash's brain would have argued that what Stephen had said was true. He tended not to listen to it when he was angry though. Sorrel could be a b*tch. He knew that. That didn't mean it was ok to say it. That wasn't how they did things, and he couldn't understand Stephen thinking it was ok to stand there and insult her, still claiming to be her friend."Best friend?" he practically spat, walking over the room. "What kind of 'best friend'," he said, shoving Stephen lightly (for him) on the shoulders, "are you, f***ing slagging her off behind her back?" he demaned angrily. "You need a fricking new brain if you think you can just say stuff like that about her without it mattering. And all that crap about Princess being better? Cos she's 'hot now'? You think Sorrel didn't like her before cos she didn't think she was attractive, you thick little-? She's still the same twittery, annoying little girly, and you act like suddenly cos she's lost her glasses and put on a bit of lipgloss she's so utterly amazing? What right have you got to criticise Sorrel for changing, or for anything, you shallow little prick?" he yelled, still right up close to Stephen, shoving him again, a little harder, just in the one shoulder. \n\n
0
Ash
Let me rephrase... Do you have a death-wish?
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Ash
0
5
Stephen
July 24, 2006 10:10 PM
not as such.... but its still true. by Stephen
"And just what is wrong with liking a girl because she's hot?" Stephen demanded. "I like what I see, that's not a bad thing. And it's not like I didn't like her before. I talked to her," he added, on the defence himself now. "I've talked to her since first year. And if Sorrel didn't like her because she's attractive or isn't or whatever- Geeze, it's not like Sorrel's a guy now is she?"A fleeting thought reminded him about that W.A.I.L. stuff last year. Sorrel was a Quidditch player and she wasn't particularly girly, generally joining in the boys activities- his mind carefully scrubbed the thought away.
Another thought that Sorrel actually was a girl, somewhere under there managed to last about half as long before being similarly treated.
"And I don't just like girls because they look hot. I've got plenty of friends who are girls. I'm not shallow. It's not like I've gone and changed," he shoved back. "So if you're going to be all prissy about it go to hell. Geeze, maybe I was wrong about you and Lizzie, you dickhead, and maybe you've become just as much of a girl as your sister is fighting against! You wouldn't know what to do with her if you did get her alone in some place you wouldn't be interrupted, moron. Only girls get that worked up about names, and what's more, I bet Sorrel wouldn't be as pissed off as you are!" Well, the old Sorrel anyhow.
He pushed Ash as hard as he could, to get the idiot out of his face and stood ready for any more retaliation from the idiot he was supposed to be sharing a room with.\n\n
39
Stephen
not as such.... but its still true.
0
Stephen
0
5
Ash
July 25, 2006 9:15 AM
Doesn't mean it's fair to say so by Ash
"That's my whole f***ing point," Ash yelled, as Stephen completely missed it. Honestly, had he always been this thick? "Sorrel never judged her on how she looked - Christ she's not a f***ing dyke - so whether she's got better looking doesn't make a sodding difference."You have," he insisted, "You go all soppy over the bloody lipgloss brigade." He glared at Stephen's comment about him not being a proper man, tensing his muscles. Ideally, he would punch someone who said that. Stephen was his mate, even if he was acting like a total prick. "No, I wouldn't know what to do with Liz," he said, deciding to opt for trying to pull the rug out from underneath Stephen's argument, rather than Stephen himself, "cos I don't fancy her. If it was a chick I fancied, I'd have her on her back in seconds.
"Yeah, you're right. If you called her a b*tch to her face, she wouldn't be pissed off. She'd be hurt. She's not some f***ing android you know," he glared, strongly reminded of the words their mother had used to Mariella over the summer. "She's got feelings, y'know. Even if she avoids showing them off to everyone." \n\n
0
Ash
Doesn't mean it's fair to say so
0
Ash
0
5
Stephen
July 25, 2006 10:29 AM
fine fine... but it had to be said sometime by Stephen
It was a relief that Ash was so adament that Sorrel wasn't into girls. While the idea of a couple of girls going at it did stir some interest, the idea of Sorrel being one of them... quite frankly didn't. Stephen quietened down while Ash finished what he had to say."Fine," Stephen said, deflating. "I shouldn't have said it." Ash was right. Even if Sorrel was a bitch sometimes. It wasn't like it... he puched his bed, looked down for a moment and then looked straight at Ash. "Sorry. I know she does... Look, er... You think we can keep this conversation between us? I don't really like the idea of her being pissed off at me at the moment. More pissed off at me anyhow," he ammended, recalling the opening feast.
"And man, give the 'lipgloss brigade' a break, they're not that bad. If," he tried a grin to see if Ash might have cooled down, "we can go along with the idea that Sorrel has decided to wear makeup to look scary, I don't see what's wrong with the other girls using makeup to look pretty. Hey, they're nice to look at, and," he shrugged, "they're not as bad as you make them out to be."
He didn't bother mentioning Liz again. Ash was clearly in denial there. Liz was a hot chick who definitely had some interest in Ash, and Ash liked her well enough. Even if he'd only admit to the friend part so far. There was plenty of time to egg him on about it later.\n\n
39
Stephen
fine fine... but it had to be said sometime
0
Stephen
0
5
Ash
July 25, 2006 10:52 AM
So long as we can pretend it never was, fine by Ash
"Of course I'm not going to tell her!" Ash gaped. His voice was a little raised, but it was out of amazement that Stephen even thought that needed to be said. He was glad he'd brought Stephen around to his way of thinking without having to punch him. He'd only ever hit a mate properly once, and he hadn't stayed a mate long after (the other guy had thrown the first punch and really deserved it though). "One, I'm not a gossip. Two... Dude, I just got angry that you were saying hurtful things about my sister. You think I want her to hear them?" He shook his head. Stephen really did seem to have swallowed stupid pills this morning."I don't think she's pissed off exactly. She was too quiet to be 'pissed off'," he explained, "Really - you piss Sorrel off, you know about it. She was thrown more than anything and just doesn't know how to act now. She was getting her feet back by the end of the conversation. Just make sure next time you see her she knows you're still her mate. Don't apologise about reacting badly - she won't want it going over and being dragged up to the surface again. Just act like everything's the same as it ever was," he advised.
He considered what Stephen was suggesting about the lipgloss brigade. That was Sorrel's reasoning, give or take, and if Stephen was willing to go along with that, it meant he wasn't going to be teasing Sorrel about the make up. That was good.
"Ok," he relented. "It's just not my thing, y'know? I find it all a bit fake. Makes me think of shallow prisses like Mariella. But I'll lay off if you don't give Sorrel grief about the panda eyes. Deal?" he asked, holding out his hand and hoping Stephen got that this was a shake to make up for the fight too, and make it officially over. \n\n
0
Ash
So long as we can pretend it never was, fine
0
Ash
0
5
Stephen
July 25, 2006 11:16 AM
so.... we're good again? by Stephen
"Not even a little?" Stephen asked, mostly joking. He sighed, loudly and theatrically before sticking his hand out to shake Ash's. "Alright then, you've got a deal."At least that was over. It sucked when girls - even of the best friend variety - caused you to fight with a buddy. It was one of the things about girls that Stephen didn't particularly like. But that appeared to be it for the moment. Stephen moved back to his bed and flopped down.
"I'm thinking of painting Fido red, with black racing stripes in commemmoration of my wreaked bike," he said, conversationally. "Along with the other changes. 'Cept now that I'm back here I've remembered about the house colours bit. Ah well. I won't be able to do much until midterm probably anyhow. I don't want Fido out of commission for the tryouts, or any games."\n\n
39
Stephen
so.... we're good again?
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Stephen
0
5
Ash
July 25, 2006 11:53 AM
I'm generally pretty bad actually by Ash
That was a joke, right? Yes, the theatrics implied it. Sometimes it was hard to tell with Stephen, and his idea of mischief might well be Sorrel's idea of hurtful, especially at the moment. Ash was glad to seal it with a handshake. He felt a little bit like he was going behind Sorrel's back, having to make her friend promise not to tease her. It didn't feel like something he should have to do, which was why he felt a little bad doing it. Still, it was better than letting her feelings be hurt. Mariella had done enough of that over the summer.He wanted to check Stephen had been joking about Liz having a crush on him - it had to be a wind up (not that he wasn't good looking, but...) - but he seemed to have dropped it, and Ash didn't want ribbing, so wasn't going to bring it up again. Plus it seemed to belong to the Other Topic, which was now over, and not going to be discussed again, so he left it.
"You want to paint him after the bike that crushed your leg?" Ash questioned, returning to his own bed and picking up the Charms book. He leafed through it a bit before chucking it back on the floor. "You're mad." Ok, he didn't believe in all that superstitious jinxing crud, but it still seemed an odd wish - to want to be constantly reminded of something that had left you bed-ridded for months, the best months of the year, no less. "What'll you do if you do it over Midterm and still cock things up?" he asked. \n\n
0
Ash
I'm generally pretty bad actually
0
Ash
0
5