Settling in (tag Adrianna) on Crotalus Commons

Cleo James

March 24, 2017 6:22 AM

Settling in (tag Adrianna) by Cleo James

It hadn’t been a super long day, given that she’d only had to ride out from Colorado, but Cleo was still feeling the effects of the emotional rollercoaster, combined with a large amount of food, and was more than ready for bed. As they climbed past the portrait into Crotalus, she felt another wave of homesickness. What she actually wanted was her bed and a goodnight kiss from her daddy, not a new, strange place to sleep. Everyone kept talking about houses but it wasn’t the same as home, however much the staff seemed to want to convince them that it would be, and this would be like a new family. She didn’t need a new family - she already had a perfectly good one, even if it only consisted of one other person (well, plus grandparents and some other relatives but they weren’t around all the time).

After the speech, she went straight up to the dormitory, glancing over at the other bed, which would be occupied by her room-mate. She hoped that was something to be excited about… As an only child, she wasn’t really used to sharing anything, especially not personal space, and she was a bit worried how that would go. Daddy had given her a little red wizarding wireless to bring to school but reminded her to check with her room-mates about using it. What if the other girl said no? And, given that it was now one against one, so what if she did? Why would her not wanting to listen to it trump Cleo wanting to? That wouldn’t be fair in the slightest. In her more optimistic moments though, she saw chances to paint nails together, to be girly and sisterly… She’d enjoyed the few times she’d slept over at friends’ places so much. Was the term going to be like one long slumber party? That would be neat.

“Hello,” she greeted, when the other witch entered the room. “I’m Cleo. Do you like listening to the wireless?” she asked, finding this to be the most important feature in a room-mate, after her name. “I wasn’t thinking of putting it on now,” she added, it was quite late and she wasn’t really sure what show was on, definitely none of her favourites, “But more just… checking. For the future.”

She definitely didn’t feel like unpacking fully but luckily daddy had helped her arrange her case so that the few things she’d want most would be on top. She opened it up, pulling out the wireless and setting it on the windowsill but not turning it on. The other important thing was her pictures. When she’d thought about going away, she’d asked for family pictures to take with her, and they had raided the archives. But her daddy took relatively few pictures, as it turned out - he was kind, he was caring, but he was not overly sentimental in that way. There were diligent snaps of most of the major moments of Cleo’s life - her birthdays and so on, but then he was often behind the camera, and there were very few of him. She’d chosen a couple of her from past birthdays with her grandparents, and then set about making up for the deficit with a small disposable camera, purchased for the project, with which she began documenting their everyday life. Some of the pictures weren’t much good, but she’d kept them all, and they sat shiny and glossy in their special little envelope, with the best ones on top, which she took out and began pinning in the wall space by her bed. There was one of daddy behind the till in the shop - he turned to smile, his fingers dancing over the keys, and one of him digging in the allotment, and one that she’d got their neighbour to take of both of them on the doorstep. She watched the photos moving, and smiled back, feeling comforted by their presence.

The rest of the top-of-the-case items were what she’d need for getting ready for bed, including Mr. Ted, who she got out and placed on her pillow. She had had Mr. Ted not quite since she was born, but within a week or so of being dumped with her daddy, who, once he had got over the initial shock, had set about procuring all the necessary things. Her mother had been able to drop some basics with her, like diapers and clothes, but he had recognised the glaring gap in the absence of a teddy bear, and quickly remedied this. Mr. Ted had been shiny and golden, with the softest fur possible (he had trailed his hand over countless teddies until he found one that was acceptably soft) and a kindly expression. This latter part was the one feature of his early appearance that remained. His fur had soon lost its twinkle and its spring as he was held, chewed, and later carried everywhere Cleo. Eventually it had worn out entirely on his chest, but daddy had made him a little jumper by chopping off one of Cleo’s outgrown babygrows - a white one with little yellow ducks, after she had worried that Mr. Ted would get cold. With these items in place, she felt settled in and ready for her first night away, if not entirely at home yet.

OOC - I just put her introduction more or less in the middle, but feel free to have Adrianna walk in at any point during this, including being immediately behind as she goes in, or even first up if she would have skipped the speech for any reason.

13 Cleo James Settling in (tag Adrianna) 389 Cleo James 1 5

Adrianna Dupree

April 06, 2017 10:16 PM

First Night Talks by Adrianna Dupree

Sharing a room was something that didn’t top Adrianna’s list of favorite things about coming to school. Back home, she had her own suite. Here, she had one room that she shared. Thankfully, it appeared that she would be sharing said room with only one other person. She hoped that the girl was a societal Pureblood. She hoped that the girl was a girly girl. She hoped that the girl was someone she got along with.

Her first hope was possibly shattered. The girl, Cleo, offered nothing more than a first name. Generally speaking, uppers introduced themselves with their titles. This did not mean that it was impossible that she still wasn’t one, but it seemed less likely. Perhaps, she was just awkward. She certainly seemed to be with her concern over the wireless.

“Hello,” Adrianna said a bit stiffly. “My name is Adrianna Dupree of the Quebec Duprees.” There. She had introduced herself properly to make it known what her societal status was. Propriety was everything. However, this did not mean the question was ignored. “Yes, I enjoy listening to the wireless occasionally.” She really didn’t mind if Cleo wanted to listen to it so long as she wasn’t the type to put on something completely awful like one of those rock bands. Personally, she liked the drama shows that aired.

Following suit, Adrianna began pulling out things she needed for the immediate moment. Her night things – pajamas, robe, slippers. She also got out her hairbrush and began brushing her long blonde hair so that she could pull it up into a bun. While doing so, she looked over to see what Cleo had unpacked. On the wall were various pictures and Adrianna felt a stab of jealousy. All of her family photos were formal portraits, staged smiles and unhappy eyes. She wished to have what this girl had.

Adrianna raised an eyebrow in surprise at the teddy bear that the girl pulled out. Weren’t they a bit old for that sort of thing? She just hoped that Cleo was smart enough not to mention such a thing to anyone else. She didn’t want anyone else to find her to be childish. She had a reputation to build and maintain.

Sitting crossed legged on the bed, she pulled her hair up. She turned her attention back to the photos. “Is that your father?”

OOC: Sorry for the delay!

0 Adrianna Dupree First Night Talks 382 Adrianna Dupree 0 5

Cleo

April 18, 2017 8:26 AM

Getting to know you by Cleo

Adrianna Dupree of the Quebec Durpees. This was who Cleo was destined to share a room with for the next seven years.

"Nice to meet you," she smiled, keeping her tone friendly although she wasn't sure Adrianna's had been. Perhaps it was just tiredness, on one or both of their parts... Perhaps it was because Connor, who she'd talked to at the feast, had been so cheery that Adrianna seemed a little lack lustre in response. Perhaps it really was that - as a So-and-so of Somewhere - she really wasn't best pleased to be sharing with someone like Cleo. However, she approved the use of the wireless and was making chitchat, and Cleo just felt that so long as she herself was nice and friendly, she really couldn't expect for the situation to go very wrong.

"Yes," she smiled, when Adrianna asked about the photos, "That's him at our allotment and that's us at our shop," she added, giving the context of the photographs. Whilst, in Adrianna's circles, having an allotment and a shop were probably not things worthy of a boast, Cleo was proud of both of these things - she was always pleased when there allotment turned out tasty vegetables, knowing her hard work had made them grow, and their shop was well-liked, an important part of their local community. A note of this pride was reflected in her voice as she talked about them.

She noticed that Adrianna wasn't pinning up any pictures. Perhaps they weren't a priority for her, or perhaps she hadn't got any. Having nearly faced that situation, and feeling it to be a potential source of sadness, she wasn't sure what to say about it. She felt that Adrianna so far knew a lot more about her than the other way around.

"So. How about you?" she asked. Adrianna hadn't exactly asked her a question that could be directly reciprocated so Cleo clarified a little. "Who's in your family? And what do you like doing?"

13 Cleo Getting to know you 389 Cleo 0 5