Taking it Easy on Aladren Commons

Bella Santoro

April 23, 2007 6:37 PM

Taking it Easy by Bella Santoro

When the wagons had landed and extracted her and her brothers, Bella had gone directly up to her dorm room. She had been too exhausted to do much of anything aside from sleeping and even then she was overly exhausted.

\r\n\r\nShe had a few things to unpack, including the giant scrapbook her mother had given her from everything to do with the wedding. But, instead of unpacking as soon as she got back, she waited until the following Saturday when she had been well rested enough to actually do anything. It had been such a rough couple of days during midterm and after the Juan incident...well, it didn't seem to get any easier.

At least the wedding had been a huge success, despite her feet having blisters due to wearing those ridiculous heels at Mercedes request. And the dress ended up not looking too horrible too...even if Bella thought that it would fall off and expose her to all of her relatives. At least it made her look good, plus she got to make fun of Sofia for having a smaller bust than her.

That was always fun to do since her sister was better looking in every other aspect in their physical attributes. Bella enjoyed telling her sister that with the attributes she did have, at least they told the world she was a woman and not a boy wearing a bra.

Sofia never liked that remark.

Bella took her scrapbook back down to the commonroom and sat sideways in a chair. Her head resting on one arm, her feet daggling over the other. Opening the book, Bella began to look over each page of moving photographs of family and family friends. She only glanced away from her scrapbook when she became aware of someone watching her. "Take a picture, it'll last longer." Bella stated, finally looking up to see who was staring at her.
\r\n\r\n

0 Bella Santoro Taking it Easy 0 Bella Santoro 1 5

Chris Dupree

April 24, 2007 10:19 PM

Taking it not so easy by Chris Dupree

Upon entering the Common room, Chris paused, numb from having just broke up with Kaylie. She hadn't taken it well. In honesty, though, who would? Breaking up wasn't exactly what one would call a joyous occasion.

"Take a picture, it'll last longer."

Refocusing his eyes from the glazed look of being lost in thought, Chris saw a cute girl curled up in a chair. Bella Santoro. Chris didn't know her well, despite being in the same grade and house, but at least, he knew of her.

Chris attempted an apologetic smile, but it turned only into slightly upturned corners, while saying, "Sorry, I didn't mean to."

He moved to an empty chair near her. He wasn't really close to anyone, except his sister, though no one would guess, and Kaylie, neither of which were available to him. He needed to be around someone right now, anyone. He hoped Bella wouldn't mind his intrusion.

Leaning over the chair slightly, he put his head in his hands in an attempt to block out all the thoughts. Giving a sigh when this failed, he decided to try making conversation instead in hopes it would help, "So, what's that you're looking at?"

0 Chris Dupree Taking it not so easy 0 Chris Dupree 0 5

Bella

April 24, 2007 10:41 PM

Cheer up, Buttercup! by Bella

Bella was rather surprised to find that it was Chris Dupree who was staring at her. Or, at least, looking in her direction. The look on his face indicated that he wasn't actually paying any attention. Bella frowned up at him from her position in the chair.

Of the four years that Bella and Chris had been year/house mates, Bella didn't think the two of them had ever shared a conversation. What she knew of him was that he was a nice guy. And that he was dating the Teppenpaw Seeker/Prefect. She watched him for a moment, taking in his curly hair, blue eyes, and sad face. Something bad happened to him or someone he cared about. Or...he was just a depressing guy.

Bella didn't like any of those to be around her. She liked happy people. Which was probably why she hung around Ben so much, he was really easy to please and that made her happy. Depressing people were no fun at all.

She had returned to her scrapbook once Chris had settled in a chair, only to return her gaze to him when he started talking again. "Oh this?" Bella said rhetorically, "This is a scrapbook of my brother's wedding, want to see it and see how ridiculous we all are?" Bella asked him, giving him a rather delightful smile.

0 Bella Cheer up, Buttercup! 0 Bella 0 5

Chris

April 24, 2007 10:58 PM

I'm a yellow flower? :P by Chris

Chris couldn't help, but give a small smile in turn. She seemed to be such a happy creature that some of it couldn't help, but rub off. Taking the book, he started flipping through the countless pictures of what appeared to be a wedding. He wasn't sure if it qualified for ironic or not, since this was the idea that had broke up Kaylie and himself.

"I broke up with my girlfriend," Chris blurted out.

He couldn't help it. He needed to get it out there. He felt kind of bad for revealing it so suddenly to her, but he felt he would explode otherwise, especially while looking at this particular book that was supposed to be a memory of what is supposed to be a happy time.

What was worse, was that now he had started, he found himself unable to stop, "It was in the library, just now. I ended the relationship while she was confessing to me her dreams to marry me. And I shattered her dreams. I'm absolute scum."

0 Chris I'm a yellow flower? :P 0 Chris 0 5

Bella

April 24, 2007 11:24 PM

Didn't you know? by Bella

Bella shifted in her position so that she could hand him the book. Once he had it, Bella sat back and watched in amusement as the moving pictures flashed around in her eyes. She had seen these pictures time and again, but she couldn't help but be happy at the sight of them. Her with her siblings laughing. Paul and Mercedes dancing contently in each other's arms. Bella singing on stage. Jake and Jennifer cuddled in a corner. Anita 'forcing' her to dance.

They were clearly pictures of a group of people having a grand old time of things. And one of the best parties Bella had ever been a part of. It was a right shame that Juan had to ruin everything the next day.

But Bella didn't want to think about that.

She was just about to explain a picture to Chris when he blurted out that he had broken up with the Seeker. Bella blinked at him for a moment, uncertain as to why he had just confessed that to her or why he was continuing on. She wanted to laugh. Not at him or the situation, but the fact that...well, he thought he was scum. Chris was a nice guy and someone who Bella doubted would ever intentionally hurt another person's feelings.

"Well..." Bella started but trailed off. She had never dealt with a break up before. When Jennifer had initially broken Jake's heart he did all he could not to talk about it. Chris apparently couldn't stop talking about it.

"Enough of that." Bella stated suddenly, sitting up in her spot. "People break up all the time. We're 14, it happens." She stated it so matter of factly with a look that any Santoro would claim to resemble her mother perfectly, that she would hear no argument otherwise. "I'm sure there is a perfectly logical explanation for the breakup and either that girl will get over it and find someone else or...she kills herself." Bella smiled at him so that he was aware she was only joking about that last bit.

No one should ever kill themselves over a boy. That was just...ridiculous.

"Anyway, don't hang yourself up just cos of a break up. You loved her, fine. She loved you, great. It didn't work out, that's a shame."

0 Bella Didn't you know? 0 Bella 0 5

Chris

April 25, 2007 5:25 PM

No, but now I do by Chris

Chris sat stunned. A little uncouth, but his mouth hung open. She was rather blunt about the whole thing. Granted, people did move on, but it had just happened. A little time to get over it all was needed, even for a fourteen about to be fifteen year old.

"I...I..." he started, attempting to form a sentence. He felt the need to explain what happened, "My parents have picked out someone for me. Her name is Marie. We're going to be engaged when we're seventeen."

Stupid pureblood rules. He hated them. He hated everything about it. Always had, but, as a good son should, he kept it to himself, down deep. Now, it felt like it was all about to surface. How he wished he could just be his age rather than having to be so much older.

0 Chris No, but now I do 0 Chris 0 5

Bella

April 25, 2007 7:12 PM

Glad to have helped you by Bella

Bella suddenly felt that she had said something terribly wrong in the silence that followed her words. She sat there looking at her scrapbook instead of Chris because she was a bit worried he had taken what she said in the wrong way and now thought she was an idiot.

Not that Bella cared about what he thought of her or anything...

He started talking again and Bella looked up to find Chris explaining himself again. She didn't need the details. Didn't want the details. Where was Ben? Shouldn't he be talking to Ben about this? Isn't that was roommates did? Course, Anne would be the last person Bella spilled her guts too. That girl seemed the type to use what was said against Bella.

And Bella really didn't need anyone blackmailing her.

"Oh, your parents are old-school." Bella said rather flatly and feeling rather sad on Chris's behalf. Her parents, despite following the ways in which all with full blood were raised, were liberal in allowing their children to choose who they were to marry. So long as it was within the guidelines of their ways.

And even then, rules for Purebloods in both Spain and Mexico were different from those in parts of Europe and America. The idea of a Pureblood mixing with a Halfblood was more acceptable in Mexico and slightly more lenient in Spain. It was why Hannah was able to marry Adam. These thoughts were due, in part, because so long as the actual blood said of the halfblood was Pure, then all was well. And, because their children would still be considered Pure.

It was all political and Bella didn't really like to think about it anyway. It was one of those things, choose what the heart wanted or choose what the family decided. It was a decision Bella hoped to never make.

"That's tough. Kaylie's a Pure, right?" Bella asked, remembering Brockert. "She should understand then. I mean, of all people, kids like us gotta understand." It was a rare moment for Bella to be serious, but, this was the very thing that had divided Juan from her family.

Funny how she just wanted to forget about all of that and here Chris was, throwing it all on her lap.

Seriously, where was Ben?

0 Bella Glad to have helped you 0 Bella 0 5

Chris

April 28, 2007 6:13 PM

You have no idea by Chris

Chris nodded in response to Kaylie being a pureblood. She was and Bella made an excellent point. She should have understood to some degree what he was getting at. Did she not think that it could have happened? Heck, his sister had been long before he was. Did she think that his parents would do that for only one twin?

Okay, so he still felt horrible for crushing her, but it did elevate some of the guilty feelings that were resting on his chest like an anvil. This was for the most part how their world worked with only the more liberal families allowing the children a choice. She had known his family wasn't liberal. She had known. But he shouldn't have gotten involved with her either. He should have known better. If, and that was a big if, he ever got involved again, he would be very clear that it couldn't go anywhere.

Seemingly, out of nowhere, he said softly to Bella, "Thank you."

0 Chris You have no idea 0 Chris 0 5

Bella

April 28, 2007 7:05 PM

Probably better that way by Bella

Chris was silent when Bella stopped talking and she wondered if she might have over stepped her boundaries by saying anything at all about it. She was sure that breaking up with that girl had been hard, devestating even, for the both of them, but for those who lived with the rules that they did, they both should have been preparing for it.

Or that's what Bella could believe.

Course, the heart wants what the heart wants...or whatever the saying went. And Bella had never been in love before. Sure she had had crushes (there were plenty of good looking guys in the school and her grandparents neighborhood in Spain), but Bella had never gone beyond friendship with any of them, so her heart was still innocent to all that drama.

Besides, after all she had witnessed because of relationships, Bella wasn't so sure she wanted to be in one herself. Though, she was sure kissing was fun and possibly other things, all the drama associated with it probably surpassed those good points.

"Thank You"

"Huh?" Bella had apparently lost herself in her own thoughts. "Oh, well, whatever I did, you're welcome." Bella commented, smiling at him again and patting him on the shoulder in what she assumed was a comforting gesture. She would have hugged him, Bella had no qualms for physical contact, but she didn't know Chris well enough to just up and hug him. So, the pat on the arm was all he got.

0 Bella Probably better that way 0 Bella 0 5