Like the weather, people change on Aladren Commons

Zoey Welsh

May 12, 2007 11:25 PM

Like the weather, people change by Zoey Welsh

Zoey had gone through a bit of a change over midterm. Her mother had suddenly decided that since Zoey was to be turning 16 this June, it was time for some mother/daughter bonding. Over Christmas break, Joanne had taken Zoey shopping and to a hair stylist and just about every where else normal teenage girls would love to go, but places to which Zoey could care less about.

In the end though, her mother had taught her how to contain her curls giving them a softer look and having practically no frizz at all. Her mother taught her how a little bit of lip glass and some mascara could go a long why in making her look pretty rather than boring. And, her mother taught her to embrace her height instead of shy away from it. So, her mother bought her a lot of dresses and skirts to show off her long legs.

Now as the days became warmer, Zoey opted on following her mother's advice and was currently wearing a skirt that fell halfway down her thigh and a peasant looking top. Hair left down with the softer curl look and a bit of lip gloss, Zoey felt completely out of place, but didn't let it show. She had no idea why girls would dress up like this all the time. Oh well, mothers apparently know best.

Sitting in one of the chairs with a book open in her lap, Zoey was quietly reading. If one were to only glance at her, they would have thought she was reading a book for pleasure. However, at closer inspection, Zoey would lift her wand and wave it in some fashion while her lips moved soundlessly. Sometimes her eyebrows would furrow in frustrations or she'd shift slightly as if annoyed, but otherwise, Zoey seemed practically invisible within the Aladren commonroom.

The only time she actually paused in her studies was when someone actually addressed her, forcing her to look up from the book. "Sorry?" She asked, having missed what they had said.

6 Zoey Welsh Like the weather, people change 39 Zoey Welsh 1 5

Zack Dill

May 23, 2007 1:39 PM

And some people remain the same, just moreso by Zack Dill

Zack had been trying to figure out how to ask her for weeks and he was fast running out of time. The Runes casting had been very specific. Spring formally began within the next few days and for best success he was supposed to ask her when it was still winter.

He'd never done anything like this before. He'd always been a loner. He could count his number of friends on one hand and have fingers left over. Unless it was required, he avoided groupwork even in class. The only social activity he voluntarily involved himself in was D&D and that was rather different than what he was about to propose.

She was in the common room today so he no longer had the excuse that he couldn't find her. He wiped sweaty palms on his ill-fitting jeans and approached, trying to keep his breathing steady and his heartrate even. This was ridiculous. He was a genius. Asking Zoey a simple question should not cause such anxiety in him.

As he got closer he noticed that she was dressed differently. She looked . . . nice. Really nice. That just made it harder. Zack cleared his throat. He wiped his hands on his pants again. He bolstered his every reserve of courage. And he gave it a go.

"Will you be my study partner for the CATS?"

She looked up and gave him a look of non-comprehension. He'd spoken in English right? He hadn't accidentally slipped into Sindarin in his nervousness, had he?

"Sorry?" Zoey asked, clearly having had no idea what he'd said. Oh, Great Maker, he had spoken in Sindarin. He hadn't done that since he'd gotten in serious trouble over the gnomes in CoMC.

Blushing red, Zack tried again, this time being careful to let only English words cross his lips. "I asked if you'd like to be my study partner for the CATS?"

1 Zack Dill And some people remain the same, just moreso 40 Zack Dill 0 5

Zoey

May 25, 2007 6:28 PM

Never possible by Zoey

Zoey was somewhat surprised to find that it was Zack standing in front of her. She wasn't exactly sure why she felt that way considering they had been friends since their first year at Sonora, but it was probably due to the fact taht she hadn't seen much of Zack this year aside from classes. Zack was a bit of a loner when it came to lesson, so she often left him alone and sat with her brother.

She gazed at him with a look of puzzlement. He was blushing but Zoey couldn't figure out why. She hadn't heard him, her own fault for being too engrossed in the book to even realized she had been addressed. There was no reason for Zack to be embarrassed or nervous around her as they had been friends for so long and he had told her so much already. Granted, the alien thing had been a stretch, but Zoey liked the fact that Zack truly believed in them and it made her want to believe in them too. Sort of.

His actual question caught Zoey off guard slightly. Zack had never asked her to study with him before. As far as she was aware, he only studied by himself at that table he had claimed a long while back. Maybe he was just offering? Doing he Prefect thing or whatever it was that they did. Zoey was decent in her lessons, her grades were always at the top (below Zack's, of course, as he was the brightest in their year), but it was after hours of studying.

"Er..." Zoey began after realizing she had been quiet for over a minute just staring at him. "Are you sure?" Zoey questioned quietly. She doubted she would be a very good study partner with him considering she took things at a slow pace and she had always thought Zack picked up on things rather quickly. "I mean, I would love to study with you, but I don't want to make you irritated or anything."

6 Zoey Never possible 39 Zoey 0 5

Zack

June 03, 2007 4:37 PM

Anything's possible by Zack

Okay, that wasn't entirely enthusiastic, but it was outright refusal either. Neither, fortunately, was she asking about his fallback into Sindarin or acting as uncharacteristically as she was dressed. Since the change in clothes was apparently not accompanied by a change in attitude, Zack felt he could probably compliment her about it safely - later.

First, though, the issue of the study group was of higher priority. "Well, no," he admitted, "I'm not sure, but I cast runes about the CATS and they told me to get a study partner." Or, at least, that was Saul's interpretation, but Zack couldn't come up with a better one. "But, um, it's not a terrible idea. I mean, I don't review very well by myself. It'll probably be more useful to talk about the subjects with someone else than to just re-read the textbooks again."

He shrugged, "If it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out, but I don't mind giving it a try and, well, um, it's a good excuse to hang out, right? I haven't really talked to you in months." He paused, hesitated, then went for it. "You look nice."

0 Zack Anything's possible 0 Zack 0 5

Zoey

June 09, 2007 6:44 PM

But Life's forever changing by Zoey

Zoey wasn't quite sure how she felt when Zack admitted that he hadn't really just wanted to study with her because he simply enjoyed her company and thought she was intelligent. Instead he had left it all to whatever the runes had told him. Zoey didn't take Ancient Runes, had no idea what they were on about, but she didn't believe in luck or futune telling as much as she wished she did.

She had looked down at her hands when Zack had explained of the Runes, but returned her gaze to him when he continued on. What he said made sense. It was always easier to review when there was someone else there helping you through the material. The problem was was that Zack was in more classes than Zoey was, so she couldn't help him with everything unless he made review cards or something for her to work off from.

That could actually work.

Zoey was about to respond to his querry when Zack suddenly told her she looked nice. His compliment caused Zoey to twitch self-consciously and nervously smooth out her skirt with her hands. Aside from family telling her she was pretty, Zoey had never been given a compliment by anyone, let alone from a boy.

"Er..." Zoey mumbled, her face reddening slightly. "My mom says I need to start dressing like this more. I'm not sure why though." Zoey was rambling, she had no idea why she had just told Zack that, but she felt as though she ought to explain her appearance. "Um, thank you though. It was nice of you to notice." Zoey smiled (albiet, a bit shyly) at Zack.

Tucking some curls behind and ear, Zoey continued. "I would like to study with you. I'm sure we can work it out."

6 Zoey But Life's forever changing 39 Zoey 0 5