Oh! We do like to be beside the seaside! on Magical Arts Room and Sports

Malikhi Hill, Pecari

August 06, 2018 5:42 PM

Oh! We do like to be beside the seaside! by Malikhi Hill, Pecari

Malikhi was standing in the lobby area, looking around at all the tables and chairs, eyeing up all the games on the shelves and then curiously taking in the five doors that he had learned opened up into different environments. He remembered which one was which after being shown them by Professor Wright on the tour during orientation. It was cool how the rooms changed to fit what you wanted and Malikhi was very pleased with the choice that he had made. Earlier on in the day during lunch, he'd invited Evelyn to come and join him in his selected room - Room One.

He opened the door to it now and was immediately hit with the smell of the sea and the sound of waves. Room One was the water room and was able to contain any body of water that the occupants wanted. Malikhi had selected a beach, complete with the sea and the result was perfect.

The room looked so real and if Malikhi didn't know for sure that he was still in Sonora Academy, he might've been fooled. The sea appeared to be endless and a deep rich blue, the waves lapping gently against the shore. He removed his shoes and socks to feel the sand beneath his feet and it was warm, not so hot that it would burn and wonderfully golden. The 'sky' above him was a clear blue with only a few white clouds and the 'sun' was shining brightly. There was a slight, cool breeze that tugged at his blond hair. The whole room was perfect, made even more so that there was nobody else there and he grinned. He didn't want anybody else there. He wanted this time to just be between him and Evelyn.

Malikhi had dressed for the occasion, wearing a simple, white, short-sleeved t-shirt and a pair of swimming shorts that were printed with the Union Jack flag. His white trainers and blue socks he now clutched in his hands. Swung over one shoulder was a rucksack that contained a couple of towels, bottles of water and a number of snacks. He'd also packed some buckets and spades, just in case sandcastle building took their fancy.

He made his way further along the beach before setting his stuff down and beginning to unpack. He rolled out his towels - one blue and one purple - and sat down on the purple one. He liked the darker colour and hoped that Evelyn wouldn't mind. He knew, though, that if she wanted the purple one, he'd move to the other one. He wanted this to be an enjoyable experience and for them to spend a good time together. Sacrificing his favourite coloured towel would be a small price to pair for that.

With a content sigh, he flopped onto his back, putting his hand behind his head and closed his eyes while he waited for Evelyn.

OOC note - Evelyn being invited at lunch was approved by her author.

20 Malikhi Hill, Pecari Oh! We do like to be beside the seaside! 1423 Malikhi Hill, Pecari 1 5

Evelyn Stones, Pecari

August 06, 2018 6:15 PM

Much warmer here than at home. by Evelyn Stones, Pecari

The craggy coast of Oregon weren't really that far from Sonora, but it could have been an eternity for Evelyn. The painted desert was beautiful, but there was nothing like home in the pacific northwest and it didn't take long for Evelyn to find she wasn't terribly fond of things like heat...and sand...and the flat, arid plains of Arizona. When she and Malikhi had discussed this, his own home very different from Arizona as well, he'd suggested that they try one of the MARS rooms, and a beach scene seemed the perfect fit.

There was no better way to wind down and prepare for the start of classes than by spending one last afternoon enjoying the water. Of course, the water in this room was undoubtedly going to be warmer than anything Evelyn had experienced before, which made it even more important to enjoy. Evelyn was glad she'd brought a swimsuit, but thought it odd to just wear that, so she donned a pair of yellow floral shorts and a white and lavender tank top over her one-piece. Then she wore her robes, because it felt odd to wear any other clothes around Sonora. But she still wore sandals underneath, and they clopped as she made her way through the halls to MARS.

Room One was already active, so Malikhi must have been inside. She entered and found that he was, but he was not what drew her eye. Instead, she was faced with the scent of the ocean, hot sand on her feet, and the bluest waters she'd ever seen. She wondered for a moment if she'd need sunblock, but decided that magical sunshine probably wasn't as dangerous as regular sunshine. Or significantly more dangerous.

She pushed the thought aside and clopped her way across the sand to meet Malikhi where he sat on a purple towel. She smiled and took the blue one, wondering if he had intentionally saved her favorite color for her.

"This is incredible," Evelyn told him as she took a seat. She might've murmured or whispered, but the crashing waves were too loud and she shouted it with delight instead.

She pushed her sandals off with her feet and then yanked her robes over her head, careful to keep her shirt in place and to not smudge her lipstick. She thought it perfect that her lips were blue today and the product was actually called 'coral,' an apt description in this case.

Her hair was still up from that morning, pushed into a messy bun, and where she'd wished it was down before, now she was grateful just to feel the sun on her shoulders. She'd removed her jewelry to make it easier to go swimming and could hardly wait to do just that. Then her eyes fell on the other things with Malikhi.

"You brought buckets! We can make sandcastles! With moats!" Evelyn giggled at the thought, feeling truly giddy. The morning had started with a conversation with Ness, and she still wasn't sure how she felt about that but it was good to talk. Now she was relaxing on a perfect beach with Malikhi. How could it get any better?

"Thank you for suggesting this," she smiled. "This is perfect."

And with that, she laid on her back, arms and legs sprawled out, and closed her eyes, her breathing easy. "Absolutely perfect."

22 Evelyn Stones, Pecari Much warmer here than at home. 1422 Evelyn Stones, Pecari 0 5

Malikhi Hill, Pecari

August 06, 2018 6:38 PM

I don't have you at home. by Malikhi Hill, Pecari

Malikhi heard Evelyn before he saw her, his eyes having been closed as he relaxed. The moment he heard her voice, he cracked open his eyes and turned his head to side to grin at her. He was pleased that she liked the room and also got excited at the prospects of building sandcastles. She didn't seem to be on the emotional rollercoaster that she had been on the day before and that made him glad. He didn't like seeing her upset and he hoped that their time in this room would be nothing but a positive one.

"I brought snacks as well," he murmured, sighing contentedly. "They're in my rucksack... I may or may not have included brownies."

He laughed. He had indeed included brownies in his rucksack, knowing that they were Evelyn's favourite treat. He'd also brought chocolate covered stories which had been pre-dipped and cooled. There were also some sandwiches and crisps and other variety of things. Malikhi reassessed his description of 'snacks'. He'd basically brought a whole meal. Truly, he had to give thanks to the prairie elf who had helped him. Though what did one do or give that would show thanks to a prairie elf. He'd have to try and come up with something.

That was for another time though as now was the time to simply enjoy the beach the room had created and the time with Evelyn. Suddenly excited, he sat up and pulled off his t-shirt, revealing his scrawny upper body. With a wild and cheeky grin, he got to his feet and started running towards the water.

"Race you to water!"

20 Malikhi Hill, Pecari I don't have you at home. 1423 Malikhi Hill, Pecari 0 5

Evelyn Stones

August 06, 2018 10:52 PM

We do now. This can be our home. by Evelyn Stones

Snacks. This boy knew her too well. Evelyn smiled gratefully, particularly for brownies, and then pushed herself to a seated position when she heard Malikhi stir. Before she could sit all the way up, he had sprung completely off the towel and tossed his shirt into the sand, sprinting towards the water and shouting over his shoulder about a race.

"That's not fair!" she shouted, laughing as she yanked off her shirt and shorts. Malikhi had a significant lead but she was small and fast and quickly caught up. They made it to the water at the same time though, and Evelyn shrieked as she splashed into the waves.

They were freezing cold, but still warmer than the Pacific Ocean off an Oregon beach would have been. She gasped as she popped back out of the water, and looked over at Malikhi, whose hair was a mess of soggy blond atop his head.

She smirked at him as she stood up, grateful again that she'd put her hair up. It would've been a nightmare to deal with if it was down. Then she thought of her lipstick and grimaced, wiping it off with the back of her hand. Between her scrubbing and the salt water, she was sure it all came off. Shame, too, because it complemented her orange swimsuit. She had picked it because of the tiny yellow turtles that dotted it, but she suddenly felt like a child for wearing something so playful.

"You're a cheater," she laughed, grinning at Malikhi. "And you're slow! You're a good swimmer, though, right? I don't want to haul you out of the water today."

22 Evelyn Stones We do now. This can be our home. 1422 Evelyn Stones 0 5

Malikhi Hill, Pecari

August 06, 2018 11:04 PM

In that case, we need a house. by Malikhi Hill, Pecari

Malikhi loved the feel of the water as he dove into the sea, holding his breath. It was delightfully cold but not so cold that he would freeze, making it a nice constrast to the warm sun above. He broke through the surface of the water with a gasp, his now wet hair sticking to his face. He pushed it back and for once, you could see every feature of his face, the water making it easier to keep it slicked back. Droplets of water rolled down over his cheeks and he grinned as he looked at Evelyn.

He thought she looked a little odd without her bright lipstick on, having only seen her with her lips painted in vivid colours but he still thought she was pretty nonetheless. She was smiling at him and accused him of being a cheater to which he only laughed loudly in return. In response to her question, he plunged back into the waves and swam near to her and tickled the backs of her legs and her feet. He resurfaced in front of her, grinning at her mischievously.

"I'm a very good swimmer," he told her, now stating the obvious. "My Dad taught me. He said it was a life skill that I absolutely had to have."

He let himself fall backwards onto the surface of the water, allowing himself to just float, the waves lapping at his skin. It was a nice, relaxing feeling and Malikhi sighed contentedly. Here, with Linney, in the waves, Malikhi felt very happy indeed.

20 Malikhi Hill, Pecari In that case, we need a house. 1423 Malikhi Hill, Pecari 0 5

Evelyn Stones

August 06, 2018 11:10 PM

Pecari! by Evelyn Stones

Evelyn giggled and jumped when Malikhi tickled her legs and feet, and allowed herself to drift on the waves instead of landing again. He was in a playful mood and she enjoyed him smiling, the sunshine brightening his expression. She couldn't tell if he always looked so bright and beautiful, or if that was a leftover side effect of Lumos. She decided not to quiz him on it.

"My mom taught me!" she said, excited to have found common ground. "Do you think that's a coincidence? Both our muggle parents taught us? Funny to think about." Evelyn smiled a little bit but changed the topic, not wanting to linger too long on family. She was sure Malikhi would be understanding, even if he didn't really understand. However, it did remind her that she hadn't yet apologized.

"Thanks for yesterday by the way," she began. "I had a really good time at the Feast with you and didn't get to apologize for being such a whackadoo about everything. I feel much better now." She smiled, but with both their heads back in the water, she knew he couldn't see it. She hoped her tone conveyed it.

"I got up this morning early to go find a good place in the library. It's so nice to read! Between that and a good night's rest, it was perfect. Plus I got to see Ness, so that was good." Wondering at his response and feeling a bit silly just floating, she rolled onto her stomach and kicked towards him, treading water near him. Somehow, it didn't seem as terrifying as going so far out in a real ocean might. She wondered how far the room would let them go.

"I hope you didn't think I was trying to avoid you," she smiled. "I wouldn't do that."

22 Evelyn Stones Pecari! 1422 Evelyn Stones 0 5

Malikhi Hill, Pecari

August 06, 2018 11:35 PM

Fair point, well made! by Malikhi Hill, Pecari

Malikhi cracked an eye open, seeing Evelyn's face above him. That was a nice sight and idly wondered that, if in the instance that he fell of his broom, if her face would be above him then. He somehow thought that if it was, any pain he might feel wouldn't be so bad anymore. Her face was lovely and seeing her had been the best part of his day.

"Maybe wizards don't need to learn to swim? They can fly and apparate and stuff so I guess it's not necessary." He didn't comment on the fact that she'd quickly changed the subject. The topic of family was clearly a sensitive one for Linney and he didn't want to ruin a nice time by pressing on something that would upset her. He waved a dismissive hand at her apology.

"No 'sorry' necessary, Linney," he told her and it was the truth. He'd meant what he'd said the night before. If she needed someone to talk or vent to, he'd listen more than happily. "Yesterday was a long day and a bit stressful. It's all forgotten."

He smiled at her excitement when talking about the library. It was no surprise that she liked it in there, given the knowledge about Quidditch and Pingus she'd spewed at him yesterday. She had to get her knowledge from somewhere and books, of course, were the providers of that information. He felt a knot in his stomach at the mention of Ness but neither a good nor bad remark about the girl, opting to not say anything. She then said something about not avoiding him.

"I know, Linney," he soothed her and decided in the same instance to stop floating and tread water like she was doing. "You're my partner-in-crime. I know you wouldn't do something like that."

He started to move away from her, a cheeky smirk beginning to dance on his lips and his eyes glittered with the spark of mischief that lived in them. "And, anyway, if you did avoid me, I'd have to do something like this."

He placed his arms just on the surface in the water and then spun round in a circle, creating a wave that went straight for Linney, splashing her. Malikhi let out a raucous laugh, amused at his own antics.

20 Malikhi Hill, Pecari Fair point, well made! 1423 Malikhi Hill, Pecari 0 5

Evelyn Stones

August 06, 2018 11:55 PM

Thank you, I'm here all week! by Evelyn Stones

Evelyn didn't breathe a sigh of relief, for fear of swallowing sea water instead, but she certainly felt relieved. She'd managed not to alienate either of her two new friends so far, and she couldn't wait for them to meet. Malikhi seemed more neutral about Ness now, too, which was a good sign in her mind.

Then he splashed her, and she shrieked again, suddenly wishing she was just a little stronger or a little more powerful. She swam towards the more shallow water where she could catch her feet in the sand and dug her heels in, using the muscles in her chest to push as much water back towards Malikhi as she could. If she was just a little bit stronger....

Her arms and hands tingled as she thought that and she was surprised to see a wave much bigger than she'd expected push its way towards Malikhi. It wasn't unusually big, and she doubted Malikhi would've noticed, but it was definitely bigger than she normally might've managed.

She stared at her hands for a moment, surprised and a little horrified. It wasn't much as far as accidental magic went, but...

"I did it!" She felt like singing or dancing or jumping. She felt like swooping towards Malikhi and wrapping him in the tightest thank-you hug she could imagine. Certainly some part of this newfound ability had to be due to the ease at which she found herself around him. "It wasn't much... sort of lame really... but Kai, I haven't done any accidental magic since I was five years old! They didn't know if they could even send me here!"

If this had been any other time, she might have worried that he'd judge her for such things, but now she knew she was in the right place. She'd take being a weak witch if it meant she really was a witch at least. It also helped that the wave had effectively reached Malikhi and she'd managed to use accidental magic for playful purposes instead of anything more nefarious.

Unable to contain herself, she did exactly what she wanted to do, and bounded towards him (as much as one can bound through the ocean) and wrapped him in a hug, breaking free in order to jump up and down. "Kai, I friggin' did it!"

22 Evelyn Stones Thank you, I'm here all week! 1422 Evelyn Stones 0 5

Malikhi Hill, Pecari

August 07, 2018 1:03 PM

I hope you'll be here longer than that. by Malikhi Hill, Pecari

Malikhi felt Evelyn's wave crash into him, washing over his chest and shoulders. He was rather surprised that the small girl had managed to produce a wave of that size, given that she didn't seem to be particularly strong. He was amused though, a laugh erupting from his throat, and he was about to send another wave towards Evelyn when he noticed that she was staring at her hands with an expression somewhere between surprise and abject horror. Confused, he started to move closer towards her, hoping that nothing was wrong.

"Linney-"

Anything else he was wanting to say was cut off by Evelyn's excited shriek, clearly overjoyed. Suffice to say, Malikhi was completely confused by the situation. She was babbling, her words coming out in a rush and Malikhi didn't really understand or catch any of what she was saying. Then, she was coming towards him and enveloped him in a hug.

Unlike the hugs they'd shared in the great hall, Malikhi wasn't entirely sure how to react, given that he had no idea what she was happy about or why exactly he was being hugged. He'd never been hugged in the sea before and it was a very wet hug, some of her hair sticking to his cheek. He'd only just wrapped his arms around her when she broke free of him and was jumping up and down, causing more water to splash over him.

He wasn't entirely sure what she was excited about but was glad that she was happy and smiled widely.

Then, his stomach growled, indicating hunger.

"Ah, we'd better have something to eat," he announced and he grabbed Evelyn's hand as he started to making his way out of the water and to the shore. "Come on!"

20 Malikhi Hill, Pecari I hope you'll be here longer than that. 1423 Malikhi Hill, Pecari 0 5

Evelyn Stones

August 07, 2018 4:08 PM

Seven years since now they won't kick me! by Evelyn Stones

Evelyn was too excited to disagree with food-- not that she'd really ever disagree with food any other time either-- and allowed herself to be led back to the shore by Malikhi. She sort of wanted to take her hand back and hold it, but it's hard to hold your own hands with...your own hands? So she let him have it as they stepped out of the water.

"Malikhi!" she shrieked when they got to the sand. She held both her hands up to him, slightly apart as if she was trying to carry a cloud. "I have magic!"

She recognized then that her jumping and skipping was tossing large amounts of sand onto her and Malikhi's legs, which was never comfortable. Settling into a more casual pace, she strode with him back to their towels and took a seat as he retrieved the sandwiches and other snacks he'd brought.

Her legs crossed and her arms hanging loosely in her lap, Evelyn slumped into a relaxed position and looked out over the ocean. The sun warmed her face and she sighed happily.

"I was so jealous of you doing magic in the Hall yesterday," she said lightly, a smile around her lips. "I guess maybe it's just this room, but I really don't think so. It feels so good to know I really do have magic, even if it's not very much."

She turned her head to look at Malikhi then, and took a sandwich from the food he got out. It was, of course, delicious, and she enjoyed several bites before saying anything else.

"That's why I was held back, you know. My parents weren't sure if my magic was strong enough to send me here, and then decided that coming here would be the best way to find out when homeschooling didn't work." She smiled. "I'm so glad to have met you. I'm glad I came here."

22 Evelyn Stones Seven years since now they won't kick me! 1422 Evelyn Stones 0 5

Malikhi Hill, Pecari

August 07, 2018 4:50 PM

Good because I want you with me. by Malikhi Hill, Pecari

Malikhi flopped down onto his towel and pulled his rucksack closer, emptying it of the various food and snacks that he'd packed for their afternoon. He was having a good time, spending it under a warm sun in a cool sea, no matter how fake either really were. It felt real enough to him and they were real enough for him and Evelyn to spend a nice afternoon enjoying them. He didn't voice this thought to Evelyn but he hoped that they were be able to make regular trips to their beach. It'd be nice to escape from other people and homework and classes and just spend time with one another.

"Of course you have magic," he told her, a note of confusion in his voice. He still didn't really have any kind of idea what she was going on about. "You're a witch, aren't you?"

He pulled out a couple of bags of crisps, tossing them somewhat carelessly onto the sand as he dug further into his back for the bottles of water he'd brought. The sun might not have been real but it was warm enough to eventually cause dehydration if they didn't drink something soon. As he was rummaging through his bag, he listened - properly this time - to Evelyn as she told him about how she'd been jealous of the magic he could perform and that her parents had been worried about the strength of her magic.

"You wouldn't have been allowed to come here, Linney, if you didn't have magic or if it was too weak. Some of the other people here will have never performed a spell before so you're in good company. You need to stop stressing out about it. You have magic, it'll happen. You just need to relax."

He pulled out the two bottles of water he'd been looking for and passed one to Evelyn, taking the chance to look at her properly and send her a soft smile, a smile that was different to his wide grin or mischievous smirk. This smile was full of warmth and comfort and he hoped that Evelyn did indeed feel comforted by it.

"I'm glad to have met you too, Linney," he told her. "Don't worry any further about your magic ability. I know you'll be a great witch."

20 Malikhi Hill, Pecari Good because I want you with me. 1423 Malikhi Hill, Pecari 0 5

Evelyn Stones

August 07, 2018 9:34 PM

You'll have to share! by Evelyn Stones

Evelyn was surprised by Malikhi's response, but knew she shouldn't be. Most students at Sonora were thoroughly magical, and most parents had different expectations for their developing child than hers had. Still, she couldn't help being almost in awe. It wasn't necessarily the good sort of awe, but it wasn't strictly bad either. It was the sort of awe that comes from meeting someone who has never had to worry about or doubt something that your whole existence has been considering. Malikhi took magic for granted, and Evelyn never had had the opportunity to do that.

She wondered at this, but tucked the thought away for later, preferring to focus on the nice things for now. She accepted the bottle of water gratefully and drained almost half of it in her first drink. She hadn't realized how thirsty she was, particularly since they'd only been in the water a short time, but hydration was important.

She accepted the compliment for what it was, and changed the topic before it could linger too much on her own magical abilities.

"Tell me about the beaches where you grew up. England's really cold, right?" she took the opportunity to pull her hair out of its bun so it would dry better, enjoying the sun as it heated up her cold arms and legs. It felt funny to talk about the cold beaches of home when they were somewhere that seemed almost tropical, but she was curious. "Do you think this beach exists somewhere?"

22 Evelyn Stones You'll have to share! 1422 Evelyn Stones 0 5

Malikhi Hill, Pecari

August 08, 2018 2:14 PM

What if I don't want to? by Malikhi Hill, Pecari

Malikhi unwrapped one of the sandwiches that he'd brought - cheese and tomato, a favourite of his - and took a bite. He resisted to urge to groan in delight as the softness of the white bread, the creaminess of the cheese and the sweetness of the tomato hit his senses all at once. He still was not convinced that the food there at Sonora wasn't somehow enchanted to taste better. He'd have to see if he could somehow sneak into the kitchens and find out how the food was prepared. Maybe it could be an excursion that he and Evelyn could take together...

Before he could ask her, she was changing the subject from magic to the beaches in England and he smiled. He knew exactly which beach to tell her about.

"Oh, England's cold more often than not," he admitted, tackling that question first. "Sometimes we get good weather though. My Mum and Dad take me camping every year, to this place called Llanbedr in North Wales. In Llanbedr, there's a campsite called Shell Island. It's not really an island, it's still joined to the mainland but when the tide of the sea comes in, you can't get to the camp site because it flows over the road. It has three beaches and one of them is more rocks than sand. It's great for exploring. Me and my Dad would take buckets and fill them with shells and find crabs and everything while Mum cooked burgers and sausages. I look forward to going every year."

He let out a content sigh, remembering the previous year's trip. He valued the tradition strongly, loving spending time exclusively with both parents where neither of them had to go to work or do important adult stuff. The weeks they'd spend there were all about him and them and spending time together as a family.

When Evelyn asked him about the particular beach they were sitting on, he pondered the question a moment, a curious look on his face as he looked at there surroundings. "I don't know. I guess it must come from somewhere..."

His face lit up suddenly as an idea occurred to him and he turned to look at Evelyn with wide eyes. "Maybe one day we could try to find it!"

20 Malikhi Hill, Pecari What if I don't want to? 1423 Malikhi Hill, Pecari 0 5

Evelyn Stones

August 08, 2018 4:33 PM

It's not up to you by Evelyn Stones

Evelyn was pretty sure she wouldn't be able to say Llanbedr, let alone spell it, but that was okay. Malikhi also said 'Shell Island' and she could pronounce that.

"How far away is Shell Island from where you live?" she asked, trying to get an idea what the geography of England was like. And apparently Wales. As much reading as she'd done, she'd never paid too much attention to place names in England and hadn't really expected that to be an issue for her.

Jealousy twinged in her stomach as she listened to Malikhi talk about going camping with his family. He looked so happy, which was good, but it was hard for her to imagine what that must've been like. She thought that if she'd been properly magic, her dad might've taken her camping. He knew she loved the woods and climbing and playing on the beach. It wasn't a question she wanted to think about, especially when she'd talked to Ness that morning and taken the time to open up. She was feeling generally pretty good about things and didn't want to ruin it with misplaced jealousy.

"That's awesome! Crabs are so funny looking," she laughed.

When Malikhi began thinking about her question regarding their current beach location, Evelyn took the opportunity to eat the rest of her sandwich and reach for a bag of chip. 'Crips,' Malikhi had called them. She smirked, enjoying it. She'd never met anybody else with an accent like his and she wondered if she sounded cool to him, too. She sounded pretty much like Ness, but there were little differences of course. She wondered if Malikhi could hear those little differences in American accents.

"I think we'd have to search a lot of beaches," she laughed, not sure they'd be able to find this exact one. "But it would be cool to read about the sort of geographical and topographical considerations that go into a charm that can create or replicate a place like this...." Her voice trailed off for a moment before she shook free the thought. "But I would love to visit different beaches with you."

Her mind wandered a bit as she relaxed, and she found herself thinking about magic again.

"I'm really excited," she said, surprising herself. "I'm excited for Potions and Herbology especially, but I'm interested in all the other ones, too."

Now that she knew she had magic, she was a bit less terrified. She made a mental note to update Ness when she had the chance. The thought made her smile.

"Which class are you most excited for? I bet you'll be great with Defense Against the Dark Arts."

22 Evelyn Stones It's not up to you 1422 Evelyn Stones 0 5

Malikhi Hill, Pecari

August 08, 2018 5:00 PM

A boy can dream by Malikhi Hill, Pecari

Malikhi took a swig of water from his bottle before copying Evelyn by opening his own bag of crisps. He popped one into his mouth and it gave a delightfully loud crunch as he bit into it. Another swig of water to wash down the taste of salt and then he answered Evelyn's question.

"It's a five hour road trip from London," he told her, grinning widely. "Sounds really long, right? But we always play games like 'I Spy' and sing songs that come on the radio and Mum would always pack a picnic basket full of food for when we stopped for a break. So, it's not so bad."

He munched on a few more crisps before putting them to one side and lying back on his towel and closing his eyes. He let out a long contented sigh. Despite some small doubts that he'd had about being in America and going to an American school, he was glad now that he was there because otherwise, he'd have never met Evelyn. She was a lovely person, even if she didn't quite realise it herself and he had no doubts in his mind that she would be a brilliant witch. An unconventional one, maybe... But a great one.

"Herbology and Potions, huh?" he murmured, cracking an eye open to look at her. "Sounds like you'd be good at that. You're thoughtful and understand lots of intelligent things that I don't understand so those subjects would suit you. I'm totally looking forward to Defence. Did you see the teacher for that subject? She looks so awesome. She was sitting next to the woman in the green robes at the Opening Feast."

20 Malikhi Hill, Pecari A boy can dream 1423 Malikhi Hill, Pecari 0 5

Evelyn Stones

August 08, 2018 6:06 PM

"A dream is a wish your heart makes..." by Evelyn Stones

Malikhi's road trip sounded amazing and that familiar twinge of jealousy made Evelyn's stomach roll. She also found herself rather homesick. In this instance, it wasn't that she had never experienced such happy times, but that she missed them. She missed playing around with her mom and things. They didn't listen to the radio much because muggle radio didn't come through her wizard town very well and her mom didn't like to listen to wizard radio, but still.

More than anything, Evelyn was intrigued by the rest of Malikhi's comment.

There are times when a friend accidentally stumbles across a bit of information that makes them pretty sure they've hit gold. Evelyn was pretty sure this wasn't the case in this situation but she still felt fairly confident that she'd learned something intriguing about Malikhi Hill.

"Funny," she started, her tone already teasing. "I don't remember any of the professors hardly at all, and certainly not where they were sitting, who they were sitting with, or what they were wearing. You sure you aren't excited for Defense classes because of the Defense professor?" she teased.

She knew lots of kids get crushes on their professors and things, but actually having some reason to give Malikhi a hard time made her feel like they were closer somehow.

Satisfied that she'd made Malikhi embarrassed in a playful way-- rather than actually upsetting him (she hoped)-- Evelyn changed the topic back to classes themselves.

"I'm glad you think I'm smart," she smiled. "I hope potions is good though. I think the lady in green was the one they said is the new potions professor, right? She looked...weird. But I bet it'll be a good class. Would you ever wanna be a teacher?"

The thought was almost laughable since neither of them had any idea what classes were really like and therefore had no idea whether they'd like to be a professor, but still. Evelyn doubted she'd make the cut but thought it might be fun if a miracle happened.

22 Evelyn Stones "A dream is a wish your heart makes..." 1422 Evelyn Stones 0 5

Malikhi Hill, Pecari

August 08, 2018 6:38 PM

"When you're fast asleep..." by Malikhi Hill, Pecari

Malikhi, for a moment, didn't understand what Evelyn was implying when she was talking about the Defence professor. When the penny finally dropped, he sat bolt upright, a red flush rising to his cheeks, his eyes wide. Evelyn's face was the picture of teasing and mischief, a smirk on her face and her eyes sparkling with mirth.

"No! I just thought she looked awesome! I bet she's done tons of cool stuff!" he pouted, his lower lip sticking out. After a moment of watching Evelyn laugh, the corner of his lips twitched as they started to curve upwards into a smile. He liked seeing her laugh and he knew that the joke she had made was only playful innocence and he started to laugh with her.

"I like it when you laugh," he told her, settling down and an easy smile on his face. "It's pretty."

He was surprised when she asked him if he would want to be a teacher. If he was honest, he'd never given it much thought and, thinking about it now, he doubted that he actually wanted to. It wasn't that he thought teachers were boring, exactly, it just didn't feel like him.

"Mm, I don't think so. I want to do something fun and exciting like being an auror or a curse breaker. They seem really cool. What about you?"

20 Malikhi Hill, Pecari "When you're fast asleep..." 1423 Malikhi Hill, Pecari 0 5

Evelyn Stones

August 08, 2018 7:29 PM

Maybe I'M the one dreaming........... by Evelyn Stones

Malikhi had asked a question.

Evelyn knew this because his mouth moved for a little while and then stopped moving and he looked expectant.

Evelyn hadn't heard anything after 'It's pretty.'

For a moment, she considered making something up. Then she thought that she could just ask him to rephrase the question, but what if he'd said something like 'do you want another sandwich?' in which case it would be odd to ask for clarification. She could just say she hadn't heard him, but what if he asked why. At this point, he probably thought she was crazy anyway. She could just say 'me too' and hope for the best, but what were the odds of that working out?

She was trying to remember what she'd said last so that maybe she could figure out what the topic was. Something about Defense Against the Dark Arts. Or Potions. Or . . . something else. Maybe it was something else.

She could feel herself staring, though, and that was weirder than just being honest. The more time passed and the more conversations she was having, the worse she felt about lying to Malikhi that first night; it was actually better to just tell the truth. She knew what she needed to do first, though. Talking to Ness had made all the difference, and she'd tell Malikhi soon enough.

"No one's ever said that before," Evelyn whispered. Her eyes were wide and her lips were parted slightly, somewhere between a gasp and silent surprise. "You really think I have a pretty laugh?"

22 Evelyn Stones Maybe I'M the one dreaming........... 1422 Evelyn Stones 0 5

Malikhi Hill, Pecari

August 08, 2018 7:49 PM

But you're not asleep? by Malikhi Hill, Pecari

Evelyn had been silent for a while and Malikhi was starting to grow concerned. He was tempted to wave a hand in front of her face but thought that might be rude if she was just intently thinking about her answer. Then again, he didn't think that the question was a particularly hard one. He'd only asked her if she wanted to be a teacher or not and he was confused. Had he upset her by saying that he didn't want to be a teacher? Had he somehow upset her in a different way? Was it something he said or something he'd done?

Then, she whispered something that he missed and he blinked. Instead of answering the original question, she returned it with a different one of her own which only served to confuse him further. Which part of the compliment had she not understood? Girls were so confusing.

"Yes?" he answered, unsure as to what she was getting at. "Your laugh is pretty. It just sounds nice. I mean, I think you're pretty and when you smile, your eyes kind of light up. Kind of like they did when I messed up that Lumos spell. I just think you're pretty."

Suddenly, Malikhi realised that he was rambling and he abruptly stopped before saying anymore, his eyes wide. He'd let his mouth run off, not even really thinking about what he was saying. His blush was back, crawling across his cheeks. It wasn't that he was embarrassed exactly. Every word he'd said was true. He just hadn't meant for it all to come out yet.

20 Malikhi Hill, Pecari But you're not asleep? 1423 Malikhi Hill, Pecari 0 5

Evelyn Stones

August 08, 2018 7:57 PM

Oh... by Evelyn Stones

Evelyn's face turned red and she looked away, surprised by her...it wasn't embarrassment exactly... but it was similar. It felt good, but she didn't want to look at him for a moment. When he stopped talking, she was scarlet and probably looked like a lobster or something. But when she did finally manage to look up, Malikhi was blushing, too!

She smiled at him, feeling a little better. A lot better. Feeling great.

"Thank you," she murmured, feeling shy and smiling and just a mess of confusion and emotions that she didn't have words for. "No one's ever said anything like that before."

She watched him for a moment, the way his tousled hair blew softly in a breeze she couldn't quite feel and his light skin had a kiss of summer bronze.

"You're pretty too," she said. "No... ah... You're handsome? That feels weird."

She was quiet for a moment, feeling totally idiotic, and then she laughed. "This is so silly," she said, giggling. "Compliments are weird. I think you're great, though."

Without waiting for an answer, she flopped onto her back again, staring up at the sky. She sort of knew what it meant to have a crush on somebody, but she didn't want to worry about that at all for like... a hundred more years. So she stared up at the sky, enjoying the sun on her skin, and thought determinedly of what a great friend Malikhi was.

"I think I'd rather like to be a bird," she said. "Teaching sounds way too difficult."

22 Evelyn Stones Oh... 1422 Evelyn Stones 0 5

Malikhi Hill, Pecari

August 08, 2018 8:57 PM

I think it's a good thing. by Malikhi Hill, Pecari

Malikhi found that his flush wouldn't go away and that his mouth and lips felt kind of dry. His tongue darted out and licked them but he found that didn't work so had another drink of water instead. His blush deepened when she called him handsome but he then rather agreed with her. While he did think that Evelyn was pretty and felt like she deserved to be told that more often, it did feel kind of weird. At the moment, he was just happy to be friends with her, maybe even best friends. She was just Evelyn who was very pretty with a nice smile but she was just his friend.

He decided the best way to get his blush to fade was to just move on and change topics and was sort of relieved when Evelyn brought it back to the original topic they'd been talking about before all this silliness.

"Becoming a bird could be difficult," he told her, drawing his knees up to his chest and resting his chin on them. "You could always try to become an animagus, I guess but I've heard that that's really difficult and it wouldn't guarantee that you'd actually be a bird."

He fell silent again, wondering at this. He thought it would be quite cool to be a bird and wondered if it felt anything like being on his broomstick, soaring through the skies. He liked that feeling when he was flying, the wind whistling in his ears, whipping and pulling at his hair and clothes. He felt that there were fewer things better than those moments.

"Where's your favourite place in the whole world?" he asked suddenly, wanting to know what made Evelyn as happy as he felt when on his broom.

20 Malikhi Hill, Pecari I think it's a good thing. 1423 Malikhi Hill, Pecari 0 5

Evelyn Stones

August 08, 2018 10:00 PM

I'm pretty happy to be awake by Evelyn Stones

Evelyn hadn't thought about becoming an animagus before, but the idea sounded intriguing to say the least. She knew enough about it to know it was dangerous, and that it required expert potion-brewing. She felt a faint flutter of hope that she could manage it, and filed that away for consideration in future years of Sonora.

Evelyn smiled at Malikhi's question, although she wasn't sure how to answer it. Sonora itself was one of her favorites, but she couldn't say it was her ultimate most favorite when she'd hardly spent any time here. She loved going to baseball games with her mom but that seemed like a silly place.

"That's difficult," she decided, folding her hands on her stomach. "I love the library, and I love climbing trees, and I love the beach, and I love Sonora so far." She turned her head to look at him and smiled. "What are you really asking?" She took a deep breath and turned her head back towards the sky. "I am happiest in the quiet moments between events. When the only thing is you and your own heartbeat."

She almost blushed but managed not to be embarrassed at just the last moment. She wasn't willing to be embarrassed over the truth, even if it came out in an oddly poetic fashion.

"There's this one tree at home that has really thick branches, and I love to sit on one of the ones that overlooks the stream. Sometimes a deer will come eat or drink and I can just watch. It's like... I dunno. It's like I'm not really there. I get to see the world without me in it, and that's pretty amazing. Most of the time, we get in the way of really seeing the world because we just see ourselves."

Evelyn sighed and this time, she did blush. Sitting up and crossing her legs again, she peered at Malikhi with a sheepish smile. "That sounds a bit silly, doesn't it?"

22 Evelyn Stones I'm pretty happy to be awake 1422 Evelyn Stones 0 5

Malikhi Hill, Pecari

August 08, 2018 10:56 PM

You can't miss things with your eyes wide open by Malikhi Hill, Pecari

Malikhi listened to her quietly, though he did not look at her, his eyes looking out across the ocean and into the distance. He didn't really know why he'd asked the question in the first place. He wanted to get to know Evelyn, for sure but he could easily as do that by asking her what her favourite colour was or what her favourite song was. Truthfully, he knew there was more to it than just getting to know his new friend.

He was still bothered by her words the previous night, when his spell had affected her. Despite her assurances that her father was a good man, he couldn't help but remember her words about the man hitting her again. He didn't know how it came about the first time or where she had been hurt or indeed, how badly she had been hurt. The thought of anybody, even her own family, hurting her made Malikhi feel sick to his stomach. It was wrong. It was so, so wrong.

"It's not silly," he murmured at last before inhaling deeply through his nose. "I think we are naturally selfish. Everybody thinks about something will affect them and base their decisions around those thoughts. It's simply survival. To be able to see the world through unselfish eyes, that's a gift."

He finally tore his eyes away from the sea then and turned them to focus on her, drinking in her appearance. From her long white tresses and her sharp green eyes to the freckles that marked her sun-kissed skin, he could not comprehend how somebody who had clearly known pain could be so lovely and caring. She was a complete mystery and one that Malikhi wanted to solve.

For now, though, he dismissed his thoughts and unfolded himself, stretching out his legs. Quietly, he felt through his rucksack before pulling out a brownie and passed it to her.

"Here, for you."

20 Malikhi Hill, Pecari You can't miss things with your eyes wide open 1423 Malikhi Hill, Pecari 0 5

Evelyn Stones

August 09, 2018 9:17 PM

Unless they go over your head by Evelyn Stones

Malikhi looked sad, Evelyn thought, although she wasn't quite sure. It wasn't the same sort of sad as losing a favorite book or beings tuck inside all day, but it wasn't a look she was totally unfamiliar with either. She just didn't have a word for it, although 'contemplative' came to mind.

When he passed her a brownie, she grinned at him and accepted it. Holding it in one hand and careful to keep it off the sand, Evelyn crawled forward on her other hand and knees and sat beside Malikhi. Taking a seat where they could both face the water, she nudged him with her shoulder and smiled.

"Thanks for a really good afternoon," she smiled. "Let's do this again soon, okay?"

She smiled at him and allowed a bit of silence to linger as they watched the waves crash and the sun finally dried Evelyn's hair. It was a mess of sand and salt water, but she was pretty sure that was a good thing. 'Beach hair' was popular among girls her age, she thought.

"Do you want half of this?" Evelyn asked, deciding that she should do something to pep him up. She moved to tear the brownie in half and then looked at him with a faux serious expression. "Offering you half my brownie is almost like a spit-shake. Best friends forever?" she confirmed.

22 Evelyn Stones Unless they go over your head 1422 Evelyn Stones 0 5

Malikhi Hill, Pecari

August 09, 2018 9:39 PM

A lot of things go over my head. by Malikhi Hill, Pecari

Malikhi perked up at Evelyn's suggesting at a repeat afternoon at 'their beach', as he was now starting to call it in his head. He grinned wildly, pleased that she had enjoyed their time together as much as he had. It gave him hope that they would have a friendship that would last through their seven years at Sonora and, if they were very lucky, into their lives afterwards. He knew that there would be a lot in store for them, good or bad. Something told him so in his gut. However, with Evelyn - his Linney - by his side, Malikhi knew that they would overcome any obstacles.

He was absolutely overjoyed when she held out her brownie with the intention of solidifying their friendship and making them best friends.

"Sure," he nodded eagerly, taking his half and then promptly stuffing it into his mouth. He slung an arm across her shoulders and pulled her into his side, his hand squeezing her upper arm. "Best friends forever."

His thoughts turned to how reluctant he had been to move to America, the original plan having been to attend Hogwarts in England. He had been resistant to the suggestion of his parents and of his aunt but he was glad that he'd eventually given in. He couldn't say what would happen in the future, he didn't even know what would happen tomorrow but he knew that as long as he got to see Evelyn every day that the world could throw absolutely anything at him.

He squeezed her arm again and said softly, "I'm really glad I met you, Linney."

20 Malikhi Hill, Pecari A lot of things go over my head. 1423 Malikhi Hill, Pecari 0 5