Regina Parker
October 07, 2012 10:20 PM
Bust out your moves! Party Time! by Regina Parker
Reggie had decided about a month ago to have a party. It was too close to Halloween to actually have it on Halloween, so it ended up being much closer to Thanksgiving. She felt this would give people enough time to procure costumes from back home or allow them to send out requests to shops and buy them from catalogues. She felt that was the nice thing for her to do. Besides, she wanted an awesome costume and needed the time to actually get it. Her father wasn’t much help, but her Grandmother knew exactly what she wanted and had gotten it in the right size. Thank Merlin for awesome Grandmothers.Her costume was that of a Woodland Fairy. Reggie loved fairies. Not the actual magical fairies because some of them were rather creepy to look at; but rather, the Muggle version of fairies. They were always so beautiful and everyone wanted to have them. Reggie wasn’t really sure where her love of fairies came from, but it was one of those girly-girl things that she sometimes would fall for. Like the skirts and dresses that she had been sporting for the last couple of terms as well as the makeup. Her outfit was a satin green with a tutu purple skirt beneath it. Across the waist was a purple flower for the woodland look and small wings were attached in the back. The dress was extremely short and, although it did not normally come with leggings, her grandmother included black legging shorts that came to her calves. She put her hair in soft waves and had a matching flower wreath around her head to finish off the woodland fairy look. She tried to make her makeup fun by using glitter and fun purple, but who knew how others would see it. Oh well, it was a night of pure fun and she didn’t care if they didn’t agree with her costume choice.
Meeting with her friends, she had set up the gardens with the help of the Prairie Elves (they were so accommodating!) with fresh snacks and drinks all over the area. Seating had also been provided. The party was at the center the gardens where the fountain was and Reggie had charmed it to look like blood was flowing from it. The gardens were decorated in various holidays. Some were creepy and scary covered in webs or with skeletons/ghouls/ghosts popping out to startle you for Halloween, some were fall colors and pilgrim style, while others were red and green with fake snow, empty presents, and, of course, Mistletoe. Reggie had spent all morning setting it up with the Elves. They were so good at this sort of thing! And the kitchen Elves were awesome about the food. As much work as it had been to get everything set up and ready, Reggie was proud of how it all came together.
The time had arrived for the party to start. Reggie turned on the music which was charmed to flip through each holiday. “Okay, let’s get this party started!” Reggie declared, happy that people were interested but even more happy that the Fifth year Teppenpaws weren’t horrifically angry with her for throwing them into this with her.
OOC: Reggie will be taking lots of pictures throughout the evening, so feel free to say in that you posed or were suddenly bombarded by flashes!
Subthreads: Do I have moves? by Aria Yale with Clara Abernathy, Liam Ammon, Aria, Rupert Princeton
Let's hope I'm not stood up! by Brianna Japos with Maximilian Joshua McLachlan, Brianna, Michael Grosvenor and Eris Ackart, Josh McLachlan
Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree... by Henny B-F-R with Andrina Thornton, Andri
Going all out! [tag Brielle/Abi] by Waverly & Wendy Canterbury with Brielle and Abi Thornton
Trying to remain cool and collective by Fae Sinclair and Alice Adair with Arnold and Arthur Carey, Fae
Would someone like some nuts? by Marcus Williams with Jordan Adair, Josephine Owen, Clarissa Clark, Jordan
Waiting for Friends. by Cepheus Princeton with Valentina Bentancourt, Cepheus, Theresa Carey
I'd rather people watch than dance by Jorge Garcia with Jade Owen, Jorge
I am only here for the food by James Owen with Derry Four
So much for which to be thankful by Linus Macaulay with Ephanie Lucore, Linus
Looking for Reggie. by Phoenix Lucore with Reggie, Phoenix
Making an entrance (wotw) by Annabelle and Annette Pierce
I do not know why I let Eliza talk me into these things by Nic Sawyer
6
Regina Parker
Bust out your moves! Party Time!
187
Regina Parker
1
5
Brianna Japos
October 09, 2012 10:39 PM
Let's hope I'm not stood up! by Brianna Japos
Brianna was happy that Josh had agreed to go with her to the party, even if he did it out of pity or because he felt sorry for her. Brianna was very well aware of how secluded she was at Sonora. As much as she tried to branch out and meet new people, she couldn’t quite let go of the idea that they were going to hurt her. For some reason, Josh was a safe bet. He didn’t want to get attached to people. He wanted to stay secluded and on his own. Brianna didn’t have to worry about him hurting her because there would be no relationship for him to hurt.This wasn’t an actual date, despite the use of the word when she had spoken to him back in the hall a couple of weeks ago. He was just the person who would be standing next to her so that she didn’t feel like an idiot being there alone. She could have asked Linus or Michael (maybe) or Attoria or even Valerie, but she wasn’t sure what to expect from them. Brianna hadn’t been hanging around Attoria so much anymore, so Brianna thought that would be a strained evening. She never could tell when Valerie was going to get sick, so she didn’t want to rely on her if there was the possibility of her ending up on bed rest. Michael had a bunch of girls who were his friends, so there was a likelihood that he was with one of them and likely to go. Brianna did not want to interfere with that and feel like a fool. As for Linus… she actually did enjoy hanging out with him and she felt that he would probably be fine with having gone with her. But, just in case he had plans of not going or going with someone else, Brianna didn’t want to make him feel anymore obligated to go with her than she had with Josh.
Brianna hadn’t been too sure as to where she was supposed to meet him, so she waited just outside the party area in what she could only assume to be the Halloween part of the decorations. Wearing an elf costume that her mother had spent money on for her. Of course, this meant no Christmas gift, but Brianna was okay with it. Christmas was her favorite time of year. She and her parents took an evening to decorate the Christmas tree and it was the only time of year that she actually received gifts. As stressful and awful as life in the Condominium was, Christmas was always pleasant. Both of her parents took the day off, save for any emergencies. She felt normal.
That was why she came as an elf. The dress was red and came to her mid-thigh and had a weird corset top with a green bow. Over the red dress was a velvet green coat that was lined with white fur, red stitching, and a black belt much like what Santa would wear. She wore a matching green hat with a bell at the tip, red and white striped stockings and flat boots to match the belt. Her parents had spent a fair few dollars on this getup. Hopefully, she’ll get to stay at the party long enough to make it worth it. She even wore some makeup. Rare, but still true. Green shadow went well with her brown eyes, liner, mascara and a slight rose colored gloss. She felt a little bit pretty.
Standing there in the semi darkness, Brianna looked around for Josh. There were moments like this where she missed David. He had never disappointed her. She was worried that Josh wouldn’t show and even though she wasn’t attached to him, she would be a little hurt by being stood up, even for a non-date.
Catching a couple of eyes, Brianna smiled and waved politely. There was no mask to hide her. Everyone would know she was there and alone. Please hurry, Josh. Please come. Were the only thoughts going through her head. Until she felt a presence next to her and almost jumped out of her skin. Standing in the scary section wasn’t the best idea. “So sorry.” She said, trying to stop her heart from racing.
6
Brianna Japos
Let's hope I'm not stood up!
203
Brianna Japos
0
5
Maximilian Joshua McLachlan
October 10, 2012 4:24 PM
Fear not...or maybe just a little. by Maximilian Joshua McLachlan
Josh had been a little confused as to why Brianna had asked him of all people to go with her to the holiday party. Technically he had offered, but that didn't change the fact that she had brought it up to him. After thinking about it for a few days afterward, he had decided that it was either because she felt sorry for him and wanted to be his friend, or she really didn't have anyone else to go with. For some reason, the latter brought him comfort.All in all, he didn't know what to expect from this. Josh hadn't made plans to hang out with anyone for quite a long time and so the feeling of knowing that someone was waiting for him somewhere out in the gardens was both foreign and familiar. As he dressed in his room in what he decided were close to Christmas colors, he was reminded of study dates and meals with Cecilia. Cecilia. Josh was beginning to feel slightly distant from her memory nowadays now that he genuinely did have to keep himself busy with studies for CATs coming up. As he looked at his worn black shoes and his black slacks, he remembered dressing up to impress her and smiled a little. His shirt was scarlet and he was wearing green robes over it. That would be the extent of effort Josh would spare for this event.
After combing his brown hair, he made his way out to the gardens, selfishly hoping Brianna hadn't found anyone else to hang out with yet. He realized then, as he approached the gardens, that they should have set a meeting place, but it was too late for that. Josh looked around, sparing little appreciation for the decor as he looked for his companion. After taking a slight walk around, he finally spotted her near the spooky part of the labyrinth dressed as what he assumed was supposed to be an elf. Or something like that.
He walked over to her, wondering what the correct way to address her would be and trying to remember how he had greeted Cecilia when they had met up. It turned out, instead, that his silent presence made Brianna jump and Josh soured slightly. Of course she would jump in fright now that he was here. Maybe a little of that could be because of their environment.
Josh cleared his throat and nodded at her. "You look nice. Nice costume." They matched a little at least by color. He was glad he had actively chosen these clothes. Now was the time to wonder awkwardly what one did at a party like this besides mingle and talk aimlessly. A sudden flash startled him and he blinked, his grey eyes needing to refocus for a minute. "Wow, that was bright," he stated numbly as he tried to blink the black dots out of his eyesight. Then he sighed. "Which holiday is your favorite? I would guess either Christmas or Halloween from your costume," he said. It was funny seeing how holidays were interpreted here. In Australia, where the seasons were different, they would be having a sunny Christmas instead of a wintry one. The seasons in Australia was what he was used to because he had lived there since he was eight, though he had been raised for a little while in Scotland.
He was leaning towards going to the autumn-like atmosphere where it looked like there were some seasonal fruits, cookies, and apple cider. He didn't really want to have to go through the scary Halloween side and have a jumping Brianna clinging onto his arm, if she was that kind of girl. He hated being taken off-guard too, so hopefully she wouldn't drag him down that way. With Christmas, there was always the danger of mistletoe, and Josh didn't really want that to happen either. Thanksgiving seemed the safest, but Josh, feeling rather courteous right now, would give Brianna the choice. If they ever decided to move from this spot, of course.
19
Maximilian Joshua McLachlan
Fear not...or maybe just a little.
184
Maximilian Joshua McLachlan
0
5
Brianna
October 11, 2012 7:12 PM
I think I'll remain apprehensive for now by Brianna
Brianna was extremely embarrassed by having been startled by Josh’s presence. She should have just stayed in the center near the fountain until Josh found her instead of standing in the shadows within the Halloween section of the decorations. Now she made this whole thing that was already starting off in an awkward fake date scenario even more awkward for having been scared accidentally by her pseudo date.Thankfully the sky was already that lovely shade of dusk, so her blush wouldn’t be as visible had it been in the light of day. She hated blushing as easily as she often did, but it wasn’t really something she could control. Thankfully, there were things in this world, like the darkening sky, that could hide her flaw and she wouldn’t feel quite as stupid.
“Oh, thank you!” Brianna commented, feeling relieved that he didn’t find her get-up embarrassing. She was stick thin and only just starting to fill out, so the outfit may not look as nicely on her as it might have on some of the other girls here, plus she was wearing a hat with a bell on it. She knew that boys sometimes didn’t like to be seen with people who they felt was embarrassing. He had said that he hadn’t wanted to wear a costume, so she was nervous about having worn one herself. So many thoughts had run through her head when she had first put on. Did it look right on her? Could she pull this off? She looked like an idiot. People would laugh at her. Would Josh laugh at her? Would he even show up? Would he want to be seen with her? Etcetera. So far, he hadn’t laughed at her or look disgusted by what she was wearing and he complimented her. These were all positives.
The bright light blinded Brianna for a moment, but she was more concerned about whether or not she had been making an awful face. How terrible would that be? If those photos were posted somewhere where everyone could see and she was sitting there looking, well, like a duckface? She did not want that to go around the school. That would be humiliating. Hopefully, the Teppenpaws wouldn’t be so cruel.
“Oh, Christmas is definitely my favorite.” Brianna said excitedly. “It’s the only day of the year where my parents actually stay with me. And I get a gift. I mean, it’s fine if I don’t get one, it’s still a great day.” She probably shouldn’t have said that and really wasn’t sure why she had, but it was the truth. “My costume was my gift this year. It’s a little early, but it’s what I wanted. I’m glad you like it. I know you didn’t want to dress up, so I was hoping that you wouldn’t be mad that I did.”
Brianna was still becoming weirded out by being in the Halloween area and began to move away from it, heading towards the fountain where she had originally wished she had stood. “I’ve never been to a party, what are we supposed to do?”
0
Brianna
I think I'll remain apprehensive for now
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Brianna
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5
Michael Grosvenor and Eris Ackart
October 12, 2012 7:16 PM
It might be wise. by Michael Grosvenor and Eris Ackart
Michael had settled on dressing as a pirate. It was simple to do and it was a truth universally acknowledged that pirates were fricking cool. No one was going to laugh at him for being dressed as one. He had written home to request his mother's help and her permission to cut up one of his pairs of jeans – they were getting too small anyway, he swore to her and, if she didn't believe him, she would see when he came home. The fact that he had always been a truthful child who hated shopping had persuaded her that this was genuine, and so she had written back with her permission, a striped t-shirt, a waistcoat, a bandana and an eye patch. It was a shame that he couldn't wear a big captain's hat but things with large brims tended to cause feedback in his hearing aids. The bandana, which sat behind his ears, would be fine. On the day of the party, in his jeans – which were now straggly and ripped, looking like they had served many years on the high seas – and the rest of his attire, he went down to the common room to meet Eris.Eris enlisted the aid of her mother in preparing her costume for the event. Mrs. Ackart was all too excited that her daughter was embracing her Greek roots and gladly sent her daughter everything she'd need to be a convincing goddess of chaos. Eris had started getting ready several hours prior to the event--she wanted to look perfect. Her costume was an asymmetrically cut red dress that crossed one shoulder and had a short, sheer sleeve. It was cut slightly higher than Eris was comfortable with on the sides, and showed her toned, athletic legs when she walked. The upper part of the dress fit nicely, and didn't reveal anything the girl wouldn't show off in a swimsuit--not that she had much at thirteen to show off. It was trimmed in golden sequins, and had a matching golden belt. Althea, her mother, had enchanted it so that when worn, it would give off an ethereal glow. Eris wore matching gold sandals that laced up her calves as well as golden wrist bands. She'd used both lengthening and curling charms on her hair, and it cascaded down her back, while two plaits formed a headband across her tresses, keeping it back from her face. Eris' mum also included a necklace , a golden apple that read 'to the fairest' on it. Considering it was a fancy dress party, Eris was allowed to wear makeup, but only applied a little to her eyes, lips and cheeks to giver her a more goddess like appearance without looking like a clown.
After a lot of primping and preparation, Eris decided it was probably time she got to the common room to meet her date. Or not date. To meet Michael. She felt beautiful, and loved her costume--she only hoped he was as pleased with it as she was. With her heart beating rapidly against her ribcage, Eris made her way to the common room.
"Hi..." She said with a smile, as her eyes fell on Pirate Michael. "You look brilliant!"
When Eris had mentioned going as a Greek Goddess, Michael had envisaged something floor-length and vaguely sheet-like. He was therefore quite taken aback when Eris appeared in a cute little red dress, one which showed off her legs. He wasn't quite sure what was so fascinating about legs. They were just the things you walked with. But somehow, they were interesting to look at...
"You look lovely," he smiled, dragging his attention back to Eris' face and giving her a quick hug. "Wait, are you glowing?" he asked, as he noticed the slight light that seemed to emanate from her. He knew he shouldn't be surprised - of course wizards and witches would embellish their costumes in that way. It was just he never would have thought of it. He wondered whether there was a spell he could use to make himself extra piratical but nothing came to mind.
Sure, her costume was glowing, but Eris was positively beaming in response to Michael's reaction to her costume. She couldn't recall ever being told she looked lovely by a boy before, aside from her father anyway, and most certainly never by a boy she fancied.
"Thank you!" She replied happily after an unexpected, but very welcomed hug. "It's not too much, is it? The glowing, I mean. It was mum's idea."
Eris couldn't help but wonder about the eye patch. Had he charmed it so that he could see properly through it? Did it effect the vision in his other eye at all? She'd have plenty of time to ask him about it later, but for now, they had a party to get to.
"No, I think it's a great idea!" Michael enthused when Eris asked about the glowing. "Maybe it's cos I'm Muggleborn but I never think to use magic other than what I've been taught - even then, I can't always think of loads of things I could do with a spell." It might also have been a reflection on Michael's thought processes in general. There was a reason that he wasn't in Aladren. Thinking outside the box on things wasn't really where Michael shone.
"To be honest, I probably wouldn't have either. This was one of Mum's better ideas," Eris replied with a smile.
"Ah, mine just provided the clothes and the permission to attack my jeans with scissors," Michael smiled, "Shall we go?" he asked, offering Eris his arm on his non-patch side. "Best be this side of me. I'm now half blind as well as hearing impaired. Good job I didn't go for the hook hand too!" he laughed. Eris smiled, taking Michael's arm. She hadn't thought about it, until he mentioned being half blind with the patch, but she hoped he'd be able to understand her well enough at the party. Eris would make a point to stay on that side of him. She laughed at his comment about the hook hand, finally finding the irony in his costume.
"Or the wooden leg. Though I think that would have required a bit of magic." She added. "Let's set sail, my scurvy mate." She tried in her best pirate voice.
"I don't think that comes under my remit of 'not a lot of effort,'" Michael commented, when Eris suggested he could have... done something to his leg. Transfigured he guessed. He also grimaced a little at thought of doing that to himself. He knew his problem would be most likely to be that he couldn't get it right in the first place but what if he couldn't get it back? His and Eris' conversation about missing limbs and regrowing bones had been enough to put him off any magical body modification for life.
"That accent is weird to hear coming from a Greek Goddess," he laughed, as they started to make their way downstairs.
"True." Eris was pleased with the effort that Michael had put in to his costume, even with all of his limbs present. She was confident that they weren't going to be the oddest looking couple at the party. In fact, she couldn't remember seeing a cuter pirate than the one she was attending with. She wouldn't mention that to Michael though, as she was sure his intent was to look manly and rugged. She laughed at his comment about her pirate accent and resigned to using her own for the rest of the night.
* * *
Michael's immediate impression of the party was that it looked like several holidays had thrown up all over the Labyrinth Gardens. In kind of a good way. It was jolly and there were clearly different sections but it certainly took a lot of looking to take it all in. And there were lots of people. And music.
"I'll give it a go but we may have to resort to activities that don't require talking," he informed Eris. He tried to think what options that might leave them with. The one that sprung to mind was not very appealing but he wanted Eris to have fun, and if he couldn't make conversation, there might be nothing else for it. "I will, to make up for my shortcomings, dance, if that is the only option left to us, although I cannot promise that you will escape without injury," he half-joked.
The gardens were a little overwhelming as they were, especially considering their recent Defence lesson, but all of the different decorations made them feel even more so in Eris' eyes. There was so much to see and take in, she couldn't imagine doing so with only one eye.
The other thing Eris noticed was the noise level. She'd been a little more conscious of things like that since meeting Michael, and she hoped he wouldn't be bothered too much. If only she'd taken the time to learn some muffling spells or something.
She nodded in understanding, more concerned for his comfort than anything. Eris grinned when he offered to dance with her if they couldn't talk. She wasn't much of a dancer, but she was willing to give it a shot as long as Michael was her partner.
"I'm willing to take that risk." She said before her attention was drawn to a girl in a turkey costume.
Michael was scanning the party, taking it all in when something caught his attention. Brianna. With Maxamillian. He didn't like that. It was true that Maxamillian had never been off with Michael but, even with impaired hearing, you heard certain things. Michael tried to judge people on what he thought of them not what other people said, as he knew that wasn't always accurate. But, whilst trying to reserve judgement, it made him exercise a certain degree of caution around the older boy. Brianna was sweet, but not the most confident person. Someone who was rumoured to have a pretty bad mean streak was not who Michael would have chosen as his friend's party date. He would have chosen someone gentle and kind. Someone like... he mentally ran through every boy in the school and found that he could find fault with all of them, for Brianna. If he had had to rank them though, Maxamillian would have been fairly far down the list. The scenario worried him. At least, it should have worried him. Instead he felt... something else. It was like a combination of angry and upset that he couldn't quite put his finger on.
"Can we go say hi to my friends?" he asked Eris, nodding in the direction of Brianna and her date. It was stretching things a little to say that Maxamillian was his friend but he needed to get over there to... At this point, he realised that he had no real idea of what he was striding over there to do but it was now a bit late to change direction. He wanted to do the thing that big brothers did in films, where they warned people that if they didn't treat their sister right they would have them to answer to. Except, instead of doing that, he just wanted to do something to make Maxamillian leave Brianna alone altogether. And, in reality, there was no way that he could say anything like that because people just didn't in real life and because Maxamillian was perfectly capable of hexing him to pieces.
"Hi," he greeted Brianna and Maxamillian. "Good to see you," he smiled at them, though really more meaning Brianna. If he was smart he would come up with some subtle coded way for Maxamillian to get his meaning. If he was tough, he would give him a long, manly stare-down (albeit one that currently lacked depth perception) that silently conveyed his message. He wasn't really either of these things though. He couldn't win a stare out with an ADHD-afflicted goldfish, much less someone like Maxamillian. He managed to just about make eye contact with the older boy as he said hello.
"Have you met Eris?" he asked, turning slightly towards the Greek Goddess on his arm, lest they were unsure who he was talking about. "She just transferred in this year. Eris, this is my friend Brianna and-" he realised after he had said it that he had used 'friend' in the singular which meant he had to come up with a different epithet for Maxamillian. That was fair enough as he and Maxamillian weren't really friends. But was he Brianna's date? It was definitely not clear enough that that was the case for Michael to introduce him as such. Besides which, in his world, it damn well wasn't true, "Maxamillian," he added. "Maxamillian and Brianna, Eris."
13
Michael Grosvenor and Eris Ackart
It might be wise.
199
Michael Grosvenor and Eris Ackart
0
5
Josh McLachlan
October 13, 2012 1:38 PM
I'm not that scary, am I? by Josh McLachlan
It was getting darker and Josh didn't like the idea of sticking around next to the Halloween section of the party much longer. Then it would be completely dark and he wouldn't be able to see anything, much less anything that might pop out at them from the labyrinth. He was glad when Brianna accepted his compliment graciously. He couldn't remember the last time he had actually complimented someone even if it was just out of politeness. This all felt strangely familiar, except it had been at a different place during a different time with a different girl.When Brianna said that Christmas was her favorite, Josh was relieved. He was glad she hadn't said Halloween, or he would have been doomed. He was curious when she said that her parents only stayed with her during Christmas, and he wondered if she was one of those girls who was from a poor, working family. He didn't meet too many purebloods who could say that they were from that sort. She would, in fact, be the first, and Josh realized that he could probably relate better to her than to any of the other purebloods he did know. It was comforting, though he couldn't fully relate to the happy environment she seemed to experience every Christmas. He wanted to ask her about it, but he didn't want to bring down the mood. He was sensitive about those things even when people assumed he didn't seem to care about anything.
"I wouldn't have been mad," Josh said, looking at her costume again. "If one of us was going to, I'm glad it was you. You look much better dressed up than I would have." Besides the fact that Josh hated dressing up in costumes. "If you like dressing up, I'm glad you did." He gave her a little smile, and then turned away to look over at the Christmas section, wanting to go over there. Brianna seemed to get the idea, or at least she felt the same way, because she began moving. Josh quickly caught on and walked on next to her, his hands in his pockets. It was funny that she had never been to a party before, and he was about to say that he was definitely the wrong person to ask when Michael and another girl approached them.
When Michael greeted them, Josh felt a little strange with the way he barely looked at him. Josh had only interacted with Michael through class, and it was true that Josh didn't observe him as much as he observed his other classmates, but he knew that Michael was much friendlier. There was something odd about him, and Josh had guessed, after partnering with him in class, that he had to be at least a little hard of hearing, or that he practiced selective hearing. It wasn't going to be something Josh called him out on or would question him about to confirm his hypothesis, but it did make Josh a little more curious about him when he remembered.
It was clear that Michael was here for Brianna, so Josh thought he'd better not say anything, but be the good, silent companion while she socialized. He wondered once again why Brianna hadn't asked someone else, like Michael, who seemed more friendly. There wasn't anything special about Josh that warranted Brianna's attention, but he enjoyed her company. The more he learned about her, the more he realized that they had more things in common than other students here.
It was strange to think that just three years ago, Josh would have been the one greeting people at parties, before the giant fiasco back at his old school had happened. He and his roommates had been good friends before the roommates became backstabbers along with the other friends Josh had had then. He had been a different person then too. Happier, more relaxed. The old Josh was absolutely foreign to the new Josh now, and being in an environment that reminded him of his old life made him feel strange. He did not want to fall back into that trap of vulnerability, however, and focused on pushing that feeling away as Michael introduced them to Eris. He noted how Michael referred to Brianna as his friend and Josh as simply, "Maximilian." If that wasn't a clear indication of the way Michael felt about both Josh and his companion, he didn't know what was.
"It's 'Josh,' actually," he said quietly, nodding a greeting at Eris. "I'm a transfer student too, but I transferred here last year." He had always wondered if the first-year international students lost their accent, or if their accents changed over the course of seven years. His Scottish-Australian accent hadn't been influenced by the American one yet, and he was in his fifth year now. It was probably because he was older and past the age where his manner of speech was still malleable.
He knew that Eris existed at this school because he had seen her before in their classes. He hadn't really met another transfer student before, but he had assumed, since he had not seen her before this year, that she was one. Maybe it was somewhere they could relate, but Josh was at a loss of words on how to approach the topic without alienating the others. He looked to Brianna, hoping that she would be less awkward since Michael was her friend and all.
0
Josh McLachlan
I'm not that scary, am I?
0
Josh McLachlan
0
5
Brianna
October 13, 2012 3:23 PM
I don't think so by Brianna
Brianna was genuinely happy that Josh seemed to appreciate her costume. When her mother had originally sent it, she had questioned whether or not it was a good idea. She didn’t know Josh on a personal level yet and wasn’t sure if she ever really would, so she wasn’t sure if this whole situation was something he would really want to be a part of. There were days when Brianna wished that David were still at Sonora because she knew that he would have come with her without hesitation. He had been her first real friend and the only person who seemed to have known how awful things were at home for her without ever needing her to say it. She still felt like she had to tiptoe around everyone else.For some reason, though, she seemed to just tell Josh things. Maybe it was because he was so quiet and he let her talk that she just needed to ramble away to fill the void. Or maybe it was just that she needed to say it and since Josh wasn’t close to anyone that she felt safe saying it. She had no idea, but she hoped that she didn’t regret it.
She was pleased that he was not angry with her and seemed to really enjoy her outfit. Well, maybe not enjoy, but at least appreciated it just a little bit. “Oh, I don’t know, I think you might have made a really nice looking Elf.” Brianna commented, trying to be complimentary but not sure if she was pulling it off. “At least we match. Does that mean that Christmas is your favorite too?”
When they began to move, they were intercepted by Michael and the new transfer that Brianna had seen in classes. Brianna, having no confidence and little self-esteem, looked at the girl in hesitation and now was second-guessing her choice of outfit for the hundredth time that evening. The girl was rather pretty and had on a short dress that glowed. Brianna looked like a too thin idiot dressed like a stupid elf. “Hi Michael.” Brianna greeted with a pleasant smile. She has happy to see him, even though seeing him with the girl only solidified her original thought that it had been best that she hadn’t asked him. He wouldn’t have wanted to go with someone like her anyway. He wanted girls who could pull of looks like what his date was wearing.
Her brown eyes turned to Eris after the introduction, but Josh was already correcting the use of his name and admitting that he and Eris shared something in common by being transfers. “It’s nice to meet you, Eris.” Brianna greeted, still with a smile though not quite meeting her in the eye. Brianna had a hard time with girls. They judged her and if Attoria was anything to go by, they also talked poorly about you to others. “You have a lovely costume. You both do.” Brianna complimented. “I like your pirate look.” She said to Michael. If Eris was a Goddess, she wondered if she shouldn’t have come with Cepheus, who had been named for a Greek God or something like that. That might have been fun to see.
“Josh was kind enough to keep me company tonight. I wasn’t sure who would be coming, but I really wanted to.” Brianna explained, though she wasn’t really sure why she felt the need to. It wasn’t like anyone else had asked her or anything, so there was no reason for her to feel guilty. “I’ve never been to a costume party, so we were just figuring out what to do.”
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Brianna
I don't think so
0
Brianna
0
5
Michael Grosvenor
October 13, 2012 6:23 PM
These people strike just when you let your guard down! by Michael Grosvenor
Maxamillian was pretty quietly spoken and was pretty much drowned out by the background noise. But he seemed to be looking towards Eris, so Michael just guessed he was making introductions. Eris wasn't bursting into tears so he trusted the older boy was being pleasant. He tried to recall whether he had mentioned his hearing impairment to Maxamillian when they had worked together. He usually ended up mentioning it when working with someone. Either up front to make things easier or when they did something, as they invariably did, like look away as they spoke.Michael had a better eyeline on Brianna and she spoke at a more normal volume than Maxamillian. The comment about pirates came across fairly clearly and was well supported by context and being easy to lip-read.
“You make a nice elf,” he smiled.
The rest of what Brianna was saying was a bit harder to follow. He was sure he was staring at her pretty intently but also that she had adjusted to this habit of his. They had got to the party pretty early and there weren't that many other people there yet. If he focussed very hard on Brianna's voice, he could get most of the words.
“Who's..?” he began before putting two and two together. The other guy was definitely Maxamillian on the register. The register was done in silence and it wasn't like Michael could have misheard one name for the other. He guessed it was must be a middle name. He wondered whether Maxa- Josh had told him that before, maybe in Potions. He'd look pretty silly for having forgotten that. “Sorry if you've told me that before,” he said to Ma-Josh, “I don't always hear very well...” his voice trailed off a little towards the end of his sentence. It might not have been new information, as it may well have come up when they worked together. Even if it was, people at Sonora hadn't given him grief. And, for all the bad things he'd heard about M- Josh, Michael didn't get the impression that the problem was him actively bullying people. Just being up himself or bossy or something. He managed to keep his eyes on the older boy as he addressed him, mostly because he needed to monitor him for his reaction, but the hand that was resting on Eris' arm tightened its grip just a little bit.
The rest of what Brianna said was mostly just things about parties and coming to parties being nice or... It seemed like it was small talk. Nothing he really needed to give a reaction to. Well, he might have liked to have given a reaction to the fact that she was here was Josh but he still hadn't really figured out what to do about that. He thought about reassuring her that he hadn't really known what to expect either and not wanting to look stupid in his costume but, whilst he didn't mind sharing his feelings with his friends, he minded sharing them with Josh.
13
Michael Grosvenor
These people strike just when you let your guard down!
199
Michael Grosvenor
0
5
Eris Ackart
October 14, 2012 1:52 AM
Wait...what? by Eris Ackart
Eris nodded, and let Michael lead the way toward his friends. She saw Waverly, but wasn’t exactly sure what she was supposed to be, and she thought she spotted Henny talking to a candelabra. The other two boys she’d spoken to were nowhere to be seen, unless of course they were dressed up and Eris simply didn’t recognize them. For the first time that night, her thoughts drifted home, and she couldn’t help but wonder what Irvin and Abigal were up to. They would have had fun together at something like this, and she reckoned they both would have got on well with Michael. She hoped so, anyway.Eris thought it slightly strange that Michael referred to Josh as Maximillian. He’d gotten her name a little wrong when they first met, but she couldn’t quite put together how the two fit together. They were friends, weren’t they? Josh seemed nice enough, and though Eris couldn’t quite figure out if he was supposed to be dressed as something or not, his accent was interesting. She wondered where he was from, it sounded a bit like Scottish, but it had an outside influence.
“Nice to meet you, Josh.” She said with a smile. “Where did you transfer from? I can’t place your accent.” She added before turning her attention to Brianna. Eris hadn’t considered coming to the party dressed as something from any of the other upcoming holidays, but she loved Brianna’s costume. She knew her enthusiasm had a tendency to overwhelm those closest to her, so Eris tried to dial it down before responding to the girl’s comment on her goddess getup.
“Thanks, Brianna. It’s lovely to meet you as well, and your costume is fantastic. I hadn’t thought about going as anything Christmas, but you look great!” She gushed. She nodded in understanding as Brianna explained about not wanted to be here alone, and having had Josh come with her thought she felt as though that was for Michael’s benefit more than anything else.
“I felt the same way, but it worked out.” Eris said with a smile. “I think mostly you mingle with other people, dance if you’re feeling brave, and they mentioned free food…” She added before turning to see exactly where the food was. No one really seemed to be eating yet, though everything looked amazing. The Teppenpaw girl’s stomach grumbled slightly, having missed lunch in order to get her hair just right.
She turned back to them as Michael seemed to be apologizing to Josh, and his grip changed. She wasn’t sure exactly what is meant; maybe he was having a hard time hearing? She wasn’t entirely sure of what to do, and couldn’t help but noticed that Michael’s attention was very much fixed on Josh, even though he wasn’t really saying much. What had she missed, exactly? Eris placed her free hand on top of Michael’s and patted it reassuringly as she tried to read between the lines.
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Eris Ackart
Wait...what?
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Eris Ackart
0
5
Josh McLachlan
October 14, 2012 2:51 PM
Let's not jump to conclusions by Josh McLachlan
It was clear that Brianna was pleased with Josh's statement, and he was glad for it. He wouldn't want to alienate yet another person here, especially one that seemed interested in pursuing his friendship. He wasn't exactly sure, but it sounded like she was teasing him about being a nice-looking elf. Understanding teasing was a little hard for him, but thankfully he didn't have to respond to it. It was true; they did match, and Josh was glad again that he had made an effort to fit into at least one of the holidays. "If I had to choose between Halloween and Christmas, then yes, Christmas is my favorite. There's no real particular reason why, though." Christmas was just like any other day, except maybe his uncle was out of the house more and brought friends over. His little cousin still screamed and threw tantrums, but she was a little quieter with her new toys and such.Eris seemed pleasant enough now that he was talking to her. "I'm originally from Scotland, but I've lived in Australia since I was eight." That was the simple explanation. Josh didn't mention that he had been born in Colorado, had moved to Pennsylvania at a year old, moved to Scotland at a year and a half, then moved to England when he was seven, before moving to Australia a year later. It was a complicated explanation, and Josh didn't think anyone would care enough to hear about all that. "I transferred from the New Zealand Academy of Magic," he told her, and that was that. The reason for his transfer was a whole other story that he was unwilling to share with acquaintances.
When it Michael didn't seem to have a clue who "Josh" was, Josh knew that his assumption had been correct. Michael did have a legitimate hearing problem, and he made a note to speak up when he spoke to him next time. His face was blank, and he looked over at Michael who was looking over at him expectantly. "It's alright," he said slightly louder, shaking his head slightly. He didn't want to make Michael feel entirely uncomfortable or embarrassed. "I'll make sure to articulate better next time." Josh was soft-spoken, though his voice was like ice most of the time.
Eris seemed to have a good idea of what people did at parties, and Josh didn't really care for eating the free food yet. Maybe getting a cup of cider would be good, though. There would absolutely be no dancing on Josh's part, and he wasn't sure too many people would want to mingle with him. He was going to be such a horrible companion. Poor Brianna. "Would you all like to go over to the refreshments, then?" he asked, looking at each of them to goad their reactions. "It doesn't seem like too many people are feeling very brave at the moment, and mingling with food is, I'm sure, a necessity." At least it would give their hands and mouths something to do.
0
Josh McLachlan
Let's not jump to conclusions
0
Josh McLachlan
0
5
Brianna
October 14, 2012 5:29 PM
Haven't we all already? by Brianna
“Oh.” Brianna said quietly, slightly disappointed that he wasn’t going to elaborate as to why he either really hated Halloween or he enjoyed the Christmas cheer just a little bit better. She wasn’t really sure if she had the right to ask him for clarification. They weren’t friends. Not really. He did her a favor by allowing her to eat with him so that she wouldn’t have to eat alone. He was doing her a favor by coming to the party with her, but he had made it clear that he wasn’t into it. “Are you just not a fan of holidays?” She asked him. Everyone had a different story, so if he wasn’t that was for him alone. She didn’t really care for the other holidays and nothing special happened on her birthday for her to really find it to be a celebration (of course, since she was at school during her birthday, that was probably why there was no celebrating). Christmas was just the one day of the year where she felt like she was worth anything. Her parents faked being happy for her, they gave her something nice, they had a pleasant meal together; the whole shebang. She always believed that how everything fell into place for her on Christmas was how most people ended their day every day.After seeing Eris and listening to her talk to Josh about their common situation, Brianna didn’t really believe either of them when they complimented her look. And now that she was thinking about it, she felt that Josh probably just said she looked nice to make her feel better. She looked stupid. This whole thing had been a ridiculous idea. She was never going to be a princess. She was never going to be pretty. Her mouth was too big, her eyes too narrow, her freckles were annoying, and she was too skinny. She hadn’t even thought to do anything with her hair. Brianna smiled though because that was the polite thing to do and thanked them both for the compliments.
Brianna looked at Michael and Eris’s linked arms and had to wonder if they were dating. The two of them seemed so at ease with everything and it was clear that Eris was at least happy about being with him. Brianna lowered her eyes to the ground and kept them there while everyone seemed to figure out what to do next. She wanted to slip away and pretend that this didn’t happen. She was just fooling herself. People wanted to be around someone like Eris, who was happy and pleasant and pretty, not her. Even Josh seemed to want to stay with Eris as he suggested that they all move to the refreshments together. Josh never seemed to like to be around people but he wanted to stay with them.
She didn’t know what to do. She could make an excuse and say that she wasn’t feeling very well and just leave and the boys could have their fun with Eris, she was sure that’s what they wanted anyway. But she just found herself nodding to the suggestion. Why? Why couldn’t she just make an excuse and leave? She knew why though, she didn’t want to miss out like she always did and would rather make herself miserable instead of escape to her dorm room. Before she moved though, she reached out to touch Michael’s free arm to get his attention. “Is that safe?” She asked, pointing to the eye patch. “Can you see out of it?”
0
Brianna
Haven't we all already?
0
Brianna
0
5
Michael Grosvenor
October 14, 2012 6:20 PM
I am collecting evidence. That is all. by Michael Grosvenor
Josh kept a poker face and was shaking his head. These weren't the easiest signals to interpret but he'd raised his voice enough that Michael could make out what he'd said. He gave him a little smile and a nod to acknowledge and/or thank him. He took his eyes mostly off the older boy but kept him in his peripheral vision in case he started talking again. This was hard work. He felt Eris' hand rest on his and give it a little squeeze. It made it so much better. Just a little reassurance, with no words. It was perfect. He wanted to give her a squeeze and thank her. He'd just have to remember to tell her later.With Josh's next remarks, he seemed to be looking to everyone for a response. Michael couldn't really see Eris' response unless she twisted round to face him directly. He watched Brianna instead. She seemed not to really be with them... Brianna was often a bit unsure around other people. Michael wasn't sure why. She was pretty and what she said usually made a lot of sense. He knew she'd had trouble at home but not, as far as he knew, at Sonora. He'd been in the same boat as her when he started but he was starting to feel better about things. Aside from occasional Pureblood confidence collapses. He always tried to buoy Brianna's spirits when they talked, to point out the things she was good at, or to just generally be nice. He guessed it wasn't really working though. He wondered what else he could do. He glanced back to the others, in case they were looking at him for a response, and then felt Brianna tap on his arm. He turned his attention back to her, getting that the gist of her questioning was about his eye patch.
“Nope, half blind, can't hear... hopeless case,” he smiled at her. He glanced over. Eris and Josh seemed to be chatting about something. He lowered his voice to a whisper. “I hope I'm not rubbish company for Eris.” Eris and Brianna had both asked about whether he could see through his eye patch. It seemed obvious to him. It was black plastic. Black plastic was not see through. Maybe there was some magic wizard plastic you could see through. Or a Charm. “Could you make it see through?” he asked Brianna.
Eris and Josh seemed to be looking to them for some kind of response and Brianna had nodded, so he nodded too, hoping that was the response he was meant to be giving too.
13
Michael Grosvenor
I am collecting evidence. That is all.
199
Michael Grosvenor
0
5
Eris Ackart
October 14, 2012 10:34 PM
I'd make a horrible gumshoe by Eris Ackart
“Australia via Scotland, eh?” Eris said, curious about what made Josh move that far from home. “I’m from Yorkshire England. Not too far from Scotland.” She added with a smile. She also found it interesting that he ended up at Sonora. Didn’t they have schools in Australia? Why had he gone to school in New Zealand? The girl wasn’t sure that the party was the best time to ask though—she’d gotten lucky with Michael receiving her onslaught of questions as well as he had, she wasn’t going to try to press her luck. Besides, Brianna was surprisingly quiet, and Eris didn’t want to step on toes by monopolizing her date’s attention in order to sate her curiosity.She noticed that the girl’s attention shifted to Michael, and Brianna didn’t really say anything else to Eris. Maybe she hadn’t been talking to her at all? Was she wrong for talking to Josh, or was something else bothering Brianna? Eris couldn’t understand where she’d gone wrong, and while it bothered her a little, she didn’t know the girl well enough to be overly concerned with it.
Everyone seemed to agree that it was time to visit the refreshments, and Eris was glad for it. She was always happier when she’d eaten, and maybe it’d help take the edge off of her nerves. She caught Michael whispering something to Brianna, followed by him asking her to help him with his eye patch. Eris honestly hoped that she could, knowing he’d be better off being able to use both of his eyes since his ears were having a bit of trouble coping with all the noise.
“Refreshments would be lovely.” She said, since no one else was really speaking up. She looked in the direction of the snack table again and noticed someone who kind of looked like Jorge. She wondered if it would be improper of her to go over and say hello. Eris didn’t want to leave Michael’s side, particularly since it was harder to communicate what she was doing and that she’d be right back. Maybe, she thought, they’d be able to go say hello to her friends as well. Though she wasn’t entirely sure Jorge was a friend, exactly.
“Shall we?”
0
Eris Ackart
I'd make a horrible gumshoe
0
Eris Ackart
0
5
Josh McLachlan
October 14, 2012 11:01 PM
...gumshoe? by Josh McLachlan
Josh hesitated for a slight second before answering Brianna’s question. He trusted her enough to at least reveal that much about himself. “I’ve never seen holidays as anything special,” he confessed. “It’s never been a noteworthy day for me, Christmas. Christmas or Halloween.” He wondered if he should tell her a little more, but that was when Michael and Eris joined them.Eris’s accent made it obvious that she was from England. He wasn’t too familiar with the cities in England, just Birmingham. There wasn’t a magical school in Australia; everyone who was magical in that area went to school in New Zealand, but the Academy wasn’t exactly reputable. It had a fancy, professional name, but the courses weren’t as difficult as they were at Sonora, nor were the students all that academic. They were more focused on the social aspect of boarding school life. Josh had found the purebloods there really conservative, maybe even a little extreme, so he had been good friends with a lot of half-bloods and muggle-borns, which had gotten him into trouble, hence his transfer.
Josh felt a little territorial as he watched Brianna touch Michael’s arm and ask him about his eye patch, but then he told himself that Brianna was allowed to have friends. Just because Josh didn’t have any real close friends here didn’t mean others couldn’t. He erased the jealous thoughts in his mind, or at least tucked them away so it wouldn’t bother him.
Brianna’s cheery mood did seem to fade a little with Eris and Michael here, and Josh wondered why that was. She couldn’t feel insecure, could she? Or maybe she had a crush on Michael and was disappointed to find that he had brought someone else. In that case, Josh really did feel like a last-minute resort. The feelings that it evoked within him, knowing that she had really wanted to ask Michael but might’ve asked him just to make the other boy jealous, threatened to crush his mood, but he buried it. He should have known that Brianna had an ulterior motive. Everyone always did, though, as he had learned last year, nobody liked to be confronted about it.
Eris spoke up, then, agreeing to go to the refreshment table. Josh looked over at Brianna, who seemed to be slightly preoccupied with Michael, and said in a voice louder than his normal one for Michael’s benefit, “Let’s go to the refreshments.” He almost touched Brianna’s elbow to get her attention, but thought better of it before his arm moved from his side. He wasn’t sure if he and Brianna were even at the stage of friendship where he could touch her arm without seeming too forward or something, even if it was platonic. Maybe she wanted to be left alone with Michael, but Josh had always been selfish. He wasn’t going to let her leave him alone at this party after she had asked him to go with her.
0
Josh McLachlan
...gumshoe?
0
Josh McLachlan
0
5
Brianna
October 15, 2012 1:57 AM
Like a Detective by Brianna
Brianna was curious to know more about the holiday issue with Josh and when she felt comfortable (and when they were alone) she would ask him more about it. It was his choice whether or not he wanted to tell her, of course, and she would never push the issue if he didn’t want to talk about it. Brianna didn’t like to be forced into a corner any more than the next person and she didn’t want to become that person. Besides, Josh might resent her for even asking to begin with.The more that Eris and Josh spoke to each other, even if it was about something so simple as the fact that they were both transfers, just made Brianna more aware of how much everyone preferred others over her. She was never going to be a good conversationalist because she never knew what to say or if she would offend someone. She was never going to be overly cheery and full of laughter because her life’s situation didn’t really allow for those delightful moments no matter how hard she tried for it. She just didn’t know how to operate and it was becoming increasingly clear the longer she stood with the three of them. She thought she was on equal ground with Josh, but it seemed that he was only feeling sorry for her and clearly did not want to spend the evening with her.
It was Michael’s comment, though, that felt like a punch to her stomach and she didn’t know why. She figured they were dating because they came together, but hearing him show his concern over Eris’ evening made it all the more real. Brianna didn’t know how to respond to this. It seemed like he was looking for advice but she had none to give. For some reason, Brianna had thought Michael was different. He was bullied, he would understand her, and everything else that came with it. She thought he hadn’t minded working with her in class or talking to her in general. Brianna didn’t know how she felt about him, but it was clear how he felt about her. She was a nobody. She wasn’t someone to ever consider for anything. She was invisible.
She tried to keep her face even though, but she was aware that she wasn’t the best at remaining stoic. She whispered back and kept as clear as possible so that he could read her lips, “If she thinks that, she doesn’t deserve you.” That was as good as she could do really in that situation. She felt like throwing up after the sucker punch. She wished that Josh had just said no to her so that she was laying in bed wondering what was going on instead of being in the middle of it. “Sorry, I didn’t bring my wand and I don’t know the charm.” Brianna said, feeling rather dumb. “I know that there is a charm though, if Josh doesn’t know it, you could always just flip the patch up and only wear it for the pictures?” Brianna suggested with a slight shrug.
Josh and Eris were readily agreeing to go to the refreshments table and even though Brianna agreed, she hesitated. “Josh…” She called out, reaching for him to stop him, but quickly snatched her hands back and winced as though she had done something wrong. It was something she did out of habit. “You two go on ahead, we’ll be right over.” Brianna said to Michael and Eris before stepping away from them to talk to Josh. When they were alone, she wasn’t sure what to say at first. She felt silly but she wanted to be away from the other two. “I’m sorry.” She began, not looking up into his face, “This was a mistake. I don’t belong here with everyone and I look really stupid. You should have come with someone better.” She was being honest with him. She felt horrible for having guilted him into going with her when he hadn’t wanted to. She didn’t know how she went from feeling pretty and so normal to feeling so at a loss and hopeless. She was starting to panic because she was ruining his night too and she hadn’t meant to. “I don’t…know how… to do this.” She was having a hard time trying to convey what she needed to. “It’s really overwhelming and I want you to have fun, but I don’t know how to. So, if you want to back out, it’s okay.”
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Brianna
Like a Detective
0
Brianna
0
5
