Mariel stared at the boy incredulously as he spoke and had to stifle giggles as this eleven year old, she guessed, sounded very much like her father, calling her my dear girl. Regaining her composure, she leaned her arm back on the counter and tilted her head. "You're right, maybe it wasn't very nice, but I was just joking." She shrugged, then added a little sheepishly, "A little conversation starter?" Mariel felt a little badly. She hardly knew this boy at all, she didn't know her ribbing would hurt his feelings.

"Listen, I apologize if my remarks made your bad day worse, certainly not my intention." Gah! Was she actually apologizing? So unlike her. Luckily this Gryffie caught her in a weak moment. "It's just that I saw you arguing with my friend and I was afraid that she would lose points the same way you did. That, and it seems like every class I'm in, people act like it's social hour. Just me being a studious Ravenclaw, I guess." She sighed as she pulled out her money bag and turned her attention to pulling out the correct amount for her purchases.

Mariel looked back up at him when he apologized, gave him a small smile and nodded. "Okay. Sorry you're having such a bad day." She grinned when he held out his hand. He did have some manners. Shaking his hand, she said, "Good to meet you Nathaniel, I'm Mariel. Although I may still call you Gryffie Boy and feel free to call me Little Miss Perfect. I think it suits me." Why oh why did his name have to be Nathaniel? She actually liked that name. It would be so much easier to call him Gryffie Boy if he had gotten stuck with a weird name. Oh well, she was sure she could work his fun nickname in somewhere and it just made it easier that he agreed to being called that.