Sierra seriously felt Evelyn's pain. Who wanted to be told it was time to study more and pretty much desert their social life for the next six months?! Certainly not Sierra. ...and apparently not Evelyn either. Then again, this was the OWL exams they were talking about here. From what Sierra had heard, those exams were killer hard.

She needed a question now, didn't she? Hmm... "Alright, so my question is--how will I do in our next Quidditch match?" she said. ...and if the sticks indicated a broken neck or something, Sierra was faking sick that day for sure. She glanced at Evelyn expectantly, waiting to hear what her sticks had to say.

She's been working her mind to a puddle for the last few months! It was her friends that needed the working. Barely even pick up a book unless it was required in class. This...this is why she didn't like divination. YES, she was referring to this as divination...because it totally was! Whether true or not!

Grumbling, Evelyn sat back and took the book from Sierra (as gently as possible in her mood that is), and picked up the China Tongue (meh?) set she had gotten from the classroom. Right. Quidditch.

She didn't want to think about quidditch but if that's what the girl wanted to know...

Shaking the set, she made sure they were all random before randomly picking out a stick. "The number is...seven." Tooooo the book! "Which means analytical and mystical." Aw riiighhht. The number seven. It was supposed to be lucky wasn't it?

...She really hated numbers at the moment.

Seething in silence for just a moment, Evelyn took a deep breath, calmed her features, and continued on. Brilliant. "The number seven also means intellectual, inner wisdom, intuitive, skeptical, loner, reserved, reason and...dignity." Soo, how did that all tie in with quidditch? "So, this is probably saying that, you'll make better choices during our next game? Using intuition and...reasoning...to outsmart the other team and anticipate their moves so you can block those shots easily. It's just you being the keeper so, you gotta make the rights calls."

Pffft. Seven.

As quickly as it had nearly gone by, Sierra was so ready for this homework assignment to be over and done with. She absolutely loathed anything related to Arithmancy, Ancient Runes, and Divination--and this assignment seemed to be a combination of at least two of those. Meh. She better get a lucky-numbered stick, at the very least.

Analytical? Mystical? What in the name of Merlin did that mean, hmm? With a blank expression on her face, Sierra just blinked at Evelyn. There was more to it than that, right?! Hopefully, because Sierra was already lost, and Evelyn had only said two words.

Moments later, the reading was finished, and Sierra had learned that she'd do better in the next game. Loner, though? ...reserved? She made a slight face at those two, but the rest of the reading sounded okay. "Make the right calls...right. No pressure at all," she joked. "So what's the next step? Are we done?"

Please say yes.

Right, no pressure.

...

Gah! They really needed to win that next game.

Shaking quidditch from her thoughts, Evelyn blinked and glanced at Sierra, staring at her for a moment before closing the Arithmancy book and giving it back to her. "Yea, I think that's it. We just had to give a reading to one another." And, she'll write down the interpretation later in her notes just so she could remember.

Standing up, she straightened her skirt before placing the stick game set back into her bag and heaving it over her shoulder. What...what class did she have next?

So...Arithmancy homework was now over and done with? Completely? Well, she still had to hand in something to the professor, but at least the long and boring part was out of the way. She'd had a good partner, though--a friend, which made the assignment a lot more tolerable than usual.

"Thank Merlin," she answered, breathing a sigh of relief. "That's one more assignment I can check off the long list." She picked up her own bag and threw it across her shoulder. "Time for Charms class. I'll see you around." Giving Evelyn a small smile, Sierra turned on her heels and headed out the door.

Miss Bott stood in front of mirror at the sink, humming as she worked a curl around her thumb. She had the water running to drown out the sounds of anyone else that might be about.

This was one of the worst parts of Hogwarts - no private bathroom. At home she had her OWN. Sharing a toilet was a hair on the barbaric side. BUT this bathroom had the best set of mirrors and Neptune often dashed in when she had a moment to spare.

Marie had a few minutes between classes so she ran into the bathroom to freshen up her makeup. She couldn't believe term was almost over and it would be time to go home. Home where she wouldn't have to worry about feeling her heart break a little more each time she ran into James.

No. She wasn't going to think about him right now. She had done the right thing. Letting him go was in no way easy for her but she knew in her heart that it was the only way she could make him happy. And his happiness was more important to her than her own now.

Not paying attention to anyone else in the bathroom she took out her lip gloss and started to put it on just as she realized that someone was standing next to her... and that someone was...

Neptune.

Did she know yet what had happened with her and Jim? She really wasn't too sure how many people knew yet. She herself had only told a few of her friends. Seeing as how the girl was standing next to her though it looked like this would be the perfect time to find out what she did know.

Putting her lip gloss away she turned to the blonde. "Hello Neptune."

See. She could be nice. Now could Neptune play nice too?

Neptune's eyes had followed Marie from her entrance to her greeting. It wasn't until then she diverted her attention back to the mirror, away from the Slytherin. She didn't want to leave as soon as the girl came in, but she also had no intentions of lingering. Not after the Infirmary debacle. No, she was simply going finish up her curl and leave.

..or would have had Marie not spoken to her. Neptune paused, heavily, before replying with unhelped wariness. ".....Hi." As discretely as possible, Neptune moved down to the next sink, putting more space between her and the blond she-snake.

Marie didn't miss Neptune's hesitation in talking to her, or the fact that she moved further away from her. Knowing she would probably never have another opportunity like this again she she just decided to say what was on her mind. Turning so she was leaning on the sink she took a deep breath.

It was now or never. Just spit it out.

"Neptune, I just wanted to apologize about the way I acted towards you the other day. I know you were only worried about how Jim was. What I said to you was uncalled for. I'm sorry for that." Yes it was true. Marie Salazar was apologizing to Neptune Bott for the things she had said. Now it was up to Neptune if she wanted to accept the apology or not.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The1HBIC

Marie didn't miss Neptune's hesitation in talking to her, or the fact that she moved further away from her. Knowing she would probably never have another opportunity like this again she she just decided to say what was on her mind. Turning so she was leaning on the sink she took a deep breath.

It was now or never. Just spit it out.

"Neptune, I just wanted to apologize about the way I acted towards you the other day. I know you were only worried about how Jim was. What I said to you was uncalled for. I'm sorry for that." Yes it was true. Marie Salazar was apologizing to Neptune Bott for the things she had said. Now it was up to Neptune if she wanted to accept the apology or not.

Neptune was thinking she'd lingered juuuuuuuuust long enough to not be labeled as overtly eager to make a get-away.... when The Chosen One began talking at her. To her.

..

...apologizing...? to Neptune....?

She blinked her big blue eyes at herself in the mirror, and noted that she looked as perplexed as she felt by those words.

The apology was followed by another heavy, long, awkward round of silence from Neptune. She could HEAR herself breathing and every drip and drop and leak and... bleh.

".... I shouldn't have been there at all. You were right." About all of it. Meh. Neptune turned her posture slightly away from Marie, but she could still see the Slytherin in the mirror, and the Slytherin her as well via reflections.

O___O

Marie's eyes got big as Neptune spoke. Neptune was telling Marie that she was right? Well now, this was an unexpected turn of events.

Looking at the girl through the mirror her expression softened. "No, you were just as worried as I was. You had just as much right to be there as I did... maybe even more than I did." She trailed off. Stopping for a minute she bit on her bottom lip. This was a lot harder than she thought it would be but if she stopped now she knew she would never say what she was thinking.

Taking a deep breath and looking away from Neptune's reflection she continued. "I know I don't stand a chance of Jim ever caring for me the way he cares for you." Looking back at Neptune now she felt her eyes stinging a little.

No.

She wasn't going to cry. It wasn't going to happen. Not here, not in front of Neptune.

Must say what she wanted to before it was to late. "You're the one he carries in his heart, not me. I can't ever compete with that. That's why I..." Deep breath Marie, you can do this. "That's why I broke up with him."

Quote:

Originally Posted by The1HBIC

O___O

Marie's eyes got big as Neptune spoke. Neptune was telling Marie that she was right? Well now, this was an unexpected turn of events.

Looking at the girl through the mirror her expression softened. "No, you were just as worried as I was. You had just as much right to be there as I did... maybe even more than I did." She trailed off. Stopping for a minute she bit on her bottom lip. This was a lot harder than she thought it would be but if she stopped now she knew she would never say what she was thinking.

Taking a deep breath and looking away from Neptune's reflection she continued. "I know I don't stand a chance of Jim ever caring for me the way he cares for you." Looking back at Neptune now she felt her eyes stinging a little.

No.

She wasn't going to cry. It wasn't going to happen. Not here, not in front of Neptune.

Must say what she wanted to before it was to late. "You're the one he carries in his heart, not me. I can't ever compete with that. That's why I..." Deep breath Marie, you can do this. "That's why I broke up with him."

Neptune wasn't going agree or disagree on her degree of worry. She'd been incapacitated by it, blinded. Fear for Jim had turned her stupid and careless.

But she did have to correct Marie - again - on WHO should have been there. "No. I didn't. I ..." just... Jimmy would have ... Neptune cut those thoughts off. Didn't matter now because Neptune HAD left. With JAKE. Didn't do any good to dwell.

I know I don't stand a chance of Jim ever caring for me the way he cares for you.

Neptune spun around, somehow managing to look MORE confused than she was before. And maybe a splash indignant. THAT just wasn't TRUE.

"You what?" No. Really. REALLY. What? Neptune Bott ... blinked rapidly and breathed very little. That was ... that was EXACTLY what Neptune had tried not to do. Since that day over the summer when Jim had said those things and told her about his exclusive girlfriend she'd TRIED to not...

"You can't do that. Please. Please, Marie, don't do that. Not because of me..." yeahh...... she was pleading a bit. Ehh.

Well now, this is another unexpected reaction from Neptune. The girl was practically begging Marie not to break up with Jim because of her. Where was that coming from? She thought for sure Neptune would be gloating by now. Didn't matter though, it had been done. She had told Jim it was time for them to go their separate ways so he could figure out what his heart really felt.

Besides, Marie didn't do this because of Neptune. "It's too late Neptune, It's done." Jim was no longer her boyfriend, he was free to do whatever he wanted to do. Not that he hadn't been free to do what he wanted when she was his girlfriend. "I didn't do it for or because of you, I did it for HIM. I want him to be able to figure out what his heart wants, without me interfering in his life... I just want him to be happy." Yeah, that's how much she cared about him. She would rather see him happy than herself right now.

Marie couldn't stay there any longer. She needed to get out of there. Go somewhere and run or something. Wherever she went she just needed to be alone right now.

Turning to face Neptune one last time she couldn't stop the tears from falling. "I really am sorry for the way I treated you and I hope that you and Jim are able to work out whatever it is you need to work out. Just please, do me one favor. Whatever happens... take care of his heart and make sure he's happy." She was sure Neptune would succeed at this better than she had. After all, she was the one Jim loved.

Wiping the tears from her eyes she turned to leave. Where she was going she had no clue. She just knew it wasn't going to be to her next class.

It's done.

Neptune took another of her long pauses to absorb this new information. Normally, Neptune hated when people cried but THOSE tears .... kind of made her... something else. Annoyed? A little?

If it wasn't the tears, then it was definitely all the hogwash ridiculousness goobleygunk coming from the Slytherin's mouth that made her peeved.


"Oh GOOD Merlin, Marie. Are you really that daft? You were..." lucky...? treasured? CHOSEN, " his and you just up and broke up with him because you think his heart..."

Absolute ludicrousness. Neptune wasn't going to deny the pull between herself and Jim and how they couldn't ever shake each other off or quite get over all their junk. But Marie was a fool if she thought breaking up with him would make him HAPPIER. And TOTALLY brainless if she thought Neptune would be able to make him happy instead.

Everyone knew that.

"You ask the impossible of me. That's so unfair. How about YOU do ME a favor and go tell him you were kidding?" Hmph. Neptune crossed her arms and more or less glared at Marie.

Marie stopped and spun around to glare at Neptune. "I was his... in name only Neptune." She walked back over to the sink and leaned against it again. "You were right... what you said in the hospital wing. There are worse things than being hidden and unclaimed..." She bit her lower lip a little then looked over at Neptune. "..Like being claimed and knowing you're not the one he really wants to be with." As much as she tried to deny it, she couldn't do it any longer. She seen the look on his face and how he acted around Neptune. There was no denying that she was the girl he wanted to be with, not Marie.

"I'm sorry Neptune, but I can't do what you want me to do. I can't tell him I was kidding. I can't lie to him like that." There had been enough lies in their relationship, they didn't need anymore. "I really did mean it. I want him to be happy with the girl he loves... even if that girl isn't me." She truly believed that if she stayed away from him then he would be able to look inside his own heart and figure out who it was he really wanted to be with... Neptune.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The1HBIC

Marie stopped and spun around to glare at Neptune. "I was his... in name only Neptune." She walked back over to the sink and leaned against it again. "You were right... what you said in the hospital wing. There are worse things than being hidden and unclaimed..." She bit her lower lip a little then looked over at Neptune. "..Like being claimed and knowing you're not the one he really wants to be with." As much as she tried to deny it, she couldn't do it any longer. She seen the look on his face and how he acted around Neptune. There was no denying that she was the girl he wanted to be with, not Marie.

"I'm sorry Neptune, but I can't do what you want me to do. I can't tell him I was kidding. I can't lie to him like that." There had been enough lies in their relationship, they didn't need anymore. "I really did mean it. I want him to be happy with the girl he loves... even if that girl isn't me." She truly believed that if she stayed away from him then he would be able to look inside his own heart and figure out who it was he really wanted to be with... Neptune.

Blah blah blah.

Neptune didn't believe that. Sure, she might have said it in the waiting room, but only after Marie had said what SHE said. In fact, Neptune was pretty sure Jim would be pretty sad over being dumped.

And probably really mad that Neptune had some part in it.

UGH. "He does NOT LOVE ME." Pause. "And I DONT love him." Neptune was sort of shouting at Marie, definitely stomping her feet." I dont love ANYONE. He's stupid! You're stupid! Everyone in this whole school is STUPID!"

Neptune turned on the faucet, stuck her hand under the stream, and then splashed Marie. For being stupid and saying stupid things. Hmph. TAKE THAT.

Marie started to roll her eyes when Neptune started yelling at her about not loving Jim. Oh and the foot stomping was laughable.

Really Miss Bott? A hissy fit. How unladylike of you.

"You're right. I am stu..."

O___O

REALLY?

Water Neptune. You splash her with water? Oh this meant war.

Very calmly Marie wiped the water off her face then with a quick flick of her wrist she had her wand in her hand. Pointing it at Neptune's face she cast a non-verbal 'Aguamenti'. No splashing here. Just a full on stream of water.

Take that Miss I'm in denial about my feelings too.

Neptune GASPED at the exact wrong moment and in addition to getting SOAKED, also got a mouth and lungful of water. She choked and spluttered and FINALLY stepped out of the path of the stream.

Soaked. Sopping. Wet. And breathing very roughly.

"Why... WHY did you DO that? I haven't EVER done anything to you! From the first second he told me about you, I turned it all OFF!" .... probably made some sense.

"And YOU! You just... You're nothing but MEAN to me!"

That's about when the tears started. Not that she could probably tell, having water succumb to gravity from her very flat hair.

Oh the look on Neptune's face was priceless. Marie lowered her wand wishing she had a camera now. This was a picture perfect moment.

WHAT?!

Was Neptune serious here? She never did anything to Marie... and Marie was the mean one?

"ME Mean? I'm NOT the mean one here. YOU are. I Never did or said anything to you until YOU started your little show in the hospital waiting room. I would have been perfectly happy ignoring you if YOU didn't think YOU had to go back to see MY boyfriend before I did." The very boyfriend she broke up with because she knew Neptune was the one he wanted, not her. "As for right now... once again I did NOTHING to you. All I did was apologize to you for what I said to you the other day. You have done nothing but call me names and try to make me feel like the worst person in the world because I did what I feel is the right thing. As for spraying you with the water. Once again, YOU splashed ME first. I just took it up a level to show you that I'm NOT gonna take any more crap from you." Marie was so furious now she wanted to just reach out and punch someone.

"And stop that crying. If you're gonna play like a big girl you need to start acting like one." Marie was really beginning to wonder what the hell Jimmy seen in Neptune.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The1HBIC

Oh the look on Neptune's face was priceless. Marie lowered her wand wishing she had a camera now. This was a picture perfect moment.

WHAT?!

Was Neptune serious here? She never did anything to Marie... and Marie was the mean one?

"ME Mean? I'm NOT the mean one here. YOU are. I Never did or said anything to you until YOU started your little show in the hospital waiting room. I would have been perfectly happy ignoring you if YOU didn't think YOU had to go back to see MY boyfriend before I did." The very boyfriend she broke up with because she knew Neptune was the one he wanted, not her. "As for right now... once again I did NOTHING to you. All I did was apologize to you for what I said to you the other day. You have done nothing but call me names and try to make me feel like the worst person in the world because I did what I feel is the right thing. As for spraying you with the water. Once again, YOU splashed ME first. I just took it up a level to show you that I'm NOT gonna take any more crap from you." Marie was so furious now she wanted to just reach out and punch someone.

"And stop that crying. If you're gonna play like a big girl you need to start acting like one." Marie was really beginning to wonder what the hell Jimmy seen in Neptune.

"But... But I already SAID I was wrong about being there! You can't bring it up again and throw it in my face AGAIN when I already said! I know I shouldn't have been there. I KNOW. Everyone knows." Because everyone and their brother had been there to see it.

"Jut.... just..." SOB.

Neptune turned to the mirror, taking in her DRENCHED appearance. She was SO far away from her Common Room, so once again, she'd be made a fool of in front of EVERYONE. EVERYONE would see her between this bathroom and the five floors she had to go to her room...

"You shouldn't have done that." ANY of it.

"I only brought it up again to prove a point to you Neptune. I'm NOT the bad person you're trying to make me out to be here." If people would just give her half a chance they would see that she was actually a very caring person.

Oh geez, more crying.

"It's only a little water. Really, do you have to cry so much over it?" The girl was acting as if Marie had poured pumpkin juice on her or something. "Do you want me to dry it up for you?" She could totally use a hot air charm and have Neptune's hair dry in no time.

See, Marie could be nice... even to people who weren't nice to her.

"I wasn't trying to make you out to be anything. I've taken up for you!" Neptune HAD, too. "But I don't... I don't know what point you were trying to make by drowning me! Other than making me feel uglier than I already DO right now." Meeehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.


Neptune sniffed and wiped her face stupidly on her sleeve. It didn't help anything, just smeared water and makeup around.


"...I don't know why I'm crying." SNIFF. "You just... you're you and who you are and you tried to drown me and you said all that stuff and it hurts and I want to go home and you're kind of mean and LOOK at my SHOES!"

All of that.


SNIFF. SNIFF. HICCUP.

GAH!

Was the girl not listening to a word Marie was saying? "Look Neptune, let me put it to you this way. I only brought up all that stuff to show you that I have never been the one to start anything with you. I have stayed away from you and NOT thrown it in your face that I was Jim's girlfriend..." (Was, as in not anymore) "UNTIL you acted like you were more important than me and thought you had the right to see him before I did." Which apparently she did.

"And stop being so dramatic here. I wasn't trying to drown you. Just... getting you back for splashing water in my face." Or maybe she was trying to give her a shower. "I admit, it was a little much but come on, you did get me wet first."

What Marie did next surprised even her.

Walking over to Neptune she put an arm around her. "You're not ugly Neptune. You're a very beautiful girl... even with your hair wet and makeup smeared a little." Maybe not as beautiful right now as she normally is, but still beautiful just the same.

Grabbing a towel she handed it to Neptune. "Here, dry your face off so we can make you look like the beautiful girl everyone is used to seeing." She had a feeling Neptune did not want to leave the bathroom with a tear stained face and hair hanging in her face.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The1HBIC

GAH!

Was the girl not listening to a word Marie was saying? "Look Neptune, let me put it to you this way. I only brought up all that stuff to show you that I have never been the one to start anything with you. I have stayed away from you and NOT thrown it in your face that I was Jim's girlfriend..." (Was, as in not anymore) "UNTIL you acted like you were more important than me and thought you had the right to see him before I did." Which apparently she did.

"And stop being so dramatic here. I wasn't trying to drown you. Just... getting you back for splashing water in my face." Or maybe she was trying to give her a shower. "I admit, it was a little much but come on, you did get me wet first."

What Marie did next surprised even her.

Walking over to Neptune she put an arm around her. "You're not ugly Neptune. You're a very beautiful girl... even with your hair wet and makeup smeared a little." Maybe not as beautiful right now as she normally is, but still beautiful just the same.

Grabbing a towel she handed it to Neptune. "Here, dry your face off so we can make you look like the beautiful girl everyone is used to seeing." She had a feeling Neptune did not want to leave the bathroom with a tear stained face and hair hanging in her face.

"I... I .... didn't... I didn't mean to ... I just reacted. I was so worried and he is so..." Neptune shook her head, noting that there was no curls to bounce with the motion. "I haven't even talked to him since then." Truth. She hadn't. Neptune had been back into her 'total avoidance' mode and it had been working. "I didn't mean to interfere. I really am sorry. I'm sorry about Runes, too. I really didn't mean to..."

Ugh she felt SOOOOOOO BAD.

Then Marie was petting her and being nice and compliments and and and and she was NEVER going to be able to stop crying. Ever.

Neptune did dab at her face and pondered where tears came from and if people ever ran out of them. "I think I'll just stay in here for today. But thanks." She then pressed the towel to her face to 1. hide, and 2. to just go ahead and catch all the stupid tears and water drips. Multitasking.

"You know what Neptune. You don't have to apologize anymore. It's done and over with. We can't change what has already happened, we can only change what will happen." And right now what was going to happen was they were going to get Neptune presentable again so they could get out of the bathroom.

"You are NOT staying in here all day. You're gonna stop crying, get yourself together and walk out of here looking perfect as always." With that said Marie once again removed her wand, pointed it at Neptune's head and cast a hot air charm. Within a few minutes her hair was dry and her curls were back. "Now dry the tears and let's get your makeup fixed. It's too nice a day to be stuck in here." Not to mention Marie was not missing a class... which didn't totally bother her since it was herbology and she didn't want to be there anyway. She cold go for being outside though.