Mack decided that maybe she would have better luck in some of the other cars, surely someone would be nice, she headed towards the middle cars hoping for better luck.

He had people to find. Like a list of them. With different levels of priority. But West kinda in a way didn't want to find any of them because goodbyes sucked and there was more than one person who he didn't want to say goodbye to, that he was even a bit mad about the possibility of goodbye.

He even got snacks already to avoid it for a little longer but now he supposed he should find either people or somewhere to sit, or somewhere to sit WITH people. And he had said he would sit with Bliss for obvious reasons, but he didn't see her in the carriages coming down, and not so far on the train either.

So... front or back? He started munching on a cauldron cake as he began walking along the train corridors and glancing in compartments.

Certain people were sitting in certain areas that were certainly difficult for Alices to locate. She must have barged into tons of compartments already, and neither of the Ravenclaws she was supposed to be finding were in any of them. Would Mo and Dora be cross if she gave up and went and sat in the Prefect car with Selina and got food without them?

Their faults, she decided, for not specifying places.

And she was just about to leave when she caught sight of the third person who she was, but probably wasn't supposed to be, looking for. Didn't matter much, anyway, because she was disregarding most rules now. Alice reached out and tapped him on the shoulder lightly, trying to get his attention. "Have you got a compartment yet?"

She had it, his attention. Like immediately. West instantly perked up and shook his head. "Nope, can't find anybody." Because, y'know, he'd been looking so hard and whatever. He broke his cauldron cake in half and offered a bit to Alice.

"What about you?" He leaned against the wall and tried to look at her normally. You know, instead of... not normally.

"I was supposed to go find Dora and Mo, but I haven't found either of them. Dora's probably busy with Thinsley anyway." Because she had a boyfriend with a face that needed snogging now, didn't she? Alice accepted the cauldron cake and bit into it, chewing thoughtfully. "We can find one if you'd like." If he didn't want to go sit with his sister or his girlfriend or one of the million acquaintances he had.

Was he staring? She stared back unblinkingly. It was easier, she decided, to stare when there weren't people in the way, or little second years that noticed things. Much easier. And nicer.

His friends too, West noted, and yet it didn't really sound appealing to him. Not that they weren't appealing but... reasons.

"If you like, for a little while. If we can find an empty one." Empty was good anyway wasn't it? Surely Bliss would come looking for him? He fell silent and just... finished off the cauldron cake. And looked at her. And smiled. And licked the crumbs off his fingertips. And stared some more and sort of forgot a bit about finding someplace to sit.

Hi.

"I bet we can." Except, you know, Alice was doing a little less finding and a little more staring. He had nice eyes, did he know? And she found herself studying other things too, like the arch of his eyebrows and the angles of his cheekbones. And his mouth, most definitely his mouth. She continued chewing thoughtfully as she analyzed every inch of his face.

Weren't they supposed to be doing something?

Her eyes flickered back up to his rather quickly. "So. Compartment. Right."

Bet we can what...? What were they betting? West couldn't even think straight for some reason. He thought about dead kneazles for a bit. That was a habit so an easy one to force himself to think about. A really rancid one. Dead for ages. With maggots.

That helped.

A bit.

"Hey Alice?"

His face was very interesting, and Alice was soon caught up in the activity of memorizing every plane of it, so she could see it even when she wasn't looking anymore. And she continued staring, even when some voice politely interrupted her. "Wait, I'm busy. But who was that, trying to distract her from being distracted? She blinked a couple of times before looking back up at him and realizing he was talking.

"Yeah?" She redirected her gaze to her shoes. And hopefully, if she wasn't looking anymore, she could listen better.

With a box of Bertie Bott’s in her hands, the sixth year headed back from the food trolley to her compartment. As she made her way along the corridor, she didn’t mind to pay attention to the students she was passing by. Instead, she was looking out the window, at the familiar landscape in front of her. She was actually just thinking about her summer plans.

Hmmm.

France. A couple of weeks in France with her best friend. And after that… Diagon Alley? Maybe her father would be going somewhere interesting and she could tag along? Hmm. On the other hand, she wouldn’t want to listen to what he was saying about his job. Really. Being a curse breaker was definitely interesting, but it wasn’t something she was planning to do after she would graduate. Or maybe? Hmm.

Busy. Staring. At him. He blushed a little and cleared his throat, the smallest smile appearing unbidden on his lips. It was rare that he noticed being noticed, y'know? Hard not to in this instance. But West wasn't to be distracted. He took out of his pocket two things. The first was a packet of jelly slugs, the second was a folded up letter, sealed envelope and all.

West pushed off the wall and stepped closer to her, gently pushing them into her hands.

"You know I can't sit with just you. You know I can't. You know why." She did know. It was stuff she'd said. "Save that until you get home, okay?" He indicated the envelope. She could eat the jelly slugs whenever.

And she knew why jelly slugs too.

"You should find Mo and Dora." And he couldn't find Mo with her. Well he could, but he didn't want to. And he was supposed to go find Bliss. Should have by now instead of standing here, staring at Alice, thinking about dead kneazles, and jelly slugs and all sorts of other things that didn't make any sort of sense.

Stuff just never made sense anymore.

Her shoes weren't nearly as nice to look at as West's face, Alice decided, but she was busy examining them now. So she didn't notice blushing or smiling or any of the other things that she would have liked to see. "I know you can't. But it was nice to pretend for a few minutes that you could, anyway." And she was good at that, pretending things. Imagining them. He knew.

She let her eyes stray from her shoes to the envelope now in her hands. And jelly slugs, too. As soon as she caught sight of those, she was blushing a little, as well, but she was too busy wondering what she'd open at home. "Yeah. I will. And you could come find them, too, if you want." But she knew he wouldn't. Even if they were both his friends first, anyway, way before she'd come along.

But Alices made things different. More difficult. "And you're going to go find your girlfriend." More of a statement than a question, really, because she already knew the answer.

That was true.

And it put in mind a song so he sang a few bars of it, complete with theatrics, acting it out and playing the goof but miraculously this time his voice stayed intact instead of crackling all over everything. "Ohh, yeeesss! I'm the great... pretenderrrrrrr.....preteeeending that I'm doing well..... my need is such! ..... I pretend too much! .... I'm lonely but nooooo one can tell."

So yeah. Basically. He grinned sheepishly and then nodded slowly. Yeah he could find them. If he wanted. "I could." But it would just be better to spend the whole journey with Bliss. He'd do that. He was a good boyfriend still and everything after all.

The smile faded a bit and he nodded again, then gestured at the jelly slugs. "Enjoy those real good. Okay?" She knew why. "And... and I'll see you." He started walking backward up the train corridor, heedless of its shaking and rocking.

Staring and walking y'know?

Was West singing? Like, then and there? In the middle of the corridor, really loudly, where a bunch of people could probably hear him and see him acting all goofy? Alice did try her best not to crack up while he was serenading, or whatever it was that he was doing. "You have a nice voice." Bet everyone around them thought so, too.

Her smile faded just like his did, if not disappeared completely, when he started walking away. A few minutes with him, that was all she got? ".. yeah. Okay." Alice glanced up from her shoes to watch him leave, still motionless, her face blank and unreadable once again.

She was staying rooted to the spot until she couldn't see him anymore. Because she could.

Well, that had been... pointless. Jake made his way down the corridor from the Prefect's compartment, now searching for Anya. He hadn't thought to ask her where she'd be sitting, so he had no idea where to look. He was glad to be out of the other compartment, though. He didn't want to be thinking about how Selina was leaving and stuff. He was being stoic. Ali would be proud.

So, now... girlfriend. Wherever she was. It was times like this that Jake wished his mobile phone would work. It'd be so much easier to just call Anya and ask where she was.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Syd

Well, that had been... pointless. Jake made his way down the corridor from the Prefect's compartment, now searching for Anya. He hadn't thought to ask her where she'd be sitting, so he had no idea where to look. He was glad to be out of the other compartment, though. He didn't want to be thinking about how Selina was leaving and stuff. He was being stoic. Ali would be proud.

So, now... girlfriend. Wherever she was. It was times like this that Jake wished his mobile phone would work. It'd be so much easier to just call Anya and ask where she was.

Milton had already been up the train, taking a walk before he settled himself in the prefect's compartment. He was dreading it, as usual, and really just wanted to find a compartment to keep to himself, but oh well. He'd stop in for a bit.

As he was making his way back, Milton was glancing into compartments on the way just to see who was where. After a moment, he felt his shoulder bump into someone else going the opposite direction. "Whups, sorry maa..." oh, it's himmm... "..aate..." No, they weren't MATES, but Milton didn't totally hate Jake's guts anymore, so he kinda just let that word hand out in awkward limbo for a bit.

Err, sit at the front? Middle? Back? Aysh. Zeke had just finished putting away most of his stuff in the Luggage Compartment, well actually all of his stuff. Wouldn't be needing those where he'll be sitting anyway.

While he was on his way to thinking where to sit, he spotted....Gwen. Smirk. She seemed far off thought. He slowly walked towards her, careful not to make any sound so that only the sound of the engine of the train and its passing by the railroad was all you could hear. It drowned out every noise, fading away in its background. The soon-to-be-7th-year Gryffindor stopped exactly behind her, and whispered softly to her ear. "Hi Princess."

Anya... Anyaaa... come out come out wherever you are...

Jake was about to start yelling MARCO and hope the girl heard him before anyone suspected him of being insane, but was thankfully distracted. By someone running into him. A rather large someone that made Jake stumble out of the way. He turned toward whoever it was, about to apologize for not watching where he was going, but that idea went out the window too when he saw who it was.

...Mate?

Milton was not his mate. As much as he tried to like him, Jake just couldn't. There was something fundamentally unlikable about the Ravenclaw. It really wasn't Jake's fault. But... he didn't hate him anymore. So that was a step up from when they'd first met. That didn't mean he knew how to respond to him now, though.

He stared awkwardly at Milton for a moment before finally getting his brain and mouth to cooperate. "...Hey. ...Long time no see."

Quote:

Originally Posted by Syd

Anya... Anyaaa... come out come out wherever you are...

Jake was about to start yelling MARCO and hope the girl heard him before anyone suspected him of being insane, but was thankfully distracted. By someone running into him. A rather large someone that made Jake stumble out of the way. He turned toward whoever it was, about to apologize for not watching where he was going, but that idea went out the window too when he saw who it was.

...Mate?

Milton was not his mate. As much as he tried to like him, Jake just couldn't. There was something fundamentally unlikable about the Ravenclaw. It really wasn't Jake's fault. But... he didn't hate him anymore. So that was a step up from when they'd first met. That didn't mean he knew how to respond to him now, though.

He stared awkwardly at Milton for a moment before finally getting his brain and mouth to cooperate. "...Hey. ...Long time no see."

Weeeeeeeelp. This was weird.

Milton actually was surprised that Jake said more than 'hey' or... 'you suck'. He actually gave him a somewhat-extensive greeting. "Yeeep." He replied, stuffing his hands into his pockets and looking around. It was probably best that they didn't see each other much. The longer he saw Jake's face, the more he kinda wanted to punch it.

"You lookin' for Anya?" She would be so proud at this civilized conversation they were having.

Seeing Milton stick his hands in his pockets, Jake did the same with his own. He rocked up on his toes, instinctively trying to look taller. When he realized what he was doing, though, he rocked back onto his heels. He didn't need to try to intimidate Milton or anything. He could be... civilized. Or he could try, at least.

Because yeah. Anya. Jake nodded his head, running a hand through his hair in an attempt to be not-awkward. But he really had no idea how to talk to this guy without being a jerk. So this was a new thing. "Yeah, I... uh, was. Am." He paused, looking straight at Milton. "Do you... know where she is?" Because it was possible that she had wanted to see him again.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Syd

Seeing Milton stick his hands in his pockets, Jake did the same with his own. He rocked up on his toes, instinctively trying to look taller. When he realized what he was doing, though, he rocked back onto his heels. He didn't need to try to intimidate Milton or anything. He could be... civilized. Or he could try, at least.

Because yeah. Anya. Jake nodded his head, running a hand through his hair in an attempt to be not-awkward. But he really had no idea how to talk to this guy without being a jerk. So this was a new thing. "Yeah, I... uh, was. Am." He paused, looking straight at Milton. "Do you... know where she is?" Because it was possible that she had wanted to see him again.

What in the world was he doing? Trying to make himself look taller? Milton raised an eyebrow slightly. Weird kid.

This was incredibly awkward. But did he know where Anya was? "Well... I'm guessing somewhere on the train." Gahh, he just couldn't go five minutes without making a sarcastic remark. Especially with Jake. But really, it was a good answer. Although he wondered if he had said "off" the train... if Jake would get off and get stuck at Hogsmeade over the summer... hmm...

See? That. That right there. That's what was unlikable about Milton. He wasn't capable of being a nice person.

Jake rolled his eyes, leaning back against the wall to keep himself from being tall again. He bit back a few sarcastic responses and waited to reply until he was sure he could be nice again. But really, he wasn't sure he even wanted to talk to the guy anymore. His patience was already wearing thin... and clearly so was Milton's.

He cleared his throat awkwardly, standing up straight and holding his hand out. To shake. In a civilized manner. Because he was mature. "Truce."

Quote:

Originally Posted by Syd

See? That. That right there. That's what was unlikable about Milton. He wasn't capable of being a nice person.

Jake rolled his eyes, leaning back against the wall to keep himself from being tall again. He bit back a few sarcastic responses and waited to reply until he was sure he could be nice again. But really, he wasn't sure he even wanted to talk to the guy anymore. His patience was already wearing thin... and clearly so was Milton's.

He cleared his throat awkwardly, standing up straight and holding his hand out. To shake. In a civilized manner. Because he was mature. "Truce."

Milton laughed. Out loud.

Seriously? He was just messing around, making a joke, being sarcastic, having a little fun. You could call it anything but actually trying to tick Jake off, yet there he was rolling his eyes and silently brooding.

Oh, and he suddenly wanted a truce? Milton looked at the kid's hand and laughed again. "Nah," he said with a shake of his head and a rather amused look on his face. "I find it incredibly annoying to have you take everything I say so seriously when I am clearly messing around. Actually, I find you annoying in general, and quite easy to mess with, and that does bring small rays of sunshine into my life. Not only that, but a truce between us would mean that we would have to pretend to like each other and be civil in each other's presences, and quite frankly, I really don't give a damn enough to care." Honesty was a lovely thing.

"So, in short... No. I kindly decline your offer for a truce." Milton gave Jake a pleasant smile, clapped him hard on the shoulder and continued on his merry way to the prefect's compartment. Oh, today was just a GOOD day!

Gwen continued to look out the window, thinking of her summer plans. But she got distracted by a voice sounding awfully close to her.

O__________o

KYAA. Easily startled, Gwen couldn’t remain still anymore. Instead, more out of a reflex, she immediately turned around to face the person who had started talking. ‘Zeke’, she started saying, because she was certain it was the Gryffindor. Who else wouldn’t have greeted like a NORMAL person?! ‘Would you stop calling me that?’, the sixth year said, though she couldn’t really pull out a mean tone. Erm. Wait--- had he given up the ‘Ice’ part in her nickname? Odd.