"Just hanging out, I guess"

Fern squinted at her friend skeptically. Forget about what she herself was up to. Brynny seemed off today, and Fern wanted to find out why. She was going to find out why. Her hazel eyes landed on the notebook in the Ravenclaw's hand, and she reached out for it, "What's this - are you writing a love letter!?" Fern gasped, "not to KACE!!!???" It could have been homework, but if it was homework, Brynny would have said she was doing homework instead of hanging out.

Hanging out meant anything other than homework.

"I'm excited for summer too, but you know Brynny that you shouldn't be getting this makeover just because you think it'll make Kace interested. He is a total loser. Totally. Not worth your time." Fern nodded knowingly, "I mean, his eyes aren't even THAT blue. Tob-" The 12-year-old's eyes widened as she caught herself just in time, and she cleared her throat loudly and thumped her chest before continuing, "Sorry. It's my allergies. Makes my throat scratchy this time of the year. Anyway. Kace's eyes. They're like rain puddle blue. Not OCEAN blue. Not blue-blue."

"...And why are you sad?" Hmm? Vesper glanced up after asking...but then went right back to the parchment. It was a mystery what she could've been doing. Her RPer didn't even know.

"I think...you'll be amazing. Benjy will be with you." He was so good...Their whole team was so good, actually...but Vesper didn't need to boast to Josie. She knew, of course. Talent spoke for itself. "Just do your best."

...More scribbling...

Comforting yup, that was his middle name. It wasnt really but for the time being it was. He just gave her a grin, a sassy one, cause he would totally win cause he was the surf!master as they called him on the beach, yeaaaaahhh.

SOMETHING WITH DRAGONS WAS HAPPENING!!!!

He looked at her with wide eyes and nodded as they made they're way down to the courtyard slowly with her arm linked in his helping her down the steps from the owlery mostly and all. "Anti what?" she was.excited and talking quickly and he hated whengirls talked quick cause he couldn't understand them half the time but he caught that they were her favorite breed and he was curious as to why they were. "why are they your favorite, Beverly?" what was so amazing about them? Maybe hed have to find out where they were back in Australia and check them out.... only of they were tamed and not wild and ready to kill him. They also reached a bench. "here, sit" rest and tell us about three dragons.

Ugh that grin. Beverly narrowed her eyes at him and poked him in a joking manner. Take that, Mister I'm-such-an-awesome-surfer-dude. Now she really couldn't wait--Hmm. It might never happen, though. Bev looked away, watching the last step.

She was used to people doubling on the dragon's name. It was a mouthful, but she never got tired of repeating it. "The Antipodean Opaleye," she said waaay slower this time. Sitting down carefully, she scoot over so he'd fit on the bench. "They're my favorite because of their scales. And, honestly, because they have multi-colored eyes like I do." Not the creepy kind. Hers were a mixture of green, grey, and amber.

"See?" She tilted her chin up and blinked at him. That's the one thing that hasn't changed in the speed aging stuff. Her eyes.

Maybe he'd let her win in the surfing contest, maybe though there was a big chance he wouldn't cause he was way too competitive in that area of his life. Way to proud to be a title holder of the longest wave ride in his age division on a eight footer, yeah. So proud.but he was being poked as they walked and he was tempted to grab her hand as she poked him and prevent her from using ot for a bit but decided against it.

Being at the bench area he nodded as she said it again. [B"]Antipodean Opaleye?"[/B] was he saying that correctly? He was unsure but she said she liked them for their eye changing, "oh" eye color changing was kinda cool though he wouldnt want to get close enough to a dragon to ever see said changing eyes.

She had different coloured eyes as well? Jeremiah sat down in time for her to turn her face up at him to let him look at them. He looked into each eye individually to see the colours. He chuckled a bit as he noticed the intense eye contact it must seem like they were having to anyone else around but he was just looking at the colors. Though they were beautiful, the colors flowed and blended into one another nicely and he was smiling again. "i see." he saw, he did. "your eyes are stunning." ....... errrr...."the color, you know....."


Somone stick a fork in him, he was so done.

THIS.... WAS.. AMAZING!! He was reading, and not just reading but focusing and remembering. Was their really happening? The twelve year old continued to look through his potions book, reading everything that was in it. Nothing was distracting him not even people coming up to him, sitting down, and oh someone was talking to him. Bart looked up confused for a second before realizing it was Brynny. "Hey" He looked back at his book. What was he doing, what did it look like he was doing? "Reading."

As soon as he said it he knew what it sounded like. Bart Maroon reading, yeah right. Quickly closing his book he tried to hide what he just said. "I was testing out a potion that possibly could umm.." he tried to think of a lie, not the truth, even if it was his best friend. People couldn't know Bart Maroon was trying to like reading. How would that look, especially to puffer boy book worm.

"I was testing out a potion that made me find things faster. So I was testing it out on finding a potion I wanted to experiment on." That sounded like something he would do, didn't it?

She grinned at him when he said the dragon's name correctly. Then when he sat down and looked at her eyes, chuckled when he did. Must be silly asking someone to look into their eyes, but she wanted to show him. It's what she felt linked her to her favorite creature.

And suddenly she grew nervous. A guy - not just any guy, but the one she'd chosen to be her first kiss - was looking INTO her eyes. Like in those cheesy films. He couldn't look into her soul, right? No. That was impossible. And crazy. Then he went there again with the compliments.

She glanced down at her hands then back up at him, hiding a grin as if it hid a secret. "Thanks." Ah, right. Talking about dragons. "And they are in your home country, how cool is that?"

Because it was really COOL. Yep.

S T U N N I N G

they were, but he wouldnt tell her again as he just looked more making sure he really saw them thoroughly. It was what he did, he over analyzed and looked over every detail of everything to make sure he understood and.remembered it all. "i can see into.your soul you know." he said softly as he was still in proximity to her before he sat back down away from her face and chuckled.

Soul searching was happening and she was on about dragons again... seemed like typical Bev. "youre welcome, yeahbthat is kinda sweet. I wonder where they would be kept or found there." maybe he could go see one and tell her all about it!

He--whaaaaaaaaaat?

OH MERLIN FILMS DIDN'T LIE.

Beverly blinked at him several times. Was it getting stuffy out here? "Y-You can?" That made her both nervous AND curious. She knew it wasn't likely, but the thrill of playing along was there. Scooting closer to him so no one would hear, she whispered, "What did you see?" Hewasjustplayingright?

Not raising her gaze from him, she shrugged. She wanted to know more about this soul thing. Maybe if she didn't look away from him she'd get a peek of his? "Uhm, they usually inhabit mountains or high ground," she said distractedly. SOUL SEARCHING WAS HAPPENING.

He was almost about to chuckle and shake his head and tell her no but he kept on and she was playing along. She even moved in closer to him and he looked down at her with a crooked smile playing on his lips as his hands started to fidget again.

"lots of things." he said softly back. "secrets and dreams and all" that sounded cheesy enough for soul searching, yeah? She was looking at him and he let his eyes lock woth hers so maybe she could try to Soul!Search him or something.


"high ground?" he retorted some, seeming kind of lost about it.


He suddenly didn't want to talk about the dragons anymore

Goosebumps. She got goosebumps, which were totally ignored. Soul searching took skill, a skill she hadn't mastered yet. But here was Jeremiah, allowing her to soul-search him. Was he? Well, it didn't matter because she was now.

This was so like a film. Had her whole life been a lie and cheesy stuff like this did happen? It was HAPPENING.

"Really," she whispered back. "All my secrets and dreams?" Her hands grew clammy. The thrill of playing along was like a mini adrenaline rush. "I think...I think I can see something in your eyes too." She narrowed her eyes at him and absentmindedly, leaned in a little. Should have brought her glasses. Damn it!

Hmm? High ground? Oh, right. That. "M'hm," she mumbled.

Cheesy things happened. The proof was in the pudding right in front of him. Except there wasnt any real pudding or cheesy things, like pizza. He found himself blinking a bit as a million thoughts raced through his mind as he kept his eyes locked with hers, his focus shirting from her left to her right eye and so on. "mhm" secrets and dreams. He saw a lot of potential in her, she could really do anything she wanted or wished, she really could. He believed in that much. "wh..what do you see?" he asked her, almost wanting to faceplant for the studder. She leaned in a bit, he noticed and he broke eye contact with her for a second as his eyes went and noticed that she didn't physically move her whole body over some but shifted her upper half closer. Bringing his eyes back up he blinkef a few more times......

Was that something else hes seeing in her eyes?

This soul searching was proving to be hard. All she could see were his pretty eyes. Heh. No wonder she was rubbish at Divination. Then again she was studying an actual human being instead of reading off a book and making guesses good enough the professor would eat up.

So he could see all that in here eyes, could he? "Well...what are they, my dreams and secrets?" OH HOLY FAWKES. It'd be embarrassing if he guessed correctly. Then she'd die for sure. She hasn't even written her will. It was SERIOUSLY getting stuffy out here.

Gulping, she grinned softly at Jeremiah. Why was he nervous? Soul searching was practically his idea. "I see..." She studied his eyes. M.E.R.L.I.N. What does she say?! "Something...something I can't read." Well, there WAS a look in his eyes and she REALLY didn't know what it was.

What is it, Jeremiah? SPILL.

Still staring at her he chuckled a bit and poked her arm, "they're your dreams and secrets you should know them." in other words, he had no idea and he wasn't about to throw things out there cause he'd likely be wrong and that would suck. He was still staring, and so was she and she was saying she couldn't read him which he classified as a good thing. If she knew what he was thinking, well. he'd really be done for.

"Concentrate, Beverly." that's how you did it, you had to concentrate and focus all your thought into in. "tell me what you see." if she concentrated enough, she'd see it hopefully. She was a smart lady, he had faith in her and stuff. His hands were fidgeting again in his lap and Merlin, did it suddenly get warmer out here?

S O U L S E A R C H I N G

So that had been a stupid thing to ask, but at least it proved he wasn't a seer or mind reader. Now THAT would have been terrible. Well, not really. If he let her use his powers then it was cool. Other than that, nope.

When he poked her, Beverly grinned. "But you're the soul searcher." And he received a poke back. POKE.

Now he was telling her concentrate. Really, Jeremiah, REALLY? She rubbed her hands on her lap almost unnoticeable. WHY YOU CLAMMY HANDS? HMM? And it didn't help that it felt even stuffier. That was not good.

But concentration. Right. She had zero so she based her soul searching 'analyzing' on him fidgeting. "You're nervous," she whispered. FAIL.

She poked him back, rightfully so since he had poked her first but when she did he reached up and grabbed her hand right after it make contact with his shoulder. "you should be concentrating, not poking."

His heart rate picked up slightly as he kept looking at her as she whispered about him being nervous.

Well it wasnt everyday he went kissing and soul searching with a girl, Beverly. This was all new to him and it was weird andmade his hands fidget.

"maybe i am nervous." he was. He totally was. But he wouldnt admit it fully. Not yet not ever, really. His mind was turning and a thought ran through his mind......

Could he?

GULP.

He grabbed her hand. HER hand was in a BOY'S hand. OH SWEET MERLIN. This has never happened before. EVER. Boys avoided her because her dad was scary but now... She was going to have a heart attack. It felt like it. Yep. Most definitely so. HEART. ATTACK.

Concentrate. Yeah, like that was happening. But she's concentrated through worse so...more staring..? Okay. She could do that. Maybe he was nervous? Nope. He was really nervous, she could tell. Gazing up at him a bit more intently, she tried to make out WHY? What makes a boy nervous? Maybe she should have read one of Silver's girly magazines to know this stuff. The only way to go was to simply ask.

"Why are you nervous, Jeremiah?" Why was she still whispering?!

O_____________________O

Was she okay? He looked down at her hand in his before looking back up at her eyes and he smiled a bit. He wasn't completely sure why he still held onto her hand but he was and he he hadn't let go of it yet.
She was right though in he being nervous, he was and were her hands all clammy too or was that just his? he wasn't sure but he chuckled a bit when she asked why he was nervous.

"you're just............" she was just.. he couldn't word and for the moment was lost again and that's when he just moved closer, still holding her hand, and kissed her....... again. That's what he was seeing while soul searching. It was her fault really for bringing up the intense eye contact and then he just couldnt get his mind off how pretty she was and she was there and he couldnt help himself. Even if they hadnt already done this, the kiss thing, he still would have in this moment..


He might of sort of maybe started crushing on her a bit.


Delilah, who?

She was just WHAT?

Hideous?

Had the wrinkle-free charm worn off? It wasn't supposed to. Not YET. Beverly was starting to panic inwardly and it only made it worse because her HANDS. They were clammy and one of them was in his. This had to be a trick from Fate or something. Have her first kiss tell her she resembled a hag or something worse.

This all ran in her mind while Jeremiah leaned, and it was when he kissed her that she went blank.

... ... ... .... O_____________O

WAIT. He was kissing her. AGAIN. YES. Merlin truly did love her! But she was completely lost because she hadn't attacked his face this time. Either way, she felt like Jell-O. And her stomach felt weird. And she TOTALLY kissed him back while squeezing his hand. Maybe a bit too hard, but her mind was elsewhere.

He had absolutely no idea what he was doing but he was kissing her AND holding her hand which was a big.. no huge deal and he was so ASDFGHJKL at the moment that he just didnt even know what even, what. no.

She kissed him back though he noted that and he smiled a bit as she did. She also squeezed his hand....... a lot.. Merlin she had a grip on her! it only hurt a little but he wouldnt admit to that like ever ever ever. he kept his other hand in his lap as he let the kiss linger for a big... a longer bit then before.


merlin help him

They were kissing and no one was freaking out this time. That...was a good thing right? Who knows. She did feel that little smile against her lips and she was about to pull away and ask what was funny when her hand cramped.

>______________________<

"Ouuuch," she cried as she pulled away. WHY NOW HAND, WHY NOW? Oh. Hold up. Beverly slowly raised her gaze back at him again, realizing something. Had she... She almost broke his hand, hadn't she? "Did I...your hand...sorry."

And no. She wasn't blushing. It was warm, 'kay?

Asdfghjkl Asdfghjkl Asdfghjkl Asdfghjkl Asdfghjkl Asdfghjkl Asdfghjkl Asdfghjkl Asdfghjkl Asdfghjkl

Holy Kneazles she kissed him back... like properly this time and he couldnt even deal with anything. He hoped he had looked around to see if anyone was around the courtyard, were people enjoying the show? Heh.

And suddenly she was pulling her hand back and backing up amd saying ow and he panicked.

"ow.. oww what? Are you ok?!" did he hurt her somehow?! Oh Merlin. Hed feel so bad if he hurt her in some way, but she was more concerned about him. "oh, no... you.. i.. no m'fine" he was fine. Even if his had was a bit red from the beginning stages of no blood flow. Was she blushing to? ... cute

Beverly shook her hand trying to get rid of the cramp. This was EMBARRASSING. Couldn't it have waited until she went back to the common room? Or any other time that was not NOW. Massaging it, she almost pouted at Jeremiah - almost.

"Yeah, my hand just cramped up." It happened more often nowadays, but that it had to happen now was what made her grumpy. Not that she was grumpy with Jeremiah. OR at all, really, just not happy with her hand. Oh gods, NOO. Look at his hand! "But...your hand is red." Good going, Wayne. Bravo. NOT. It looked like it hurt, though.

And what was he looking at? Her face simply felt like an oven. Completely normal. No, not really. She glanced down at her hand instead.

Oh! It was just her hand and nothing he had done. He let out a breath of relief as she shook her hand out. "thats some grip you got there. Its impressive really." it was and he was impressed. She was strong for such a small girl.

Rubbing his red hand with his other trying to get the blood to circulate he looked down at it and back up at her "my hand is fine, dont worry" or at least it will be it only hurt a little right now.

m'sorry i..., didthat again. I........ sorry." now he was feeling apologetic about it all and he looked back down at his hands and chewed on his lip. Meeeeh.

She let out a soft laugh. Her grip was impressive, even as an old lady. That was something good. Meant she wasn't that far off...yet. "I don't know what I was thinking," she said, wiggling her fingers. She had. Sort of. Her thoughts had been turned to mush mostly.

So she didn't break his hand. Bev shyly grinned, though it was more out of relief. Would've been terrible to go to the Hospital Wing and be all, "We were kissing and I BROKE HIS HAND." Yeah, her Head of House wouldn't be too happy about that.

Oh, wait. Why was he apologizing? He'd done nothing wrong.

Reaching out and placing a finger under his chin, she tried to get him to look up again. "I didn't...don't mind." So nothing to be sorry for, and where was this smidgen of bravery coming from?