June 1st - June 19th
It's almost summer! The last few weeks of school have come, and students will need to study hard for their final exams! Don't let up yet, or your grades won't be what you want them to. Of course, the weather is almost perfect and pristine, in attempts to lure students away from their studies.
Life = Alive.... (6/8/09)(ISO: Ashton)
There were days, or rather, weeks when Nanami hated being a fifth year. She'd been preparing for the OWLs for what seemed like forever. She'd promised herself she was not going to even think about homework on Sundays, but it seemed to be a hard thing to do. To help prevent the accidental look at homework, the Japanese girl put her tennis shoes on and decided to go for a jog around the quidditch pitch. She often went out there and practiced and jogged, away from the eyes of many. On her way down from the dormitory, she glanced out a window. "Great." The rain was coming down in such a downpour, what should have been a bright afternoon was as dark as twighlight.
Returning to the dorm room, she slid off her shoes and put on her slippers. She grabbed a pad of paper and a pen. Sulkily she walked back to the common room without looking around. She flopped into a chair and sighed. "Life equals alive... Shi equals shindeiru." Nanami didn't even notice that she switched death and dead with their Japanese forms. There were times that she was so out of it she never noticed. Instead of thinking any more, she pulled out a hair tie and put her black hair in a ponytail, leaving her olive skin looking lighter. Her pink sweatshirt also helped bring out the lighter tones of her skin.
The pad of paper and pen seemed to stare at her. She quickly wrote on the top of the stack "I am alive. Life is alive." She looked into the fire for a moment, pondering other thoughts. All that crossed her mind was lonliness, fear, exhaustion, and a thankfullness for life.
Ashton reached the portrait hole, beads of sweat forming on his brow, a few taking the opportunity to slide down his face. Panting, he let go of his load, and wiped his forehead, taking the opportunity to rest and regain his breath before he would make the trek into the Hufflepuff Common Room, hopefully go unnoticed by all his peers, and drag his load up the stairs. Stairs. Oh bloody hell, that was going to be difficult. But he could manage. Just in due time, right? Right.
Okay, he had to push on. He had to continue. He had to perservere! "Chinese Fireball," Ashton managed to gasp, causing the Portrait hole of the Hufflepuff Common Room to swing open, allowing him to enter. Luckily for him, there weren't very many people congregating in the Common Room on that Sunday afternoon. Just a few people. Some playing Wizard Chess, a group of fourth years doing their homework (Oh how motivated they were. Ashton would admire them for it. From a safe distance.) and then Nanami Rukko, sitting on the couch, staring into the fire. Well fabulous. Didn't want to distract anyone from what they were doing, so hopefully they were engrossed in their own business. Ashton wanted to keep his somewhat secretive.
However when this business was in a large three foot by three foot crate, not to mention seriously heavy to boot, it was a bit difficult to keep things quiet. Which was very evident when he seized the handle with both hands, beginning to pull it into the Common Room. Scuffs, slides, bumps, and grunts were emitting from both Ashton and the crate as he successfully made it halfway into the room. So far so good! The fourth years were still doing their homework, and the people playing chess were still moving their pieces all over the board. Now, just a bit farther.
Before Ashton could pull it any farther, however, his shoes slipped on the carpet, causing his feet to fly out from under him. Before he knew it, his bottom collided with the ground with a thump, followed by a loud and obnoxious "Bloody hell!" The fourth years abandoned their homework to look at Ashton, as did the chess players. Well bugger. So much for going unnoticed. Ashton blinked a bit, trying to digest what he had just done. Merlin, how could be he so clumsy? It was a curse. Grunting and groaning, Ashton stood to his feet, rubbing his backside slightly (hopefully inconspicuously) as he sized up his competition one more time. That crate was going up the stairs and into his dormitory if it was the last thing he ever did.
Re: Life = Alive.... (3/8/08)(ISO: Ashton)
Moments like these seemed most draining. Those times when inspiration has left. Jua's words haunted her and she was left wondering what would happen if she would let someone in a little farther than she had before. So far people only got into the first layer of Nanami. The layer of smiles covering frowns. Jua was all the way down to the core of her, but he knew everything. He was her brother. Maybe it was this almost longing for someone to be past the first layer that caused her to be so drained of inspiration and so exhausted.
She almost jumped as she heard a crash and a voice.
"Bloody hell!"
Nanami looked around to see Ashton Singer with a crate. He seemed to be headed toward the boys dormitories. Nanami had secretly thought at least once before that he was cute. Shaking her head at the reoccuring thoughts on the older boy, she got up to go help him. He got up while she walked over and she noticed him rub his backside. How hard had he fallen? Some people were such klutzes, but that was also reassuring. If no one were a klutz, they'd be one step closer to perfection. And there shouldn't be a perfect human being. Nanami loved the phrase "Human beings are flawed individuals." It reminded her that as she did wrong, so did others.
"Here, let me help you." Nanami offered, grabing part of the three foot cubic crate. It was heavy, but she didn't show any bothering. "I'm Nanami, by the way. You know, in case you didn't know." She gave a kind of awkward smile. Why were his green eyes more intense this close? Was it just her? She hoped she was speaking in English, for one of the first times in a long while actually caring.
Re: Life = Alive.... (6/8/08)(ISO: Ashton)
Ashton cast a quick glance around the Common Room, informing him that he had managed to attract the attention of each and every person present. Well, fantastic. There went his plan. There went everything. Now that he was noticed, people would start asking questions, and Ashton would either have to lie or tell the truth. Telling the truth would ruin all the fun, and lying just seemed downright dirty. Not that Ashton was afraid of lying. He just liked to avoid it when he could. Keep his honesty and intentions the best at all time. Just in case things like karma were true. But that wasn't the pressing issue. Hopefully he could gather his load and scurry out of the Common Room before anyone would approach him, ask if he was alright, or ask what he was carrying. That was the plan. Now break!
"Here, let me help you."
Oh bugger. The plan had failed once again. Ashton shook his hair out of his face (Merlin it was getting too long. He would need to cut it soon, or his mother would attack him with kitchen scissors when he got home for summer) to see Nanami Rukko approaching him, seizing a handle of the crate. Well she hadn't asked any questions yet, now had she? So far so good? Buh. What should have been a simple task of hauling a crate from an abandoned classroom to his dormitory was now blowing out of proportion. Congratulations, Singer! You win! "Oh...thanks..." Ashton said in a slightly surprised voice. It was true, he hadn't been expecting anyone to simply walk up and grab a handle of his crate. Personally it was an annoying, trying task and the fact that someone wanted to help him? Huh. It proved that there was good in Hufflepuff! Not that he had had any doubts before that...
"I'm Nanami, by the way. You know, in case you didn't know," Nanami said, giving him an awkward sort of laugh. Ashton laughed in response, but in a good natured tone.
"Of course I knew who you are," he said with a friendly smile. Did she really think she was that invisible? "We've been in the same house for years. But uh...nice to meet you. And thanks...for the help..." Ashton said, turning somewhat awkward himself. His eyes darted left toward the staircase to his dormitory, and he suddenly felt the need to do something to cure the awkward moment. Was it really that awkward? Why? What had happened? "Uh..." Ashton said, unable to find something to actually say. "I guess uh...we should start getting this up? If you still want to help. I mean...it's a ruddy pain in the arse hauling this old thing around so if you don't want to I'd understand..." Ashton trailed off. Merlin, he was such an idiot.
It's because she's a girl, isn't it? Ashton asked himself in an annoyed tone. No, no it's not. I'm not THAT much of a prat! He argued. Oh really? Then how come it's almost been impossible to talk to girls ever since you and Puck broke up, huh? You had a thing with Fyora at the Valentines Day Ball, so how come nothing came from it? Oh right. Because you're an idiot and incapable of talking to girls! Bugger. This was always fun.
Re: Life = Alive.... (6/8/08)(ISO: Ashton)
Hufflepuffs are supposed to be just and loyal. As far as Nanami could see, that meant she was loyal and helpful to her fellow students. So, help she shall!
"Oh...thanks..."
Ashton sounded like he wasn't expecting help. She knew most of the people in her house wouldn't turn a head to help, but that was the apathy she'd come to live with. She was happy that her fellow students apathy kept them from asking about new bruises she had when she got back to school after visiting home. It still shocked her wne no one asked about the cut on her arm after Christmas. Of course, she did keep it mostly hidden, but that didn't mean much. She smiled at Ashton and tried to figure out exactly how they were going to get the crate up.
"Of course I knew who you are. We've been in the same house for years. But uh...nice to meet you. And thanks...for the help..."
She blinked slight surprise. "Oh. Well, No problem."She gave on of her famous smiles. She was happy just thinking only a few people knew who she was. But then again, how many other Japanese students were here? Or just how many asian for that matter? She realized she was being crazy.
"Uh...I guess uh...we should start getting this up? If you still want to help. I mean...it's a ruddy pain in the arse hauling this old thing around so if you don't want to I'd understand..."
She looked at him like he was being silly. "I said I'd help, I'm gonna help." She started to get a good grip on the crate. when she pulled a little, she realized how heavy it was. "Kami! Sore desu omoi wa!" She exlaimed, not realizing she switched languages. "How'd you get it this far?"
Re: Life = Alive.... (6/8/08)(ISO: Ashton)
Nanami looked a bit surprised that Ashton had claimed he knew who she was. He bit the inside of his lip in wonder, still unable to understand those select few students that thought no one even turned a head in their direction. Sure there were quiet students at Hogwarts, but none of them were exactly invisible. Maybe that was just to Ashton, seeing as he had a habit to know everyone anyways. Even if he had never talked to them before in his life, he at least knew their name and face. Especially if they were in his own house, like Nanami. Really, there was no such thing as invisibility. Someone would always notice you at least once or twice, and would probably have something to say if they simply disappeared one day. In essence, no one was truly alone, especially at Hogwarts. Unless they put themselves in complete and utter isolation, but at that point, it was their own choice.
"Oh. Well, No problem," Nanami said, flashing Ashton a smile. Ashton smiled gently, taking note that she had a rather pleasant smile. The way it lit up her entire face and simply made her shine... It really should be enough to make any other girl go green with envy. Not that Ashton was comparing her looks with other girls, because that would imply some sort of attraction. And Ashton shouldn't be allowed to be attracted to girls, simply because it forced him to ruin everything! Fantastic. Fun. Oh joy.
Nanami gave him a look after he mumbled and stumbled over his awkward sentences. "I said I'd help, I'm gonna help." At that, Ashton laughed sheepishly. Bugger. He had been foolish again. But how was he supposed to know? Some girls would lift the crate, break a nail, bust into tears and start telling him how it was all his fault and how they hated him. Little did Ashton know that his lack of perception for females was probably where the inability to break the communication barrier came from. It had always been easy to talk to Alex and Puck in the past! But then again those two weren't your typical "girls". They spent most of their time running around causing trouble like Ashton did, so it was easier to look at them as equals and friends.
Nanami seemed to be fumbling with a handle on the crate, and pulled slightly before exclaiming, "Kami! Sore desu omoi wa!" Ashton stopped, and watched Nanami with a confused look upon his face. Did she just say something in Japanese? The first impression was, what the? while the second to follow was more boyish and immature. That was SO cool! Ashton wished he could speak more than one language. It would make it easier to communicate with people and say things you didn't want others to hear. Why whisper if you could speak Japanese? "How'd you get it this far?" Ashton snapped out of his daze about her switch of languages and looked back down at the crate.
"Oh...it's taken about an hour," he said with a laugh. "Just pull and hope it follows I guess." He bit the inside of his lip again, and looked back up at Nanami. Did he dare to ask? Of course he did. Maybe she could even translate some for him and he could eventually learn how to speak Japanese! Oh right. Like that was going to happen. "Um...what did you say...just before that? It sounded really cool!" He added with a beaming smile.
Email This To a Friend
Topic Commands
Click to receive email notification of replies
Click to stop receiving email notification of replies