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Post by Bryan Kelley on May 4, 2008 19:20:55 GMT -5
The weekend had come and only the early and dedicated risers were up out of bed and moving about the castle. The rest of the people, were still abed, catching up on the sleep they missed during the week. Many people had the habit, maybe not habit but a routine, of getting up early and going to bed late. This resulted in not wanting to get up in the morning and sleeping in on the weekends. However, there were also the people who did this and still got up early on the weekends. Bryan wasn't normally one of these people.
However, today was different if only from the fact he had gone to bed early. Well, actually he had taken a short nap only to wake up at three in the morning. He had remained in bed until around five in the morning before he got up and dressed. His head was already starting to hurt. Too much sleep, he thought as he left the common room, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. His footsteps lead him through the maze that was the school until they brought him to the Great Hall.
He was not the only one present. There were a couple other early risers up and about. Bryan was momentarily surprised, but he shook it off as he seated himself at his house table. Why shouldn't there be other people awake at this hour? Heck, he was awake. That probably wasn't saying much, considering usually he stayed abed until usually ten a.m.
Bryan helped himself to a helping of pancakes and orange juice before he settled in his seat to eat. However, as he ate he had placed his sketchbook open to a clean page, and he sketched what he saw directly across from him as he ate. He didn't give much thought to his surroundings. His mind was focused on his sketching and keeping syrup from landing on anywhere except in his mouth or on his place.
The Gryffindor became so involved in his sketch that he did not notice as the hour passed by and his breakfast turned cold. Instead, he worked on the sketch, his three fourths eaten meal forgotten for the time being.
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Susan Matthews
Gryffindor
[red]5th Year Gryffindor[/red] Shadow Warrior of Earth
goddess, nymph, divine.
Posts: 505
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Post by Susan Matthews on May 4, 2008 19:38:48 GMT -5
Without much thought to what she might want to eat this morning, Susan simply sat down at the Gryffindor table. In front of her was a pile of pancakes, decided for her, Susan chose a pancake and added some syrup to be her breakfast. Preparing to dig into her meal, Susan looked up, only just noticing the person sitting directly across from her. He seemed unaware of the rest of the hustle bustle the Great Hall usually received in the mornings. Susan watched as he progressed in a sketch. Next to his paper was a plate of pancakes similar to her own, his sort of eaten, sort of not.
Susan held her forkful of pancake, poised at her mouth. "Are the pancakes bad?" Susan asked, seeking his attention. His syrup had ceased steaming quite awhile ago, unlike her own. His pancakes were cold and uneaten. She fathomed something must be wrong with them, if he was indeed a teenage boy and not eating all of his breakfast. Familiar with her friend Dylan, who refused to leave a plate with food still on it, she assumed it wasn't normal to have left a plate of perfectly good pancakes uneaten.
Her question unanswered for the time being, Susan's eyes were drawn to the boy's focus. He was intent on his sketch. Susan watched as he skillfully captured what was before him. She was reminded of her own sketch book, which lay somewhere between her trunk and underneath her bed. It had been too long since she'd last picked up her drawing pencils. Things at hand had taken over her life for the time being. It was nice to see this boy so interested in something so simple as drawing. Susan watched him draw, wishing to hear more on the pancakes before continuing to eat the piece at the end of her fork.
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Post by Bryan Kelley on May 4, 2008 19:51:25 GMT -5
His breakfast forgotten, Bryan's focus had been completely on his sketching. He didn't even pause when a girl had sat down and partially blocked the view of his target. Like many times before, he just added this new addition to the sketch. He had done it a few times as people came in and out of his line of view as they ate and finished their own breakfast. He did not really give it much thought.
However, he was pulled from his thoughts when a voice spoke, Are the pancakes bad? Normally the question would not have registered in Bryan's mind, as conversation was constantly going on around him in the hall. However, since the owner of the voice sat in front of him and hence the clearness of the question struck him in full. Bryan gave a small start.
"What?" he said, still a little disoriented. "Oh, no," he then answered her as the question registered in his mind. His attention from his drawing, it gave his stomach a chance to chime in and without even thinking about it, Bryan had taken a bit from his now far cold plate. The passage of time had not even registered in his mind. He blinked. He chewed slowly and forced himself to swallow. He took a drink of his orange juice directly after.
"Although, they're better warm and not a soggy mush," he stated after he swallowed. He pushed the plate away to his aside, away from him before the magic of the Great Hall, which caused food to come and go with the meals, caused the plate to disappear to assumedly the kitchens.
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Susan Matthews
Gryffindor
[red]5th Year Gryffindor[/red] Shadow Warrior of Earth
goddess, nymph, divine.
Posts: 505
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Post by Susan Matthews on May 5, 2008 20:54:59 GMT -5
Susan watched as the boy started gently, unaware of her presence until she’d spoken directly to him. Upon hearing the pancakes were fine; Susan took a bite of her own as the boy returned to his own. Susan’s piece was soft and warm in her mouth, and left her wanting another bite. She looked over to the boy across from her, in time to see him struggle with his cold piece. She couldn’t help but smirk slightly as his discomfort.
“Oh, I’m sure,” Susan agreed in response. Taking another bite, she watched as his cold pancakes disappeared magically. Although she ate most every meal here in the Great Hall, it still amazed her each and every time it continued to work its magic on the food along the tables. With the new space added to the table, Susan was able to catch a glimpse of the sketch he was working on.
“How long have you been working on that?” Susan asked admiring the work he’d done. It wasn’t something to be finished within a few minutes. She studied him through her strategic pancake bites and over the plethora of food between them. She recognized him generally through group activities with the school. This, however, was the first time she'd actually spoken with this boy. She returned her gaze to his drawing, wishing she had half his skill when it came to placing pencil to paper.
(ooc: I modded, thanks for catching my mistake)
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Post by Bryan Kelley on May 5, 2008 21:19:35 GMT -5
(( Note, I maybe new to the board, but I'm playing Bryan as if he has been in Hogwarts since his first year. Just so you know, so your character probably has seen Bryan about, but he is more a background person at times. ))
Bryan pushed his sketchbook to the side and his pencil behind his left ear as he helped himself to another plate of pancakes. He decided that he should probably lay off the drawing this time and eat his breakfast. Although, between two partially eaten plates he could make one full meal. However, perhaps it wasn't wise to be so wasteful, not that they really knew what happened to the left over food anyway.
How long have you been working on that? she asked as Bryan was adding the syrup to his new pile. He eased the pitcher back, allowing the syrup to thin to a small string but stopping completely. He set the pitcher down before looking at his sketchbook. "Um, since I got in here this morning ... which was about," the boy paused thinking. "Around five forty, I guess. Don't know what time it is now..."
How long had he been sitting in the Great Hall? Bryan took that opportunity to look around him. The hall was certainly more crowded than when he first entered. When he got there there were only a handful of people eating breakfast. Now there was probably triple that amount, or more. "So a while, I guess," he stated as he brought his gaze back to his Gryffindor companion.
Bryan wasn't particularly surprised over the passage of time. It was easy to get so involved in what one was working on. He was only glad that he didn't have anywhere to be. It would not be a good thing to end up being late for something. However, luckily it was not the case, so Bryan could set aside his sketch and try and eat his breakfast, again. He took a bite of his pancakes. A definite improvement over the cold ones. He didn't need to fight his gag reflex to get this bite down. Which was always a plus.
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Susan Matthews
Gryffindor
[red]5th Year Gryffindor[/red] Shadow Warrior of Earth
goddess, nymph, divine.
Posts: 505
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Post by Susan Matthews on May 8, 2008 18:23:42 GMT -5
Susan returned to her breakfast, as there was a sudden pause in the conversation. Her plate was nearly half empty. Looking at her pancakes for a moment, she figured she should slow down some. After all, after breakfast she had nothing to do. Nothing but homework that was. With the thought of next week’s Defense Against the Dark Arts essay on her mind, Susan slowed her chewing considerably. Instead of stuffing her face as she had been earlier, she savored each bite, biding her time until the inevitable homework came along. Breakfast could only last so long.
She looked over to see that the boy had made himself a new plate to replace the previous one that had been magicked away. After applying his syrup, he finally made a response, stating that he had begun around five forty, and mentioning he wasn’t sure exactly how long it had been. Susan’s eyes widened as she recalled the time. “It was six thirty when I left the common room, which means it must be nearing seven now,” she relayed her thoughts to him. “You’ve been here about an hour,” she said enthusiastically, unsure if that would be a good thing or not.
At a loss of what more to say she returned momentarily to her pancakes, remembering to make the meal last as long as possible. She made for form a thought about the boy across from her, her fellow Gryffindor, but could not place his name. “I’m sorry,” Susan said with some embarrassment, “I can’t recall your name.” She bravely looked him the eyes, which held a color similar to that of the ocean, but a little greener. “I’m Susan,” she said plainly in case he had forgotten, or perhaps he never knew. Susan wasn’t much good with ages, but from what she could tell, the boy was a year or two above her, and she knew all too well what it was like to overlook the younger students at Hogwarts.
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Post by Bryan Kelley on May 8, 2008 21:39:43 GMT -5
Bryan tilted his head to the side as the girl did the math of how long he had been working on his sketch. A smile spread over his lips at her final pronouncement. "Not bad," he stated between taking a bit of his pancakes. "I've gone longer in drawing oblivion," he stated. The boy took another bite of his pancakes chewing thoughtfully. He was more known for his a sketchbook always on him and his hand glued permanently to the paper. This trait had earned him the nickname "Sketch" among his classmates. However, he didn't really give this much thought. He responded to it, but he didn't introduce himself as such, nor did he bring it up. So it was little surprise that he could work on a drawing for more than an hour.
As silence stretched between them, Bryan used the time to eat his breakfast. A warm breakfast was far preferable to a cold one. He didn't intend to ruin another plate by becoming side track. However, this is not to say that Bryan stuff his face as if there was no tomorrow, as the boy was not a barbarian. He ate normally.
He looked up at her, swallowing his mouthful as he listened to her speak. "I'm not surprised," he stated with a slight smile. "I don't exactly go out of my way to befriend everyone or be popular." Which was true. Bryan was not anti-social but he was not the social butterfly that some people could be. He was likable and spoke easily to anyone who wanted to talk to him. He didn't shy away from conversations; he could even start some up. However, he was just one those people that were friendly and yet didn't make strong friendships but rather friendly acquaintances.
"I'm Bryan Kelley," he then stated after she had introduced herself. "Nice to meet you, Susan." She was correct in her assumption that he didn't really know her. They had never spoken before now and being in different years, Bryan had little reason to speak to her or even interact with her aside from in this random and open settings where the different years and houses could intermix.
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Susan Matthews
Gryffindor
[red]5th Year Gryffindor[/red] Shadow Warrior of Earth
goddess, nymph, divine.
Posts: 505
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Post by Susan Matthews on May 11, 2008 20:05:55 GMT -5
Susan blinked, stunned for a moment as the boy made his statement about not going out of his way to befriend people or to be popular. Is that what he thinks of me? Susan thought for a moment. She certainly wasn’t aiming to be popular by any means, but friends, she did seek. She looked down suddenly, watching her pancakes as they sat limply on her plate. The syrup had since soaked in and the meal was suddenly unappealing. Carefully, she set her fork and knife down. She was prepared to leave, to be shot-down. The way he spoke, Susan felt she was a burden to him.
After a moment more, he gave his name. Susan looked up in time to watch his eyes as he added the ‘nice to meet you’. She could have sighed in relief. Even though he hadn’t seemed as excited as Susan herself would have been, he didn’t outright ask her to leave or ignore her completely as another person might have done. “It’s nice you meet you too, Bryan,” Susan smiled gently, glad to have a name for the face.
She was now up for eating her pancakes again, but on looking at them once more and noticing the syrupy stains where the maple had been soaked in, she simply pushed her plate toward the center of the table where it then vanished. She then, drowned the rest of her milk that had accompanied her pancakes. To satisfy the replenished rumble in her stomach she reached for a green apple. Green apple in hand, she turned it over until she found the perfect place for the first bite. The first bite was amazingly delicious, and the second even better.
Susan wondered carefully how aware Bryan was of the going-on that circulated Hogwarts. She wondered if he had been directly affected by the shadows yet, or if he was even aware of them. She knew the Mage was always on the lookout for new recruits. The way things were now, Bryan wouldn’t be missed. She wanted to warn him, or to tell him. But a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing, and Susan didn’t want to risk anything, and new-friend-conversations were never the time to bring up the potential end of the world. She wisely took a different route. “So, you like to draw?” Susan prodded, searching for conversation. “What do you draw?” she asked, looking discreetly over again at his sketch that had been set off to the side.
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Post by Bryan Kelley on May 11, 2008 20:28:01 GMT -5
Bryan was unaware that she had taken his first statement the wrong way. He had not meant it in regards to herself, but in the fact that she didn't really know him was because he, himself, didn't go out of his way to make himself known. He kept to himself but still had a sort of name if only for his drawing, but that was really eat. He didn't pay much attention to other people and hence his own friendships were limited. He kept to his own.
He smiled when she echoed his nice to meet you. However, as a small lull in the conversation took over, Bryan focused on his breakfast. He watched for a moment as she pushed her plate to the center for it to be taken away magically. He looked back to his own plate, to make sure he actually forked something, as she picked up an apple.
When she spoke again, Bryan turned his gaze back to her. He didn't answer in a negative or affirmative because he figured it was rather obvious that he liked to draw. "Variety of stuff, lately I've been working on backgrounds and perspectives," he answered her after he had swallowed. "If you want you can look through my sketchbook," he then offered. He surprised himself a little. He was a bit modest about his artwork and didn't exactly go parading it around. It was odd to say that the girl could look at it, even though she had not even asked.
He pushed the subject from his mind. Humans were contradictory creatures. They would not be human if one did not surprise oneself every once and while. While Bryan waited to see what she would say, he took a final bite of his pancakes and chewed. He placed the fork and knife down on the plate and pushed it to the side to be magicked away.
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Susan Matthews
Gryffindor
[red]5th Year Gryffindor[/red] Shadow Warrior of Earth
goddess, nymph, divine.
Posts: 505
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Post by Susan Matthews on May 12, 2008 19:57:37 GMT -5
Susan did not notice when Bryan did not directly answer her initial question, for in fact she had spoken it rhetorically and did not expect one. By voicing his preference in drawing he had also answered the original question by default. Susan took what little prior knowledge she had pertaining to art and somewhat understood what he mean by background and perspective. She removed her gaze from the sketch book and focused on her apple, pretending not to be too interested in his art, in the case that he didn’t feel like sharing.
When he openly asked if she would like to look through his sketch book, Susan looked up suddenly. She was surprised as she had labeled Bryan as the type to keep to himself as he had the five years Susan had had the opportunity to know him. She watched him for a moment, as if judging to tell if he was sure about his offer. He did not retract his invitation however; he simply pushed his plate to the side to be removed.
“I would love to,” she answered gratefully and she sat her half-eaten apple to the side where she allowed it to vanish instantly. She retrieved a napkin and wiped away the sticky apple-ness from her fingers in preparation for handling his art. Susan would have easily hexed anyone who messed with her things with dirty hands, and she didn’t expect any less from her fellow Gryffindor. Curiosity filled her being as she remained poised on the threshold of learning what lay beyond the plain cover of his thick sketch pad.
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Post by Bryan Kelley on May 13, 2008 15:02:48 GMT -5
He watched as she placed her apple down as she accepted his offer. While she wiped her hands on a napkin, Bryan pushed the sketchbook over to her. He didn't pay much attention to the fact the table may of been dirty. The sketchbook was already in a beat-up shape from it's constant use. The book was over three-fourths full of drawings and sketches and if Bryan continued at his current pace he would soon be starting a new sketchbook.
The sketchbook was filled with a variety of sketches, most changing from whatever was interesting to the artist at the time. The book held drawings of people, objects, backgrounds, designs, and really a wide variety of things. Bryan did not tend to draw set things but whatever popped into his mind or hand to draw. The styles of the drawings ranged from light sketches, outlines, to detailed works with strong lines and shading and values incorporated into the works. Some of the work was in a realistic style and then in other sections Bryan had appeared to switch into a cartoony style.
However, through out the majority of the sketchbook, the boy did not seem to work past a pencil and gray scale. There was the occasional colored sketch but they were few. For the most part, many of the sketches showed the same quality and focus of the drawing he had been working on previous to Susan's appearance. However, there were a few quick doodles, probably done while waiting for class to start.
Bryan didn't pay much attention to Susan when and if she finally picked up the sketchbook to leaf through it. Instead, he turned his attention to the pitcher of juice on the table and refilled his cup. Only after he had taken a drink from his newly filled glass did he turn his attention back to his fellow Gryffindor to gage her reaction to what she saw. Many people considered Bryan a good artist, and for a sixteen-year-old he was better than most in his age group. However, there were areas one could see where the boy needed improvement on, tricky perspectives were one of those areas.
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Susan Matthews
Gryffindor
[red]5th Year Gryffindor[/red] Shadow Warrior of Earth
goddess, nymph, divine.
Posts: 505
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Post by Susan Matthews on May 24, 2008 22:45:18 GMT -5
(ooc: Sorry for taking so long, and sorry about the inferences for the sketchpad. Let me know if I need to change anything.)
She looked from the sketchpad to its owner once before carefully lifting it from the table to hold it in both hands. The dilapidated cover was far from new and was barely held to its spiral binding. Ripped at the corners and thoroughly fingered to the point it could almost be considered a fabric, Susan gently lifted the cover and revealed the first page. She smiled quietly to herself as she carefully examined the first sketch. It was by no means spectacular, not that it wasn’t good, it was simply one of many. It was obvious there were several sketched preceding it in a separate sketch book and there would be many more to come in the following pages.
Approving of the first page, she turned to the next one to see a similar drawing with a different focus. The majority of the drawings featured physical objects that one could see and hold, Susan’s kind of art. Susan, when she did have the chance to draw, was only good with drawing what she could see. Contrary to her own art, Bryan’s sketches included those that could have only come from his own mind’s eye. On several pages she found cartoons and abstract designs. Slowly, as to take in all of the aspects of the sketchpad, she looked through each and every picture. And thus she reviewed his sketchpad saying little other than the occasional praise at a good capture or well-accomplished foreshortening.
Susan looked up when she came across the very last drawing on which Bryan had been working on moments earlier. She let her eyes roam over the paper, making sense of the graphite markings. She turned around to compare the picture with the actual scene. She had only to look for a moment, before she turned back around to face Bryan. Finished with her observations, she finally closed the sketch book. Still holding the book of drawings, Susan thanked him, “Thank you,” and with a smile she added, “You’re very talented, you know.” She had a feeling he knew. It wasn’t often a person was gifted with a steady hand and an eye for good art. Susan was almost positive Bryan was aware of his talent, yet she couldn’t help but voice the obvious.
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Post by Bryan Kelley on May 24, 2008 23:16:39 GMT -5
Bryan watched Susan as she looked through his sketchbook for a few minutes. However, he remained quiet and eventually turned his attention away from her and his sketchbook as he took a drink from his glass. The glass was returned to the table top and his gaze moved to look around the Great Hall. Bryan noted the passage of time and the amount of people that now filled the hall. It was amazing was the difference of an hour could do to change the population of a place.
When the girl in front of him moved to look behind her, Bryan changed his gaze to look from her to his sketchbook. He noted she was now looking at the drawing he was previously working. Looking at the sketch upside down, Bryan noted there were a few things he would need to change. The perspective did not look right. He wasn't sure if this insight was from the fact he had taken a step back, figuratively speaking, and was now looking at it again or if it was because the drawing was upside down. Either way, a new perspective always placed a new twist on a piece of work.
His mind turned away from thoughts on the sketch when she closed the book and addressed him once more. He shrugged his shoulders lightly in response. "Thanks. Comes with years of probably unhealthy obsession," he replied with a slight smile touching the corner of his lips before he took another drink from his orange juice. His parents certainly felt it was a little unhealthy at times but they never discouraged him from his artwork.
"Do you draw yourself?" he decided to ask her after he returned the cup down to the table and swallowed. It felt like, to him at least, that everyone dabbled a little bit in the art but how much he could not really say. Bryan merely drew because he liked it, though sometimes he drew without really knowing what he was drawing. At times it was a nagging feeling in his mind wanting to be drawn, not something he could really control.
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Susan Matthews
Gryffindor
[red]5th Year Gryffindor[/red] Shadow Warrior of Earth
goddess, nymph, divine.
Posts: 505
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Post by Susan Matthews on May 24, 2008 23:53:04 GMT -5
Susan laughed lightly at the mention that his hobby might be considered an unhealthy obsession. It couldn’t possibly be as unhealthy as some, Susan thought as she recalled her own years of nail-biting and hair twirling. Now those were unhealthy obsessions or mannerisms actually. She couldn’t recall an actual hobby she’d ever had an obsession with. Susan had never been able to stick to one thing for too long. She was always changing her mind and dabbling in just about anything. Among drawing, she’d also taken piano lessons for a full year, played the muggle sport of basketball, taken dance lessons, and tried out theater before her life as a witch took over. Nothing had truly captured her interest, but she had equally enjoyed each of them.
She looked surprised as Bryan asked if she drew herself. “Me?” she asked incredulously, as if he couldn’t possibly be speaking to her. But there were no others in their conversation and Susan deduced that he must have been speaking to her. “No,” she said and then changed her mind, decided the truth was better, “Well, I mean yes,” and then she explained, “but nothing near as good as you.” Susan recalled her own drawings that were rendered half-finished and often messily. She had drawn fruit and books and baskets, and every now and then she could crank out a half decent portrait.
Realizing she was still holding on to the sketch book, Susan held it across the table to Bryan. She was finished with her own meal, and judging by the lone glass of orange juice on Bryan’s half of the table, breakfast was almost over for the both of them. Traffic in the Great Hall had increased greatly as the morning drew on. The ever present din had grown louder little by little. She watched as a student from her Defense class passed behind Bryan reminding her of the report she had due the upcoming week. She frowned slightly as she remembered the large block on her calendar set aside for homework today. Further postponing her homework to be done, Susan remained sitting at their Gryffindor table, avoiding returning to the common room at all costs.
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Post by Bryan Kelley on May 25, 2008 0:15:47 GMT -5
At her negative response, Bryan was ready to shrug it off and drop the conversation. However, when she quickly changed her answer he arched an eyebrow. A smile touched his lips when she claimed her artwork was not as good as his own. "Many artists say that," he stated. "Good is only a matter of opinion. Each person has their own style or technique," he added with a shrug of his shoulders.
Bryan accepted his sketchbook back without a word. He did not bother to open it again but merely slid it into the bag that rested on the bench next to his side. "Personally, I think there are many people better than me and I'm not that good," he said as he looked away from his bag and trained his sea blue eyes back onto his fellow Gryffindor. "But most people say I'm being modest so, it's all a matter of opinion." He shrugged his shoulders. Bryan too had noticed that the two of them were finished with their meal. He had retained his juice only because he was rather thirsty. He was also aware that the Great Hall was becoming fuller.
"Well, I don't want to detain you," he stated with a smile. "You probably have better things to be doing than hanging around here," he continued, taking a moment to look at the empty table in front of her. Bryan didn't really know if she had anything else to be doing, or even if they were better things. He just didn't want her to feel like she needed to stay if she didn't want to, not that he really expected her to but one never knew for certain.
Even though the sketch he had been working on was not finished, Bryan did not feel like working on it any more. The moment for the sketch had passed and he would probably make it into something horrible he tried to continue to work on it. However, that left him with wondering what he had left to do. He had finished his homework the night before so he couldn't do that, even if he really wanted to.
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