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Post by Caitlin Collins on May 31, 2009 9:24:42 GMT -5
[yellow]"It didn't, don't worry,"[/yellow] Caity reassured Sam, not wanting him to feel bad due to her pessimistic attitude when she was sure he had just been trying to help. She thought on his last statement and tried to think of the last time she had done something purposely for the point of making herself happy, and couldn't remember. This war was so serious, it seemed to drain the happiness out of everything... and with everything else that had happened, her schoolwork and job just seemed to take up all of her time in an effort at distracting herself.
[yellow]"You should go if you ever get the chance, it's amazing there,"[/yellow] Caity said, thinking of all the memories she had from just her first few weeks in the country, let alone the whole five years. [yellow]"Where is it you have been? Apart from India and a trip to Nepal one time, I haven't really been anywhere else abroad."[/yellow] That trip had been in either their second or third year in India – she wasn't entirely sure which and had only been for a week or so before they returned. Before they moved to India, she had never been any further away from their home in Cornwall than London. She nodded at the mention of telling him some other time, enjoying the small mention of it so far. [yellow]"Sure,"[/yellow] she agreed, smiling slightly as she added, [yellow]"just make sure we've got a lot of time – I have a lot of memories from five years."[/yellow]
Watching the lake, Caity became slowly aware of the darkening skies and couldn't resist sending a little nervous look at the forest. As peaceful as it felt out here, they needed to get inside before the sun set. Sam apparently had similar thoughts, if probably not for quite the same reasons. She glanced over at him as he stood and ducked her head slightly with a tiny smile at his words. She reached up for his hand, showing consent to his suggestion. She stepped back slightly as she stood to keep some distance between them, releasing his hand as soon as she was on her feet. As friendly as he might be, she wasn't entirely comfortable around him just yet. It wasn't anything he'd done, it was just the general wariness she had around nearly everyone now. There were a few exceptions, but not many.
Just as she looked up at him again, a sudden pain flickered in her head and she winced subconsciously. It disappeared a second later and then she felt haziness, followed by a sick feeling in her stomach she recognised immediately... the feeling that something was wrong, something had just happened. The unfound Elemental Master of Water was dying... just like she had felt with Gat, it was the same this time. Her head was spinning and the turmoil in her head was crashing about like ocean waves in a storm as she stood, frozen where she was standing and not really taking in Sam's presence, so wrapped up in what she was feeling. [yellow]Not again, please, not again...[/yellow] A moment later the pain stopped with no warning and she wilted a little, knowing what that signified. Another death... another loss to friends and family... and, another person dragged into this war.
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Sam Kelley
Gryffindor
[red]5th Year Gryffindor[/red] Elemental Master of Water
Posts: 67
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Post by Sam Kelley on Jun 1, 2009 10:56:38 GMT -5
”Let’s see...France, Germany, Italy...basically just a bit around the mainland,” he offered to her inquiry on his travels. The Kelley family wasn;t exactly well travelled as far as wizard families went, but they would take a trip when the fancy struck. Of course, those outings were always quite the event since it incorporated not only Sam’s family but those of his aunts and uncles as well. That was sort of a theme with them, each family would have their own things, but by and large most outings involved the entire clan. Being raised in such a way had certainly taught the lad how to manage himself as part of a team, but even he would admit that sometimes it could be easy to get lost in the shuffle of such a large group; even with such a truth existing, it would never be fair to call the Gryffindor a neglected youth by any stretch of the imagination.
He smiled and nodded as she mentioned needing the proper time to throughly share her past with him. The idea of sitting down with Caity again was one that definitely applied to the boy who had come to fancy her a bit over the last hour that they had spent together. ”I’m willing to put the time in if you are. I run here every night, so I could handle making this a regular thing whenever you feel up to it if you’re interested.” He watched her curiously as he climbed to his feet, wondering how the invitation would be accepted. Perhaps it seemed a bit forward to make plans to see each other again after this one time of spending any amount of time with the Hufflepuff, but it seemed that she had made an impression, there was something about her and he wanted to know more.
With little effort expended, the strong boy pulled Caity to her feet. She was light to even his muscles that were still sore from the morning session with D’rorah. The step she took away didn’t bother Sam at all, though he had not allowed it to impact him in this scenario, the world he had just recently been made to come to grips with forced him to acknowledge that automatic trust and comfort with people was something he would need to evaluate soon. He had always been a social lad, but he was now involved in a conflict and conflict meant having true enemies. This isn’t to say that he equated Caitlin’s distance at all with the conflict, but more that that concept of growing into ones company was not as foreign as it might have been a few days prior to this boy that had always made fast friends throughout his life.
A curious and concerned eyebrow rose immediately as Caitlin froze rigidly right before his eyes. Sam examined her features for a moment, noting that an almost panicked look now resided there. He glanced behind him for a moment to the body of water at his back, wondering if something drastic like an emerging squid was occurring without his knowledge, but his gaze quickly returned to the girl when nothing was detected. ”Caity? Are you alright?” he asked urgently. Paying no mind to the gesture he took a step closer to reduce the distance between them. ”What is the matter?” His second query more intense and worried than the first.
Focused entirely on the obvious distress in his new friend, Sam’s perception of himself dwindled. In that very moment that the tragic realization settled into the mind of the Hufflepuff, a change also occurred in within the boy. Unbeknownst to either of the pair, that very fragment of light that Caitlin felt departing another soul came to rest within her companion. Sam continued to look down to the girl, desiring to aide her in some way and completely unaware that he now had even more in common with his older brother as the second Kelley to play host to an elemental fragment.
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Post by Caitlin Collins on Jun 1, 2009 15:55:43 GMT -5
[yellow]"Wow... you've been to a lot of places,"[/yellow] Cait commented, considering that she had never actually been on the Continent. It might be nice to visit those places some time... although she doubted it would ever actually happen. So many things would prevent it. The Shadow Wars, money, permission, where to stay, the languages... Dismissing the idea fairly quickly, Cait settled for the hope of just returning to India – or even not going to China this summer.
She nodded at his suggestion, having enjoyed the time talking with him, however unintentional it might have been. The lake setting had probably helped matters a lot. [yellow]"Okay... I dunno how much homework I'll be getting over the next few days, but I can probably come out here sometime next week,"[/yellow] she guessed. She didn't know exactly when – normally she only came outside when it was particularly stuffy inside with too many people and she wanted to get away from it all. Now it appeared she actually had a reason to come out more often.
Caity was vaguely aware as Sam helped her up that she was light... probably too light. She always had been underweight – not purposely, she had eaten lots in the past, it just never seemed to affect her like most people. But recently she hadn't been eating a lot, and she knew it was taking its toll on her. It just felt like so much effort to traipse down to the Great Hall for food when she didn't even feel like eating. When she did go down, she ate enough to placate her hunger but little more than that.
Wrapped up in what she had just experienced, Cait's eyes darted upwards in surprise when Sam spoke. Immediately she became aware of black spots in her vision, just as they had appeared after Gat's death, which told her there was a migraine on the way. She was tensed up and trying to suppress all the emotions that came with feeling the Elemental Master's death, and when he took one step closer to her she took two hasty steps backwards in an automatic response. [yellow]"I... I'm okay. Fine. I just... I was dizzy when I stood. And I think I'm getting a headache. It's fine. We should go inside before it gets too dark."[/yellow] She took a few further steps back before turning so that she was facing the castle as she walked, forcing everything to stay inside until she could get somewhere else where no one was watching.
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Sam Kelley
Gryffindor
[red]5th Year Gryffindor[/red] Elemental Master of Water
Posts: 67
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Post by Sam Kelley on Jun 2, 2009 9:00:45 GMT -5
The Gryffindor nodded to Caitlin’s remark about finding time to come out to the lake again, a small smile finding its way into the gesture as well. ”I’d like that,” he admitted unapologetically. Many boys his age may have strayed away from such a comment or displayed an unavoidable blush following it, but Sam did not. He was a social creature and liked this girl and he wasn’t afraid to make it known to her. After all, one seldom got what they didn’t have the nerve to stand up and ask for and as the saying went...fortune rewards the bold. The boy had enough of that stereotypical Gryffindor boldness and then some.
”You’re the first person I’ve found that doesn’t tarnish my time here, so feel free to come whenever, I stop right here after my run every night.” Though it may have sounded like a line delivered to a pretty girl by a hopeful boy, the words rang 100% true to Sam. His jogs were the time where he shedded the stress and concern of the day and truly relaxed. Each time that he had encountered another soul at his resting spot, they had proven more of a nuisance than good company. In fact, he didn’t even invite his brother to hang out in this spot, always reserving it for himself alone. However, Caitlin had somehow managed to be an exception to this rule, the Gryffindor having still found his internal balance and relaxation easily amid her company. There was no logical explanation behind the difference between her and his prior visitors, nor did the lad tax himself over the query. This would just be one of the truths in life that Sam accepted blindly. Sometimes labelled as impulsive by others, following his gut and his heart was just part of who Sam was.
As the air between the two turned more tense, Sam again found himself nodding to the Hufflepuff. His expression clearly showed concern for her mannerisms of the moment as did the fact that he was holding back from responding how he normally would to his observations. ”Alright, Caity,” he said through the nod, his eyes focusing on hers. ”Off we go then.” With the words offered, Sam accompanied the girl on the trek back to the castle, allowing his longer legs to shorten their stride to match hers. He was silent along the course and avoided looking over to the girl, satisfied with the view that his peripheral vision offered to detect any further failings of her balance.
With the castle growing nearer in the distance, Sam found himself thinking back to the earlier exchange about maidens in distress and her distresses being outside of his realm of assistance. This was the primary thought that prevented him from making further inquiries on her state or even initiating conversation on the walk. He had offered his help and she had deemed it insufficient. This didn’t insult the lads ego, but he also didn’t want to ignore what she had voiced. He had more respect for her than just some helpless girl that didn’t know what was best for her and he sought to demonstrate that through giving her the space she obviously needed.
When they arrived at the castle, Sam stepped forward and reached for the door, opening it for her as a gentleman should. As she stepped through he followed and moved toward the nearest staircase. Pausing just before the first step he glanced to her once again. ”Goodnight, Caity,” he said warmly. Though he didn’t expect it to be returned in the state she seemed to be in for whatever reason, Sam offered up a small smile. A moment later he began the long climb up toward the tower that housed the Gryffindor dormitories, thinking that he hoped Caitlin would take him up on the open invitations sooner rather than later as he stole one last glance in her direction.
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Post by Caitlin Collins on Jun 2, 2009 13:51:00 GMT -5
Although she wasn't paying much attention to him, Cait could at least appreciate that Sam didn't question what she was saying. He caught up with her quite quickly but she still barely glanced at him, intent on getting back into the castle and away from public eyes as soon as possible. The black spots still contorted her vision and she stumbled a couple of times in her distraction. Finally they were inside and she after taking barely a few steps, she heard Sam wishing her goodnight. Pausing, she turned round to face him, her skin edging on white just as it always did when she wasn't feeling well, and the motion making her feel a little dizzy. [yellow]"Night. See you sometime next week."[/yellow]
Not wanting to stay in the large, open Entrance Hall much longer, she turned and headed towards the steps that led down to the Hufflepuff common room. She passed through the room without pausing or looking at anyone else, heading through the tunnel that led to her dormitory. Luckily no one else was there so she had no qualms about kicking off her shoes and crawling onto her bed, drawing the curtains around it to prevent any more light from hurting her eyes. Her head was pounding already and she curled up, squeezing her eyes shut and trying not to think about the earlier turmoil in her head. Someone else dead... someone else dragged in. As she drifted off into a feverish sleep, the migraine developed along with a series of nightmares that would ensure that any sleep she got that night would not be at all restful.
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