| Details for Girl Talk 2.0 |
| Summary: | Andromena finds Eibhlin, and yet again dives into Girl Talk. |
| Date: | 1938-11-22 |
| Location: | Ravenclaw Girls Tower |
| Related: | Girl Talk |
| Characters |
   |
Eibhlin isn't on Prefect duties this evening, but even if she was its still early enough that she wouldn't need to be starting rounds. Early enough in the evening that the dormitory isn't full by any means. Some students are hanging out in the common room, but many are still out and about throughout the rest of the school, while a few are settled on beds or at desks studying. Eibhlin is one such, the girl laying on her stomach on her bed, feet in the air crossed at the ankles, the trunk at the foot of the bed serving for the moment as a table to hold an additional book.
Andromena's arrival into the girls tower is announced not by the sound of footsteps, but by the meowing of her cat. In the preternatural way of animals, it was alerted to her coming long before the human, even the wizardly, perception could pick up such things. Apollo (the cat) hopped down from where it had been snoozing upon her bed to dart across the floor towards the entry way, meowing as he did so. Not long afterward, Andromena appeared, scooping up the little creature into her arms and giving it a good nuzzle with her chin. This pleased Apollo, who began to purr loudly.
"Hey Eibhlin," she greeted upon seeing the other girl. "Catching a bit of peace and quiet?"
While Apollo might have known of her arrival first it was the cat's movement that alerted Eibhlin. The redhead glances up from the pages in front of her to follow its path for a moment, about to shrug it off when Andromena made her appearance. "Yes," she replies to the question in simple response, "Free of first years and boys." Hence her choice of location.
Andromena strode over toward the red head, still cradling her cat. "Tell me about it," she replies, giving a big roll of her eyes. "I had this first year asking me the most inane questions, and no matter how I tried to explain things simply they only got more confused!" She isn't ready to broach the subject of boys, not yet. She was rather hoping that Eibhlin would do that for her, so Andromena didn't feel like she was butting into another's business. Still…"You know, I never got the chance to tell you, but when I sat with Gus at the Three Broomsticks he really did seem genuinely confused as to what he may have done wrong."
Eibhlin laughs lightly at the mention of her trouble with first years. "Well, we were all there once I suppose," she tries knowing full well how frustrating it can be. Reaching out to shuffle her papers back into one pile which is placed atop the book on the trunk she makes room. "Its… complicated," she replies with a sigh as topic of boys, or rather one in particular, is brought up.
"How so?" She had to ask. As a gesture of friendship! Perhaps Eibhlin could better sort through her feelings on the matter if she had somebody (Andromena) to talk them over with. Sure, perhaps Rowle wasn't the first person one might think of when it came to relationship advice, but she was fairly sensible. At the very least, Shine would have a sympathetic ear. "But before you say anything, I do want to say this," she held up a free hand to forestall anything. "Maybe it was just me, but I saw how Gus was eyeing Stuart." And Eibhlin was only right there! "If he's not all that interested in trying to…work things out, then I say forget how complicated you might think of it as and drop him."
Eibhlin turns to sit up, pulling her feet up beneath her to sit crosslegged. "Well…" but she pauses as the other girl holds her back. A nod follows, "It wasn't just you," she agrees, "And I didn't kick him on accident," she goes on to admit about that as well. "But the thing at the Broomsticks.. well that was sort of because of me. I'd told him it wasn't going to work." So in a way she already has dropped him. "Sit?" she invites the other girl. While Andromena might not be the first person most people would look to for relationship advice, she is a friend and sometimes that's all that's needed.
And sit she did, letting Apollo take up residence within her lap. He circled and kneaded and just generally made himself at home before curling up. "Why?" Why didn't she feel like it would work out between herself and Rousseau? Unless it had to do with his philandering nature! (Had he eye-balled other girls when he was with Eibhlin!?) "You weren't his…what do they call it…" Andromena peere upwards, trying to remember the word she was seeking. "Well, you know what I mean. I just wondered since I seem to recall he was dating some other girl not too long ago." You don't go to school with people for years and not pick up a few facts about them!
Eibhlin shakes her head, "I don't know," she replies about Gus, "He broke up with Lillian and asked me on a picnic with the week." Which might be one thing that plays into her hesitations. One she waves off with a flick of her wrist. "But really it was just a little overwhelming I guess. I mean," and here she sidetracks, "I heard Black too you on a picnic, how'd that go?"'
"I can see how you'd feel that was moving a bit too fast," Andromena agrees. "Was he just trying to be friendly, or was there a romantic bent to it all?" One hand steadily stroked the ebon fur of Apollo, something she seemed to do almost without thinking. "And yeah, we did go on a picnic." Only…it had actually been her to ask, via support from the Gorgon. "I got some of the younger girls to help me get some food together, and then Medusa had an enchanted umbrella she let us borrow." Smiling at the memory, Andromena continued on. "It was actually really nice." But they weren't here to talk about her and Alphard, though she did add, "I've not seen him yet today, so I've not had the chance to ask about that book."
Eibhlin was getting there and the other girl's description of her own picnic date is only serving to prove a point. "Its alright," she assures about the book. "I'm glad you had a good time, not my choice of companionship, but.." to each their own, "you know how be can be with half-bloods." Alphard can be a jerk. "But see that sounds nice. Not that what he planed wasn't nice, and we did get to talk," and kiss which she does admit to as she explains the setting that the Hufflepuff had created for it. "It was just.. alot. But then he won this stupid bet with his friends and he wanted to take me to dinner which was sweet, really, but you know he won ten sickles." Ten! Which she might have made a big deal about to him. "I might have overreacted a little."
Andromena had admitted to no kissing, though it happened. She felt a little guilty for not sharing it as openly as Eibhlin, but it mostly had to do with refusing to allow Alphard find reasons to call her a gossip. "Alphard can be difficult, I understand," which was a gross understatement in truth. Eibhlin was a sweet girl for not calling it like it was to Andromena. Black was stuffed away then, because Andromena was busy trying to understand what her companion just told her. Her brows crimped together. "Wait, the bet didn't have anything to do with you did it?" Because that would be just awful. "Or had he just won ten sickles and really wanted to use it on dinner for you?" Which was much nicer.
A shake of her head confirms no, the bet was not about Eibhlin. "It was about moving some huge log by hand," something she can't help but laugh about just a little. "He wanted to spend it on me. And that's just.. well its alot." At least to her. Eibhlin sighs, looking down at her hands where they rest in her lap. "Honestly though, that's all a big excuse," whether she realized it at the time or she was just using it as such is left to guessing. "Just with everything that's going on out there," she continues after a brief pause, a wave of her hand indicating out there to be outside Hogwarts in general as she looks back up to her friend.
"An excuse for you…?" Andromena presses, watching the other girl with her lips faintly pursed. "If you enjoy your time with Rousseau, don't worry about whether things seem like they're moving too fast." She spoke confidently, as if this made the most sense - not just to her but to anyone! "What I mean to say is: you shouldn't turn something that makes you happy into something that upsets you if you don't have to. We're here, at Hogwarts, just students. Out there," she too waved her hand the wave Eibhlin had. "That's for later."
Eibhlin nods, "Yeah, and I know but I thought it would be easier if I just broke it off before it got too far. Obviously not. You saw what happened at the Broomsticks." They already covered that earlier. The two sixth-year girls are sitting on Eibhlin's bed, Andromena's cat quite content on its girl's lap. "He's from a good, pure-blood family. They money and.." she shakes her head looking back down. "Its not that I don't like him Mena, but I'm farm girl, a half-blood. A half-blood who knows nothing about her wizard-side. I don't stand a chance. Maybe its like you said and I'm just his.. whatever." Since they haven't figured out what word they were looking for there yet.
Andromena frowned heavily, now understanding the source of Eibhlin's distress. She had only recently confessed to Ria about how Alphard thought their own parents should meet, and the Rowles were pure bloods themselves! She laid a comforting hand upon the other girl's shoulder. "Have you told this to Gus?" He deserved to know that much, at least. Andromena, however, was not sure how else to proceed. She would never dare to speak for another person's family, especially not when it came to a matter to delicate as this. "He should be told, if only so he can understand the sort of impact he has on other girls that aren't from pure blood families if he's not serious about them." It wouldn't be right, or fair. Not that the world was either of those.
Eibhlin shakes her head, "No," she admits, "I was trying to, but.." she leaves it at that. "Is it even worth it now? You said yourself he was already looking at Stuart. Its been a week since I told him no and he'd asked me out a week after he broke up with Yaxley and they'd been dating for months." She for one is fairly certain she's blown her chance.
"Perhaps only to try and spur you to jealousy…" Andromena grants that was a fair plausibility. "I could talk to him about it for you- or we could have one of our fellow Ravenclaw males approach him?" She very nearly began to suggest Alphard, but had quickly decided against it. "Myrus or even Julian." Despite the fact both of those particular boys seemed to be ignoring her…surely neither would mind lending a helping hand to Eibhlin. She was a charming girl! "I think that's a decent place to start before you decide anything further. Give Augustin that chance, and if he blows it…then he's not worth the trouble!"
Elise trudges into the room like she's got the world resting on her narrow little shoulders. She looks somehow older than her meager 12 years. Her face is paler than usual, there are actual circles under her eyes, like she hasn't been sleeping right. She tosses her books onto her bed and climbs up after them, then falls back against the pillow with a sigh that originates somewhere in her toes. "Boys are /stupid/," she announces to the room in general.
"You think so?" Eibhlin inquires on Andromena's thought. She likes that idea far better than the alternative, not to mention if it was his plan it did work. "I'll try.." she agrees. "If I can't get through it then maybe." Maybe they can have one of the boy's do it. Alphard, while not a bad choice for some, is probably not the best given he rarely has anything nice to say about Eibhlin when she's there who's to say what he'd say when she's not? "Thanks Mena," she adds offering up a bit of a smile to her companion only to have it turn to a frown as she looks back over her shoulder towards the younger girl. "Elise? Are you alright?"
"Yeah, I think it's worth a try. Then you can say you know for sure." Andromena got to her feet, Apollo jumping with her, and gave Eibhlin a smile. "I've got to get a letter written to my parents…but first I really need to snag a bite to eat." A look is sent towards Elise when she grumps, but Andromena, though she would like to help, has a rumbling tummy! "I'll see you guys in just a bit, if you'll be here when I return." And with that, she was off, cat trailing at her heels.
Elise picks up her head, sees the other girls sitting on the bed way over there, and flops it back down again. "Winston Travers was talking to some Hufflepuff boy about me," she says, naming a third-year Ravenclaw. "He said that I'm cute. Then the Hufflepuff boy - I think his name is, oh, John Michael, or something - he told Travers all about my family curse. And then Travers said, 'Well, I guess she's not that cute. Do you think we'll see it when she dies?" She shudders. "They didn't know I could hear them. Then they turned around and saw I was watching, and just ran off, laughing." She waves goodbye to Andromena, lifting her hand, wiggling it to either side once, and dropping it back down to the bed with a soft thump.
"Later," Eibhlin agrees with Andromena as the other sixth-year takes her leave of them. The redhead turns, uncurling her legs from beneath her to stand and cross the space between her bed and the younger girl's. "Boys will always say dumb things," she tries, laying a comforting hand on the girl's shoulder as she takes a seat on the edge of the bed. "You can't take things like that to heart."
"I guess so," Elise mumbles. "It's not like I like him anyway. He's kind of mean, isn't he?" she asks, referring to Winston Travers. Then she turns big eyes up to Eibhlin. "I finally told Cillian I like him. Not that he likes me back. He doesn't like girls at all, yet." She sighs. "Growing up is very complicated, isn't it?"
Eibhlin shakes her head, "No, some boys can be quite mean," she agrees. "Some girls too," she adds though she can't help but smile and chuckle a little at the girl's conclusion. "Quite complicated," she replies, "That's good on you telling him, Mena was just telling me I should do the same." Not tell Cillian obviously, but tell a boy how she feels. "Don't you worry about it though. You're pretty girl Elise and he'll come around to girls soon enough."
Elise sits up. "You like Cillian?" she gasps, staring for a second. Then she blinks. "Wait. No. Of course not. Sorry. I'm very tired," she explains. She rubs her eyes - she really does look tired. "Who is it that you like? And why haven't you told him?"
Eibhlin laughs, "No, he's an 'interesting' boy, but no," she assures about Cillian with a shake of her head. As for her who and why the older girl seems a bit surprised by the question. The who she'll avoid for the moment but its with a sigh of her own that she admits the why, "I suppose I'm a little scared."
"Scared of what?" Elise asks. "Is he mean?"
"No… he's very nice," Eibhlin replies, a smile touching her lips at the thought of the boy in question. "But like you said, growing up is very complicated and I suppose I'm scared of that," she settles on the answer, leaning back against the wall.
Elise looks back down, at her knees, looking very serious. "Telling Cillian wasn't as bad as I thought it would be," she says. "He said that we were still friends, and that the heart wants what it wants, and he's not mad at me or anything." She shrugs. "Maybe you should just talk to the boy you like. Maybe it won't be as scary as you imagine it will be."
Eibhlin nods. "It might not be," she agrees, considering her next words. "When you told Cillian were you scared that he might not like you back because of your family's curse?"
"Well… not exactly," Elise says. "I know he's not ready, yet. He's just a little too young, I guess." She shrugs. "Mother said that girls mature a little faster than boys, anyway." She takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. "I was sort of afraid that he wouldn't want to be my friend because I'm growing up. I don't like the same kid things I used to. Well… I still like most of it. But other things seem more interesting, too. And…" she looks down at her hands. "What I'm really… really afraid of is that, well, he will like me when he gets old enough, and then I'll go and die on him."
"Your mother is right there," Eibhlin says, though mostly she listens, nodding now and again as the girl explains. "Oh hun," the redhead aims to give the girl's shoulder a reassuring squeeze, willing enough to provide a hug as well if its sought. "You're too young to have to think about such things." She can certainly understand why she does, but still. "Besides, for all we know someone could find a cure for your curse tomorrow."
Elise is certainly willing enough to accept a hug. "What are you so scared of?" she asks again. "That he will like you back, or that he won't?"
Eibhlin frowns a bit given the question, "Both I guess," she admits. Growing up really is complicated.
Elise blinks. "What?" she asks.
"Well…" Eibhlin considers how to explain it to the twelve year old. "I think you understand why I'd be scared if he didn't like me," she begins. "Before I came to school here, some of the kids made fun of me because I didn't have a father. Like you said Travers and his friend did about your family's curse. And then when I came here some of them gave me a hard time because my mother's a Muggle and I didn't know anything about the wizard world. He's a pure-blood." And even even a second year can understand where those differences might cause complications. Hopefully.
Elise listens intently, and slowly nods. "Oh, I see," she says. And she really does. "But does this boy… I mean, well, if he likes you back, then he must not care about your blood status, right? And if he does care about it, then you know he's stupid and not worth your time anyway." She nods to herself. "So just ask him. Say, 'Boy,' only, you know, use his real name. Say, 'Boy, I suppose I like you. I think you're really keen. But you know about my parents. Does that matter to you, or doesn't it? And do you like me back?'" Elise pauses. "Only, well, it should sound nicer, you know. You can't very well go marching up to him like a soldier and interrogating him." She giggles a little bit.
Eibhlin can't help but laugh at the girl's honesty. "I suppose you're right Elise, but while it might not matter to him, it might matter to people he cares about and that's where it gets complicated. I think," she adds, aiming to change the subject, "That its about time for dinner, hmm?" she notes, moving to stand and offer a hand to the younger girl to help her up so they can both go find something to eat.
"If they really cared about him, they'd let him be happy with whomever he loves, whether or not they're pureblood or whatever," Elise says, shaking her head sadly. She takes Eibhlin's hand, and gets up. "Yes, I am hungry," she agrees. And off they go!