Reflecting. on Library

Amelle Nicchi

July 07, 2015 1:40 PM

Reflecting. by Amelle Nicchi

Amelle sat at her desk in her office listening to the silence around her. The library had closed up about a half hour ago but Amelle wasn't quite ready to scamper off to her room just yet. Tomorrow was Friday and Amelle had no plans. The whole thing depressed her greatly and reminded her of the argument she had with her parents over the summer. She really felt as though they still saw her as a child instead of the young adult that she was. However, for this argument, she thought they might be on to something.

"Amelle, you need to get yourself together and find a man to take care of. It is your duty as a woman!"

"My duty? What century do you live in, Dad? My duty is to myself and I think that I am doing just fine."

"Amelle, you know that isn't what your father meant. We just want you to be happy, that is all." Her mother said. Amelle's mother had once been disgraced by her family because she had brought them dishonor by not marrying the man they had wanted, but instead married a Sicilian whom she had met on holiday. The worst crime was that he had not been Muslim. His blood was pure and he was from a good family but his religion mattered more. Still her mother had chosen love. It had taken a long time for her family to forgive her, but they did.

"No, that is not all!" Her father huffed. "She has a duty to this family! We have given her everything that she has asked for and she still refuses to take her responsibilities seriously!" Her father heaved. Her father always lost his temper. It wasn't anything remotely scary and her grandmother always joked that yelling was just part of the Sicilian charm. But today his anger seemed genuine and Amelle's own fuse was equally short and fiery.

"Not taking them seriously? Have I not found a suitable job as you requested? Have I not taken up classes to obtain my bachelor's degree as you have required of me to do? Do I not always go out on those idiotic blind dates that you forced onto me?" Amelle had fired back. "When have I become such a disappointing daughter to you?"

"No, Darling, not a disappointment. Nothing like that, my child!" Her mother spoke, when she became emotional, her accent became thick and heavy. "Your father doesn't mean it like that. We are just concerned. You do so well in your studies but do not seem to have any direction. Even the men we set you up with say they have a great time and they enjoy your personality but you always turn them down for a second date. You show no interest in anyone or anything. We are just concerned about you." Her mother explained. "Do you ever go out and enjoy yourself? Do you have friends or colleagues with whom you can talk to and enjoy your off times with?" Her mother asked. "We worry about you so much."

"You should be married and having children!" Her father shouted, this time only raising his voice to be heard. "Why do you not want this happiness for yourself? Why can we not have grandchildren?" With both of her parents from other countries, sometimes their accents mixed weirdly to Amelle.

"Dad, enough of the dramatics. I have plenty of time to find someone who I enjoy spending time with and maybe marry and have children with. You two constantly being on my case about everything will not make that happen any quicker. So please, stop with the guilt trips. I am fine."

She had been so certain during the argument that she was alright, but now she wasn't so sure. She had no personal life here. No friends. She never did anything social and she had no idea why. What was stopping her? She even had co-workers who were around her age that she could talk to.

This was ridiculous. Amelle was determined to make some friends and to stop hiding in the library. Isis Carter was probably her easiest ally being nearest the same age and Isis always seemed genuinely nice. Amelle would have loved to spend some quality time getting to know Richard or Alfie but she wasn't sure if they would be interested in her. For her own confidence, Amelle would seek Isis out first for some drinks during the long weekend.

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Isis Carter

July 09, 2015 3:15 AM

Responding. by Isis Carter

Sonora Academy of Witchcraft and Wizardry was an actual, factual miracle in the life of Isis Carter. Her twenty-five years of existence thus far had been a constant uphill battle, an ongoing struggle against impossible circumstance, negative influences, and bad choices. She had done more than her share of stupid things, watched bad things happen to good people, and seen just exactly how detrimental mistakes could be. She saw things in Detroit that no child her age ought to have seen, things she didn’t like to talk about.

But here, she had it all. Sonora provided so much more than just a paycheck; it was shelter, utilities, food, community, and best of all, confidence. Teaching here made Isis feel competent again and presented her in a way that could make anyone left in Detroit proud of her. Not only that, having this job directed her into a place where she didn’t have to feel ashamed to show herself to Nevaeh. Needless to say, it was a huge step-up from living off change and sleeping in her car as she had been prior to winning the position.

It was progress that, looking back, her past-self might have never seen coming. Isis felt validated and respected here, feelings that were rare growing up in Detroit. People liked her. Or at least she assumed they did, since no one really treated her poorly outwardly. And admittedly, that was a huge step, considering the quiet voice in the back of her head that had warned her to be vigilant as her surroundings left her a clear minority. There weren’t many here who looked like her, but she was glad at least that not everyone looked alike. While a high percentage of staff and students alike shared a common background, minorities were still present. It was something. It still felt safe.

Rarely was there a safer place than a library. Isis had learned to appreciate books as a child, mostly because they were few and far between. Education was a rare novelty, simultaneously a luxury and a war to achieve. Now an adult, having an entire section of a building devoted to books was simply astounding, and more than that, the woman who tended the books was quite wonderful herself. Amelle Nicchi seemed to be about the same age as Isis, yet she had been here for quite some time now it seemed; Isis had no idea how the woman did it. She had pushed so hard to make it this far, and yet Amelle had to have fought her way up too, she imagined, to make it here so young.

Amelle seemed like such a nice young woman, and, Isis noted with mild concern, neither of them appeared to be particularly attached to any of their coworkers. She felt that both she and the librarian could probably use a friend, and what would be better than finding that friend in one another? So with a nervous smile, Isis headed into the library and approached the desk, brown eyes rich with warmth. “Hey there,” she said cheerily. “Maybe this is weird, but would you like to do something together this weekend? Unless you’ve already got plans.”

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Amelle

July 11, 2015 5:35 PM

That was quick! by Amelle

Amelle was finishing the last of the cleanup, hurrying to finish so that it wasn’t too late when she went to go see Isis and fulfil her wish to make some friends here at Sonora when the person with whom she had been thinking about suddenly appeared in front of her. Amelle’s brown eyes widened in surprise and she wondered if somehow the other staff member had picked up on Amelle’s thoughts. Of course, that was silly to think it. Even if Amelle heard that Professor Pye was teaching his students Legilimency and Occlumency, but Amelle was pretty sure someone could tell if a person was poking around and there had to be some sort of connection… It was just a freaky coincidence, nothing more.
“It is a little weird.” Amelle replied, giving Isis a smile. “But not for what you are asking. It’s weird because I was just thinking about how I should get out more and make some friends.” Amelle explained. “I was going to see if you wanted to have drinks or something. I’m glad that it’s something you were thinking about too.” She said with a laugh. “To answer your question, yes, I would like to get together and do something this weekend. It’ll be nice to be around another adult for a while.” She had no issues with the students who helped her out in the library. The Heads and Advanced students were basically adults as it were and the majority of those who signed up were Aladren, if she was not mistaken, so they were all polite and great to have around, but they weren’t adults. She couldn’t have her only success with conversations be with just the students.

She had to finish her homework at some point this weekend, but there was plenty of time for that. Amelle was lucky that her professor was willing to do this with her. There were a few schools that allowed lessons through owl post and her school happened to be one of them. She needed to get as many credits as she could so that it didn’t take her five years to graduate. Lessons for the week came in on Monday and she had to have them back into the post with the homework by Sunday. It was, so far, easy for her to keep up with. Most of her work was done, she only had one essay left to complete and then she could send it all on its way. She could easily do it in the morning without much issue.

“Do you know of any place around the area? Or should we just try for Phoenix?” Amelle asked. She was saddened to say that she hadn’t really ever left the grounds when she was at the school.

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