Elly Eriksson
February 22, 2009 12:48 PM
Feeling blue by Elly Eriksson
Life sucked. It just did. Normally Elly was the first to find the positive in any situation, but right now she couldn't feel more glum. She had even neglected her usual spot in the centre of the Cascade Hall to find a quieter place to eat, and didn't pay any attention to disapproving looks as she sat cross-legged on top of the table, rather than on a chair or bench. She was wearing one of her older, tattier pairs of jeans and a plain, fitted red tee. Her feet, as usual, bore orange plastic flip-flops, and her hair - a similar colour - was tied half-heartedly back into a loose knot.Elly's original intention on entering the Hall had been to find food, but she didn't have the appetite. Instead she held before her two letters, which she read over and over again, even though she knew them both by heart. The first was from her father, reiterating that Elly was welcome to stay with her mother in Hollabrunn for the summer, but that he wouldn't be around much and she was welcome to make alternative arrangements if she wanted.
Elly grimaced. She knew the sensible option would be to stay with her mother, but it wasn't an appealing notion. Besides, Elly had an abundance of friends she was sure would be able to keep her between them over the summer break. It wasn't at all the same as having her own home to return to, and her own bed to sleep in, but Elly was far from opposed to having an adventure. The worst case scenario was that all her friends were busy and Elly would have to deal with her mother and German-speaking cousins for the holiday. It wouldn't be so bad, or so she was trying to convince herself.
The other letter was from Echo, and she had only received it that morning. Elly was happy for her friend, she really was, but that didn't stop her feeling like a part of her had gone away. She had totally supported him when he applied for the apprenticeship with the Wizarding Aeronautics Association, but she hadn't been prepared for him actually accepting a position when it was offered. It had only been a week without him, and it felt very odd not to see him in class or sit next to him at meal times. For almost five years she, Echo and Meredith had been best friends, and now Echo wasn't at school with them any more. Elly knew she could still see him over the holidays, and they could owl each other, and that was how a lot of people conducted friendships, so it really wasn't that bad. Except that it just was.
Lost in her thoughts as she read the letters for the hundredth time, Elly only glanced up as a shadow fell over the pages in front of her. "Oh, sorry," she said, managing a small smile. "In a world of my own!"
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Elly Eriksson
Feeling blue
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Elly Eriksson
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Irene Liddowe
February 22, 2009 1:03 PM
Misery loves company by Irene Liddowe
The halls of Sonora still seemed oddly empty. The sun beamed through the windows, the students around her chatted animatedly, but Irene's thoughts were on a student that no longer walked these halls. She had known that Brett would be leaving. He had warned her long before that actual day of separation, but that didn't make the official day any less disappointing. Irene walked down to Cascade, not planning on staying long. She had a stash of candy in her room that was calling her name, hoping to spoil the small dinner she was attempting to eat. It seemed so strange, to be single after being with Brett for so long. Sure their split had been a mutual agreement, but she missed him. She had started missing him before he had even left.The two weeks since Brett's official departure had been going quite slowly. Irene wasn't going to pretend it wasn't a bummer. She had been dreading writing home to Uncle Mike about it. Just a few days ago, Irene had received an update from her Dad, asking about Brett. She still hadn't replied. For the most part, Irene was moving on. But, really, two years was a bit difficult to step away from. Irene entered Cascade Hall, letting her feet lead her to wherever they felt drawn to. Her blue-green eyes looked up to see Elly, in an admittedly peculiar, yet normal by Elly-standards, position, letters in hand. Irene felt her heart to go out to her friend. Echo's departure had been a much fresher wound than Brett's.
Irene at least knew that Brett was at a school which he could really feel happy at. At Sonora he was always cut off from anything Muggle. He couldn't play any real soccer. There had been the scrimmages, but no one was that super-great to be honest. She had tried to do everything she could to make him feel like Sonora could be home, but in the end it just couldn't cut it. New Horizons, a School for Muggleborns and Squibs, would be great for him. It would. Nevertheless, Irene wished he could have at least stuck out the year with her. Selfish, maybe, but could she really be blamed for wanting him around?
Irene pushed a piece of brown hair, come loose from her lazy ponytail, behind her ear. Her appearance mirrored Elly's; T-shirt, jeans, and a miserable expression. Irene took a spot on the table, facing her friend.
"Hey, buddy," she said, picking up a breadstick and tearing off a piece. Elly looked up from her letters. "Oh, sorry. In a world of my own!" Irene smiled lightly in response and gave a shrug.
"You too, then?" Irene paused. "Am I being stupid? It's been two weeks since Brett left. I should be fine by now, right? I mean..." She gave a sigh and met Elly's eyes. "This sucks. I really miss them..."
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Irene Liddowe
Misery loves company
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Irene Liddowe
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Elly
February 22, 2009 1:25 PM
We need to fight that evil Misery by Elly
Seeing Irene brough out a wider smile on Elly's face, and she folded the letters into the back pocket of her jeans. There, out of sight is out of mind. "You're not being stupid," Elly said kindly, suddenly feeling even worse because Irene must be far more upset - Elly had been friends with Echo, but Brett and Irene had been dating for two years. It must be really hard for Irene, too, and Brett had been gone longer than Echo."This sucks. I really miss them..." Irene said, and Elly could only agree.
"Me too," she said, leaning over the table to give Irene an awkward sitting-down hug. "But," she said, trying to sound chipper, "this is really good for them. They got an amazing start at Sonora, and they've both gone on to do what they really want, right?" she smiled. It was nice to think of it like that. Besides, at least Brett and Echo knew what they wanted to do. Elly was still floating through life, completely clueless about everything. It had never been an issue before, but Echo starting something new, coupled with the exams just around the corner, and with them having to pick subjects for next year, Elly was beginning to think it was time to make some choices. She didn't even know where she was going to spend the summer, let alone the rest of her life. Okay, this was depressing. Change in topic needed.
"And we have each other," Elly said, reaching out for Irene's hand. It felt like a hand holding moment. "And Quidditch," she grinned. "Oh, and we should definitely carry on the soccer scrimmages and the Fury," she nodded fervently, her voice becoming more excited. "I don't want to let Echo down, and I know he was too busy to run it this year, so I might start up a novel writing club instead. What do you think?" Elly hadn't given it a great deal of thought, but she guessed Echo would like it if his initial efforts were continued in his stead.
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Elly
We need to fight that evil Misery
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Elly
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Irene
February 23, 2009 6:33 AM
You got it partner. by Irene
Irene hadn't expected Elly to tell her that, yes, she was being stupid, but nevertheless, hearing the words, "You're not being stupid," did lift her spirits. With this license to feel horrible, suddenly she didn't want to anymore. At the same time, this stroke of optimism was followed by a random flashback, sitting with Brett in the Gardens. That sent her spirits down a notch... Irene leant into the sitting-hug that Elly offered her. "This is really good for them. They got an amazing start at Sonora, and they've both gone on to do what they really want, right?" Irene nodded in agreement. That was true. The two Sundance boys were off into the world, so it seemed. Nevertheless, it did leave Irene feeling a little left behind at Sonora."Yeah," she said, letting a smile, this time not forced, spread onto her face. "Brett's going to love his new school. You know how he was all for Muggleborns staying connected to their roots. This will be great. Not mention that incredible opportunity Echo got." She nodded, more to confirm her statement to herself than to Elly."
"And we have each other." Elly said, holding out a supportive hand. Irene obliged, finding herself smiling again. At the mention of Fury! and soccer scrimmages, her heart sank a little, her mind jogging back to relive the memories once again. Elly's words seemed to click in the next second however. They could carry it on! How awesome would that be??
"That would be great! It would be so cool to carry on that stuff!" Irene said, clasping Elly's hand with her other hand as well and giving it a shake. She let out a breath, though her smile remained. "We should do it."
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Irene
You got it partner.
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Irene
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Saul Pierce
February 23, 2009 11:13 AM
Is it me? by Saul Pierce
There had been three other boys in Saul's year when he started. The first had gone quickly, quietly, and without much notice. Saul couldn't even remember his name anymore. Grim's vanishing act had been more disheartening, but Saul had taken Eduard's leaving him in stride, too. Michael, though, Michael's absence had resulted in a panic attack. But even that had been a blessing in disguise because it had allowed him to move in with Echo and Matt.This, this was much much much worse.
Echo was more than a guy who happened to share Saul's room. He wasn't just the owner of the pair of shoes Saul sometimes put on by mistake, or the guy who made cool model airplanes but threatened decapitation if Saul so much as breathed near one. Echo was one of the EEs. Echo had met the whole of the Pierce clan and invited them to visit Sundance anyway. He was as much Saul's kid brother as any of Saul's real cousins were.
At least this time he'd had some advanced notice. Not much, mind you, but it didn't completely come out of nowhere.
And as happy for Echo as he was, Saul could help wondering why he couldn't hold onto his roommates. If Matt left, too, Saul would consider that proof that it was somehow his fault all these people kept leaving.
Entering the Cascade Hall for food, he nodded in as friendly a fashion as he could toward everyone he saw (he was still running a Head Boy campaign) but his heart wasn't really in it today.
Spotting Elly and Irene together, he headed over that way. They were both smiling, so he figured it couldn't be too depressing and besides, it would be good to hang out with other people equally or more affected by Echo's - and Brett's - departure. Weird how they'd both left nearly at the same time. Maybe Saul could actually blame this one on Brett. Maybe if Brett hadn't been thinking about going muggle, Echo wouldn't have been thinking about going Aeronautical. Or had it been the other way around? Saul wasn't sure.
"Hey, Irene, Elly," he greeted as he caught the tail end of their conversation. "What are we carrying on?" Saul assumed they meant the concert, if only because his every third thought this year was about the concert and it was the first explanation that came to mind (especially since the other two thoughts he was capable of - Briony and the Head Boy election - didn't apply to the context). "Fortunately, I got the script out of Echo before he had to leave, so the show still goes on." Brett's part still needed to be written out, but Saul could handle that - it hadn't been a big part to begin with.
"Ells, be honest here, did Echo ever tell you he went looking for that apprenticeship to escape being my roommate?" He doubted it - he was pretty sure it was an incidental curse rather than an active one - but the question wasn't entirely a joke. His grin did try to pass it off as one, though.
And as much as it hurt to have a friend or two leave, and in Irene's case it had to be even worse since she and Brett had been dating, but Saul couldn't help but wonder if Matt might be the person likely to suffer the longest from the Sundance Kids leaving. Echo had taken the brunt of Saul's eccentricities and now Matt didn't have that buffer.
Not that Saul thought he was difficult to be roommates with, or that his quirks were necessarily bad, and Matt did have two and a half years of experience with them already, but what if they didn't get along as well without Echo there? Saul had tried to limit his tendency to borrow things without asking to Echo's stuff, but Echo's stuff wasn't available anymore. Would Matt get as upset as Michael had when Saul wore his socks because all of Saul's were dirty?
Saul pushed the thought away. Only time would tell how Matt would handle Saul by himself. That wasn't the topic at hand. "So how are you guys holding up?"
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Saul Pierce
Is it me?
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Saul Pierce
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Elly
February 25, 2009 11:29 AM
Not at all by Elly
Elly was so pleased that Irene managed to get excited about the prospect of carrying on the boys' activities; for a start she'd cheered Irene up a little, which in turn made Elly herself feel happier, and also it reinforced her initial thought that keeping up the Fury and soccer would be a good idea. They would definitely keep it all going.Saul arrived at just the right moment. Somehow, Elly couldn't imagine having a conversation with Saul that was anything but cheery and perhaps a touch eccentric, so him arriving just as she and Irene had lifted their spirits was probably for the best. "What are we carrying on?"" he asked, and Elly grinned in reply.
"Soccer scrimmages and the Fury," she replied happily. "Or maybe we could just start a novelling club for eager writers." Though Elly doubted she would have the time to run the club herself - she already helped out with charms club and was assistant Quidditch captain, then she had prefect duties on top of all that - she would love to at least help toget it set up. "What do you think?" Irene had already demonstrated excitement at the prospect; it couldn't hurt to get Saul's opinion, too.
"Ells, be honest here, did Echo ever tell you he went looking for that apprenticeship to escape being my roommate?" Saul said then, and Elly was torn between feeling desperately sorry for the boy whose roommates kept leaving, and laughing out loud at the absurdity of the question. She settled for a grin and another awkward-angled hug, this time for Saul.
"Of course not," she said. "Echo is totally going to miss being your rommie." She was fairly sure of that - for all Saul's unusual interpretation of social rules, such as personal property, he was an excellent person to have around in most sitautions. Yet Elly did feel some compasion for Matt; she knew that he'd been saved from Saul on occasion only by Echo's being there. Still, he would probably learn to live with it, the same as the rest of them.
"We're holding up okay," she said, exchanging a small smile with Irene. "Sort of wish Echo was here, but he's probably having an amazingly fab time right now, so that would be rather selfish of me, don't you think?"
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Elly
Not at all
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Elly
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Caedence
March 02, 2009 11:11 PM
*sighs* don't you people know only I'M allowed to be glum? by Caedence
Caedence was confused, really. Twitchy was gone, but it wasn’t like they were ever friends, were they? She noveled for him furiously, but he wasn’t into quidditch, nor did they hang out. Yet somehow Pecari seemed a little empty the first morning he left. Elly and Meredith seemed… incomplete. It was always the trio. The trio and Saul. So, perhaps the quartet? Any way you look at it, the Pecari kids didn’t seem right without him.Irene was also pretty glum about Brett, and Elly didn’t seem too happy about it either. Caedence never really knew him. She played ref for soccer once, and she hung around him during Fury but she really didn’t know the kid. However, seeing one of the people she considered a friend sad wasn’t on her top ten list of fun things to do.
However, despite the hole that Twitchy left, Caedence felt the most pain of his absence through Elly. The effervescent girl had just… deflated. Caedence had always had her suspicions of a coupling between the two EE’s, but she knew that Echo’s no-touchy rule was bound to get in the way. But to see Elly, the girl who smiled through her own best friend’s mother dying and father’s arrest, the girl who smiled through her other best friend’s ordeal over the summer (whatever it was) and the girl who smiled through Echo’s therapy like this… it wasn’t right. It didn’t sit well with Caedence at all. It really hurt to see the redhead missing her other half.
So Caedence found Elly, moping on the tabletop, talking with the two other people in the Pecari group. Strange to not find Meredith there, but that was okay. The people didn’t seem too awful glum at least. Well, they were joking. But Caedence could see that behind the smiles there was a bit of sadness. She felt most sorry for Saul, who was now practically guy-less.
“Hey guys,” She greeted, trying to keep her voice light. However, that probably came out sounding odd, since she normally had a darker disposition.
"We're holding up okay. Sort of wish Echo was here, but he's probably having an amazingly fab time right now, so that would be rather selfish of me, don't you think?"
Caedence sighed. That was bull crap if she ever heard it. “Elly,” she warned, “Don’t make me cast a cheering charm on the lot of you.”
“So, did I catch the thought of a noveling club? I’d totally be up for that! Its not like I have to perform anything on stage,” She added a meaningful glance at Saul. Throwing an arm around Elly and giving her a quick squeeze, she added, “After all, since I survived my recent post as beater, I need some less dangerous activities!”
Caedence never was good at the whole ‘lets-cheer-them-up’ thing. However, she hoped she was making a good effort towards it.
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Caedence
*sighs* don't you people know only I'M allowed to be glum?
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Caedence
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Saul Pierce
March 03, 2009 9:48 AM
We'll take that under advisement. by Saul Pierce
Saul grinned a little more as Elly gave him a hug, mentally drafting his next letter to Echo to inform him that he was missing the Elly hug-fest, and felt reassured by the contact as much as her words. He'd thought Echo liked rooming with him, too.The smile faded slightly though as she remarked that she wished Echo was still around, agreeing completely despite the selfishness of it that they both recognized. Fortunately, Caedence showed up before thing could get too dreary. She seemed unusually chipper for Caedence. Or maybe that was just relativity at work.
This seemed to be proven as she threatened them all with cheering charms, and Saul laughed. "I was hit with a cheering charm once. You probably don't want to see me under its influence. Ever seen a two year old with a pixie stick? And I ambushed Elly with one once, so I know better than to do that again." He gave Elly a grin and a wink.
Soon thereafter, Caedence returned the topic to the clubs the Sundance kids had started. He hurried to give his support to the idea. "I'd totally be in for a novelling club, furious or otherwise, especially after the Head Boy thing is voted on and I can stop thinking about that." He was actually surprised that hadn't happened yet. It must be coming up soon. It was really upsetting Echo had left before he'd had a chance to vote, not that Saul was going to mention that to anyone. Talk about selfish.
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Saul Pierce
We'll take that under advisement.
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Saul Pierce
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Elly
March 07, 2009 2:15 PM
Happy happy joy joy? by Elly
"Yes, I've had my share of cheering charms, thanks," Elly replied to Caedence's greeeting, and returned Saul's grin. She could cancel them quickly enough - that much she'd learned when Saul had cast one upon her - but for the most part she just didn't approve of mood-altering spells.She hugged caedence, too, and was starting to feel a great deal better having her firends around her. Meredith would probably be feeling pretty lonely though; Elly cast her eyes over the other students in the hall but couldn't spot her friend. Hopefully she would join them soon.
"You'd do Fury?" Elly queried Caedence's comment. "Excellent," she said, and repeated these sentiments after Saul agreed to join in, too. She thought maybe next year would be better, because they all had a lot going on right now. Saul was preoccupied with the Head Boy campaign, and she and Caedence had exams in just a few weeks. Yes, maybe starting it off in the new year would be the best plan. "We'll arrange it for next term, yeah?" she suggested to the small group. "Give us the summer to think about it."
And while they were on the topic of summer, "Hey, can I stay with any of you guys over the holidays?" she asked. "Spending the whole time trapped with my Mum would suck for everyone involved, so if anyone fancies a boarder for a while give me a shout."
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Elly
Happy happy joy joy?
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Elly
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Irene
March 19, 2009 10:04 PM
Always! by Irene
Irene's attention was pulled back to the Hall as Caedence joined thier little party. They all were discussing the upcoming term and the possibilties of starting up soccer and the Fury! again. The whole idea made Irene look forward to the next term even more. Next year she would be a fifth year, that meant prefects were being selected! Irene secretly hoped that she might be chosen, but there was no getting her hopes up on this one. There were plenty of people who would be fabulous at the job... But still. There was always that little bit of hope.Irene nodded when Elly suggested they sleep on it for a few months. Wherever she was needed, Irene would gladly help out, whatever that entailed. Elly spoke again, this time bringing up a topic that brought a genuine smile to her face. "Hey, can I stay with any of you guys over the holidays? Spending the whole time trapped with my Mum would suck for everyone involved, so if anyone fancies a boarder for a while give me a shout." Irene raised her hand quickly.
"Me!" She said, her blue-green eyes beaming. "You can definitely stay with me. The twins have been with their parents for the past year so there is still the extra bedroom. It would be awesome to have someone to hang with all the time! It's weird being the only one in the house again..." She made an odd face, displaying her preference for a full house. The more the merrier. On that note... "And if anyone wants to do the summer Quidditch extravaganza again, I'm game if you are. Maybe--" She gave a small gasp as the idea hit her, "We can get Echo and Brett to reunite over the summer! If they can, that is..."
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Irene
Always!
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Irene
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Saul
March 24, 2009 11:20 AM
Definitely! by Saul
Saul nodded enthusiastically at Irene's invitation for another summer Quidditch get together. "I'm totally there," he promised. He hoped to get his Apparation license over the summer, so getting there shouldn't be a problem at all this time around, even if his family was otherwise busy. "And I bet Echo and Brett will be just as eager to go as ever, too." This assumption was based on nothing more substantial than his own optimism, but that was a strong enough force that it left no doubt in his own mind that the Sundance Kids would be there."And, dude, Elly, if you want to come by the caravan for a while, we've always got room in the tents for one more. You can try out being a nomadic gypsy." He grinned brightly, "We've got tons of extra costumes, so you can even dress the part. And, dude, you can get to see me in a real show. After all this concert stuff this year, Regina's thinking of letting me take lead on an act of my own this summer. You guys are invited to see it, too," he added, grinning at Irene and Caedence, so they wouldn't feel excluded. "I'll let you all know when it opens."
His spirits had been completely revived by the talk of their summer plans: visiting Irene, Elly maybe staying with the California Pierces for a little while, and the possibility of his friends coming out to see his act. Saul couldn't even remember that he'd been even mildly depressed not ten minutes before.
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Saul
Definitely!
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Saul
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