Sadie-Lake Chalmers
July 10, 2021 12:22 AM
Walkies! by Sadie-Lake Chalmers
Walking Jack-Jack around the school and in the gardens was fine. Keeping Jack-Jack in her room was fine.* It was just walking across the common room that made Sadie nervous. She had long accepted her position as ‘weird bunny girl’ but if anyone was going to take issue with it, she suspected it would be her own housemates, who prided themselves on fitting in and doing the right thing. She valued that too, or at least not drawing attention to herself. She just valued Jack-Jack more.(*as far as she knew, in that she and Esme had never had a specific fight about it, and she had always been incredibly careful to make sure Jack-Jack never nibbled any of Esme’s things, and to keep him contained on her side of the room, and to offset any noise or smells with careful charms work, and to make sure she had asked permission for practically everything she did and to just hope that her roommate would let her know if there was a problem).
She would have preferred to just carry Jack-Jack across the common room to get it over with quickly, but he was awkward to lift, especially when his antlers were full. She had been bribing him with carrots instead, trying to train him to walk across the space quickly. Sometimes it worked. Sometimes he was in a wiffly mood. The thing about bunnies as opposed to dogs was that they very definitely walked you, and going at anything other than their pace was not really an option. It would only lead to her drawing more attention by being obviously frantic as she tugged at his leash.
They were about halfway across the room when someone stopped them…
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Sadie-Lake Chalmers
Walkies!
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Felipe De Matteo
July 10, 2021 12:43 AM
I have engaged in those before. by Felipe De Matteo
So much homework. So much . . . homework . . . so much . . . Felipe yawned, unable to stifle it any longer. He'd attempted to keep himself awake by tapping a pattern out on his leg with his free hand, by snacking on pineapple chunks, by snacking on spicy treats, by standing up as he studied . . . none of it worked. He was just debating whether fresh air was or a nap would do him more good when he caught sight of Sadie crossing the common room with her jackalope. Happy for an excuse that actually even made some sense, he closed his books and ink, let his parchment roll up, and shoved the lot of it in his book bag as swiftly as he reasonably could before standing up and approaching."If you're going for a walk, I don't have any carrots but I'm not bad company," he said with a polite, princely smile. "That is, if you don't mind me joining?" He directed his question at the jackalope but looked back up at Sadie since he didn't really expect the creature to have a meaningful opinion on the matter.
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Felipe De Matteo
I have engaged in those before.
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Sadie-Lake Chalmers
July 10, 2021 12:54 AM
Oh. Um. Okay. Good. by Sadie-Lake Chalmers
Felipe was speaking to her. Oh no. The one significant conversation they had ever had had been the absolute car-crash at the concert. He knew more about her than she wanted him to, not to mention being some kind of high powered possibly literal prince. It was vital to her good standing with Jessica that she didn’t offend him, but probably vital to her own well-being that she didn’t seem to get on with him too well because she’d heard his girlfriend was the jealous type. All in all, he was just about the most intimidating person who would actually bother to speak to her, and pretty much the most stressful person possible she could imagine requesting to join her on a walk.“That would be lovely,” she smiled, not managing to completely cover her surprise before she said it.
“Jezga!” Jack-Jack greeted enthuasiastically. That was the word for people he met in this environment most often.
“No, this is Felipe,” Sadie corrected him. “Or… um Mr. De Matteo?” She was never sure how these introduction and formality things worked. Most of the people who cared about them didn’t talk to her. Or was it even ‘Mr…?’ if he was an actual prince? She really hoped she hadn’t just somehow insulted him by accident.
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Sadie-Lake Chalmers
Oh. Um. Okay. Good.
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Felipe De Matteo
July 10, 2021 7:23 PM
Shall we? by Felipe De Matteo
"Merlin no," Felipe smiled although he sort of wanted to puke instead. Mister De Matteo was his father (although it was usually señor or don) and that was not who Felipe wanted to be. "Just Felipe. It's good to meet you," he added to the jackalope. "Where do you usually go? I don't want to throw off your plan."
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Felipe De Matteo
Shall we?
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Sadie-Lake Chalmers
July 10, 2021 9:28 PM
Sure by Sadie-Lake Chalmers
Sadie smiled as Felipe (not Mr. De Matteo or Your Highness) greeted Jack-Jack. People who included him always made her feel a little more at ease."Wherever he wants," she nodded at the bunny.
She searched for something to ask him. Why are you talking to me? What do you want?
"How are advanced classes?" she asked, even though she'd received a fair amount of information on that from Jessica.
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Sadie-Lake Chalmers
Sure
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Felipe De Matteo
July 11, 2021 1:46 AM
I . . . am not sure what to say next. by Felipe De Matteo
Felipe smiled at Sadie's answer about following the 'bunny'. If that was the case, he was pretty sure he was dating one too. Sometimes, when you had something that cute in your life, it was easiest to just let yourself be pulled along for the nicest time you'd ever have, even if you didn't know where you were going most of the time. He let Sadie follow the jackalope and he followed Sadie as they started their walk."They're good," he replied politely when she asked about classes. "I am fortunate to have classmates who study with me when I need it. You saved me from having to do too much studying today though. How are your classes? Are you taking any electives?"
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Felipe De Matteo
I . . . am not sure what to say next.
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Sadie-Lake Chalmers
July 11, 2021 2:02 AM
Me neither by Sadie-Lake Chalmers
“I tried out Divination but I’m not sure about it,” Sadie answered. “I do some extra credit stuff with Professor Marsh too,” she added, in case he thought she was a total slacker.
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Sadie-Lake Chalmers
Me neither
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Felipe De Matteo
July 11, 2021 2:50 PM
I am older so I feel like i should know. by Felipe De Matteo
Felipe nodded, feeling exactly the same about Divination himself. "I don't think I like the possibility of knowing the future," he admitted. "Even though it would be really nice in some ways. I'd prefer that future-me handles the future and present-me handles the present." He cut himself short, not really intending to have said as much as he had anyway. "I like Care of Magical Creatures. What do you do with Professor Marsh?"
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Felipe De Matteo
I am older so I feel like i should know.
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Sadie-Lake Chalmers
July 12, 2021 1:02 AM
I sure hope an awkward silence doesn't develop by Sadie-Lake Chalmers
“Yeah. It’s a little freaky trying to figure out what stuff means, if you even get hold of it,” Sadie agreed. She couldn’t say she didn’t want to know the future. She kind of did. She wanted to know the nice, reassuring things that proved it would be better. Divination didn’t seem to specialise in those kinds of answers though.“I help with the animals. “It’s similar to what we do in class, just more of it, like cleaning and preparing food, and getting to observe or help out a bit with some of the more specialised things he does to take care of them. I guess it’s a little bit like being a veterinary assistant.” She didn’t have to be particular skilled, she got a lot of the less than glamorous jobs, but she was around the animals a lot, and she got to see and help the person doing the really complicated stuff.
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Sadie-Lake Chalmers
I sure hope an awkward silence doesn't develop
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Felipe De Matteo
July 12, 2021 1:07 AM
That would be unfortunate for sure. by Felipe De Matteo
Felipe nodded. He wasn't sure their mutual dislike and distrust of Divination was exactly a treasure trove of conversation material and he wasn't sure what else to say on the matter so he let it drop. Besides, her work with Professor Marsh was much more interesting."That sounds like a wonderful opportunity," Felipe said, wishing he'd had the wherewithal over the past five and a half years at Sonora to seek something out along the same lines. Perhaps Professor Xavier would have been able to get him into the greenhouses more, although Felipe certainly wasn't at a lack for time spent outside. In fact, he probably needed to spend more time inside, reading books and what not. And talking to Mr. Row about his future, a conversation he was not so subtly avoiding. "I don't know what a veterinary is though," he admitted, "but it's great that you get to help keep creatures safe and healthy. Do you want to go into healing magical creatures after graduation?"
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Felipe De Matteo
That would be unfortunate for sure.
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Sadie-Lake Chalmers
July 12, 2021 1:12 AM
Yeah. by Sadie-Lake Chalmers
"Oh, it's like an animal doctor. Animal healer?" Sadie clarified. "Do magic people not call it that?" she checked. She suspected her magic-speak was lower than Felipe's English, so she was more likely to be the one at fault."Maybe," she said it softly. The idea had been taking more and more hold with her as a possibility as she worked with Professor Marsh but she hadn't dared to venture it out loud yet. "Just as an assistant," she clarified hastily.
"How about you?" she asked.
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Sadie-Lake Chalmers
Yeah.
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Felipe De Matteo
July 12, 2021 1:17 AM
So far so good? by Felipe De Matteo
Felipe shrugged, enjoying a gesture which had once felt far too casual to rest on his burdened shoulders. "They might," he said, lumping himself with Sadie in the game of pronouns. "I haven't talked a lot about animal healing in English. Or Spanish for that matter. At least not as a career. You'd only want to be the assistant? Why's that?"He ran his fingers through his hair when she asked about his plans. "I need to figure that out. Zara said that landscaping and gardening are actual jobs, and I'd like to spend my time in a garden or estate, but I'm not sure what that looks like. My home . . . it is very remote. I think that it looks different to have a garden there than it would to have a garden somewhere else."
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Felipe De Matteo
So far so good?
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Sadie-Lake Chalmers
July 12, 2021 1:30 AM
Mm. by Sadie-Lake Chalmers
Sadie felt her happy balloon puncture, and she curled in a little on herself as he asked why she’d only want to be an assistant. She suspected that her career choice in general wasn’t going to go over well with her mother, but that was definitely going to be a sticking point. Being a vet was not really on her mom’s radar, but it was a notable accomplishment, and her mom liked accomplishments.“I think you need really high grades to be the actual vet—the animal doctor,” she said very quietly.
“That sounds nice,” she said, regarding his dreams.
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Sadie-Lake Chalmers
Mm.
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Felipe De Matteo
July 12, 2021 1:38 AM
I don't think I'm doing well. by Felipe De Matteo
Felipe cocked his head at his young classmate, wondering if that's how he came off sometimes too. "Sadie, if you wanted to be a vet, you could do it. You could make the grades. You're smart. Don't think that you can't do it."
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Felipe De Matteo
I don't think I'm doing well.
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Sadie-Lake Chalmers
July 12, 2021 1:50 AM
IT'S FINE by Sadie-Lake Chalmers
Her remark got exactly the kind of reaction she had expected. Buck up! Believe in yourself! You can do it!What if she couldn’t though? What if she was actually pouring her heart and soul and her everything into maintaining exceptionally average grades? What if she didn’t want to be the one who had to make high pressured decisions that could affect whether animals lived or died, but just follow along in the comfort of other people’s instructions?
Then it wasn’t good enough. There was some kind of invisible extra that she wasn’t giving, that would pull her grades up. She should want more, and push herself to achieve it.
“Thanks,” she visibly brightened, offering Felipe the kind of rewarding smile you gave someone when they believed in you. Because believing in you was a nice thing to do.
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Sadie-Lake Chalmers
IT'S FINE
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