9 Jul 2024, 02:07
Encounter At The Wrong Time
date: June 30th, 2024
time: morning
interacting/mentioning: @Cassie Jiang
OOC note: banner by Winnie Harper
Sage had been in a daze since the owl delivered the letter. That confusing, gut-twisting, horrible letter. Did he have to wait until the day she left Hogwarts to send it? Didn't he care how conflicted she would be about it until she got a chance to talk to her step-mum?
Despite all the panic Sage was feeling, she still had to pack up her bags and leave Hogwarts. The year, short as it seemed, had ended. Sage didn't feel ready to say goodbye yet. All the good memories weren't enough to subside her sadness. She wasn't ready to go back to the reality that was her life.
She wasn't ready to face her father. You'd think that five years would be enough time to prepare yourself to see your dad again.
Once it was time to board the Express, Sage brushed past everyone else and shut herself in one of the back compartments. She couldn't deal with people that day. She needed to be alone and think. First Hogwarts had to end for the school year, then she received a letter from her absent dad... The universe was not on her side that day. Then again, when had it ever been?
She tapped her pocket, the edge of the letter poking out the top. Her fingers wrapped around it, but she didn't pull it out. She crumbled it up and stuffed the sadness away. She'd face it when she was ready, which would probably be never...
She squinted her eyes closed for a minute, willing her unshed tears to dry up and go away. She stared out the window of the train, breathing shakily as if she were about to burst into tears. Don't cry, she told herself. If you start crying, you'll never stop.
9 Jul 2024, 12:24
Encounter At The Wrong Time
It's the end of the second year. After two years of studying, Cassie is now truly enjoying every bit of it. She has again earned all Os for the final exams. And, to her delight, she would be a third-grader soon. Third grade means a lot to Cassie-- new subjects to be chosen from, she thinks she may choose all of them. What's more, she would be able to go to Hogsmeade! She is sure her parents would sign her permission form, they are always happy to let Cassie have some fun after study.
Thinking of all these, Cassie starts humming her favourite tune as she boards the train. She doesn't have anyone she really want to sit with, so she decide to pick a random compartment and sit there. Maybe she gets to meet some new friends.
She finds a compartment whose door is locked, and enters. There is only one girl sitting there, facing the window. Maybe she is enjoying the view, Cassie thinks. She stops humming, and says happily, 'Hello! Can I sit here? I am Cassie Jiang, a second year now, but I will be a third year soon!' But to her surprise, the girl didn't reply. Maybe she didn't hear her, Cassie thinks. 'Oh, sorry, is there anything wrong?'
@Sage Willows
Thinking of all these, Cassie starts humming her favourite tune as she boards the train. She doesn't have anyone she really want to sit with, so she decide to pick a random compartment and sit there. Maybe she gets to meet some new friends.
She finds a compartment whose door is locked, and enters. There is only one girl sitting there, facing the window. Maybe she is enjoying the view, Cassie thinks. She stops humming, and says happily, 'Hello! Can I sit here? I am Cassie Jiang, a second year now, but I will be a third year soon!' But to her surprise, the girl didn't reply. Maybe she didn't hear her, Cassie thinks. 'Oh, sorry, is there anything wrong?'
@Sage Willows
Wisdom in the mind, Charm in the spirit.
iNPC: Mira Hawkins|Charmer
choco froggies buy&sell Wisdom Ball
9 Jul 2024, 17:52
Encounter At The Wrong Time
date: June 30th, 2024
time: morning
interacting/mentioning: @Cassie Jiang
OOC note: banner by Winnie Harper. The letter Sage mentions can be read here
Sage turned her head slowly, seeing an older girl standing in the doorway of the compartment. Oh, great, Sage thought. Looks like I'm going to have to deal with people.
Sage pressed her lips together and offered the girl a tight nod. She turned back to stare out the window. All she wanted was to sit in silence until they made it to the station. She wasn't interested in chatting with a girl she didn't even know.
Don't reread the letter, Sage had to tell herself over and over again. Nothing is going to change if you read it again. He doesn't really care about you; don't let him win.
Sage only looked up again when the girl asked her if she were alright. Oh, I'm definitely not going to like this girl. This is going to be a long train ride, Sage thought.
"I'm fine," Sage mumbled. "Not that it's any of your business."
She turned back to the window. Absentmindedly, she reached for the letter in her pocket. She pulled it out and skimmed the writing. The letter was already crumbled and torn in sections. Parts of it had tear drops on it.
But, still, rereading it made no difference. It only made Sage's decision even more difficult... A splatter of a tear hit the paper and Sage hurriedly wiped her eyes. She wouldn't cry. She couldn't. Crying would make her weak, and Sage wasn't weak. She'd survived all this, and now a letter was bringing her down. A stupid letter written by a father who wasn't around.
Sage let out a shuttering breath, trying not to cry. And still that girl sat there in her compartment. Sage just wanted to be alone... She just needed time to decide, and this girl was interrupting it.
10 Jul 2024, 12:55
Encounter At The Wrong Time
The girl replied after a while, still facing the windows. She said she was fine, and said it was none of Cassie's business. Cassie is not happy at all after listening those words. She hates it when her kindness only gets bad words back.
'Alright then.' She says, after the girl told her that. Cassie leaned her body a bit, and see that girl pull out a piece of ragged paper. Maybe it's a letter. But Cassie don't want to know what it is about, it is quite rude to do that, she thinks. And so she sits, opposite the girl, in awkward silence. Looking at the girl, Cassie realizes she is shaking a bit. Seeing teardrops on the parchment, she finally realizes that-- the girl is crying.
Despite being unhappy of her response, Cassie decides that she should try and comfort her. She looks in her bag, and finally finds a small bag of paper tissue. That was a muggle thing she once saw in a muggle shop. It is quite useful.
She stands up and walks to the girl. Without saying a word, she hands over the paper tissue. She knows the girl may not want to speak right now.
@Sage Willows
'Alright then.' She says, after the girl told her that. Cassie leaned her body a bit, and see that girl pull out a piece of ragged paper. Maybe it's a letter. But Cassie don't want to know what it is about, it is quite rude to do that, she thinks. And so she sits, opposite the girl, in awkward silence. Looking at the girl, Cassie realizes she is shaking a bit. Seeing teardrops on the parchment, she finally realizes that-- the girl is crying.
Despite being unhappy of her response, Cassie decides that she should try and comfort her. She looks in her bag, and finally finds a small bag of paper tissue. That was a muggle thing she once saw in a muggle shop. It is quite useful.
She stands up and walks to the girl. Without saying a word, she hands over the paper tissue. She knows the girl may not want to speak right now.
@Sage Willows
Wisdom in the mind, Charm in the spirit.
iNPC: Mira Hawkins|Charmer
choco froggies buy&sell Wisdom Ball
10 Jul 2024, 23:39
Encounter At The Wrong Time
date: June 30th, 2024
time: morning
interacting/mentioning: @Cassie Jiang
OOC note: banner by Winnie Harper. The letter Sage mentions can be read here
Breathe...
That was what Cassie used to remind Sage whenever she was upset about her dad. Why did she even call him that anymore? He didn't act like her dad, so why did he deserve the title? Christopher... that was the only name he deserved to be called. Not dad, not father, not papa, nothing. He was just someone that happened to kick her out of his house. He wasn't her dad.
Breathe...
Sage stuffed the letter back into her pocket, feeling an edge tear in the process. Good, Sage thought. His words don't deserve to be readable.
Sage's shoulders shook, but not with sadness. No, she was angry. Angry that the man that was supposed to care for her and want to be in her life, waited five years to tell her he was sorry. Five whole years. Half a decade. And he missed so much of her life...
Breathe...
Her step-mum's former reminders weren't going to help her now. Her hands tightened into fists. When she got home, Christopher wouldn't find forgiveness. He didn't deserve it anymore. But Sage was still crying gently. Who wouldn't be, deciding to turn their back on a family member? But he had turned his back on her first.
Breathe...
Sage whirled around to see the girl in her compartment offering her a tissue. Sage looked down at it, realizing her face was probably soaked with tears. She must have looked like a mess. She slowly reached out and took the tissue, using it to wipe her face quickly. She crumbled it into a ball.
"Oh, um, thanks..." She waited for the girl to fill in her name.
But she still wasn't too pleased this girl was intruding on her ride back home. Her expression tightened in annoyance, waiting for the girl to spit out anything she wanted to say.
13 Jul 2024, 03:15
Encounter At The Wrong Time
The girl accepted the tissue and turns again to the window. Cassie sits back to her seat, in awkward. This is the first time she has been sitting with another people but doesn't know what to say. She looks at the girl, she is quite pretty, why is she crying? Cassie wants to ask, but she doesn't think it's appropriate now as the girl is still crying.
She takes out her notes and tries to focus to read. It is always great to learn new knowledge. But the question keeps wandering in her mind. How curious she is, wanting to know the exact reason behind it. It must be unusual, no one is sad just because of that summer holiday. And, after all, what is the letter about?
Cassie forces herself to concentrate. Finally, putting the questions aside, she reviewed the knowledge for year one and two, and started to preview the knowledge of year three. Immersing in knowledge, Cassie feels very happy again, and, without realizing it, started humming her favourite tune again. She loves humming songs while learning, it makes her really relaxed. And, unlike others, she doesn't find it distracting at all. Why would humming be bad?
@Sage Willows
You can shout at Cassie to let her shut up
She takes out her notes and tries to focus to read. It is always great to learn new knowledge. But the question keeps wandering in her mind. How curious she is, wanting to know the exact reason behind it. It must be unusual, no one is sad just because of that summer holiday. And, after all, what is the letter about?
Cassie forces herself to concentrate. Finally, putting the questions aside, she reviewed the knowledge for year one and two, and started to preview the knowledge of year three. Immersing in knowledge, Cassie feels very happy again, and, without realizing it, started humming her favourite tune again. She loves humming songs while learning, it makes her really relaxed. And, unlike others, she doesn't find it distracting at all. Why would humming be bad?
@Sage Willows
You can shout at Cassie to let her shut up
Wisdom in the mind, Charm in the spirit.
iNPC: Mira Hawkins|Charmer
choco froggies buy&sell Wisdom Ball
16 Jul 2024, 00:21
Encounter At The Wrong Time
Sage Willows wrote: 9 Jul 2024, 02:07date: June 30th, 2024
time: morning
interacting/mentioning: @Cassie Jiang
OOC note: banner by Winnie HarperSage could feel the girl's eyes boring into the back of her head. She glanced at her out of the corner of her eye, and she appeared to be reading some textbook. Good. Hopefully that would narrow the odds of the girl bothering her.
Sage unlatched the lock on her trunk and withdrew her favorite picture of her sister Kora. It was the same photo she had glanced at on the train ride to Hogwarts. Now she was looking at it for guidance, if a picture could provide such a thing.
Deep down Sage knew that Kora wouldn't be able to provide any words of wisdom about what to do. She never had to experience the same things Sage had with her father. Kora was lucky.
She took one last look at her sister and her laughing faces, wishing that soon she would be that happy again. She set the picture back in her trunk, on top of her extra robes. She closed the lock with a satisfying click.
Her tears had finally stopped, only teardrops stains left on her cheeks. She looked out the window again to see the train had begun to move. Every second that passed Sage was closer to getting away from the random girl in her compartment. But with every passing moment she was reminded that soon she'd have to face her family, and possibly even Christopher.
But then the girl started humming. Humming. At first, it was fine, but then it seemed to get louder and louder and Sage couldn't take it anymore. She massaged her temples, trying to mentally tune out the noise. It didn't work.
"Can't you take a hint? I'm not interested in being in a compartment with you, or your loud humming! So stop whatever tune you find so enjoyable, and shut up."
18 Jul 2024, 01:39
Encounter At The Wrong Time
The girl sitting with Cassie suddenly goes angry, saying she is not enjoying sitting with Cassie. After all, Cassie had stopped humming when she suddenly realized it. She is becoming furious too, ever since she entered, she was not welcomed.
'Well, I'm not going anywhere.' Cassie says, sitting back a bit. 'Do you think it's possible for me to find another compartment now that most students have boarded?' She says, in a fast pace. 'Anyway, you think I am enjoying all this? Huh? Who says I can't say a word here. Can't see I've stopped humming?' Cassie enjoys debating, still, she finds it difficult to be logical now that she is getting a bit furious.
'Also, I want to ask YOUNG LADY,' saying those words, she finds herself trying hard not to lose her temper, 'No matter why you are sad, I don't care. But THAT IS NOT a reason for you to look at me like that ever since I entered this compartment.'
She takes a deep breath, and continues ,'Why are you crying like this! Summer holiday has come, more time to have fun, new school year with new knowledge to be learnt, and you are crying here? Thanks to you, my wonderful day is ruined.'
@Sage Willows
OOC: Sorry for what Cassie has said 
'Well, I'm not going anywhere.' Cassie says, sitting back a bit. 'Do you think it's possible for me to find another compartment now that most students have boarded?' She says, in a fast pace. 'Anyway, you think I am enjoying all this? Huh? Who says I can't say a word here. Can't see I've stopped humming?' Cassie enjoys debating, still, she finds it difficult to be logical now that she is getting a bit furious.
'Also, I want to ask YOUNG LADY,' saying those words, she finds herself trying hard not to lose her temper, 'No matter why you are sad, I don't care. But THAT IS NOT a reason for you to look at me like that ever since I entered this compartment.'
She takes a deep breath, and continues ,'Why are you crying like this! Summer holiday has come, more time to have fun, new school year with new knowledge to be learnt, and you are crying here? Thanks to you, my wonderful day is ruined.'
@Sage Willows
OOC: Sorry for what Cassie has said
Wisdom in the mind, Charm in the spirit.
iNPC: Mira Hawkins|Charmer
choco froggies buy&sell Wisdom Ball
18 Jul 2024, 02:09
Encounter At The Wrong Time
date: June 30th, 2024
time: morning
interacting/mentioning: @Cassie Jiang
OOC note: banner by Winnie Harper. The letter Sage mentions can be read here. All words and actions are Sage's IC thoughts!
The humming stopped, to Sage's relief. She was going to settle back into her seat and stare out the window until the ride was over. But then the girl snapped right back at her. She turned from the direction she was faced to look out the window and narrowed her eyes.
"Excuse you?" Sage's voice was low and quiet. Any shaking that could have been expected from her crying was gone. "Who do you think you are, saying things like that?"
The girl kept talking. Sage could easily tell her voice was rushed, the pace of her words quick and angry. When she called her 'young lady', Sage raised an eyebrow leaned forward in her seat. Her eyes narrowed even more and her eyebrows furrowed.
"What," Sage hissed, "did you just call me? Young lady? We're practically the same age, so you can't call me that. And you are acting much younger than your age, insulting me and my emotions. I bet you've been angry before. I bet there are people you have made you cry before. Were you able to control your emotions then, huh?
Sage's jaw tightened, and she tested her elbows on her knees. She was having difficulty controlling all the emotions she was having. This girl had better watch her back, because she had gotten herself on Sage's bad side.
"Really, you don't care? Well, guess what. I wish I didn't care either." Sage pointed a finger at her chest. "But I have to care, because there is going to be a war in my family when I get back."
She ripped the letter out of her pocket and waved it in the girl's face. "You have NO idea how much the words on this letter ruined everything. So I'm allowed to be upset. I'm allowed to not want to be around heartless people like you. Summer isn't going to be 'amazing'. Sure, I've gotta go to camp, but just to stay away from the person who wrote that letter."
She stopped yelling and took a deep breath. Her entire body was shaking at that point. She tightened her hands into fists. "I don't care if your day is ruined. It's just a day. You'll have plenty more. But that letter- that letter quite possibly just ruined my life."