Finished Stargazing PV Pamela Graham

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Speech -- Thoughts

Pam had had a very long day, and Gods was she tired. She didn't plan on returning to her dorm just yet though, she had another place that needed to be visited before she could retire for the night. It had become a nearly everyday activity for her, going to the top of the astronomy tower at night after her classes. She loved it there. It was always so quiet and peaceful. And so gorgeous. And oh so huge. Like literally, the Astronomy classroom was the biggest classroom she had ever seen. Pam wouldn't mind living there forever.

Therefore, Pam was in love with the place; and the part of her which loved romance books found it to be one hell of a romantic place. Like, imagine lying on the ground with your partner and staring up at a sparkly, starry sky. The thought made Pam want to throw her hands around and squeal like an idiot. Had Pam ever mentioned she loved the night sky?

Ok I'm getting sidetracked and too giddy. Control Pam, control Pam's mind was her relief from the sets of winding staircases that she had to climb. Although, now it was much easier than it had been the first time she had attempted to climb all those stairs. She smiled slightly, remembering how she'd collapsed on the ground and nearly cried from fatigue. Good job Pam. You've made it without dying and with your wits about yourself.

She entered into the Astronomy classroom, and felt her smile disappear as she spotted another student standing across the room, nose pressed to the transparent glass. Pam really wasn't in the mood to meet people. But before she could turn and run away, the boy turned and caught her eye. Okay, awkward. She flashed him a small smile, "Oh um hello? Hope I'm not intruding."

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Interacting with: @Joseph Sims

A look of surprise slid across Joseph's relaxed face as the door to the entrance behind creaked open, the sound cutting through the otherwise still air. His heart racing slightly, Joseph pulled away from the sleek glass surface, his body stiffening as his head turned cautiously. His eyes narrowed slightly, focusing on the figure stationed by the now open door. It was a relatively short girl, her features unreadable in the dim light. Waves of shimmering blonde hair tumbled over her slightly hunched shoulders, glinting like strands of gold in the faint glow of the hallway.

For a moment, Joseph held his breath, his grip instinctively tightening on his precious rock friend. His mind spiraled in confusion, thousands of thoughts rushing through his mind - none of them particularly useful. Was she lost? Was she looking for someone? Or worse - was she looking for him?

Frozen by the sudden shock of her appearance, Joseph stood rooted to the ground, unable to make out the weak smile she flashed him. "Oh, um hello? Hope I'm not intruding," the girl began, her voice wavering with tension. Perhaps the awkwardness of the moment had settled in for her too. Joseph blinked, desperately attempting to regain his cool.

"Uh no, no, not at all!" Joseph managed, his voice far shakier than intended. Offering a wry smile, Joseph could feel his heart hammering against his chest, threatening to explode from pressure any moment now. He wanted to appear calm, but looking composed was no easy feat when his brain was constantly tripping over itself. "Feel free to have a seat," Joseph continued, gesturing to the pile of cushions stacked neatly at the edge of the magnificent chamber. Slipping his pet pebble discreetly behind his back, Joseph suppressed a sigh, biting the inside of his cheek. He couldn't decide if he was relieved or horrified that she'd walked in on him in his weird moment of solitude.

@Pamela Graham

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Speech -- Thoughts

She hadn't been this awkward since forever.

Pam hesitated at the door of the classroom. She could say she had gotten lost and run away, but she had really wanted the comfort of the place. It had been a while since she'd come here, and she missed the gorgeous view. Besides, this boy looked pretty.....calm? Perhaps she could stay for a little while. Maybe she would make a new friend too.

Having made up her mind, she stepped into the room, walking over to pile of cushions stacked in the corner. She never used it when she came after classes, having taken to sitting on the floor. The classroom was always neatly arranged after classes ended and there was a lot of empty space, except on those days when there were desks kept in it. Pam liked to sit somewhere near the middle and look up. It always gave one of the best views. She couldn't wait to photograph it sometime.

She glanced at the boy, finally being able to properly see him now that she was closer. Light brown hair, dark eyes, he looked small though, compared to the other boys she had met so far, and he had a rather cute rounded face. Pam turned away, having finished her....should she call it analysis? She took up a cushion from the stack and turned to the boy, "Erm, would you like one too?"

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Interacting with: @Joseph Sims

A wave of relief crashed over Joseph as the girl accepted his gesture of welcome, shattering a painful moment of silence that had stretched far too long. Momentarily, Joseph had been certain a disaster was inevitable. She could have scurried away without another word, leaving Joseph stranded in the awkward stillness. Worse, she could have just marched straight past him without so much so as a glance as though he had unknowingly turned invisible. Or - he barely let himself entertain the thought - maybe she could have done something even more humiliating. No, Joseph decided, shaking off the thought before it could fully form. It didn't matter now.

Letting his fingers absently glide down the polished surface of his little rock friend, Joseph sized up the girl standing before him, noting her more distinct features now that she was up close. She looked friendly enough, her brilliant blue eyes catching the dim starlight. Was it shyness he saw? Nervousness, perhaps? Whether or not people went through the same anxiety he had to overcome when meeting someone new was always one of life's greatest mysteries to Joseph.

Glancing away, Joseph slipped his pet pebble away into his empty pocket, his fingers lingering for a second as he tried to steady his nerves. Without warning, the girl's jittery voice broke the silence.

She asked if he wanted a cushion for a seat too.

"Yeah, that'd be nice! Standing here is kinda tiring," Joseph replied, injecting a bit more enthusiasm than he felt. In truth, the idea of sitting together with someone else alone made his stomach churn. Meeting someone new wasn't exactly how he'd planned to spend his evening.

Shifting his weight awkwardly, Joseph paced towards the girl and the cushions arranged neatly at the edge of the room, his mind racing.

Relax, Joseph, he thought to himself, giggling lightly as it occurred to him how often he had to console himself with that line. He was overthinking things again. This wouldn't be as bad as he imagined. It could be fine. It would be fine.

"Come here often?" Joseph muttered, his voice tight with tension as he reached for the cushion at the top of the stack. It was bright red, soft and feathery to the touch. Compressing it, Joseph watched in amusement as the cushion inflated itself back to its original form with a satisfying plop. Finally a cushion that rivalled those available in the common room.

@Pamela Graham

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Speech -- Thoughts

Pam eyes caught the boy's hand move carefully into his pocket. Did he have something with him? Well, it was not her concern. Probably. Her curiosity was going places though.

Pam watched the boy accept the cushion from her, his voice tight and nervous as he asked her the question, attempting to break the tension and not really succeeding. "I try to. Normally when I'm too tired but can't sleep." She admitted softly, "What about you?" She could tell that her presence had been rather surprising for the guy. He had definitely not been expecting company. Then again, neither had she, so they were in pretty much the same situation.

She turned her attention to the pile of colored cushions and picked out a big blue one. She glanced at the boy again, and then put it on the floor, propping herself on it comfortably. Hopefully he would join her. Or this would be pretty weird.

She turned to look up at the boy. "Which house are you in?" She couldn't really tell, since he wasn't wearing his uniform, just like her. She couldn't remember seeing him during the Sorting Ceremony either. Then again, that wasn't surprising considering how hectic that specific day had been. So after a moment's consideration, she asked, "Are you a first year?"

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Interacting with: @Joseph Sims

A look of thoughtfulness flashed across Joseph's face as he registered the girl's question. "Not so much, I guess," Joseph replied, steadying his otherwise nervous voice. "I usually spend evenings like these lounging in the common room," a sense of ease crept into his voice at the mention of arguably the best place in all of Scotland, his previously tense shoulders relaxing.

The silence between the two was loud. Joseph clutched his cushion tightly to his chest, watching the girl blankly. She sank into a blue, slightly oversized cushion a few paces away, her gaze cast on him as though anticipating his next action. Was she expecting Joseph to do something? Sit together with her, perhaps? Or as far away from her as possible?

Holding his breath, Joseph dropped his cushion beside her's, his hand resting on his pocket to ensure his little rock friend was still there. Without another word, he plunged into his very own cushion.

Hopefully this wouldn't be the worst decision of his life.

"Which house are you in?" the girl inquired, probably in an attempt to keep the conversation going. She hesitated for a moment before adding, "are you a first year?"

Joseph let his gaze flutter back to the night sky overhead, silently admiring the dazzling stars. Why couldn't he be one of them, so distant and faraway, yet so admirable, so desirable?

"I'm a Hufflepuff," Joseph responded, a flicker of pride igniting in his heart. He had always been proud to be a badger, from the very moment the Sorting Hat had belted out his fate. And no amount of ickle nervousness was going to change that. "And yeah, I'm a first year," Joseph mentioned grimly, biting his lip as he always did. "I'm repeating my first year... yes, very tragic, I know, but hopefully I'll promote at the end of this school year,"

Joseph leaned back, his eyes still fixated on the night sky. So that was his summary of him repeating his first year? He felt like he hadn't done it justice. What about the unspoken misery of being much older, taller than everyone else? Of feeling like an outsider, both among his fellow first years and the second years where he should have belonged? Was there any way to even verbalise it?

"Well, enough about me," Joseph decided, flashing the girl an awkward smile. "What about you? Are you a first year too?"

@Pamela Graham

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Speech -- Thoughts

"Ahh," Pam nodded, "That would explain why I didn't see you get sorted on the first day." She wondered if she had seen the boy before in the common room but came up blank. She smiled at him apologetically, "I'm sorry, I don't think I've ever seen you around in the common room either. But I'm bad at noticing people so that's not too surprising. I'm also a Hufflepuff." She added, "In first year."

The silence that reigned after that was more than a little awkward. Pam frowned, starting to fidget with the bracelet on her hand, wondering what on earth she should say next.

This boy was probably one of the most awkward of the people she had met here. Most of the others, with a few exceptions, were pretty friendly and....sociable. As much as that made Pam apprehensive, it was also easier to talk to a person who was more or less an extrovert.

Atleast in those cases, such silences wouldn't want her to scream and run away. Alright, say something, will you? Pam glanced at him, "Do you come up here often? We've never bumped into each other before." There. That should do. Maybe, given a little time, he would get more comfortable around her.

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Interacting with: @Joseph Sims

"Well I usually don't have a reason to be so far away from the common room at night," Joseph replied, tilting his head to the left slightly. "Unless it's Astronomy lesson time, of course. Otherwise... this classroom isn't exactly my go-to place." His eyes locked with the girl's briefly, before he turned away, a little flustered. Maybe he needed just a little more enthusiasm to colour his voice to make this situation feel less awkward. Or perhaps he needed to talk more. Either way, by hook or by crook, he was going to find a way to patch up the tension between them.

Joseph frowned as the oval-shaped bulge in his pocket began squirming uncomfortably in its squeezy make-shift house as though desperate to break free. Sighing, Joseph cautiously pulled it out, gripping it's cold, polished surface just tight enough to keep it securely in place. The last thing he wanted was for it to hurtle itself at the unsuspecting Hufflepuff girl.

"It's funny isn't it?" Joseph whispered, wearing a grin that felt natural for the first time that evening. "We've been talking for a while and we don't even know each other's names," he stifled a laugh, his grip tightening on his pet rock ever so tightly. Well wouldn't this be awkward if the girl chose to ignore him. "Anyways, my name's Joseph, what's yours?"

@Pamela Graham

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Speech -- Thoughts

Pam glanced at the boy curiously, "So then, how many times have you been here before?" The boy turned away from her, narrowly avoiding her gaze and Pam raised her eyebrows, finding it rather amusing. She tilted her head towards the starry sky again, leaning back against her cushion, "I like to come here whenever I can. It is generally very peaceful." Pam frequented the place ever since she had had her first Astronomy class there, and it had, quite quickly become one of her very favorite places. After all, such a clear uncovered view of stars in the sky was rare to come by where she had grown up.

A soft sigh drew Pam's attention to the boy beside her, and she watched him draw out a rock from his pocket. Pam blinked, wondering why on earth he was carrying a rock with him and then stared in surprise as it wiggled in his hand. He has a MOVING rock?! Pam forced herself to turn away, before he caught her staring like an idiot. Do people have sentient rocks here too? She supposed she shouldn't be way too surprised. After all, she was living in literal magic, but still, it was hard for her to imagine a living rock.

She turned to look at him as the boy told her his name, realising with a start that they actually hadn't exchanged names earlier. The thought made Pam laugh softly, "Nice to meet you Joseph. My name is Pamela. I mostly go by Pam though."

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Interacting with: @Joseph Sims