Stone Benches, Soft Words
Exams were soon and it has been some weeks Rose were studying hard for it while also fighting against nervousness and stress coming from it. Not without any difficulties.
She was waking up quite early to get to the library where she was staying until the beginning of the evening without getting out in between although she was taking breaks time to time. However today Rose had to go outside to clear her mind up and to be able to concentrate well again. It was as if her brain were going to explode or burn that her head ended up hurting and her thoughts became blurry and foggy. There was no point in keeping studying. At least for now.
Fresh air was indeed needed and would do her a world of good.
She headed towards the courtyard as she was letting her mind wander and rest. Once she reached her destination she breathed in the cool air as she closed her eyes letting it to fill her lungs as her mind felt refreshed and less heavy all of sudden. It was calming and relieving.
Although outside was cold Rose didn't feel much of the coolness probably because the warmth feeling of the library and her being focused for too long made her body temperature rose up a bit. Now it could cool down and she would be able to think clearer and study more efficiently.
Rose didn't want to go back to the library yet as she wanted to stay outside a bit longer. Since she was standing at the entrance of the courtyard she hasn't looked around her at all nor moved. Walking a bit would stretch her legs as remaining sat for too long was making it numb. She started walking as she let her eyes take a look at what and who were around her.
There a smile appeared on her lips as she spotted her friend, Wes. He was sitting over one of the sides on the ledge. His back was resting on the pillar with one foot on the ground and the other on the low wall in between the pillars.
Rose wondered if he were too struggling with the stress of the upcoming exams. It has been a good choice she decided to come here as she also unexpectedly met her friend.
She silently headed towards him and as she approached him...
"BOO!"
"Are you too becoming a bookworm at last?" she jokingly asked on a mischievous tone hoping he was not too frightened of her surprising him.
@Wes Morrow
“She looked towards the dark, starry sky wishing she could drown in its vastness, the way one drifts in the deep, endless ocean.”
Stone Benches, Soft Words
Hours and hours spent in books. Lines and lines of parchment used to study. It had taken a toll on Wes and he needed something, anything really, to help him move past the wall that exam prep had put in front of him. At first he thought a nap would work, but he could not take his mind off of the preparation he needed to do. Or at least he felt like he had not done enough.
So he walked, aimlessly at first, around the Castle before he ended up at the Courtyard. At first, he only meant to be there for around ten minutes or so, but it turned into nearly an hour. Some might say it was retrospection, but the boy was daydreaming. The pillared wall where beyond it was nature in abundance, was a portal to the boy. He stared out it, dreaming he was somewhere else.
As his mind was somewhere else, Wes had no idea that Rose had walked up on him. When she spoke out with a boo!, it startled him and he fell off the half wall and narrowly caught himself. “Bloody hell!” He exclaimed, a flash of anger in his voice before he saw Rose. His hair had turned a deep red, but it quickly lightened when he looked at her and his cheeks were a light red with embarrassment from the exclamation he had aimed at her. Even if it was unknowingly at her.
“Geez… you trying to kill me? I could’ve rolled off the other way.” Wes said, teasing a bit, he was frowning or at least attempting to, but there was a shining of a smirk growing on the corner of his mouth. “What brings you out here? I thought you’d be studying.”
@Rose Pearce
So he walked, aimlessly at first, around the Castle before he ended up at the Courtyard. At first, he only meant to be there for around ten minutes or so, but it turned into nearly an hour. Some might say it was retrospection, but the boy was daydreaming. The pillared wall where beyond it was nature in abundance, was a portal to the boy. He stared out it, dreaming he was somewhere else.
As his mind was somewhere else, Wes had no idea that Rose had walked up on him. When she spoke out with a boo!, it startled him and he fell off the half wall and narrowly caught himself. “Bloody hell!” He exclaimed, a flash of anger in his voice before he saw Rose. His hair had turned a deep red, but it quickly lightened when he looked at her and his cheeks were a light red with embarrassment from the exclamation he had aimed at her. Even if it was unknowingly at her.
“Geez… you trying to kill me? I could’ve rolled off the other way.” Wes said, teasing a bit, he was frowning or at least attempting to, but there was a shining of a smirk growing on the corner of his mouth. “What brings you out here? I thought you’d be studying.”
@Rose Pearce
Stone Benches, Soft Words
Rose was right. Wes had been frightened as he almost fell over the low wall. She wanted to laugh but he could have hurt himself and he didn't seem to have appreciated the small joke. Furthermore she heard a bit of anger in his voice tone while his hair were turning red. Rose's face expression changed as she felt sorry and that it may have not been funny to Wes the way it could have been to her. However she saw how his hair lightened as his expression softened when he saw that was her. At least he got startled as she wanted to and even more...
Rose slightly smile and let out a chuckle.
"You were so in deep thoughts."
"But I'm sorry to have scared you that much. I didn't mean it for you to fall or anything." she then added really apologetically as maybe he did not have wanted to be disturbed.
Rose started to feel a bit bad. However Wes was taking his teasing tone while talking to her meaning he might still be glad it was her than someone else.
"I turn that question back on you." Rose answered with a mischievous look.
She let out a sigh.
"But yeah... I was studying." she added on a tired and annoyed tone as she looked up at the sky.
"I needed a break my brain can't think nor take anything more so I thought a walk in the fresh air was the best I could do." she paused.
"Turns out I'm not the only one who looked for fresh air." she said on a teasing tone looking at Wes raising an eyebrow.
"So I repeat my question. Are you too becoming a bookworm at last?"
@Wes Morrow
“She looked towards the dark, starry sky wishing she could drown in its vastness, the way one drifts in the deep, endless ocean.”
Stone Benches, Soft Words
“No, no. You didn’t scare me. Not really that bad at least.” Wes said, attempting to wipe off his pant legs from whatever little bit of dirt had been on the ground. His embarrassment faded quickly and the boy felt badly about his outburst that was aimed at her.
“You too, huh?” He asked before adding, “yeah… I just couldn’t sit in the library or those study rooms they have for us. I needed to get out of there.” Then he sat back down on the half wall, once again leaning on the pillar, but he did not look back out at the world beyond the grounds.
“I feel like this last week has been nothing but me staring in a book, or at paper…” Wes said with a sigh, shaking his head at her. “Were you looking for fresh air, or stalking me?” One of his eyebrows were arched at her. “Would be an odd coincidence for you to just walk up on me in this secluded spot.” That was not true, despite the fact that he had said it. Even though he was on the side where there were less people, Wes was not in secluded spot. This was undoubtedly another part of his dry.
When Rose asked the question again, about him becoming a bookworm, Wes decided to break eye contact with her and look out into the nature again. A small smirk was on his lips as he did.
@Rose Pearce
“You too, huh?” He asked before adding, “yeah… I just couldn’t sit in the library or those study rooms they have for us. I needed to get out of there.” Then he sat back down on the half wall, once again leaning on the pillar, but he did not look back out at the world beyond the grounds.
“I feel like this last week has been nothing but me staring in a book, or at paper…” Wes said with a sigh, shaking his head at her. “Were you looking for fresh air, or stalking me?” One of his eyebrows were arched at her. “Would be an odd coincidence for you to just walk up on me in this secluded spot.” That was not true, despite the fact that he had said it. Even though he was on the side where there were less people, Wes was not in secluded spot. This was undoubtedly another part of his dry.
When Rose asked the question again, about him becoming a bookworm, Wes decided to break eye contact with her and look out into the nature again. A small smirk was on his lips as he did.
@Rose Pearce
Stone Benches, Soft Words
As soon as Wes answered Rose she sighed of relief.
"Pfiou...I didn't want to be guilty of you dying from a heart attack." she jokingly said.
However he may have been quite scared. Nevertheless he didn't seem to be bothered nor annoyed by it probably because it was her his friend.
Wes explained to Rose he indeed needed air as he couldn't stay in a room to study. She could understand him although she didn't mind being in that kind of space although right now that was too exhausting.
"Yes. Usually I don't mind staying in the library for hours but since I have been doing it every day over the past few weeks I think my brain has reached its limit and needed a real break. Fresh air." she admitted as she went to sit on the same half wall Wes was sitting on. She looked up to the sky again as she spotted a bird flying. Free. She sighed.
"Don't worry it is soon coming to an end." she reassured Wes and indirectly herself too as she wished it was soon over.
Rose was feeling nervous because of the upcoming exams but she didn't want to share it to Wes as he may be too? And no need to increase his stress if he had.
She was brought back to reality when she heard Wes teasing her on her real purpose of being here.
"Of course I was stalking you!" she said jokingly while laughing.
"I put a spell on you that I always know where to find you." she added as she titled her head while looking at him with a content smile on her lips. Hoping to afraid him like the last time. Obviously she had not. She didn't know any such spell and even if she did she was not crazy enough to do that.
Of course Wes just ignored again her question about him becoming a bookworm as he looked away and smirked.
Rose gently scoffed.
"Such an attitude." she said on a feigned annoyed tone as she looked back at the sky letting the fresh air brushing her face.
@Wes Morrow
“She looked towards the dark, starry sky wishing she could drown in its vastness, the way one drifts in the deep, endless ocean.”
Stone Benches, Soft Words
“Whenever I’ve seen you in there, you’ve had your face stuffed in a book!” Wes said with a laugh. Though he was mainly joking, while he had seen her in passing it was not so much where he had seen her that deep into the exam preparations.
“But seriously, it just feels so much nicer out here. I can breathe. Relax some. It’s all just a lot… the exams and all. Do they all really matter that much?” Wes sighed, but it was more like and exhale, and he scooted over for her to have some more room on the wall. It was light, but he looked nervous about it all and his usual happy-go-lucky smirk was not on his face.
At the joke of her stalking him, the nervous look disappeared and while he did not smile he let out a dramatic sigh. “That’s now two people. Two of you who put a tracking hex on me.” It was dry how he said it, but eventually Wes smirked at her.
However, the scoffing sound Rose made did make him smile. A full smile and he laughed, looking in her eyes. “You’re on one today aren’t you?” Wes asked, nudging her, “so yeah. I guess a little. They forced me to be a Bookworm for a bit.”
@Rose Pearce
“But seriously, it just feels so much nicer out here. I can breathe. Relax some. It’s all just a lot… the exams and all. Do they all really matter that much?” Wes sighed, but it was more like and exhale, and he scooted over for her to have some more room on the wall. It was light, but he looked nervous about it all and his usual happy-go-lucky smirk was not on his face.
At the joke of her stalking him, the nervous look disappeared and while he did not smile he let out a dramatic sigh. “That’s now two people. Two of you who put a tracking hex on me.” It was dry how he said it, but eventually Wes smirked at her.
However, the scoffing sound Rose made did make him smile. A full smile and he laughed, looking in her eyes. “You’re on one today aren’t you?” Wes asked, nudging her, “so yeah. I guess a little. They forced me to be a Bookworm for a bit.”
@Rose Pearce
Stone Benches, Soft Words
Rose couldn't help but let out a soft laugh at Wes' remark of her having head in book whenever he had seen her since the beginning of the exam revision period.
"I think you need your eyes to be checked!" she teasingly said as she knew she wasn't that much doing what Wes was intending her to and that he probably knew it too. But it was an opportunity to tease him so she didn't mind. They were goofing around as it had become kind of their habits by now and actually that was making her mind rest and less worried.
Wes was right about the fact outside was nice allowing to breath and have fresh air.
"Even if people or friends scare you to death?" she jokingly asked him recalling how Wes got startled earlier. She smiled as the scene played in her head again.
"Well you can try not to study and see how it goes." she said with a smirk.
"But I'm not sure you will like the outcome though." she added.
Despite what Wes was saying out of joke he did seem to be quite nervous and worried about it. He appeared to be less confident than usual. Rose didn't want to make him uneasy by asking him about it especially if he were stressing over it there was no need to rub salt into the wound. She shrugged not saying anything more. And she too did not need to increase her stress about the exams and remind her she should get back to studying.
Apparently she was not the first one to stalk him as Wes mentioned someone else who did although Rose did not actually do it as it was for the joke.
"I see you have too many admirers." she laughed.
"Who is the other person, if I may ask? Did they actually cast this spell on you though?" she was really curious about it.
Wes laughed at Rose's scoffing. She looked at him with a serious look.
"If I were you I would not tempt me." she tried to scare him as it was becoming her new favourite hobby when she was around him. Despite her trying to look serious it was always hard for her not to laugh or smile.
Eventually Wes answered her question admitting he may have been forced to become a bookworm.
"See when you want to." she commented about the fact he finally answered making fun of him of course. In a gentle way as she titled her head with a content smile.
"You'll see you get used to it really fast!" she encouraged him still making a bit fun of him.
She hoped he wouldn't take it wrongly according his current state but maybe it would help him to relax even more and forget for a time about the exams.
After-all that was Rose's purpose of coming here and if she could help her friend to do the same that was a win-win for everyone.
She sighed before speaking again.
"Don't worry too much you'll be fine Wes!" she reassured him not making fun of him this time. She was meaning it.
@Wes Morrow
“She looked towards the dark, starry sky wishing she could drown in its vastness, the way one drifts in the deep, endless ocean.”
Stone Benches, Soft Words
“Well I could be a ghost here.” Wes said with a shrug, accompanied by a smile, after he looked out to the hill side. It was a far drop. “Seems like a far drop. So I could be another Gryffindor House ghost.” Then with a finger pointed at her he said, “if you did kill me then I would haunt you.”
Then he sighed, his mind going back to exams again. Wes had tried very hard to put it out of his mind for now. “Are you worried?” He asked Rose, his question sincere. As he himself was worried, but in his mind he did not feel as if the others were as worried as him. It is not even as if his grades were bad, Wes had not received anything less than an Exceeds Expectations in any course so far.
Her question made him tilt his head. He smiled, taken aback slightly by Rose’s comment of his admirers. “She’s short, redheaded, Scottish…” Wes then shrugged at her, “or Irish, they’re basically the same thing, but you don’t know her. She goes to another school.” His lips did not form a smile, but there was a small twinkle of playfulness in his eyes as he said it all.
Wes would let a few moments pass so that the joke could set properly before he shook his head. “Okay, how about this? No more exam talk, hmm? Better things, fun things. Anything really, instead of exams. Unless that’s what you want to do.” He look at her seriously, but a small smile grew on his face after he looked away back out to the land surrounding the Castle.
@Rose Pearce
Then he sighed, his mind going back to exams again. Wes had tried very hard to put it out of his mind for now. “Are you worried?” He asked Rose, his question sincere. As he himself was worried, but in his mind he did not feel as if the others were as worried as him. It is not even as if his grades were bad, Wes had not received anything less than an Exceeds Expectations in any course so far.
Her question made him tilt his head. He smiled, taken aback slightly by Rose’s comment of his admirers. “She’s short, redheaded, Scottish…” Wes then shrugged at her, “or Irish, they’re basically the same thing, but you don’t know her. She goes to another school.” His lips did not form a smile, but there was a small twinkle of playfulness in his eyes as he said it all.
Wes would let a few moments pass so that the joke could set properly before he shook his head. “Okay, how about this? No more exam talk, hmm? Better things, fun things. Anything really, instead of exams. Unless that’s what you want to do.” He look at her seriously, but a small smile grew on his face after he looked away back out to the land surrounding the Castle.
@Rose Pearce
Stone Benches, Soft Words
Rose couldn't help but laugh at Wes' comment of him being a ghost as she pictured it in her head when Wes pointed at her saying he would haunt her. She laughed harder holding her stomach as it was hurting from laughing too hard.
"You? Haunting me?" she kept laughing.
"I would want to see it actually. You're not bad nor mean enough to actually haunt someone and troubles them." she said calming herself.
That was an idea he got but quite a good life plan goal.
"Well if you don't know what to do during your lifetime at least you know what you could do in the afterlife." Rose said smirking.
After this small laugh time Rose heard Wes sighed as he asked her if she was worried. He was talking about the exams again. It seemed to really bother him as his mind was going back and forth to it. And it was not good. The more he was overthinking about it the worst it would get and the idea he would have of it too. Rose turned to him as she looked him in the eyes with her light green eyes which for once didn't have any sign of mischief or tease rather a serious look yet reassuring.
"I would be lying to you if I were telling you I'm not worried. Of course I am although I'm studying well and have good grades. But I know whatever comes up to the exam I will figure it out because that will be something we know, have learnt in class." she paused as she slightly sighed.
"I'm not telling you not to worry because it also helps to focus and take it seriously but you can't let it consume you. You need to trust yourself and believe in what you have learnt, what you know. There is no point but to exhaust you to keep overthinking about it."
"And once it will be over you'll realise it was not as worst as you imagined." she finally said with a smile.
She meant all she said because it was really torturing her to know Wes was this worried about exams she was too of course but he needed to be a bit more rational about it and to get some reassurance and confidence. There was no reason for him not to succeed. It was all new for him so obviously that might be one of the reason he might feel this nervous but he had his place as much as the others so there was no need for him to overthink that much. It would only be worst for him.
When Wes described the other person who supposedly cast a tracking spell on him Rose titled her head as she repeated.
"Short, redhead, Scottish..." she stopped when Wes said Scottish and Irish were same.
"Hum..I beg your pardon?" she asked lifting her head back.
"I'm sorry to tell you Scottish and Irish are not quite the same..."
Wes pursued saying Rose didn't know her and she was going to another school. Her curiosity rose again.
"Really? What school does she go to?" she asked truly interested in that mysterious person.
However by Wes' face expression Rose wondered if it was not all set up.
"Wait." she narrowed her light green eyes looking at Wes.
"Are you playing around and have you just made it up?" she suspiciously asked.
Then after some times Wes suggested not to talk about the exams anymore as he looked serious. Really unlike him. But soon after a smile plastered on his face as he looked away at the landscape.
"Well who is the one who brought up the exam topics?" Rose asked crossed arms rising an eyebrow.
"Not me" she said slightly laughing.
"I came here to get some fresh air and take a break from the studies. Didn't expect you would be here and would start talking about exams." she paused.
"Although you should really not think about it anymore." she said as a smile appeared on her lips while she too looked away at the landscapes.
"Want to go for an exploring walk?" she suggested as she smiled at him.
@Wes Morrow
“She looked towards the dark, starry sky wishing she could drown in its vastness, the way one drifts in the deep, endless ocean.”
Stone Benches, Soft Words
Wes nodded at her and shrugged. It would be a lot of work to haunt her, or anyone for that matter, for their whole lives. “Well it’s more that it’d be boring.” He said with a laugh. “Following someone around everyday, to wherever they go… and I really wouldn’t want to have to follow you to Ireland.” The boy then paused, as if he had made a mistake despite it being on purpose, “I mean Scotland.”
As for her comments on schoolwork, Wes just listened and nodded. It was best, as she said, to just not overthink it and exhaust their minds before they even took the exams.
He then listened to Rose verbally recount his words of his supposed stalker. When she took offense to his remark of Scots and Irish being the same, he did not falter. Instead he looked up and pursed his lips as if thinking. “They aren’t? Are you sure? They are close though, but yeah the Irish are a bit easier to understand I think.”
A laugh then burst from his lips, a little deeper than normal and he finally breathed in to say, “Rosie… took you that long to get it? No, I don’t think anyone else is stalking me.” The ‘else’ was drawn out a bit, teasingly so.
Mood lightened some, he leapt up. Exploring would do them both some good probably. “A walk about sounds good to me. Where to explore then?”
@Rose Pearce
As for her comments on schoolwork, Wes just listened and nodded. It was best, as she said, to just not overthink it and exhaust their minds before they even took the exams.
He then listened to Rose verbally recount his words of his supposed stalker. When she took offense to his remark of Scots and Irish being the same, he did not falter. Instead he looked up and pursed his lips as if thinking. “They aren’t? Are you sure? They are close though, but yeah the Irish are a bit easier to understand I think.”
A laugh then burst from his lips, a little deeper than normal and he finally breathed in to say, “Rosie… took you that long to get it? No, I don’t think anyone else is stalking me.” The ‘else’ was drawn out a bit, teasingly so.
Mood lightened some, he leapt up. Exploring would do them both some good probably. “A walk about sounds good to me. Where to explore then?”
@Rose Pearce