Sneezing Between the Shelves Pv Gemima

Interacting-@Annie Morgan
WC-349
Hex-#433687

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The library had become a sanctuary of sorts. Gemima headed down the stairs, through the halls, and walked through those big doors with one thing on her mind: reading.
It was a welcome respite from the usual hubub of classes and the hordes of students who walked the corridors each day. Sometimes, she’d bring a friend or two with her, but today she was alone. Time to get lost in a book or three for the next few hours. Gem would probably end the outing by hurrying back to her dorm with a whole stack of them in her arms.

She made a beeline for the spells section. She was still determined to follow through on that dueling challenge with Aurelius. While she couldn't cast any combat spells yet, she could sure read about them! Gem ran her fingertips over the book spines, hoping a title would catch her eye.

Suddenly, the shelf on the other side shook and trembled. Then, several thuds sounded throughout the quiet of the library, followed by a muffled yelp. Curious, Gemima peered around the corner, and was met with a considerable amount of dust. Her nose immediately tickled.
"Oh no-"
She sneezed once, then twice, then three times. Gemima blinked rapidly and held her nose to stop a fourth from coming out. She pushed through the miniature dust bowl, wondering what the source was.

To her surprise, there was a girl sat in the middle of the now fading dust, leaning against the offending shelf. She looked around Cath's age, so she was probably a fourth year or so. Long brown hair dipped over book pages, which upon closer examination, seemed to be lined with braille. Gemima quirked an eyebrow, but then noticed the books on the ground. They were scattered haphazardly around the girl, and she wasn't making any moves to pick them up. Gemima knelt down carefully.

"Uh, hello?" she said softly. "Do you need help? Picking up all these books, I mean. I couldn't help but come over to see what all the commotion was about."

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Interacting-@Annie Morgan
WC-464
Hex-#433687

─•••─

"Yeah sorry, I made a big commotion." admitted the girl. She gave Gemima a crooked smile. "I would love the help."

Gemima nodded. The two began to pick up the books. Gemima noticed that the girl felt around for the books, only picking one up if her fingers touched it. She must be blind, or something. Questions bubbled up her throat, but she bit her lip before they could spill out. Don't be rude! she chided herself.

As the last book slid into place, the girl turned back to Gemima. "I hope I didn't ruin your reading or studying or what not. Er...and thanks for helping." she said awkwardly, scratching her head.
Gemima smiled warmly. She was about to reply, but she stopped short. The girl's voice was clipped, and her breathing sounded like it was getting heavier, and faster.
"Hey..?" she murmured, kneeling down once more. She had a faint inkling as to what was happening, but she had to make sure.

The girl curled into herself on the floor. One hand was clamped over her heart, the other was grasping wildly at her hair. Her breath came out in short gasps, confirming Gemima's suspiciouns. This person was having a panic attack, right in front of her.
Sympathy was the first feeling that came over her. She'd had her fair share of panic attacks. But Cath had always been there to soothe and calm her down. Clarity washed over her, followed by a bit of her own panic. This girl needed a Cath right now. No, she needed a Gemima right now.

Gemima's heart and mind were whirring together as she tried to think of the best way to go about things. Oh, what would Cath do? "Hey." she said again, trying to keep her voice from shaking. She wanted to help, to do this right.

"Focus on my voice, okay? And deep, deep breaths. You're going to be just fine."
She wet her lips with her tongue. But what would she talk about? Gem glanced around.
Books! She could talk about the library!
Gemima took a deep breath and sat down as close as she could without touching the girl. She leaned her head against the bookshelf. Her heart was beating fast, too. The two of them could conjure up a thunderstorm with their heartbeats.

"I came here to find some spellbooks," Gemima said. Her voice was firm, yet just a few notches above a whisper. "There's this boy from Slytherin, his name is Aurelius. We're both planning to join the dueling teams in the future, and both of us want to become the best."
"But don't worry. I'll show him. I'm looking for more defensive spells first, you see. Luckily, the ordering system in this library is easy to learn..."

─•••─

IcantIcantIcantIcantI--

"Breathe."

A comforting voice hit her brain, breaking her rapid swirl of thought she had been drowning in.

Silence.

"You're going to be just fine."

She'd un-clench her fists from her hair, her hand had been wrapped tightly around strands of her hair as she lay crumpled on the floor. Her scalp now burned from the tight tugging she did moment ago. A few more deep breaths were taken, to calm her rapid beating heart. She opened her eyes again. Darkness like usual but they were open again. Able to get a sense of her surroundings she'd shakily stand up, grabbing onto the girl lightly, unsure if it was okay with her but otherwise she'd just fall back to the floor again.

After regaining her footing she'd let out a slightly embarrassed sigh, her shoulders stiffening with tension as the other girl's voice broke the silence of the library again. Spell books? Dueling? Her mind raced with questions.

"Well for starters, you are in the wrong section this is the magical creatures and the history of 'em but I can show you where they normally are." She'd pause waiting for a response and then turned as if nothing ever happened and lead her down a row, turning instinctively when she felt the pillar. Tada!"

She put her hands on her hips and paused. "I dunno who that boy is but I'm sure you'll beat him. I myself do Quidditch so I don't have to worry about all that stuff. SOunds tricky though, I have friends who do it.

Friends. Calli..

Annie sniffled, wiping her robe sleeve under her nose. "Oh uhm sorry for that back there.. I'm Annie Morgan, er 4th year Hufflepuff and what not. Thanks for helping me."

@Gemima Sable

Interacting-@Annie Morgan
WC-479
Hex-#433687

─•••─

The girl's body slowly relaxed next to her. Gem exhaled in relief, glad that she had been able to help out. The girl opened her eyes, which were just the slightest bit cloudy. She steadied herself by putting a hand on Gem's shoulder, and shakily stood up. She's quite a bit taller than me... Gemima thought. The girl sighed, still seeming disoriented, but then began speaking clearly, as if nothing had happened.

"Well for starters, you are in the wrong section. This is the magical creatures and the history of 'em, but I can show you where they normally are." And with that, she quickly rounded the corner.
"Oh no, you don't have to--"
But the girl was already well ahead of her. Gemima hesitantly followed, realizing she was referring to the spells section. But was this girl really okay now? That was an awfully quick recovery. When she had panic attacks, she felt exhausted and upset afterwards. The effects would linger, so to speak. She curiously watched the girl felt her way around a shelf; her fingers grazed one of the pillars on the side.
"Tada!"

Gemima couldn't help but giggle at the older girl's renewed energy. It was pleasantly contagious. The girl put her hands on her hips, and Gem unconsciously mirrored her. "I dunno who that boy is, but I'm sure you'll beat him. I myself do quidditch, so I don't have to worry about all that stuff." the girl remarked.
Gemima smiled and nodded. "Thank you! I'm going to try my best, for sure." Quidditch...Now that she thought about it, she had seen this girl before, in and around the Hufflepuff stands at the school games. Memories of deafening cheers and the whooshes of the players tearing through the sky filled her head. She should really attend more of those. Maybe Daniella or Aurelius would like to come with her...

Someone sniffled, and Gemima snapped out of her reverie to see the girl dabbing at her face with her sleeve. "...Sorry for that back there," she said. Her eyes still looked a little teary. "I'm Annie Morgan, 4th year Hufflepuff and what not. Thanks for helping me."

Gemima puffed out her cheeks. She still felt concerned for the girl--Annie. "Of course," she said gently. "You needed someone to comfort you, and my older sister Cath always does that for me when I have panic attacks." She looked up at Annie, still not convinced she was totally all right.

"Are you okay? I know we just met, but maybe you'd like to talk about what was bothering you so much? My dad says it's not good to bottle up your feelings." Gem nervously rocked back and forth on her heels. She hoped that she wasn't overstepping any boundaries, but Annie seemed really stressed, and she was willing to listen.

─•••─

Annie listened to the girl speak slowly as she leaned herself against the bookshelf. She seemed shy. Well maybe shy wasn't the right word, but more hesitant and reserved. Not in a bad way of course just very mature for her age. The girl looked younger and suddenly before she could stop herself she ended up popping out a question, interrupting the girl. "Mm sorry to interrupt you but what year are you? I suppose I should also get your name. It's easier to match a name to a voice just if I happen to run into you again." Annie shrugged lightly, hoping the girl would reply to her.

She'd then go on to surprise Annie as she talked about having her own panic attacks. It felt.. comforting to know she wasn't alone and she truthfully relieved to have someone there for her although it was a bit odd. "I usually don't have panic attacks, or well not a lot. If I do I just curl into a ball by myself somewhere quiet and hope it goes away soon. Probably not the best but I don't tend to like to wrap people in my own.. issues." It was true, she felt guilty for dragging people into her problems whether it was an accidental wandering into like they had just encountered or not.

The girl continued to chat a little bit, making Annie's mouth curl up in a awkward half-smile. "I really am fine, yeah. Uhm well the story is quite a lot, why don'y you take a seat?" The brunette slumped down against the wall she had previously been leaning on and patted the floor besides her. The chairs were comfy but if she sat in them for longer than a few minutes it made her want to fall asleep. Annie clasped her hands together taking a deep breath.

"So I like this one girl--" She'd pause waiting for a reaction while also thinking over what she wanted to say without being too dramatic. "I thought she reciprocated the feelings, and maybe she does but when I told her, she kind of ran away? I'm the type of person to get in my head and overthink things y'know.. well I just kinda blamed myself for her running away. Maybe I rushed it, maybe she didn't want to hurt my feelings by rejecting me and ran away instead." Annie paused taking a deep breath after her little vent session. "So I've been avoiding her, and I think she's been doing the same. I'm bound to see her again though and I don't know how to handle it.. and plus the Blossom Ball is coming up here soon and I wanted to ask her but.. ugh goodess I got myself in deep hm? What are your thoughts? Please tell me you are secretly a love guru that can help all my problems-- or just a potential friend that will hear me out. That works too." She ended up chuckling to herself at the small joke before resting her forhead on her hands which her elbows were propped up by her knees in a sort of deep-thinking position. "Well that felt good to get off my chest. I don't suppose you have any love issues or interests? You seem like you have a better handle of life than me right now. Let me tell you, dating isn't at all what it's made to be. Boys are dumb and can't take a clue and girls are confusing." Annie fumed from her spot, words slightly muffled as her head was still rested at an angle aimed towards the ground before silence captured the space between them meaning she had finally shut up to let the other girl talk or simply sit there in comfortable silence.

@Gemima Sable

Interacting-@Annie Morgan
WC-707
Hex-#433687

─•••─

Per Annie's request, Gemima coughed in embarrassment. "Oh, I'm sorry! That was quite rude of me. I'm Gemima Sable, first year Ravenclaw." She flushed, weirdly thankful that the older girl couldn't see how red her face had gotten. Gemima relaxed--so maybe she really was doing okay. She supposed different people worked different ways.
Her brow furrowed again, however, as Annie said that she didn't like to bring others into her problems. "My dad says there's no shame in asking for help sometimes. I think that it actually shows that you're strong by doing that." she mused.

"I really am fine," Annie said reassuringly. "Um, well, the story is quite a lot; why don't you take a seat?" She flopped down against the opposing wall and patted the spot next to her. Gem nodded, and quickly fetched a pillow from the library's armchair nook. She set the cushion next to Annie and sat criss-cross on it. "There we go. I'd like to avoid a sore bottom." she said, giggling.
Annie clasped her hands together and took a deep breath. Then she began. "So, I like this one girl..."

Gemima leaned against the wall and listened intently, hanging on every word. A faint voice at the back of her mind wondered why she was so interested in the plights of a stranger, but as Annie went on, it became clear as to why. The older girl had a very dramatic love life. The whole story reminded Gem of the shoujo manga that Cath would often leave lying around the house. She herself didn't have much experience with romance. It was a complicated emotion--she'd seen Cath fawn and cry over too many girls to count, and she was only three years older. Who knew how her own future paramours would turn out?

The dark haired girl put her head back against the wall as Annie continued to speak. Getting older sure seemed to come with a whole lot of complications, including messy emotions, heartbreak, misunderstandings, and all that. But even so, she felt invested in Annie's tale. Her mind had already started working as she tried to offer up the best advice she could.

As if on cue, Annie rested her head on her hands. "Please tell me you are secretly a love guru that can help all my problems-- or just a potential friend that will hear me out. That works too." she chuckled.
"You seem like you have a better handle of life than me right now. Let me tell you, dating isn't at all what it's made to be. Boys are dumb and can't take a clue, and girls are confusing."
Gemima snorted at that, but stayed silent. It was a ton of information to process, after all.

"Well, I think that you should just talk to her." she finally said. It was blunt, and maybe it wasn't the answer Annie was looking for, but it felt like the most logical thing to do in this situation. "It sounds like you still care about her, and if you keep avoiding each other, I think that your feelings will be hurt more. Because then, you're constantly wondering, and more misunderstandings might happen. Besides, you'll never know if she likes you back if you don't ask."
She turned to Annie, eyes wide. "I still haven't had much experience with romance, so I might not know how these types of relationships work, but since coming to Hogwarts, I've learned a great deal about how friendships work." She gazed out at all the students bustling around the library. Each person in here, no, in the entire castle, had their own lives, their own worries and dreams, just waiting to be discovered.

Gem looked back to Annie. "Take it from someone who's been in the shadows her whole life: You've got to just get out there and put your best foot forward. Maybe this girl will reject you for real this time, but she might not. Maybe she's just as scared as you are. Either way, you can know that you tried your best."
She smiled wistfully. "If it helps some, I think you seem like a lovely person. If she says no to you, she'll be missing out for sure. "

─•••─

She'd nod her head lightly as the girl introduced herself as Gemima Sable, a first year Ravenclaw before sitting down next to her to listen as she rambled about her.. chaotic attempts at love in Hogwarts. It seemed she was very mature for her age and Annie made a point to compliment her on that. "You dad's a smart man then, and you are intelligent too. I suppose that's why you were sorted into Ravenclaw?" Annie made a small attempt at a joke, a small smile sliding onto her face.

All the while her story was explained Gemima stayed quiet, simply listening to her. It was nice for once but then she waited in slight anticipation as she asked for feedback. A small block of silence was held before the girl began to speak. Her idea was easy and simple, or so it sounded. "Talk to her? After avoiding her all this time? I'll come across as desperate or worse, she'll run away again and end up avoiding me and then I'll look like an idiot." She'd cross her arms, thinking upon the idea some more. It wasn't a bad idea, but.. how and when would she find the time to even go looking for her? The brunette didn't know her class schedules and sure as hell couldn't scout her in the hallway. Perhaps she could ask her dormmates to keep an eye out but that is a bit stalker-ish. She'd unfold her arms and sigh while simultaneously rubbing her temple.

"Okay so look, maybe I jump to conclusions but you make it sound a lot easier than it's going to end up being. I mean, I'll give it a try sure but.. argh." She'd shut up, listening to her finish the rest of her recommendations with no doubt or anything in her voice. ".. I do still care about her. I just-- am I holding out hope only to be crushed because if so I'd rather just not know and try to move on. I mean I'm 14, it's school. It's not like I'll find my soulmate or life-long partner here. Maybe she's not the right person." Self-consciousness crept into her voice, her mind clouding over with fear again. Her trust was hard to earn yet easy to break and their relationship seemed to be on the edge, making Annie almost tip over the edge.

Gemima continued to say how she didn't have much experience with relationships and Annie made sure to but in with a sarcastic "Good, don't" before she bit her lip in thought as she talked about being in the shadows.

"We were always told as kids to run towards the light, but then we are told don't fly too close to the sun. Nobody ever said anything about the shadows. Maybe I need to take a step back into my shadow and just.. focus on me." She whispered out to herself, a barely audible whisper that only her and Gemima could hear. Not that their normal talking would attract too much attention anyways as they weren't being too loud.

The final comment from Gemima made a weak smile appear on her face. "Thanks, Gem." She'd pause, making sure the nickname was alright before continuing. "I don't know who will be missing out, but I do know that other opportunities will come, and maybe it's just not the right opportunity. It'll all come with time. And with time I'll look back on this and laugh and how awkward my teen years were." She'd shake her head jokingly.

"Alright now I sound old, enough reminiscing, what books are you looking for anyways? Want to set your opponent on fire, have a runny nose or perhaps make them do acrobatics?" Annie waved her hand dismissively at any more lingering thoughts and stood up, dusting her robes off.

@Gemima Sable

Interacting-@Annie Morgan
WC-400
Hex-#433687

─•••─

Gemima watched Annie as she spoke, as she ruminated on the advice she had given. It was captivating, really, to see one person go through so much thought and come to a revelation in just a matter of minutes.

"Maybe I need to take a step back into my shadow, and just.. focus on me."
Gemima shifted on her pillow. She hadn't considered that at all, but now that she thought about it, Annie had come up with a very good decision. Facing the problem head on was all well and good, but it sounded like Annie didn't know what she truly wanted yet. Gem wondered what she wanted.

Since coming to Hogwarts, she'd made new friendships, met new people, and had all of these incredible new experiences. It was exactly what she wanted, and she was happy.
Except for when she wasn't--when she still had moments of self doubt. It felt like she was doing something wrong sometimes, like she wasn't being true to herself. But she couldn't put her finger on the reason why she felt that way. Even with a brain that excelled at schoolwork, learning, and now it seemed, socializing, her own desires and personality were still a mystery to her.

Gem thought back to when she was younger, when she was bubblier, and loved being in the shadows, sneaking around for fun. Maybe being in the shadows wasn't as bad as I thought.
She shook her head. No! Stepping out of the shadows is what gave me all these new people and experiences! Merlin, I wish I wasn't so quiet and anxious sometimes...

"...What books are you looking for anyways?" Annie asked.
Gemima blinked. "Huh?"
Annie stood up and dusted herself off. "Want to set your opponent on fire, have a runny nose, or perhaps make them do acrobatics?" she asked cheerfully.
Gemima sprung upwards as well. She had completely forgotten about why she had come to the library in the first place. "Oh, well, setting someone on fire seems like it would be very effective!"

She giggled and went to pick up her pillow. She allowed herself one last look at the place where they had sat, hesitating. Gem sighed and waved the bad thoughts away, just as Annie had done, before following her new friend into the depths of the library.

Someday, I'll figure it all out.

─•••─