The Lazy Art of Daydreaming Closed

"What on Earth are you doing?", asked Simon. He was fully dressed for school; his dark grey pants, tucked white shirt, grey jumper, blue tie and black robe.

He had woken particularly early that morning. Simon had always been a morning person, but as he started growing on his height he seemed to be constantly hungry. With a long way to go to get to the Great Hall, he felt even more eager to get up early to reach breakfast in time – before his stomach started making these weird noises, that is, and before he went into a bad mood. Therefore, he had taken a quick shower, got dressed (trying not to wake the other boys in the dormitory) and left the common room.

On his way to the Great Hall, he had looked out through the windows as he passed one of the corridors and seen someone laying in the grass in the courtyard. Someone dressed in a black t-shirt and cosy pants. His first thought had been that a student must have died or been murdered. Then he had noticed the blond curly hair spreading from the girl's head like a sun in the grass – Delilah...

Awaiting her response, he added with a confused look on his face: "You haven't been... sleeping outdoors, have you?"

He realized how silly it sounded. But when he thought about it, you could never really know with Delilah. He was prepared for anything. For all he knew, and considering the T-shirt she was wearing, she could as well be laying in the grass waiting for Aliens. Not to be abducted, but to be adopted.

Interacting with @Delilah Chapman

" I was taking a nap. "

Said Delilah as if it was the most normal thing in the world, to sleep in the courtyard of her school. There is no shame in it, she thought, she couldn't sleep in her dorm so she went into the courtyard and did her thing. Sleep. But Simon doesn't have to know all that, does he ?

She didn't get up or lift her head and as soon as she finished her sentence, she closed her eyes again. Trying to draw sleep back to her but her efforts were in vain. All the dreams and heaviness in her eyes were chased away.

Delilah tried to suppress her slight anger towards Simon. Fully aware that he was standing right beside her but not knowing what to say to him. For now, they both stood silent but it wasn't the awkward embarassing kind of silence, it was something that carried serenity and calmness with it.

She sighed and stared at the vast expanse of the sky above. Fluffy white clouds floated lazily, painting whimsical pictures against the azure canvas. Her eyes catched a cloud that looked like a sock and she remembered her last meeting with Simon in the library. It was such a fun and great conversation they had over socks. She giggled, throwing a glance at him but soon realising he may take it as an offence. So she apologized and the silence lingered again.

As her eyes scanned the ever-shifting clouds, a shape caught her attention. There, amidst the billowing cotton candy-like formations, was a cloud that bore a striking resemblance to her dear friend Simon. She marveled at the cloud, its contours reminiscent of Simon's mischievous grin and square face. The resemblance was uncanny, as if a piece of her friend's spirit had taken flight and found solace in the heavens above. Memories of their shared laughter flooded her mind, filling her with a sense of warmth and connection.

"Well, well, well, look who's making a cameo in the sky! Delilah exclaimed, pointing at the cloud. I always knew Simon had a way of showing up unannounced, but this is taking it to a whole new level!"

She glanced at Simon with a wide grin across her lips.

"That cloud looks just like you."

"I was taking a nap."

A nap? For heaven's sake, it's early morning, Simon thought. As Delilah closed her eyes again, he was very confused. Obviously she was in no mood of talking, unless he had something to say perhaps. But what should he say? Yet again, he had found himself in another strange situation with Delilah Chapman. He looked over his shoulders to see if anybody else was present, but he could see no one.

As he was preparing what to say (whether he should question her weird behavior, advise her to get dressed before school or invite her to join him on an early breakfast), Delilah giggled an opened her eyes only to say that she was 'sorry' and closed them again. Was she mocking him? Was this some idea of a joke?

Next he knew it, Delilah opened her eyes again, this time looking straight up in the sky.

"Well, well, well, look who's making a cameo in the sky!", she said and pointed to a cloud. "I always knew Simon had a way of showing up unannounced, but this is taking it to a whole new level!"

Simon looked among the clouds but could not figure out which of them she was pointing to. Whether it was his lack of imagination, or Delilah's excess of it, he did not know, but he couldn't see a single face up there. Just out of curiosity, he put down his school bag on the grass and kneeled beside her, trying to look as closely to her pointing finger as possible. Then he saw it. Well, it's a face, but...

"Okay, if that is how you see my face then I understand why you kept your eyes closed when I arrived", said Simon. "That does not look like me, I hope. More like a... 150 year old man. That cloud over there looks like your hair, though. Like overgrown ivy hanging out from a pot. I guess the pot is supposed to be your head." He looked at Delilah and cracked a smile. "Come on, I'm kidding!"

Surprised that he enjoined the interaction he looked around one more time, from the windows around the courtyard to his school bag that had fallen over in the grass, before looking back at Delilah.

"Am I disturbing you in something? Or... would you like me to join you? I was about to head for breakfast, but", said Simon and cut off his sentence, awaiting Delilah's response.

"Okay, if that is how you see my face then I understand why you kept your eyes closed when I arrived, that does not look like me, I hope. More like a... 150 year old man. That cloud over there looks like your hair, though. Like overgrown ivy hanging out from a pot. I guess the pot is supposed to be your head."
Delilah let out an uncontrollable laugh at Simon's remark, it was true. People often mistook her hair for the head of a broom or for wild plants but Delilah wasn't someone who held grudges or was easily offended, it was okay if it meant she could make fun of Simon too.

"Am I disturbing you in something? Or... would you like me to join you? I was about to head for breakfast, but" said Simon.

As he was kneeling beside her, Delilah nudged his shoulder . "Don't be ridiculous", She said "Your presence is highly appreciated !"

She yawned before stretching and getting up to her feet.

"I would've loved escorting your highness to breakfast", She chuckled "But I have to change clothes, you go on and I'll be following to the great hall. "

She winked and continued while backing away slowly. "I invited myself to your table."

As she got further away from Simon, she waved at him, the gentle breeze whipping her hair in front of her face. "If I'm late, don't wait for me !" She shouted.