Angry Ripples Closed

Donny trudged over to edge of the lake, trying to get as far away from those stupid Slytherin's as humanly possible. How could they judge how he spent his free time. Sure, what he called free time wasn't actually free time, but that's no reason to throw a book a someones head. He was just trying to study, when Mr. Arrogance came over and flung a book at his head while he was studying, "Jokingly". He was tired of being laughed at. Tired of being told what to do! Before he knew it, he was facing his own face in the clear lake. "Why can't I just make friends?" he asked himself hopelessly. For as long as he could remember he was the nerd, who couldn't keep his temper for a second. "Sticks and stones.." he said randomly. Did it really matter what people said about him? As much as he really wanted to, he just couldn't stop the words from hurting him, he just couldn't. "Words do hurt! They hurt like Hell!" he yelled, throwing a large rock into his reflection. 

He looked down at himself. The ripples of the water scrunched his face like a dried tomato. "I know how you feel..." he said to the reflection, as if it was another. "You can never be who you want to be. You can't do things without people contradicting you can you?" he continued to himself. Before he could stop it, down came the tears, rolling down his face like the morning dew, melting away on a spring morning. His glasses started to fog up.  He heard the leaves crunching. He looked aimlessly into the distance. "Hello!" he called wiping the tears from his face quickly. "Who's there!"     

"What do you have against sticks and stones?"

Landon had been leaning, or, well, slouching, against a tree trunk, relaxing in the shade, looking quite smug and extremely confident in himself. His hands loosely in his jean pockets, his sweatshirt hood up with several strands of his messy brown hair falling into his face. It wasn't like he had been trying to eavesdrop... or maybe he had been. Even Lan himself didn't really know to be honest, trouble (along with depression) was second-nature to him by now. And he couldn't help but offer a little smirk and a sly remark.

Stepping out from the shadows cast by the tree, Landon slowly immersed himself into the brightness of the nearly spring sun, his cheeky grin still on his face. "Heya, bud. What's up?"

Though there was nothing particularly threatening or scary about Landon at this moment, something about his cockiness and confidence made him much more arrogant and intimidating. Not intentionally, but also not something Landon would care to change. A little bit of flamboyance never hurt anybody.

He quickly jerked his head to the left, his trick to get his hair out of his face, and turned his green eyes to the boy.

Donny sat there. The boy looking expectantly in his gaze. "I-I just..." Donny tried to speak but he just couldn't get the words out. "My dad, he always told me that sticks and stones is the phrase that will help me through life..." Donny told the boy. "But, it hasn't! And ever since he-he..." Donny decided to tell him. "Ever since my dad was in Azkaban, I've looked down upon that phrase. Words do hurt to me," He finally said. He didn't mean to pour out all of his emotions on a complete stranger, but he felt comfortable talking to someone for once. Someone who didn't contradict him after everything he said. "I didn't mean to tell you all this, it's just... you talked to me, me of all people." he finished. 

He turned his head away from the boy, embarrassed for his whining seemed too much like a plead for sympathy. The boy seemed a bit confused, but understanding at the same time. Donny looked down at his reflection. He noticed it wasn't alone, there were two reflections. It was at that moment that Donny thought he had a chance, a chance at friendship, understanding between two people. "So... what's your name?" Donny asked, surprised after all his depressing talking, that this was the last thing he said. "What do you like to do in your free time?"