Three days after the first history class on Friday Gilbert, Alica, and I are spending the evening in the dorm room Gil and I share. I'm sitting with my back against my bed while Alica is laying on top of it, playing with my hair and humming, and Gil is on his own bed, a heavy looking arithmetics book on his lap. He's biting the nail of his thumb, brow furrowed in concentration or perhaps confusion. My own focus is on the piece of parchment in front of me, the one I'm trying to compose the perfect letter on. So far it's going terribly.
There's a hard tug on my hair and my head jerks back.
"Ow, what are you doing, Alica?" I say and try to rub the sore spot. She slaps my hand away.
"Shh, I'm going to make you beautiful," she says and I would shake my head in fond exasperation if moving was an option, but Alica's death grip on my hair is firm enough to know that wouldn't be wise. Instead I smile lightly and then cross out a few more lines from the letter and write some more.
Gil makes a loud noise of frustration and rubs his face. I glance at him sideways.
"You got a problem, pet?" Alicia asks, unimpressed and not stopping what I assume is braiding.
"I'm just so tired of memorising all these formulas," Gil complains, tipping forward and smacking his face on the bed. "Do you ever feel like that's all we do in school? Just memorise stuff?"
"That's all we do in life, Gil," I say, rewriting the first sentence. "We memorise things and events and then make decisions based on those memories. For example, you remember you don't like beans so you decide to pick something else for lunch, or I remember our first lesson is at 8 tomorrow morning and so decide that I won't stay up too late tonight. Memorsing things forms the basis of human behaviour."
"Yeah, and I remember that you're an insufferable know-it-all so I decide this is the last time I talk to you about anything," he grumbles into his bed. I laugh and then wince when there's another sharp tug at my hair.
"And Alica remembers what happened last time she nearly pulled all my hair out," I say, my voice overly sweet, "and she decides that this time she will be more careful."
"Oh, don't be so dramatic, love," Alica says and gives my head a pat. "It's not my fault you have a super sensitive scalp underneath all that beautiful, perfect, blond hair. You keep it at such a perfect length too, not super short like Gil's, but still short enough to present a challenge. Hairdressing wise, y'know."
"If you say so," I say and we all fall silent again, the only sounds in the room my scribbling and Gil's occasional annoyed grunts. They get drowned under the humming Alica starts up again.
"I am so done with this for one evening," Gil announces suddenly after a few minutes and slams his book shut with a loud finality. "Let's do something else."
"You need to wait a moment, I have to finish this braid," Alica says.
"And I have to finish this letter," I say and Gil groans.
"What are you even writing?" he asks and tries to lean forward to look over my shoulder.
"No way, Gil, it's a secret," I say with a laugh and pull the letter to my chest. Gil makes a thoughtful noise and then flops on his stomach.
"Fine then," he says. "But could we at least talk about something until you're all done?"
"Hey, did you hear the story about the faeries?" Alica asks. Gil perks up on the bed, and I have to admit, my own interested is piqued as well.
"Faeries? Where?" Gil asks, scooting dangerously close to the edge of the bed. He will fall down by the time Alica ends the story.
"I heard some of the girls talking about it today in class. You know that one opening in the forest out back? It's a bit out of the way, but people use it when they don't want teachers to catch them, y'know." Gil snorts. I can only assume Alica winked at that last part. "So anyway, apparently some of the girls had gone down there this weekend to, umm, relax, and they found this tree in the middle of the clearing that was green."
"Green?" I say.
"What's so special about that?" Gil asks, disappointed. "I mean I'd get it if it were purple or something, but trees are supposed to be green."
"I know that, dummy," Alica says, annoyance colouring her beautiful voice, and naturally my hair suffers the consequences. "But it's only spring. All the other trees were bare or had the smallest of leaves, but this tree was proper green. Like midsummer leaves green. Plus, when they were coming back they saw other trees, like, waving at them even though there was no wind. At all."
"And they think it's faeries?" I ask. Alica hums in agreement. I stare unseeingly at the parchment full of scribbles. Faeries, huh...Don't remember ever hearing about faerie nests in these parts, but I guess it's possible...
"They said it has to be something magical," she says. "Why else would that one tree have leaves so much bigger than the other trees."
"But faeries?" Gil says, worry underlining his voice. "I mean, it seems really cool, but I've heard faeries can be very dangerous if you mess with them."
"We should go investigate," I say. There's a loud thump.
"Are you crazy?" Gil hisses from the floor. I look at him unimpressed, my eyebrow raised. "Did you not hear what I just said about them being potentially dangerous?"
"Yes, I heard you. That's why we should go investigate! If there's something that could be dangerous near the school grounds wouldn't you rather know about it?"
"No..." he mutters, rubbing at the elbow he hit on the floor. It's going to bruise.
"Well, you don't have to come. We'll just go together with Alica, right?" I look up at her with a bright smile.
"Oh, honey, like I could ever resist that smile," she says, her own lips curling into a grin. "Or the prospect of a great adventure."
"That's my girl," I say and Gilbert makes several sounds of protest. We both turn to look at him.
"B-but...." he tries. I raise my eyebrows and he sighs. "Yeah, right. Sure, let's go investigate. And get a fucking faerie curse on our families...."
"Oh, don't be like that," I say and tickle his face with my quill. "You treat the faeries nice and maybe they'll bless your family instead of cursing it."
Gil finally laughs at that. I smile. Everything is much better when he's laughing.
"Okay, done!" announces Alica, and claps my shoulder. Gil looks up at my hair and makes a face that is considerably more impressed than amused, so I count that as a win.
"That suits you surprisingly well," he says and I just know Alica is grinning madly. I get up from the floor, the parchment and the book I used as a support forgotten, as I wander to the mirror by the door.
Alica has really outdone herself this time, I think as I turn my head to get a better look at the elaborate braiding patterns all around my head.
"I must say, Alica, this is really impressive," I say as she walks up behind me and places her hands on my shoulders.
"Thank you, I try," she says and slides forward, until she's leaning on my back quite heavily, her hands crossed in front of me.
I can see Gil from the mirror, still sitting on the floor and scratching the back of his neck. He looks rather miserable, probably thinking I can't see him. I roll my eyes.
"Why are you still sitting on the floor, Gil?" I ask and he looks up in surprise of being addressed. His eyes widen when he notices I can see him. "It's not that comfortable down there and I know that for a fact. My ass is still sore after sitting there the eternity it took Alica to make this hairdo." I can see a smile tugging at the corner of Gil's lips and I grin.
"I'll show you a sore ass!" Alica says and proceeds to pinch me. I yelp and try to get away but she follows me, making pinching motions in the air. Gil tries to separate us but only ends up getting pinched as well and for a moment we're a wrestling mass of pinching and counter pinching but then someone trips and we all go down with a loud crash.
"Oooowwww," Gil complains from underneath me and I push at his chest to get into a sitting position. "Move, Oz, I can't breathe properly."
"Oh, sorry," I say, scooting back a bit, so that I'm sitting on his hips and not his stomach. Alica jumps on my back from behind me before I have time to get up and I quickly lean on Gil's chest again to not fall face first onto him.
"That was fun," she says with a distinct glee in her voice. "Let's do it again!"
"No!" Gil and I say as one as he pushes up to lean on his elbows. He's clearly favoring his left one, I notice. Better check the severity of the bruise before we go to bed. Toppling down twice in the span of ten minutes - this must be a new record, even for Gilbert.
There's a loud knock on the door. We turn to look just as the door opens.
"Curfew in half an hour," the prefect says, his head peeking from behind the door. "So get ready... to..." he trails off as he sees us on the floor. There is a long pause as he stares at us, several emotions flashing over his face. Surprise, confusion, intrigue... Finally he opens his mouth again. "I'm not even gonna ask. Everyone get to your own rooms before curfew." Then he turn around and disappears from the opening.
"Will do, Percy!" I shout after him, but the door is already closed. The three of us look at each other and then burst out laughing. A few minutes later Alica finally gets off me and dusts her skirt. I rise to my feet as well, pulling Gil up after me.
"Well, I guess I better go," she says with a smile. Her eyes fall on my hair, which has undoubtedly fallen slightly out of place after our little wrestling match. "That really looks good on you."
"You do know I'm gonna mess it up the minute you're out the door, right?" Gil says with a grin.
"Oh, I bet you will," she says and he chokes. I laugh.
"Now, now," I say. Alica grins, and then leans over and places a kiss on my cheek before going over to Gil and does the same.
"Well, boys, see you tomorrow in class. Don't stay up too late!" She winks and leaves the room. I huff in amusement. Gil runs a hand through his hair and after a moment's pause runs it through mine as well, messing up all the braids and making is stick up at odd angles. He grins at me and I can't help but chuckle.
"Okay, now show me that elbow," I say. When Gil looks surprised I roll my eyes. "You fell down twice and I saw you being careful with it on the floor. Come on now, I wanna make sure it's not too bad."
He nods and rolls up the sleeve. There is distinct swelling and it's red, but after examining it for a moment I conclude it's not too bad.
"It's gonna be fine in a few days," I say, not yet letting go of the arm. "But I'd be extra careful not to hit it into anything anymore."
"It's not like I am clumsy on purpose, you know," he says. I 'hmm', running my fingers over the bruised skin. It's soft and warm and has little, light hairs growing on it. "Uhh, you can let go now?"
"Hmm? Oh, right, sorry," I say and let go of his hand. He rolls his sleeve back down. My eyes fall on the discarded parchment. Right, that. "Oh yeah, I need to finish the letter," I say and Gil looks down at the parchment. Disappointed.
"Right. I think, uh, I'm going to sleep, now," he says and walks over to his own bed. My heart tugs a little at the tone of his voice.
"You sure?" I ask and he nods.
"Yeah. Early morning tomorrow, remember," he says and tries for a laugh but it comes out a bit hollow. I frown. "Don't stay up too late with that, okay?"
"Yeah..."
I pick up the parchment and book and light the candle on my nightstand, while Gil changes into his nightshirt. I put out the big light and when I get to my bed, Gil is already in his and blows out the candle on his nightstand.
"Good night, Oz," he says, pulling the covers up.
"G'night..." I say, the warm, yellow light from my candle barely illuminating the back of his head. I sigh softly and turn back to the unfinished letter.
It's ages later that I finish writing and I grin as I seal it in an envelope and write the boy's name on it.
The only thing left is to leave it in the history class tomorrow.
___________________________________________________________
Sup. I wrote this for the whole day. Not even kidding. Like holy shittt. I started it last night instead of going to bed like a reasonable person and now it's finished. I have no idea what happened. I didn't know what I wanted to happen and I don't know exactly what ended up happening because I'm too lazy to proofread this and it's been so long since I wrote the beginning. But yeah. It kinda went on and on and on after I started.
Oh, I'm having some issues with the time line? Like.... I was thinking that the second part was on the day following the first part, but it's probably not because then the term would've started on a Friday and that's kinda dumb. Ok, so assume their history classes are on Tuesday and Friday (should there be a third one per week?), yeah, so if the first part was on Tuesday evening, the term started on Wednesday, the second part (first history class) was on Friday, the third part was like... Friday afternoon after classes and this one is the following Monday evening. That makes sense, yeah? Yeah.
Anywho. I forgot what I wanted to say uhh.
Oh right. I have the letter for you if you want to include it in your post on Friday. I guess that's all. Your topic is "Lizard".
Pie out.
P.S. Noticed that I'd written Alica's name Alicia at least five times so I fixed that. Also edited some really bad wording, but nothing big so if you don't see this that's cool. Bye.
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