A Feeble Lie

[Nephrolepis Undersee]

The courtyard was full of students. Some pushed past each other, some cowered in the corner until it was safe to make a run towards the castle doors. Others stood chatting to their friends. These were the ones Nephrolepis envied the most. Yes, she had a few friends, but none she could really rely on for anything. At least not until recently. Nephy shut her eyes and listened to the blur of conversations around her. She concentrated on just one, picking out exactly what the two girls were saying to each other. For a minute, she was in her own little world. But she was snapped out of it when someone jeered a hateful comment to someone else, and she had opened her eyes in case it had been directed at her. But as she looked around, the caller seemed to be preocupied by someone else, and had already wandered off.
On the bench in the corner of the yard sat Nephy, her legs dangling a fairly long distance to the ground for someone her age. She had her hands in her lap, and she was soaking up the midday sun lazily. It had been a while since she'd slept properly, and she was just starting to drift off when she heard footsteps coming closer. Nephy kept her eyes shut, trying to look as realistically asleep as she could. Maybe that way, whoever had come to bother her would soon find there was no point. But when she heard his voice, her eyes shot open at once and a small smile crept onto her lips.

 

[Rohan Kearsley]

Since Nephrolepis had flounced off in what seemed to be a panic in the Owlery, Rohan had been left very confused. He had wandered around the castle for a while, searching in all the places he thought he might find her, before finally giving up. It was several days before he spotted her again. He'd been taking a stroll, since he had no appetite and had decided to wait a while before going to lunch. As he stepped out into the courtyard, a boy was yelling something he didn't quite make out. He frowned to himself, wishing that everyone could get along. Some people thought he was a bit of a strange Slytherin, being such a softie, but he didn't really mind what others thought of him. It helped him a lot.
As Rohan took a few steps into the open, he spotted a young girl with wild, blonde hair perched on a bench with her legs dangling in the air. A wide smile and a strange warmth grew over him, though as he neared her, she seemed to be asleep. Not really wanting to disturb her, and suddenly nervous about what she might say if he bought up the topic of what happened in the owlery, he uttered her name softly. 'Nephy?' His smile had faded until she opened her eyes and smiled back. At once, his face lit up again. Hands in his robe pockets, he sat down next to her and crossed his legs. 'How've you been?' he asked quietly, hoping that nobody from the courtyard was earwigging over the loud noises of everyone else.

 

[Nephrolepis Undersee]

Nephy at once felt warm when Rohan sat down next to him, but it wasn't a warmth given to her by his body heat. It was just a feeling as though she was glowing inside, and it made her smile brightly. She'd not found that with a person before, and she was going to share the feeling with him as often as she could. By the way he smiled back, she was sure he felt it too. He crossed his legs, and Nephy suddenly felt embarassed. The day in the owlery, which hadn't been too long ago, suddenly flooded back to her, making her blush profusely. She had to apologize; she'd been a complete pig and had had no right to run off like she did. But everything had been making her panic, and she'd had to get out of there before she screamed. 'Rohan, I'm really sorry..' she started, aware she hadn't thought about how to end her sentance. 'I shouldn't have run off like that. I was just scared,' she fiddled with her fingers and looked down at them, her hair protectively covering her face - the way she liked it. It also hid the fact her cheeks were a rosy pink. She hated the way she blushed every time anyone came near her, though she was positive it happened more with Rohan. Maybe it was because he was a boy. Nephy sat there in an awkward silence, feeling truly terrible for leaving him with no explanation, for telling him to leave her alone. And she was very glad he hadn't done just that, because she realised she didn't know what she would do without him. He was such a good friend already, and he'd not deserved to be treated like that by her. He was trying to help, and she was throwing his offer away with both hands. She decided there and then that she would no longer turn down his help. After all, he was right.

 

[Rohan Kearsley]

Though Rohan wasn't sure how Nephy had expected him to react, he simply laughed lightly. He didn't particularily mind that she'd left him, after all, he would have probably done the same thing in her situation. But what turned his laughter to fear was the fact that she had been scared. This puzzled Rohan, since he didn't really know what it was like to be afraid of something. Of course he had his fears, but the look that had been plastered on the little girl's face in the Owlery that evening had been one of true terror. Rohan wanted to find out what the matter was without prying, which was going to prove a difficult task since it would involve outrightly asking why she had been scared. He took a deep breath and put on the kindest voice he could muster. As a last minute though, he placed his hand on hers. 'Nephy, you don't have to be scared. Do you think I'd hurt you?' he asked seriously, since this had been what she had put across to him the other evening. He knew the face of someone who was afraid of being hurt. He'd seen it before. But it hurt to think that she was afraid he'd hurt her. He was a friend, not an enemy. He'd tried to help her. So he couldn't keep the pain out of his voice or his eyes when he asked. In fact, his eyes were now showing how extremely hurt he was, despite his efforts to hide it. 'You know I wouldn't, you're safe with me.' Rohan knew there was something more to this. But he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

 

[Nephrolepis Undersee]

Nephy stiffened when Rohan put his hand on hers, but she didn't pull away. In fact, she started to get used to the warmth on her skin. His hands were soft and reassuring, and she liked it. But she was fairly shocked to hear that Rohan knew how afraid she had been that he was going to hurt her. Anybody could hurt someone so small, even a fellow first year. Everyone just towered over her. However, even if she had used this feeble excuse, she was sure Rohan wouldn't have bought it. He was far too clever for that. So instead, she stayed silent for a moment. The whole courtyard, in Nephy's ears, seemed to be silent too, and her ears started to ring. It could have been an after effect of her concussion, she couldn't really tell. She had to reply to Rohan. She couldn't just walk off again, leave him wondering what was going on in her mind. So she decided she wouldn't lie, but she wouldn't tell the entire truth either. 'I know, I know you wouldn't,' she said, still looking at her lap, which now contained three hands instead of two. It was extremely reassuring when he told her she was safe with him. 'I believe that. No one's ever been a better friend to me,' Nephy still felt as though she wasn't quite giving him enough information. If she had looked up, she would have seen how hurt he felt. But she didn't. Nephy honestly believed that Rohan wouldn't lay a finger on her. He probably couldn't even hurt a fly. But that didn't stop her remembering. She squeezed her eyes tightly shut, her body stiffening once more. 'It wont happen again,' she whispered, referring to the way she'd flinched and hoping he understood.

 

[Rohan Kearsley]

Rohan took his hand away from Nephy's and sighed. He didn't know what to do. He'd only just turned 13; he wasn't a qualified psychologist or a mind reader. Still, he felt a little closer to the girl, knowing that she didn't think he'd hurt her. It sounded like the truth, and felt like it too. Unfortunately, it didn't mean there was something deeper and more meaningful about the way she shut her eyes and stiffened. Thinking he knew what she meant, but not being entirely sure, Rohan wanted to clarify. 'What won't?' he asked her, frowning a little in thought and not anger. Had she been referring to something in her mind? Something which had happened to her? Or was she thinking about the way she'd run off in the owlery? He wasn't entirely sure, though he knew which seemed most likely. She wouldn't outright say so if it had been something other than the incident the other day. Especially not if she hadn't told him before.

 

[Nephrolepis Undersee]

Nephrolepis was quite surprised to find herself feeling disappointed when Rohan took his hand away from hers, though she didn't show it. She didn't have much time to feel this way anyway, since she suddenly needed to clarify what she'd said to stop him getting the wrong - or perhaps right - idea. 'Oh, I won't be scared. Honestly,' she said in a rush, now looking up into his eyes to see him frowning. Shock registered on her face. Was she angry at her? She tried to keep calm, though her eyes were darting backwards and forwards to try and read his feelings. 'What?' she asked, unable to keep the gasp and fear out of her voice and going completely against the sentance she'd spoken just seconds earlier. Resisting shuffling further away from him on the bench, she made do with just leaning away slightly, which she could get away with calling shock if he wondered why. After a second or two, however, she realised he wanted angry at all. It was a puzzled frown. Feeling like an idiot, she blushed again, though she had no time to take back what she'd said before he would explain himself.

 

[Rohan Kearsley]

If Rohan hadn't been so worried, he would have laughed at how she'd said only seconds before feeling afraid that she wouldn't be scared of him any more. There you go again, he felt like saying to her, but kept it inside as it was a very hurtful thing for someone as soft as him to say. He loosened his frown instantly and smiled, also glad to have the answer to his question, even if it might have been a lie. He knew he had to get to know Nephy better before there was any chance of her explaining what the matter was. But he was going to find out, no matter what it took, if only to help her. 'Sorry,' his smile turned to a grin as he tried to reassure her that he wasn't angry at all. Suddenly, an idea hit him. Before he'd even have a chance to register why he'd thought it, his cheeks began to turn pink. He almost wished he had long hair to hide behind. Still, he couldn't really back out of it now, and he did want to ask really. 'Nephy, would you like to come to Brightstone with me? I mean, we could get up early and go tomorrow if you'd like,' it was just a suggestion, but he was hoping with all his might that she'd say yes. Otherwise he'd feel like an idiot for asking when she turned him down. He didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable, but he wasn't doing a very good job of it.

 

[Nephrolepis Undersee]

Nephy let go of a breath she didn't realise she'd been holding. She'd been right about him being puzzled, it seemed, and she was grateful that he smiled, causing her to smile back without even knowing it. It was strange, the effect Rohan was having on her already. She'd not had a friend like him before; one she felt like one day, she might be able talk to him properly, without feeling scared or embarassed all the time. When he offered to take her to Brightstone, something inside her jumped for sheer joy. She couldn't hide this from her face, even though she was desperate not to look too enthusiastic. 'I'd love to!' she beamed at him, feeling the warmth run through her again. She was going shopping with her friend, and it felt like the normal thing to do - because it was. And Nephy hadn't felt this happy in weeks.