Open A Month In

[Professor Minnie Calida]

Within no time at all, Minnie had been working for a whole month. She didn't mind it, the work was quite engaging, and the people she worked with were interesting. She knew she was well on her way to being able to move out of Eric's mother's place with Eric. It would be a bit tricky for a bit but she looked forward to having her own space with him. She could tell however, that some of her old patterns emerged. She never did her work once, she was ablways doing it three or four times, she was always working twice as hard learning everything to be able to think she was contributing at all. She knew these were things she'd done at school that hadn't always helped her, but she felt like she had to. This was a job she had earned and she had to cotninue earning her spot in it. She had to continue working at it and begin better and better at it. She had to impress her boss and though she was not graded she didn't want to fail at this. It would only prove her mother right. Minnie felt tired at the end of the day, she had been working far too late and knew that Eric would finish his shift soon enough, and had owled to suggest they go back together. She just sat on a bench with a coffee at the edge of Obsidian waiting for him. ​

 

[Sydney Townsend]

Sydney had always known she'd really hit her stride after she left school. All Hogwarts or her parents had ever really done for her was hold her back. Outside of school she could do whatever she wanted, learn whatever she wanted. It was hard to even know where to start sometimes. She'd picked up the amateur duelling circuit for now, eager to begin working her way up tot pro, but when duels were more spread out outside of tournaments she had little to spend her time on outside of pursuing bookshops and the like around Obsidian.

She'd picked up a book on defensive duelling forms today, exiting the store keen to get into it when someone sitting nearby caught her eye. "Well well well, look who it is," Sydney said, coming to a stop in front of where Minnie sat and looking at her speculatively. "You look tired."

 

[Professor Minnie Calida]

Minnie didn't mind just sitting and waiting, knowing that he wasn't likely to be long, and enjoying the night as it washed over her. She was already thinking of what she'd need to do once she got into the office the next day but it was quieter. Her thinking was broken by a voice and Minnie rolled her eyes. Sydney. Of all the people, it just had to be her. She just had to run into her. "Thanks Sydney," she retorted, "I'm waiting on Eric, so, unless you want to see him I'd suggest moving along," Minnie met Sydney's gaze, her voice was tired and a little bored, she really wouldn't want to deal with Sydney and less so, if she suddenly saw Eric. ​

 

[Sydney Townsend]

Despite her best attempt at restraint, Sydney still felt herself bristle when Minnie mentioned Eric, deciding to channel her ire into a pointed eyeroll. "Oh, you two still together then? Cute," she drawled, making her disdain clear. She still had no idea what Minnie saw in someone like Holland, but she supposed it just proved that good grades and booksmarts didn't actually reflect true intelligence. "I'm not scared of him. If he has a probably with me when he gets here, he can talk to me like an adult," she added, crossing her arms and scoffing at the idea of Eric holding a civilized conversation. "What are you even doing these days that's got you so worn down any way? Or is that all your charming boyfriend's doing?"

 

[Professor Minnie Calida]

Minnie frowned somewhat, "We only left school six months ago," she didn't think it was nearly enough time to be making such a comment but too she figured that this was just Sydney being Sydney, unimpressed and uninterested in someone elses continued life choices. She thought it was rather rich of Sydney to demand a an adult conversation when she knew that neither of them had ever managed to civil with each other. "I'm working, at the ministry," she told her, "It's just been a long day, and obviously I work hard," she said it sharply and paused for a moment. She didn't know why, she had nothing to prove to Sydney. Nothing at all. "Do you have a job?" ​

 

[Sydney Townsend]

"Oh, has it only been that long," Sydney said lightly, making a point to inspect her nails despite how dirty they were. It was more to make a point about how little she cared about what Minnie said. "Considering how volatile he could be I figured you guys probably celebrate each week together," she said with mock concern. She stifled a snort when Minnie said she worked at the ministry now, nodding along. "Yeah, no that really tracks, doesn't it," she said, giving Minnie a once over. "You would want to work for someone who'd tell you what to do all the time. Hope you're working hard," she said dryly. "I'm a professional duelist," Sydney said simply, ignoring the fact she hadn't actually made it into any paid matches yet to officially be considered 'professional'. But Minnie didn't need to know that. Sydney was doing what she wanted and that was what was important.

 

[Professor Minnie Calida]

Minnie had been seeing Eric for longer than six months but she didn't feel like it would be much difference to Sydney what it was. "It would be pretty romantic to celebrate every week," she countered, they didn't do that, neither had the time nor money to be able to do such a thing, and though Sydney meant it in a bad sense, she thought it could be rather romantic. She rolled her eyes at her retort about her work. "Do you have a trainer then? And an agent?" she asked Sydney, deciding to not directly address the point about her own work. She had to imagine anyone doing soemthing like duelling would at least have some kind of trainer, and surely they were sort of like a boss, telling them what to do. ​

 

[Sydney Townsend]

Sydney scoffed at Minnie's response, rolling her eyes. It was almost cute, how delusional she must be to actually enjoy being around someone like Eric. Sydney was just glad she'd never bothered to try and be Minnie's friend. She'd reached out a few times, but Eric had probably gotten his hooks into her too early. But it was fine, Sydney wasn't struggling for friends. She had Simon. It was enough.

"I don't need either; I'm perfectly capable of training and managing myself," she said haughtily as Minnie asked about her own work, crossing her arms. "I'd be happy to give you a demonstration if you don't believe me," she added sweetly, resisting the temptation to reach for her wand. They weren't kids anymore, there was nothing stopping her from just jinxing Minnie, but she didn't want to give her the satisfaction of letting her know she was agitated. A little threat, something to remind Minnie who she was dealing with however couldn't hurt.

 

[Professor Minnie Calida]

Minnie rolled her eyes nat Sydney, of course the girl didn’t think she needed any help, either in training or managing. That she would be just fine, and wouldn’t need anything else. She gave a little chuckle, ”If you use your wand on me or cast a spell, that’s assault,” Minnie said, she wouldn’t fight, fighting wasn’t her style, but she knew an unprovoked attack like that would land Sydney into some trouble. ”I don’t know if you’ll get far, if you’re attacking people on the streets,” she knew it probably wasn’t safe to provoke Sydney but she didn’t really care, if she did something, they weren’t at school, there could be real consequences to the actions. Minnie knew that Eric would be pretty annoyed but that would be for her to stop and besides the point too. ”Don’t you ever get tired of this attitude?” she couldn’t help but ask. Who was all this for, they weren’t in school, they were on all different paths, what did it matter. Why did she always have something to prove, something to say. Was it just that she was dating Eric and that was all.​

 

[Sydney Townsend]

"One could argue that I was provoked," Sydney said coolly, rolling her eyes at Minnie's confidence. But it was true, wasting her time going after Minnie was beneath her. "You're probably right, you're not even good target practice," she snapped, bunching her fingers in the fabric of her robes as Minnie asked her another stupid question. "No," she said quickly, frowning. "Don't you get tired of doing what everyone expects you to do? Get good grades, get a cushy ministry job, get married, pop out a few kids, aren't you bored to death just thinking about it," she said, staring intently at Minnie. Sydney had once thought that Minnie could have been a friend, it was obvious she was smart, but even despite her obvious poor taste in men, Sydney had realized Minnie was too busy chasing after what everyone told her she should want rather than thinking for herself. Sydney was better off without people like that in her life dragging her down. "At least I know why I'm doing what I'm doing," she said haughtily.

 

[Professor Minnie Calida]

Minnie very much doubted they'd believe Sydney over her if she did, but didn't want to be proven wrong, it was probably good that she stood down somewhat, though of course did it with a scathing remark towards her. She wouldn't make good target practice and liked to think if in a fight she would win. She knew though that of course that would never be the end, Sydney had never been one to know when to just let something go. It didn't help that it was a little right, she was in the ministry because that was what was expected of her, and a month in she knew she didn't like it. She was doing what was expected of her and she knew without Eric in her life she'd be miserable. "The ministry was the right path for me, I know why I'm doing it," she replied tiredly, since she did. She knew that woking at good ministry job was secure and safe, she'd have a monthly paycheck and be able to save up money to move out from Eric's mum's house, that she could support herself on it. She didn't want to not be able to help out around the house either physically or financially so she had to work at something decent enough. ​