Open Cliffside Musing

[Valeria Iglesias]

Valeria had enjoyed her first year at Hogwarts, though a third year officially, it was her first year at the school. It was very different from what she had experienced with tutors, and though there were bad elements of Hogwarts, even those outweighed some of the good from tutors. It was fun to always have someone to talk to, always a place to go, different people with different stories at experience, she had friends in people like Gwen, Xiuying, Bree, Tina, Louis, and the other boys she had kissed. It was just a good place filled with good and fun things, she was on a quidditch team, she was involved and activities, it was just good. She knew rthat this had been a bit of a trial year, that if she'd hated it her parents might let her go back to how things were before, and though she might complain about a lack of pocket money or about how her uniform wasn't cute, but she was going to come back, there was no doubt about it. She had ventured out to the cliffs, which after exploring with Louis was her new favourite spot if she didn't want to be in the school. She had a book and could study if she wanted to, she just didn't want to. She was just enjoying the cold winter breeze, looking out over the cliff side and feeling the weak winter sun.​

 

[Ares Kuya-Tine]

Exam time, even at Beauxbatons, had always been a little less stressful for him than it was for the other students. Even now that it was his OWL year, he still wasn't feeling like he needed to constantly have his head down in a textbook if he wanted to do well. He had enjoyed his classes this year and especially liked how it was in a language he was fluent in. Beauxbatons was definitely a lot harder and so the teen felt like he had a lot less to worry about here. With everyone stuck in the library doing some last minute studying, Ares wanted to be a little different and venture to the outdoors for a little while. Being locked in the dungeons avoiding Jordie was making him a little pale, and so the sun was definitely what he needed. He didn't really know where he was going and just kept walking. Eventually he came across the cliffs where he spotted a familiar face. "Valeria! How have you been?" he asked, wondering if she also enjoyed her first year at the new school. "I thought you'd be one of the ones in the library doing some last minute studying."

 

[Valeria Iglesias]

Valeria heard her name and glanced towards where the noise had come from. She smiled at the boy who joined her. She like Ares, they had somewhat bonded over being the new kids at the school, and she was actually very thankful for the friendship he had offered in the early days and then continued. She gave a nod and then giggled at his statement. She flicked her her away from her face, "I'm naturually intelligent, no need to study," she boasted but in a joking manner. She didn't study as much as others but she did study, she'd just grown a little bored of it currently. "I've been good though, Hogwarts has been pretty amazing this first year," she said, she was able to be honest with Ares, in a way she wasn't as much with others. "How've you been? OWLs kicking your ass?" ​

 

[Ares Kuya-Tine]

Ares smirked as Valeria said she was naturally intelligent. "I guess that's why you're in Ravenclaw, huh?" he said, hoping that didn't offend her. He did know people to get a little uptight over house stereotypes. At her question, he shrugged. "OWLs haven't been too bad I guess. If anything I find it a little easier to learn here, so it hasn't been too stressful." he told her truthfully. "I've made some really good friends here though. What about you? Met anyone interesting?" Ares hoped that perhaps he could meet some more good people through her. After all, he trusted that the people she affiliated herself with would be good people to be around.

 

[Valeria Iglesias]

Valeria gave a little giggle and nodded, "Obviously," she didn't say that when being sorted she was sure that she wouldn't have minded slytherins. She didn't know what OWLs were like yet, so she had to take his word for how it was. "What's different about here?" Valeria asked, a little curious, given she'd never been to any other school, she didn't know what would make this better than the other. If there was something to it, or if it was just down to preference. "Yeah, same, I've met lots of interesting people, my roommate Xiuying is amazing. I've kissed a couple of boys," she told him with a little giggle. "Have you kissed anyone?" she asked, she didn't know much about how Ares swung and she was just eager to know about if he'd had any luck in the love department. ​

 

[Ares Kuya-Tine]

Ares smirked as Valeria giggled. He loved how she took it lightheartedly and was glad that his words didn't offend her. At her question, he was quick to respond. "Oh there are a lot of things that are different. The way things are taught, how nice everyone is... not that people at Beauxbatons weren't nice, but they were just harder to talk to since French isn't my first language." he explained. As she said she had already kissed a couple of boys, Ares raised his eyebrows before smiling and elbowing her playfully. "Good on you, girl." he said, happy that she was also enjoying her time at Hogwarts. Her next question made him blush a little, looking down at the ground a little shyly. He hated how even the thought of Jordie made him so nervous. He felt comfortable to confide in her however, especially after she had been honest to him. "Well, there's this one guy... he's in fourth year, Hufflepuff. He's... cute." He mumbled the last bit before shrugging. "I don't know though. It's too soon to tell."

 

[Valeria Iglesias]

Valeria certainly didn't have a nice picture of what Beauxbatons was like. It sounded interesting, and different from here but perhaps not as good. She frowned, thinking it odd that he would go to a school that was no in his first language, but here she was at a school where the language was not her first, but perhaps her English was just miles ahead of his french. She gave a little flick of her hair at his reaction. "Thank you," and then noted how he reacted when the question was posed to him. That was just ever so telling. "Ooooooh Ares! That's so sweet, tell me more about him. Even if you don't know, tell me all about it," she loved hearing about other people in their relationships, perhaps it was because she liked gossip or just liked knowing that information but she was very keen to hear more about Ares and this fourth year boy. ​

 

[Ares Kuya-Tine]

Ares chucked a little as Valeria seemed all too eager to hear about Jordie. He didn't know what else he could tell her, but tried to be as open as possible. He was sure all of his other friends knew anyway. "I met him before I came here actually. My friend from Beauxbatons knew him and introduced us." he explained. "He plays Quidditch, he's fit, he's really nice... I just don't know if he likes me back. See, he's affectionate with pretty much everyone, and it sort of confuses me, you know?" Ares sighed, deciding to take a seat on the grass as he looked out over the cliff. "Do you come here often? It's a pretty nice place."

 

[Valeria Iglesias]

Valeria was very curious and thought it almost sweet that it sort of appeared that Ares had come to Hogwarts perhaps in part for him. She felt like she might be able to guess who it was from the information he'd told her. Had to be in the same year as Ares or just below, played quidditch and was affectionate, certainly there were that many who fit that. The fact that the affection was leading him to not be sure about how he felt was interesting, she could certainly understand how that would lead to issues. Or confusion. "Are you sure it's the same sort of affection?" she asked. She wasn't doubting him, but digging into how it was affection but could be different. "Not often, but it's nice, it's quiet, a good place to think," she said looking out over the cliffs, "I love this school, but sometimes I miss the occasional moment of silence, or space...so here," ​

 

[Ares Kuya-Tine]

Ares liked how Valeria seemed so interested in what was happening with him and Jordie. The boy hadn't had too many people to talk to about it that weren't so close to Jordie, and he was happy that he had Valeria now. "He holds other people's hands, gives them random hugs and plays with their hair. Kissing... well, I don't know about that one, but I guess I wouldn't be surprised. We kissed, but he didn't even talk about it after. It was just like nothing happened." Ares told her, a little frustrated. Why wouldn't Jordie bring it up again? It just made him even more sure that Jordie didn't feel the same way he did. Ares listened to Valeria's response to his question, nodding along with her. "Yeah, that's true. There's so many people here. And I guess you wouldn't be used to that since you were homeschooled, right?"

 

[Valeria Iglesias]

Valeria had been ready, so ready to tell Ares that it had to mean he liked him but as he explained she had to admit that was tricky. She certainly did some of the same, but she didn't ever mean anything by it and she was usually flirting with them too, did that make it more obvious. "Oh...does it seem like flirting or just friendliness?" she asked, "Did you ask him about it? The kiss?" she asked feeling sympathetic to Ares' plight. She nodded in response, "Money can only buy so many people to be around me," she joked lightly, though she felt sure that if she'd asked pre-Hogwarts her parents would've just bought her friends. ​

 

[Ares Kuya-Tine]

Valeria kept asking questions, and Ares just kept shrugging. He really couldn't tell her much more. "I don't know... He's just different, so I'm not really sure." he responded. As she asked if he asked him about the kiss, Ares paused for a moment. It was something that never crossed his mind. "Well, I haven't really thought about it. He's a lot more open than me so I expected him to ask me first. If I was to bring it up, I'm not sure how I would. He would know a way though, I'm sure of it." As Valeria made a slight joke, Ares chuckled. "Yeah, for sure. And hey, sometimes it's nice to be alone." Ares said, knowing that sometimes he preferred to be by himself.

 

[Valeria Iglesias]

Valeria gave a little frown, it was odd and the only solution was probably to talk to him. She gave a little smile as he spoke, realising that Ares seemed to really quite like him. "Well, try, talk to him, better to put yourself out there than not," she knew he'd said that he just didn't know how to say it, but in her mind he just needed to try, just needed to get it out. Valeria liked occasionally being alone, not often and never for very long. "Will you go back to France for the holidays?" she asked, not sure what Ares' living situation was and wondered if he'd be sticking around this country or if he'd be going somewhere else. ​