He's Just a Boy

[Indianna Lee]

I met you once and I'd fallen for your notions
I DON'T KNOW WHY, I DON'T KNOW WHY

The day truly was a breathtaking one; without a cloud in sight and a sky as clear as
crystal, one would not be blamed for mistaking it as springtime. The French school
seemed baffled that a day in fall could feel so good, so warm. The girls with their fitted
blazers and high-waisted skirts giggled sweetly at the boys who seemed high on the
sun’s rays and feeling every inch as confident as they possibly could with the moody
weather shone up like a penny. And as Indianna sat there by her guitar, in her own little
world, curled up beneath the branches of the willow tree she could not help but to
wonder if its perfection was a purposeful taunt or if the sky was just meant to be as blue
as her mood. Her holidays had been splendid, wonderful, a long awaited end to her
OWL year, that was until Sam Prince had made his appearance in them. He was
nowhere near the villain that she seemingly wanted to make him look, he was perfectly
oblivious to the butterflies that threw themselves against the walls of her stomach
whenever their eyes met and how he dizzied her mind with just one quick breath of him
so close to her. Sam Prince was perfect, not even the most sought after french
tongued Beauxbatons boys could top him, there was nothing more she could say about
that, except for one little fault that had snowballed into this pitiful state she was in – he
had stolen her heart.

A light frown furrowed Indianna’s brow as she plucked her guitar from its bed in the
springy blades of grass. It wasn’t as if he had intentionally stolen it, nor was it as if she
had willingly handed it to him; the girl wasn’t exactly a heart-on-the-sleeve wearer. But
something had happened, something extraordinary that had beat past even the toughest
of walls she had built up around herself, when she had gathered together the courage to
chase after him that weekend in Brightstone and things had never been quite the same
since. There had definitely been a brighter bounce in her step, a deeper twinkle in her
eyes and a bigger smile on her face as of late, you would have to be a fool not to notice.
But Indianna had not breathed a word about Sam to anyone, afraid that if she did their
friendship would just come falling down around her as if it was the most precious
foundation on earth. In the end it turned out she hadn’t had to, she’d ruined it all anyway
and hurt herself in the process. They hadn’t even kissed but he had a girlfriend, a most
perfect blonde girlfriend, so just wanting to was completely off the cards. And yet she still
could not shake the feel of his soft hair sliding between her delicate fingers or the drum
of his heart like a locomotive beneath her palm. Such a contrast from the steel guitar
strings between her fingertips now and its stiff wooden body against her chest but it
reminded her that this was where she belonged, this was where she needed to be and
this was why she had put her foot down for the first time in her life and demanded
something of her mother; that she'd stay in Beauxbatons, not start anew at Hogwarts
New Zealand.

Her fingers plucked at the strings, welcomed them like an old friend and played the first
chords that came to mind. A-minor, E-minor, F, C. A-minor, E-minor, F, C. Then a smile
plucked at her expression, melancholy as was the song but mindful of the band she had
fallen in love with over the break. Indianna’s voiced melded angelically into the melodies
she created, half humming and half crooning the lyrics, but she didn’t get very far at all.
Not even to the chorus. “I met you once and I’d fallen for your notions...” She trailed off
as her throat grew tight, knotted, incapable of continuing to match lyrics to the chords.
Her fingers kept at it - A-minor, E-minor, F, C. A-minor, E-minor, F, C. But she felt herself
grow unsteady at how everything, every little thing, seemed to circle back to Sam
precisely when she didn’t want it to. A delicate tear traced down her cheek but she kept
at the chords, determined not to be made a fool by love. But it was all too late.


​

 

[Falcon Thomas]

Life at Beauxbatons had been pretty easy for Falcon. The sixteen year old was physically maturing now, and wasn't really minding some of the looks he caught from the french girls around here. However, his best friend here at school was the only girl that really held his eye for more than a second. However apart from the little voice in the back of his head telling him to make some sort of move, and that being just friends wasn't good enough in his books, he'd been pretty good. Almost completely given up on his academic life, Falcon spent his time outside of the dull classrooms sleeping and practising his talent of sketching, which he had kept a secret his entire life. The pieces of paper holding sketch after sketch of landscapes and still-lifes were hidden under his mattress and had not, to his knowledge, ever been found. Falcon highly doubted that if they were found by any of the other boys in his dormitory that they would do anything with them or intentionally parade them and embarrass him. Partly because they did not understand a word of each ther's language, and also because apart from the language barrier, he was good terms with them. Art was a big part of French culture anyway.

However this unknown aspect of Falcon's life was one that he wanted to keep that way, for deeper reasons he hadn't even thought about. Insecurity was one of Falcon's major problems, though at times he did not even recognise it himself. These heavier thoughts weren't troubling Falcon as he walked easily out of the school, heading outside for some fresh air. With the physical changes had come some mental ones too, he'd found. His outlook was far more mature and sensible now, though not as positive as most people. That was the result of drunken pit his childhood had become, permanently turning him forever into a pessimist. Falcon was almost happy that way though, and had finally begun to accept that about himself as feel more comfortable in his own skin without needing to constantly feel reassured by others.

Despite the coming of autumn the day was very warm and clear, which was in fact the opposite of what Falcon preferred. Cold weather, rain or snow was best for him. Hands loosely in his pockets, Falcon let his feet go where they pleased, lost in his thoughts of the best view to sketch a towering oak which stood by the school gates. Without his knowing, Falcon found himself at the very willow tree where he had first met Indianna. It had become almost a meeting place or favourite spot of the two of them. Hearing guitar chords floating towards him, he moved quietly closer, not wanting to stop her from playing. After listening for a while until she stopped. Poking his head through the branches, just beginning to lose their leaves in time for autumn, he smiled his usual smile at her. Expecting Indianna's normal shy smile and cute blush, he was very disconcerted to see a tear staining her cheek. Girls crying was beyond him, they seemed to tear up at the slightest thing. However he was genuinely worried for his best friend, and quickly made his way over to her and sat, frowning concernedly at her and her guitar "Hey- Are you okay?" he asked, not quite sure what was the best approach. Feeling a little awkward, he wasn't sure whether to wrap his arm around her or not. Instead he just let his fingers fiddle with twigs and bark on the ground, until he found out what was on her mind.

 

[Indianna Lee]

I met you once and I'd fallen for your notions
I DON'T KNOW WHY, I DON'T KNOW WHY

She fumbled for the lyrics, they were right there on the tip of her tongue, she had played
this song over and over and over much to the delight of her grandparents over the winter
or summer, whichever it had been wherever she was. She knew it, almost back-to-front,
but it seemed as if when a thought of Sam entered her head, all other logic was cleared.
The chords began to escape her too, the ability to keep her fingers moving to reach them
seemed a struggle much bigger than it was in reality. Indi gave in, slapped her hand with
a twinkle of bangles against the wooden body of her guitar and let her over-worked head
fall back onto the trunk of the willow tree. This was not something Indianna wanted to do
anymore, she didn’t want to think about Sam, she didn’t want to cry over him and she
certainly didn’t want to fall in love with him. But she did, she did and she had. There soon
came a disturbance, a rustle amongst the dying leaves, far too soon for Indianna to even
begin to gather her thoughts on her pathetic situation. And with glassy eyes of gold and
green, she looked up to see her best friend with that sweet smile of his just touching his
lips but as much as she tried to, Indianna could not bring herself to return the gesture.

Faster then she expected, Falcon was down by her side and asking her what any normal
person should and would. Was she okay? The frown upon her dark features only grew
heavier at the mere thought of not being okay because of one boy, one moment. She’d
thought she was stronger than this, she was stronger than this. But then why was it still
bothering her? In a second attempt to press him a smile, Indianna managed to reach the
dimples on her cheeks and yet it was still sadly forced. Against her fiery will, another tear
rolled down her cheek and she brushed it quickly, almost angrily away with the tips of her
fingers. She couldn’t very well pretend to be fine when there were tears streaming down
her face. “Yeah, no I’m fine.” Indianna lied straight through her teeth and leant in to hug
her friend, her petite arms stretching up to his shoulders as she sunk into the embrace,
something she had been in dire need of ever since she had come home crying from the
beach. He may not be able to give her the advice she needed, and for that she’d turn to
Audrey but whether Falcon knew it or not, this much was instilling a whole lot of faith in
the sixteen year old. Her petite frame melted into him, hoping that she’d dissolve all that
awkwardness she was sure he had been feeling at the sight of her tears. The scent that
engulfed her was so familiar, as was the warmth of his arms around her but the girl was
quick to notice the difference in his physical stature. “You’ve grown.” She mumbled into
his shirt, hoping the change of subject would fly with her friend so she could take the
time to remind herself that Falcon was the only exception to her fears; he’d never hurt
her. Not all that long ago she had thought Sam was the same, but that had been quick to
change even if it hadn’t been his fault. Sighing and trembling sadly as she leant back in
the embrace, Indianna glanced up into Falcon’s eyes and tried to push on with this play
pretend act of hers. “Did you have a good holidays?” But the girl was fooling nobody, not
with the tears that began to well in hers eyes again and not with the tremor in her voice.​

 

[Falcon Thomas]

Falcon frowned as the notes flowing through the branches of the Willow tree began to loose their tune and finally ceased "That's not like you" he said concernedly to Indi before she answered his question. It was blatantly obvious that something was ery wrong, despite whatever excuse she was going to make up. Anybody who knew the raven haired girl would know that just by looking at her. Even somebody who didn't know her, the tears made it obvious. Her answer was as expected, and Falcon raised his eyebrows "Indianna Lee, I may be a boy, but I can tell that something's up" he said as gently as possible. He wasn't normally the type to push somebody to tell what was bothering them. He did feel a little awkward asking her, especially because it was probably a girl thing that he would have no chance of understanding. Sometimes Falcon had to wonder what was happening in the female mind. However, despite his skepticism at understanding her problems, Falcon knew it was his duty to try. He also cared quite deeply for Indi, sometimes too much, he felt. There had been moments where the shine of her hair or little sparkle in her eyes had left him a little dazed. A normally very grounded person, this feeling scared Falcon.

Pleasantly surprised when Indi leaned in to hug him, Falcon gently wrapped his arms around her. Trying to make her feel secure, he held her for a few seconds. Not really a hugging type of person, he wasn't quite sure what to do with himself. Her comment made him smile a little at her "Yeah, I guess I have" he mumbled, slightly embarrassed. Being quite self conscious, and also mortally embarraassed by any talks of the development of the teenagers body, he was intensely glad when she changed the subject "They were quite good" he said briefly, not giving much detail. There wasn't really anything of importance that had happened. Indi's must have been different though, it seemed "And I take it... Your's weren't really?" he said quietly, Canadian accent contrasting with her British one. Falcon looked searchingly into her face as tears began to well up in her eyes again. He had asked what had happened to her twice now, and knew any more would be prying, which he did not want to do. A frown darkened his features. What one earth could have happened?

Out of Character:

This is my last post before going away, just letting you know.