Long time no see

[James Green]

The holidays. Or as some might say - bliss. As the holidays had first arrived, James had separated himself from his usual crowd, wanting to find the bliss and peace of being free. It had been a whole term since he had arrived back at school, but the time had gone more than quick. After his friends had pestered him with questions as to why he had missed weeks off at the beginning, he had settled back into life at Durmstrang. The familiar issue of curses and hexes being flung down the corridor in-between lessons as the older students moved, the familiar room with all of his mates who couldn't be bothered to do anything, and the quidditch. The quidditch had been his freedom for the past few weeks, allowing the trapped boy to escape, to find refuge and freedom as he flew around the pitch. It was bliss. But, having missed the first crucial weeks, James now found himself behind the work, taking longer than normal to pick up the spells that should have been easy to his year group. However, as time progressed and a few of his friends helped him out, he found that now he was on an equal par with the other students, learning at the same rate that they were. It had been hard work to catch up, he wouldn't deny that, but it had paid off and now it was as if nothing had happened.

But, James knew that that was a lie. It would never be 'as if nothing had happened'. No, it couldn't be for him. That small week where his dad's life had been taken by a careless idiot. And then, to top things off when it seemed life could get no worse, James found himself an orphan as his mother abandoned him for her lover. Moving in with his Gran had been fine for a little bit, but there was always the nagging feeling that he was unwanted, unloved and like no one even cared what happened to him. So, as James walked, he found himself down a small cobbled street in France, unaware of how long he had been there or what he was doing there. As he looked around, he tried to find some sort of sense of recognition, something that he could identify and live with. Something. Or even someone. Perhaps he would see someone he knew. Perhaps not. Unable to tell what the day would bring, he sat down at a cafe and looked out, rotating his wand in his pocket with his hand.

 

[Mina Leftmill]

Mina couldn't believe she's spending her holidays in France. France, where the incomparable musicians study their art. France, the splendor in which the world is most proud of. France, the never-ending gleam of romance throbbing like a heart itself around Mina. Romance isn't her craze. Riding around town with nothing but her bicycle and most treasured violin, Mina let the humid air touch her skin and make her long hair fly with the invisible music of the sky. It was full of people. And although Mina doesn't know any of those people, she didn't forget to smile to all those who looked in her direction. Maybe they wondered why a Japanese girl is alone riding a third-rate vehicle. Maybe they find her beautiful, just like everyone does. Maybe they just coincidentally looked at her when they were looking for someone else. But Mina didn't care. She was too busy taking in the magnificence of the old buildings, of the small theater performances, of the distant sound of an orchestra practicing for tonight's performance.

It took a long while before Mina decided to take a break. She stopped at a less-crowded playground and parked her bike at the far end of the place. Making sure that she locked it, she carried her blue violin case and started to walk. It was only in that moment that Mina apprehended the existence of evil, if it's the proper way to call it. Boys properly dressed trying to secretly bully a puppy under a big tree; a mother using her cellular phone and not even paying attention to her crying child; people in business suit proposing some deal which was obviously for swindling. "France isn't perfect, after all. Nothing's perfect." Mina said to herself and continued walking.

She found a peculiar-looking cafe that even though it did have bricks, its walls are mostly made out of glass. Like a really big window, just that they're actually walls. When Mina took a quick glance inside the cafe, a figure completely took her whole attention. It was that of a very familiar-looking guy. Mina was sure she had met this guy before, just that she isn't sure where or when. But no doubt this guy was from Mina's past. Curious, and confident as always, Mina walked to the cafe and stood outside the big glass window just beside the guy. Mina knocked on the glass wall, and waited for the boy to notice her. When he did, Mina smiled and waved her hand hello, not even sure if he remembers her, too.

 

[James Green]

James looked up as a shadow appeared across his table at which he was sitting. There was a girl there, outside the window, who was knocking on the glass and waving. Turning around in his seat, he tried to see who the girl was waving at. There was no one in his direct line of seating apart from the waitress who was turned around. Looking back at the girl, he noticed that she seemed familiar and she was also smiling. As the light bulb turned itself on, James saw the girl clearly. He recognised her from when he had been younger and they had met. They're families had been good friends and therefore the girl and James had spent a summer together when they were little. As the memories flooded him, he smiled in recognition at the girl and waved back slightly awkwardly. Feeling stupid at waving through a glass window, he got up and went to the cafe door, opening it and smiling at her. "Do you have time for a drink?" He asked, giving one of his carefree smiles that he was well known for.

Holding the door open for the girl to choose whether to enter or not, he tried to remember her name. She was a Leftmill if he could remember correctly, and her name began with M. Or was it N? His brain quickly tried to catch the right name as many flew through his overworked head. Was it Natalie? Or Melissa? Or Nina? As the last suggestion hit a chord of memory, James smiled again. Mina. How could he have forgotten? She had been one of his good friends when he was about 8, and now, 6 years later, he could only just remember her name! It was shocking! Sighing inwardly at his own brainfreeze, he gave her another warm smile and didn't even bother to try and jog his memory about her character. No, he would wait until they could talk before he would stretch his mind to remember her personality. That was if she would come and join him in the warm cafe.

 

[Mina Leftmill]

Mina's smile widened when the boy beamed and waved back at her. He recognized her. Despite the fact that Mina changed drastically over the years, this boy still knew her. She watched as he went to the door and opened it to invite her for a drink. Of course she would come. Mina never said no to anyone. She nodded her head and went inside the cafe. Though bright and lively, the cafe didn't have any desirable atmosphere because of the glass walls that only showed the hectic life in France. Mina sat at the table where the boy had been a few moments ago and waited for him to sit down. "Please don't tell me you invited me here because you think I'm 'that kind of person'." Mina said with a mischievous smile, pertaining to the girls who charm men to gain money. "Because I didn't wave and smile at you for that." Mina took her gaze away from the boy to the waitress nearest to them. She called her, and ordered a cup of hot choco. She didn't like coffee that much.

She placed her violin case beside her, leaning it on her chair and making sure that it won't fall. The musical instrument is more important than anything, in any case and Mina would never let it out of her sight. When she looked at the boy again, she realized that she still hadn't remembered where she met him before. Not just that but she can't remember his name at all. Mina was never good at memorizing names. When a certain person leaves her life, she quickly forgets his name, believing that Mina won't need it anymore. Friends are friends. When they leave you, they become useless, so it's best to forget about them.

 

[James Green]

James smiled at the girls attitude as she entered the cafe and sat down. Joining her at the table where he had only just been, he regained his seat and sat down. Raising his eyebrows at the first sentence she uttered, he rolled his eyes. "Of course not Mina. And i can't believe that you would ever think that i could fall for you." He joked, hoping that she would see the joke behind the comment and not become rude or quiet. He laughed, a relaxed and warm laugh and smiled at the waitress.

Scanning his eyes down the list of drinks for sale on the wall, he sighed and shrugged seeing that it was a muggle cafe. Of course, he should have noticed earlier, what with the pictures remaining stationary, but to be honest, his mind was on other things. Ordering a coke, he watched the girl take a lot of care in placing her violin to the side. Odd. He thought, realising how different they both must be since they last met. It was a wonder that she had recognised him after all. "So. How are you? Its been what, 6 years since we last spoke?" He asked, trying to get some friendly conversation going between the two of them so it wouldn't be as awkward as it looked like it was going to be.

 

[Mina Leftmill]

"Of course you would fall for me." Mina replied, matching the boy's joke. She laughed and took a sip from her hot chocolate which had just been giver by the waitress. But even though she managed to pull a gag, Mina was still anxious because she couldn't remember the boy's name. And he even remembered hers! How embarrassing it would be if he finds out that Mina was the first one to approach and yet she doesn't know who he is at all. "I was kidding. No one would fall for a noisy girl like me." It was a lie. A lot of boys fell for her already, not realizing what kind of person Mina really is. How dim-witted they all were, wooing her as though she was some sweet person who'd need a strong person to protect her. Mina doesn't need them at all.

James Green. The name had finally came back to her mind when the boy said something about them last having a conversation six years ago. Mina couldn't hide how relieved she was when she remembered his name. She wouldn't be humiliated anymore. And, smiling up at James, Mina showed her assertive smile at last. "It's been six years, huh. Well I've been doing great, I guess. You know my brother? Alphonse? He's entered Beauxbaton now. We're free from our aunt now. How about you? Are you a Hogwarts student? Because I don't see you in Beauxbaton."

 

[James Green]

James laughed and spluttered into his can of coke that the waitress had just given him. Putting the drink down he smirked. "Last thing i remember, i was told that many guys fell for you. But for the reason, i don't know." He laughed, continuing with the joking as he hoped that she wouldn't take it the wrong way again. He couldn't see the attraction in a girl yet, finding that they made better friends than girlfriends. Yes, it was true, a few years ago he had liked a girl, but she had changed drastically and had developed a personality that had pushed him away.

There was a change in character as she looked up at him. She seemed more confident and assertive, becoming the girl that he had always known. So, she hadn't changed a lot after all. Smiling to himself, he suddenly realised that although she hadn't changed in character, she had changed in outward appearance. It was surprising that James had recognised her after all. Congratulating himself in his head, he shrugged. "I go to Durmstrang." He said, his tone casual. The conversation would need to be like this for a little bit to catch up on major things, but then hopefully they could pick up where they last started and become the good friends that they used to be. Hopefully.

 

[Mina Leftmill]

There are a lot of ways to get information about a person. The first one is to ask directly from the person himself; the second one is through research; and the third and most popular one is through gossips and rumors. Judging by how James said it, it seems that he heard it from rumors. Rumors are never correct. That is how Mina believes it. But for some reason, this time, the rumors were right. It annoyed Mina somehow. "You shouldn't listen to gossips, James." she said with a smile on her face that didn't show how she really feels inside. "Not that they're wrong. But you can never be sure about them. Like now. What you heard is absolutely false." Mina ended with a flick of her fingers. This conversation should die down now. Although Mina liked getting the attention of people, she doesn't want to be talked about in any way she could think of. For her, it's alright for people to just know her and think that she exists.

"Now, let us not talk about me. My existence is completely boring." During this kind of conversation, it is best to make the first move. If you want to talk about something, be the first one to make a topic. And if you don't want to talk about something, make a way to give another topic completely unrelated to the first topic. This is what Mina is doing. "Your family, James, had been talked about quite often. How are your parents, anyway? And I forgot if you had a sibling or something. Tell me more about them." The truth is that Mina doesn't know anything about James' family. Mina doesn't listen to rumors, especially when she's not interested with them. And before this conversation, she was completely uninterested with James', much more with his family. For formality's sake she ought to ask this question.

 

[James Green]

James rolled his eyes at her comment on the gossips. "Of course they are completely false." He smirked, leaving it there though and not pestering the conversation further. It didn't really bother him whether his childhood friend had suitors of not. No, he wouldn't push it further because it was obviously a sensitive subject to her. Laughing quietly, he took another gulp of his coke and let it fizz away on his tongue before swallowing it. However, his whole body froze slightly when she mentioned his family. Obviously she hadn't known, how could she? It was just that James had assumed that everyone knew now, he had only just got over not having to tell it all to everyone every-time he met them.

Sighing inwardly, he regained his cool personality and relaxed, shrugging. "You obviously haven't heard..." He started, his tone a 'no-blame-attatched' voice that didn't make him cross at her. "My dad died over summer. And mum ran away. It turned out she was having an affair with another guy and dad's 'timely' death enabled her to leave, dumping me at my grans." He stated, his tone blank and emotionless so he didn't show the girl how much it really upset him every-time he mentioned the loss of his best friend, his dad. Turning his head away to look out of the window, he swallowed the building lump inside his throat and plastered a smile on his face again. "No, im still an only child." He shrugged, not using the word that should truly describe him orphan. The word made him shiver and for that reason alone he didn't use it, on top of the fact that it made him see the truth, he had been rejected by his own parents.