Closed Meeting somebody new, how bad can it really be?

[Zacharias Chase]

Zacharias didn't really know why he found himself walking through the doors to the library. He hadn't even wanted to go outside today, or be around people, but he just had a sudden urge to head out and get started on the study he would inevitably need to do throughout the term. Zach had been surprised to be sorted into Ravenclaw, but the more he thought about it the more he felt it was a good choice for him, and so he found himself living up to the Ravenclaw name by seeking knowledge on the different classes that he would be taking throughout the semester. He selected a book on Charms, and found himself a nice seat near the window, hoping that he would be able to read in peace. But in the back of his mind he couldn't help but wonder, would some company really be that bad?

 

[Apolline Fontaine]

Apolline was enjoying the library, there were so many books in this place. Her parents had really undersold how good the library was. She had never been able to just pick up so many random books and know they could be on any topic. But as the semester was getting underway, Apolline knew she needed to stick to books that were for the subjects she was doing that semester. If she intended to do well, she had to. Apolline found a charms book, one that could accompany her normal first year charms book and was looking for a place to sit. She spotted a table, which had a view out a window, and wanted to sit there. There was just a boy already at the table. Could she just ask to join him, even if there were other spots? "Um..excuse me," she asked quietly. "Do you mind if I sit here?" she asked.

 

[Zacharias Chase]

Zacharias was really into the book he was reading, not that he had studied anything else yet, but he was thinking charms might be one of his favourite classes! Maybe that would change when he tried out literally anything else. Who knows. Out of nowhere, he heard a voice call out to him and he jumped in fright. He had been so entrenched in his reading that he hadn't even noticed this person approach. What should he do? He didn't really want somebody to join him, but that would be really rude to say, and he didn't want to be seen as rude to anyone so soon. What if he wanted to make friends one day? That would be a terrible first impression to the student body as a whole. He couldn't risk that, no matter how nervous and timid he could be. Without so much as a word, he nodded to the newcomer and gestured to the seat diagonally opposite him.

 

[Apolline Fontaine]

Apolline didn't mind that the boy didn't speak, instead just nodded to her. She took the seat he was allowing for her, putting her books down and taking the time to just settled herself in with him. She glanced at the boy and wondered if perhaps she should say something, introduce herself, or just respect that he was sitting silently. "I'm Apolline, by the way," she settled on introducing herself and did so in a quiet rapid whisper.

 

[Zacharias Chase]

Zacharias looked up when she introduced herself, and quickly considered getting up and walking away so that he didn't have to find himself in this situation anymore. He wasn't ready to trust anyone, and honestly he didn't know if he would ever be ready to trust somebody. Not after his parents failed him so badly. With a small, quiet, sigh, he managed to produce a smile at the Gryffindor and introduced himself in return. "Zacharias." He said, a little more bluntly than he likely should have. He wasn't trying to be rude, quite the opposite, he didn't want to give anyone a chance to get close to him in case he hurt them one day, or, especially, if they hurt him. He knew that that likely was not a fair assessment of any of them, but to Zach, this was how it needed to be.

 

[Apolline Fontaine]

Apolline blushed in embarrassment as the boy sighed before introducing himself to her. She looked back down at her books, and just opened them up. Clearly he wasn't interested in talking and really she shouldn't be either. Talking was distracting and this was a library. "Sorry," she whispered before just opening up her book and taking her quill and trying to just focus on her studying, wondering how rude it would be to just walk away after having bothered this boy so much.

 

[Zacharias Chase]

Zacharias instantly felt bad upon seeing this girls reaction to his sigh. He hadn't meant for things to go this way, and he felt worse because he had just been thinking to himself how he specifically hadn't wanted to be rude! He didn't want this to be her first impression of him regardless, of whether or not be really wanted to become friends with her - which wasn't entirely out of the question, he just wasn't sure exactly how to go about that and what it would really mean. He hadn't really had a friend before. He didn't know what he was doing. With a sad look on his face he glanced towards her again. "Sorry. I didn't mean to be rude. I'm not really good around other people. I've never had a friend." He told her with a look of mixed emotions. He hadn't wanted to tell her that much, but it had just come out.

 

[Apolline Fontaine]

Apolline felt a little reassured as the boy, Zaharias did then explain it a little, her embarrassment faded somewhat, though her cheeks remained tinged pink. The gryffindor appreciated that he was honest with her, telling her about the fact he hadn't had friends. "It's okay," she assured him quietly, not wanting him to feel bad, given that it was a misunderstanding a bit on her part. "We can be friends," she promised him quietly. "We don't even have to talk, we can just..read," she said, pausing at the last word to point at the books they both had in front of themselves.

 

[Zacharias Chase]

Zacharias felt a bit better when her bad feelings seemed to alleviate and she settled down a little bit. As he had said, he hadn't meant to upset her, so he had definitely felt bad when he had. But she had accepted his reasoning pretty easily. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad? She had literally said that she didn't mind just sitting down and reading with him. How hard could it be to make occasional chit-chat to accompany that? He looked up at her and smiled. "Sure." He said simply. He didn't mind doing this, for now at least. He would be able to reevaluate where things stood later.

 

[Apolline Fontaine]

Apolline nodded a little as he agreed to just sit and read. She opened her book and just got to reading. She was focused on her book quickly, just happy to sit in a good spot and read. Though part of her absolutely wanted to sit and chat to this boy, it was better if she didn't. Apolline needed to study and work, and distractions were only going to make that a whole lot more difficult for her.

 

[Zacharias Chase]

Zacharias felt better now that she seemed to be content with just sitting here talking to him. If he was honest, he was also quite happy to just sit here and read, but he couldn't help but feel like he should make at least some effort to get to know this person that he was sitting across from. She was a kind person, that much he had deduced.. but he didn't know if she was necessarily a good person as well. But, for now, he wasn't sure if it mattered. He wouldn't let her get close-close, but he could do the very least and make small talk with her. "Are you excited to be here?" He asked, looking over at her. "What class are you looking forward to the most?" He also asked.

 

[Apolline Fontaine]

Apolline was content to read away, and had really been focused on what she was reading, turning the page whenever she felt sure she'd understood the last. But the boy, Zacharias, spoke, and she looked up at him, first in surprise as she hadn't expected him to and then with a smile. She nodded. "Yeah, really excited," she replied, keeping her voice low given that this was the library. "I'm looking forward to transfiguration and charms," Apolline said, "You?"