Open No, Thank You

[Savannah Walters]

Savannah was just trying to read, she wouldn't say she was studying because it was too early in the semester, but she was reading a book for one of her classes. She was finding it difficult to read, the library had a lack of tables, so she'd come to the student lounge, which was absolutely a mistake. She was surrounded by people who were talking, and she did not understand the need to be so loud. It didn't matter to Savannah that this was a communal space where she had to share and people were allowed to be loud. Worst of was that Gryffindor from her year who had just walked. Savannah began packing up to leave, the room would be even worse now.

 

[Anisha Khatri]

Anisha felt pretty confident about how she was doing in school. She was pretty much on top of her classes, as far as she could tell, and she had won the duelling tournament last year which was a great point of pride for her. Especially now that Indi had graduated and had told her to get the title in her name. No pressure or anything. But Anisha did have one private goal for herself, to expand her social horizons a bit. She loved being around Raafe all the time, but she knew that she should probably have a few more friends. She had her group in Gryffindor, but didn't know many people from other houses. With that in mind, Anisha approached Savannah in the student lounge. "Hey, what were you reading?" She asked, curious. They both liked duelling, even if Anisha was better at it. That was a start, right?

 

[Savannah Walters]

Savannah closed her eyes as, of course, Anisha approached her. It made sense, they were in the same year, they knew each other, but, Savannah just didn't like her. "I'm not reading," she replied shortly, and she was closing the book over and picking up her bag to put the book into her bag and just leave. It wasn't like she was worried about being rude.

 

[Anisha Khatri]

Anisha smiled at the other girl, not intimidated by her short response. She had Indi as a sister, it took a lot more to make her feel uncertain. "I know." She said, grinning. "That's why I asked what you 'were' reading and not what you 'are' reading." She said helpfully. "You know?"

 

[Savannah Walters]

Savannah hated what Anisha said, basically correcting her. She huffed slightly and rolled her eyes at her. "Well, I am leaving," she said, she stood up, putting her book into her bag. She was attempting to move but Anisha was a little in her space. "Shouldn't you be outside anyway, with that cousin of yours playing silly games or something," she didn't know much about Anisha or what she did with her time other than be loud and annoying but she had to bet it was something outdoorsy, as so many gryffindors tended to be.

 

[Anisha Khatri]

Anisha could tell she wasn't really making Savannah warm up to her, but she decided to at least tease the girl a bit for being so grumpy. She deliberately stayed in the way. Even if she didn't walk away with a new friend, it would be funny. "Alright. What were you reading before you were leaving?" She asked sweetly. She then laughed. "Bold of you to assume we do all our silly games outside." She said with a grin. "But I don't think I should be doing that, no."

 

[Savannah Walters]

Savannah stopped short as Anisha got in her way. Savannah knew this girl was doing it on purpose and she wasn't exactly sure why she was doing it on purpose. "Why do you need to know?" she replied shortly. "It doesn't matter, I doubt you'd ever be able to read it," Savannah said with a sharp tone. She knew that this wouldn't endear her to the other girl, but she wanted her out-of-the-way so she could leave, plus she didn't like Anisha anyway. Making things worse changed nothing.

 

[Anisha Khatri]

Anisha could tell Savannah was just being nasty for the sake of being nasty, and in her experience, the best way to respond to that was to be extremely unbothered by the mean comments. She shrugged. "Friendly curiosity." She said, hooking her thumbs into her belt loops. "Why? Is it in Greek? I can't read Greek. Or really any other language besides English." She mused. "But I have been told I'm quite good at reading English, it's my specialty." She said, mostly just saying nonsense to annoy the girl.

 

[Savannah Walters]

Savannah didn't know why Anisha cared so much, or wanted to annoy her so much. Surely it was more grating to her than it was to Savannah. "We're not friends, not even friendly," she retorted knowing that wasn't what she was really meaning but wanting to press the point anyway. "Who ever told you that was wrong, I believe inane gibberish is your speciality," Savannah tried once more to move around her and go.

 

[Anisha Khatri]

Anisha flashed Savannah a grin, convinced she was getting on her nerves. "No, you're not even friendly." She said cheerfully. "Inane gibberish is one of my specialties. I'm actually very multifaceted." She said with a straight face. "So what's your story? Why are you so grumpy?" She asked, swaying to the side to block her again. "Were you cursed as a baby with a permanent scowl?"

 

[Savannah Walters]

Savannah was getting frustrated. She didn't like Anisha and thought that she was telegraphing it clearly and yet Anisha seemed to want to continue this, which felt as wild. Savannah would've left this conversation by now even if she liked the other person. "Yeah, I was," she replied plainly. "And if you don't watch out, my curse will spread to you," she replied with a bored tone, going along with the joke but not going along with the tone.

 

[Anisha Khatri]

Anisha wondered what Savannah's deal was, honestly. She was so determined to look and feel unapproachable. Anisha was reminded of Dorian. Maybe that was why she wanted to keep prodding at this girl. "I'm sure I can avoid that curse." She said with a grin. "I've never been grumpy." She paused. "So what's up with you, don't you want any friends?" She asked bluntly.

 

[Savannah Walters]

Savannah rolled her eyes at this girl, almost concerned if she did this too much her eyes would roll back into her head. "It'll creep on you, like a dementor slowly approaching," she replied with the same flat tone as before. "I have friends," and it wasn't really a lie. Savannah had one (1) confirmed friend, and that was it, so the plurality of the word friends was wrong. "Just because I think you're insufferable and don't want to be your friend, doesn't mean I'm suddenly without any company,"

 

[Anisha Khatri]

Anisha smiled. "Sure, let it come." She said, clearly unbothered. When Savannah said she had friends, Anisha couldn't help herself. "Really? Who?" She asked, her voice more challenging than she maybe intended. Anisha huffed when the girl called her insufferable. "I mean, I never offered, but okay." She said. "Not that I wouldn't offer, if you stopped being rude."

 

[Savannah Walters]

Savannah had to admit the fact this girl was demanding to know who her friends were was ridiculous. She wasn't going to tell her. This girl was just the worst. "Why are you talking to me, then?" she asked, because if this girl had opted to come talk to her, then it had to be because she wanted to be friends. "Clearly either you want to be my friend, or you are being exceedingly rude to me by keeping me from leaving,"

 

[Anisha Khatri]

Anisha was starting to feel a little bad about this interaction, though she was determined not to show it. She had started out joking, then when Savannah replied rudely had thought she could just joke around until the other girl got truly bored of her. But now she wondered if she had taken it too far. She shrugged. "I just told you, I would've offered if you weren't rude. I still will." She said, shrugging again. "But you can go if you want, I'm not stopping you." As if to prove her point, Anisha stepped to the side to let the other girl walk past if she wanted. "I was just joking around." She added.

 

[Savannah Walters]

Savannah was sure that this interaction had tanked whatever friendship Anisha could've ever offered. Not that Savannah minded, she didn't want to be friends with Anisha, she didn't to be popular or have lots of people around her. She just needed the few people she could tolerate, and that was it. Savannah gave a little smile, a tight and somewhat relieved twitch of a smile, when Anisha finally seemed to let her go. "Find someone else to joke around with," was the last thing Savannah said as she began heading out of the student lounge.