Open Oh Come On

[Shane Ackley]

Shane had completely spaced on the important day of the year for him and his sister. His break had been filled with girls, boys, parties and other such fun things, that coming back to school hadn’t been something he ever thought would come, but it had led him to spacing on other, equally important things. Shane had started the tradition the year after their parents had died, together they’d go to the grave, lay some flowers and after he’d take her to get ice cream. This year however, with everything else that had been going on, he had entirely forgotten to do any of that and it wasn’t until his aunt and uncle at the train station had mentioned it in passing that he’d realised he’d forgotten. So, he was trying to make it up to her in the only way he knew how, with a little gift and a promise that they’d do it when he came back over christmas. He was in fact in the great hall, after most other people had finished dinner, wrapping a gift with old newspaper clips pretty badly. It was a new doll, one she’d talked about over every breakfast during the break. ​

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Shane wasn’t bothering looking towards anyone else as worked to wrap the box in the paper he'd gotten that day, just minding his own business and having a little fight with the wrapping paper, it was proving trickier than he thought but having to ask someone for help, having them ask about what this was, he didn't need that or want that. Finally when he seemed pretty frustrated, and needing just an extra set of hands, the hufflepuff looked up, meeting the gaze of a few people before a young girl, likely a first or second year past him, he hoped they wouldn't be too chatty ”Hey, excuse me, could you give me a quick hand,” he spoke loudly, trying to keep his tone friendly, not flirty, forcing a smile on to his features so that she might just opt to give him a hand, ”Please, It’ll only take a second,” the boy added quickly hating that he was really having to lay politeness on thick, he would need someone's help but actually asking for it and being nice about it was hard. If someone was older he could just flirt but she was young, way too young for him to flirt with, even if he was just doing it to be friendly it would be gross, so he had to just be nice. ​

 

[Shale Night]

The Great Hall was too loud and busy, and it always made Shale's head hurt. The quicker she could get out the better. After finishing her meal at top speed, Shale was hoping to make a quick dash out of here when someone spoke to her. She pulled up to a halt and frowned, looking the older boy up and down, not hiding the fact that she was unimpressed. "Why should I help you?" She said gruffly, folding her arms. "Can't even wrap a present by yourself?"

 

[Shane Ackley]

Shane rolled his eyes at her reaction, ”Well, for one I don’t need a lot of it,” the teen retorted as he still struggled with the present, ”And it’s an awkward shape, of course I can’t wrap it,” Shane didn’t particularly like asking for help, he had managed for so long just on his own, he was independent, he didn’t need others, but clearly he maybe did. Clearly in at least this instance he needed quite a lot of help from just anyone who was willing to take the time to help him out. He did hope at the very least that she might just give him a little hand, if not her then he’d ask people and struggle with it until he got it. He was getting this out to his sister, whether this girl helped him or not, it would just be good help if she did help him.​

 

[Shale Night]

Shale was surprised the older boy didn't bother lying to try and push back against her insults, and it sort of left her without a proper retort. If he wasn't gonna fight back, where was the fun? Shale sighed and rolled her eyes. "Whatever." She grumbled, stepping closer, and reaching out to the parcel. She pulled a couple of flaps of paper around, fumbling them until they were in some kind of shape that could be taped shut. "What are you wrapping anyway? You're dumb, you should have put it in a box."

 

[Shane Ackley]

Shane looked at her as she began helping him. He grabbed the tape and began sticking it at the folds so that it would be better. At her words he gave an over dramatic sigh, ”Yeah well, where were you a half hour ago to tell me that before I got started,” he had a light tone, frustrated with the wrapping in front of him and not with her, and opting to ignore the comment about whether or not he was dumb. ”It’s a present for my sister, I missed a pretty important date because I’m dumb as you’ve said, and I’m trying to make it up to her,” he didn’t want to explain that she was really the only family he had left, that his aunt and uncle who took care of them wouldn’t understand that he didn’t always feel like family. They didn’t understand why it was important for them to do what they did. He didn’t want to explain to this girl either why it was important. ​