</SIZE>Having received the invitation to the party a day before, the Slytherin had felt very unprepared. It wasn't like he could quickly make her something, like food. He also had nothing to give her, since he barely had anything. Birthdays' were great, he really enjoyed them, but he never had anything to give, and he didn't have the money to buy something for the people he was friends with. Stefan also didn't really know how to cook, so it was not like he could just whip something up. Stefan sometimes had to cook for his father, but then there was so little food in the first place he couldn't really mess it up, not to mention his father just wanted food, if it was burnt or undercooked his father would be beyond angry. Stefan had learned how to not do that, but it didn't meant that what he actually managed to make actually tasted nice. more often than not his father was generally satisfied with whatever Stefan managed to come up with. IN the grand scheme of things, his father knew that he could hardly make large gourmet meals since the had very little food in the first place. And it wasn't like Stefan actually got to eat any of it. It did still leave him with the problem of having a birthday party the next day and having nothing to give to the person. After spending a lot of time, just sitting in the common room thinking about what he could get her, when he figured out that the best possible thing to get was probably just to make something. A card with a very simple apology as to why he could not afford to give her anything. Stefan Archer was a fairly good drawer, he had just never really done it, or had any reason to. He couldn't see colour, it had always seemed a little pointless for him to bother. But he had reason to now. It would take a while, but Stefan was willing to spend the time if it meant he had at least one thing to give to Tara.
It took most of the night to make the card. The colourblind Slytherin had gone to bed just as the sun was rising. He had been hungry, and worn out. His hands were dirty from all the pencil markings he had made. He had a small bin full of attempts at the drawing. Ones almost done, others just beginning, but only the one still on his desk was the one he was actually a little happy about. It wasn't perfect, but the boy had given it his all. And he hoped Tara would be able to see that. If not then Stefan could live with it. Even if she didn't like it, Stefan was pretty certain that she wouldn't mock him like his father mocked him. She'd be kind about it. He was sure. As soon as he'd been done, Stefan had just lain down on his bed and fallen straight asleep. Ignoring the pain that he was feeling in his ribs as he lay on his front. A few hours later, Stefan felt himself jolt awake. As of lately he had found that he'd been waking up during the night after a bad dream. He could never remember the dream once he was awake, but he remembered feeling terrified in the dream. ANd he always awoke with tears coming out of his eyes. The Slytherin had these dreams or nightmares fairly often. But it was mostly when he wasn't comfortable and that triggered them. Stefan woke with thick layer of sweat covering his body and making his clothes stick to his skin. Making him look even skinnier than he did generally. After a what felt like a quick shower, the Slytherin realised that he had to start getting ready for the party. It was fairly simple, the boy had so little clothes to choose from it that it took a matter of seconds. However told the boy was considering not wearing his jumper. It was still sunny and hot outside. He had no reason to not. He was wearing his black jeans and his usual white t-shirt, both old and worn. The jeans and t-shirt however still making Stefan look incredibly skinny. Like he was. But they made it worse. The t-shirt looked as though it was eating Stefan. He was so small in it. Although over the past week or so, Stefan had actually put on weight. It just wasn't clear. Stefan looked over his arms. The bruising around his left wrist where he had sprained it were looking fairly good. Still visible but not bad looking. The bruising on his right hand was fading too. It was still fairly painful, but nothing he couldn't deal with. The rest of his arms were pretty untouched. A few old cuts that were neither deep nor that bad looking. He had a lot of old scars in different places. Ones that had once been pretty bad cuts. But overall the Slytherin was feeling like it wasn't too bad. He could go out without his jumper. Even though he was thinking this the Slytherin still put his jumper around his waist. If it got cold he wanted at least the option of putting his jumper on.
Leaving his dorm room with the card in hand, the colourblind Slytherin headed towards where the letter had told them to go. He didn't really know what to expect. If he ended up having a good time that would be the best. But, if he didn't, well, he could just think of it as good since he knew what it was like to truly have an awful time. Two weeks at home was like hell. A few hours with friends would be easy. Different sure, but easy. The Slytherin was smiling slightly. He was actually a little excited. And he hadn't needed a cheering charm to feel that way. The Slytherin was pretty sure he'd most likely be the only Slytherin to attend but this didn't bother him. He just found it funny that unlike his Slytherin classmates, he didn't think of any of them as people he'd want to be friends with. And of course the feeling was actually mutual since Stefan was a muggleborn after all. As the teen made his way out and to the ground and began walking in the sunny, he spotted the group of people he wanted to be near instantly. A slightly bigger smile appeared on his face. His friends, the people who kept him going over the holiday's. Stefan neared the group and realised that Tara was of course already their, but so were his other closest friends. Kate, Willow and Sara, he didn't know what it was about being around them that made him feel both extremely happy but a little on edge. He guessed it was because they knew. Kate had seen with her own eyes the way his father treated him. There was no denying that when anyone saw that it changed things. But, he cared so much about Kate, and all of them. He didn't want to lose them, so despite the close friend status he still said nothing of what they believed his home life to be like. Stefan felt his dark blue eyes linger upon Kate. And it was as he did this that he noticed the other male. Someone he had never met before.
Stefan now felt a little uncomfortable. He reminded himself that they were here for Tara and he had to ignore what his mind was telling him. So after taking a deep breath the Slytherin continued walking towards them. "Hey" Stefan said as he approached them. He walked to Tara, flashing a small smile at everyone else. His eyes lingering slightly upon Kate, before looking to Tara. "Happy Birthday" He said handing her the card he had made. It was still fairly simple. A pencil drawing of Tara and her friends, with gifts at the front and balloons behind them. As if it was a photo not a drawing. Inside were the words, Happy Birthday Tara! I'm sorry I couldn't get you something better Simple. To the point, just what he knew he needed to do. "It's not much. I'm sorry" He muttered to her as he noticed others had brought food that they had made, and felt bad for not trying harder. Stefan smiled at her. While also looking round at the others. Stefan didn't know what else to do so he took a small step back slightly away from the group and just waited. As much as Kate, Willow, Sara and Tara were his closest friends, he still wasn't sure how to really act at this birthday. He figured waiting until things got under way would be best.
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