Practicing

[Thomas Smith]

Thomas woke up early that morning. He was wide awake and excited, even though it was still quite early, for a weekend. Thomas threw on his tracksuit, which was thick enough to keep him warm on the Autumn morning. Thomas made his way down to the common room and warmed up by the dying fire before going any further.

Going to the Great Hall he grabbed a few slices of toast and made his way happily to the lawn. The day before he and Autumn had decided to pair up for the Wheelbarrow race that was going to happen later on that day. He and Autumn had decided to meet before the race to practice, seeing as it was short notice to pair up.

As he arrived at the lawn he saw that Autumn wasn't there yet, so he sat down beside a tree and waited for her to arrive, hoping it would be soon, as it was getting chilly.

 

[Autumn Gwin]

Autumn rose in a panic, worried that she'd overslept as she seemed to be doing lately. She hopped up from the bed, glad that it was cold outside so that all she would have to do was pull a hoodie on and brush her teeth and such.

After doing so, she looked outside the windows in the coomon room to see Thomas waiting for her beneath a random willow scattered about the grounds. This was her favorite time of year, and her mother's as well. That's what she had been named for.

She raced downstairs and after narrowly escaping several citations from a few prefects she mad eit outside, breathing in the crisp air of an Autumn morning. There was a bit of frost on the ground, maing the grass curl in a lovely way and crunch satisfyingly beneath her dainty feet as she all but danced across the lawn to where he was seated.

"Good morning Thomas." she said, kneeling by him and nabbing a piece of toast from his chilled hands. She hadn't thought to stop for breakfast. She nibbeld the crust thoghtfully, looking towards the area where they were setting up thigns for today's race.

"Alright." she said, dusting the crumbs from her hands shortly and going down to a full seat, shivering when her bottom connected with a loud thud on the cold ground.

"Shall we get started?" she asked, showing off her gymnastic ability by balancing on her hands and leaning upside down against a tree.

Her messy hair hung in her eyes and her hood dangled behind her head.

"Thankfully mum insisted I be a cheerleader when I was a wee one..." she chuckled, then flipped back onto her feet when the blood started to drain to her head.

She was quite peculiar and hoped he didn't mind the usual perky quirkyness she possessed when wide-awake.

 

[Thomas Smith]

As Thomas nibbled away at his toast he kept one in his other hand to keep it warm. After a few minutes, Autumn was beside, it was as if she came out of no where. He felt the slice of toast leave his other hand, now leaving it cold, "Morning Autumn." He said brightly. "And yes, help yourself to my breakfast." He said jokingly, as he finished his own piece of toast.

There wasn't much talk as the two finished off their breakfast. As Autumn finished her toast and dusted herself off, Thomas watched her gracefully balance on her hands and lean upside down against a tree. Thomas stared in amazement. Thomas laughed when she mentioned her mother insisted on her been a cheerleading, Go Miss Gwin Thomas thought to himself.

Getting up and dusting himself off Thomas looked at Autumn and said, "Yes I think we should." with a smile. "Seeing as we're both wide awake." He added with a laugh.

 

[Autumn Gwin]

Autumn giggled,"You noticed, huh?" she half-asked, but meant as a statement. She grinned at him and then cleared her throat,"Well, do you ant to be the wheelbarrow?" she asked, trying her best to keep a straight face as she planted her hands on her hips and did a couple stretches.

She laughed heartily this time, glad to be awake and out on such a beautiful, if cold, day. Her only concern was a loss of breath from breathing in the cold air, and made a mental note to breath in through her nose. Otherwise her lungs would be burning very quickly. She hoped Thomas knew this basic rule of exercising, or at least running.

"Do you want to have a foot race to warm up or get right to the practicing?" she asked, limbered up and ready to go with whatever he chose. The run would be refreshing and a great warm up, but she didn't want to tire them out either and they only had a short while before the big race.

She had no need to stifle any yawns with him today and wondered just how different it was seeing her like this. Almost like night and day, quite literally. She was always energetic, always moving, always doing something. Except of course when she grew fatigued and then she came to a rather sluggish state of being.

Autumn pulled her hood up and cinched the wide strings, showing only her eyes, but you could tell she wa smiling as they crinkled with a child-like joy.

"Well?" she asked, crossing her arms playfully and tilting her hips to the side, mockingly tapping her fingertips against her elbow.

 

[Thomas Smith]

As Thomas stood there he stretched his behind his back, showing part of his mid rift. He brought them back down a crossed each arm over his shoulder and then let them swing leisurely at his side. "I think, I should be the lifter, unless you think you could lift me?" He asked, laughing slightly.

"Mmmm," Thomas said, thinking about what to do, "A few stretches and a small run may be a good idea. What do you suggest, seeing as your the athletic one." He said with a wink.

As Autumn pulled her hood up and cinched the wide strings, showing only her eyes, Thomas started to look at her, "Where did you go?" He asked, trying not to laugh so much.

 

[Autumn Gwin]

Autumn's barely visible chocolate orbs took an appreciative glance at him stretching, glad he couldn't see her blush for the hood and and then quickly loked away as he glance din ehr direction and spoke. She flicked her eyes back to him, grinning again as he playfully teased about her look for the day.

He laughed a bit and cause her to laugh as well....it made her happy. She blinked against the chilly air and shrugged then said in a muffled voice much like Kenny of the muggle show Souht Park,"I gsh wbe cn rn." she said, shrugging again, laughing at her speech. She loosened up the strings and took the hoodie off, snapping to as alert a state as she could be when the air hit her bar arms, exposed by the tanktop she'd worn to bed last night.

She looked at him and winked and said,"Y'know...I may be tiny...but these little legs can run....." she teased, and would have been willing to place a bet if she wasn't in such a hurry.

{{I'm betting on Alice!!! DDD. I just made the connection AFTER I posted that }}

"From here to the next willow and back...On your mark..." she began, bracing her foot against the willow's trunk and placing a hand against the soft bark,"get set." she tensed and then yeleld,"Go!" and took off with all her might, leaping from the willow and landing in a running thud on the ground, feet first, and kept going.

 

[Thomas Smith]

Thomas looked at Autumns chocolate brown eyes, as warm as ever. He started to lift his legs to stretch his calf mussels a bit. He heard a muffling noise coming from where Autumn was standing, he looked round and laughed, realised her voice was muffled from the hood over her mouth.

Thomas watched as she loosened the strings a bit to reveal her face. Thomas gave a small laugh, not wanting to be rude, "OK, we'll see who is the fastest." He said, getting into a starting position, as he waited for Autumn to give the go ahead.

He listened to her start off. Thomas looked straight ahead at the tree they had decided to be the half way mark. When he heard Autumn shout Go! Thomas shot of like a bullet. Autumn was fast, faster than he had expected, but after a few moments, when the both were reaching the tree Thomas over took Autumn and looked behind him,"Catch me if you can." He called out, his right arm outstretched, ready to touch the tree.

 

[Autumn Gwin]

Atumn grinned, feeling the earth pund beneath her black trainers. She leaped from the ground and onto his back, stretching out her arm and reaching the willow first before darting away from him in a fit of giggles. "Now who's the cat and who's the mouse?" she purred at the knoll between the trees, taunting him.

She turned tail and walktzed back to the willow, takinga perch and waiting for him to come back.

When he got there she smiled and said,"Toldja being small has it's advantages. If you were to try that stunt with me we'd both be in the infrimary. haha."

She hopped from the limb and into his arms,"Now for a quick practice session? I think they're starting the races soon..." she said, looking towards the mini carnival that was now set up on the lawn.

 

[Thomas Smith]

As Thomas was about to touch the bark of the willow tree, he saw Autumn come out of the corner of his eye, he pushed harder, not wanting to be beat. Then he saw Autumn come in front of her and then watched her pass him. Laughing slightly at her comment Thomas pushed on, knowing fully well that he had lost.

When he reached the tree he slowed down and held his sides for a moment, catching his breath. "Good race." He said, flashing Autumn a smile. He didn't reply to the infirmary comment but just give her a lighthearted glare.

When Autumn kicked her kegs up, Thomas grabbed them around her ankles. "OK, you ready?" He asked.

 

[Autumn Gwin]

Autumn heard what sounded like a gun going off and cursed a word not suited for a lady's mouth. She whipped her head up to him,"It seems they've started..wanna get some practice in and wheelbarrow our arses over there or make a run for it?" she chuckled, her ankles held easily in his hands.

She looked out across the field at the other pairs and tried not to laugh at how silly they were to have not chosen a guy as their partner.

 

[Thomas Smith]

Thomas heard the sound of a gun, over in the main lawn. He laughed at the sound of Autumn cursing, he didn't expect that. Looking over he saw only a few people gathered there. He decided that it was only a practice run, "I just think it's a practice, only a few people are there, and there was lots more on the sign up list." He said reassuringly. "I saw we practice here for a few minutes." He said. "OK, 1....2....3....GO!" He said loudly, so Autumn could hear him over the growing number of people gathering around him.

 

[Autumn Gwin]

Autumn blushed, ducking her head in embarassment and nodded. At his signal she went to dancing along the earth on her hands. She could have gone a little ways even if he hand't been supporting her as if she weighed nothing. They reached the willow, even with the awkward wheelbarrow stance they had.

She sighed and turned on the heel of her hand quickly, going back the other way. After a couple times she flipped her ankles from his grip and landed on ehr feet," I don't want to get too tuckered out. I think we did fairly well, myself." she said, stepping back over to him.

" I saw there were a few upper classmen signed up. Imagine how they'd feel if a couple of kids beat them." she joked, taking a seat on the now warmed earth and watching the practice runs. They'd had their own private practice and could now relax beneath the willow.

She looked up at him and patted the mossy ground beside of her,"Have a seat? You deserve it after wheeling me to and fro and being beaten by a little girl." she taunted, unable to resist it and stickign her tongue out playfully. She tugged on his hand and grinned, happy to have sucha great friend that she could be herself around.

But even she, always the sensible girl, couldn't deny the fact that Thomas gave her little flippy feelings in her tummy. Either her heart was in her throat or her stomach at her feet when he was around.. Especially when he looked at her the way he was right now.

She wondered subconiously if any of these same thoughts were going through that great complex mind that matched her own.

 

[Thomas Smith]

Thomas moved along with Autumn. He was glad that he had such a petite partner, she was easy to maneuver around their own small obstacle course. Once they had reached the far willow tree again, Thomas released Autumns ankles, gracefully though, so she didn't hurt herself before the race.

As she sat down under the tree, Thomas looked over to the carnival which was been set up, it looked like really good fun. He heard a patting of ground and saw Autumn patting the ground beside her, to sit down. Thomas happily obliged.

Thomas laughed and glared at Autumn, "You were easy to move about." He said sweetly, "But if I were you, I wouldn't bring up the whole you beating me thing." he said, trying to be serious. Putting his head on the bark of the tree, looking up at the sky, trying to make shapes out the clouds, like he did with Wendy. "I let you win, you know." He said out of the blue, pushing Autumn lightly, to show he was joking.

After a few minutes of quiet relaxation, he turned to face Autumn and said, "Do you think we should head down? There is a good crowd gathering up." He said, indicating behind him.

 

[Autumn Gwin]

Autumn looked back at him, her eyes in crinkled little squints as she did so, as hte sun was behind him as well. His dark brown curls were haloed by the soft beams and she smiled as he lookd up between the yellowing leaves of the weeper to the scarce clouds.

Before he had sat he'd been looking toward the fall carnival Proffessor Rambolt was having set up for them. She pondered silently if he would be asking her to that this weekend as well.

He said he'd let her win and she couldn't help but laugh throatily at him, nearly getting choked on air int he process,"Of course you did, sweetie. Of course you did." she said, patting his hand and grinning, leaning against the tree. She followed his gaze the clouds and spotted a bunnyin the shapes.

How perfect could one boy get if he was a reader, strong, and liked to look at cloud shapes? If that was indeed what he was doing. But what else would it have been?

Autumn turned toward him, laying a hand on his arm t push herself up before holding her hand out for his to help him up too. The moss was sort fo slippery. She wondered if he'd accept the help from her as she'd already hurt his pride once today. Autumn made a note to herself to let him win in physical activities from now on, or at the very least don't beat him by a whole leg of the race as she had earlier.

"I suppose we could head on over. That carnival looks fun....I love things like that." she added, dropping the bait to se if he'd take. He hadn't even needed any hitns dropped last night. He'd just asked out of the blue.

For some reaosn, she found herself wishing he'd ask her again to the carnival, which was more of a date than a pairing for a wheelbarow race. She waited or him to stand with or without her hand but either way slipped her tiny one into his bear paw in comparison and started down the hill toward the fesivities.

{{wanna close after your post? either way fi he asks or not we know how she'll react, yes if he asks and won't bother about it if he doesn't. lol}}

 

[Thomas Smith]

Thomas continued to look up at the clouds as he waited to see if Autumn was ready to go down. He felt a pressure on his arm and looked down, seeing Autumn had gotten up. Taking her hand, like the night before when he touched it for the first time, he engulfed it. Again he got the butterfly feeling, passing it off a nerves before the race.

When he stood up, he looked over at the carnival, he was getting really excited about it now, "So what ride are we going on first?" He asked her, "After the race that is, and if you want to hang about for a while." He made a note to himself to think things through before asking them. It was like when he asked Autumn to be his partner for the race, he never took into consideration if she already had a partner. And now, he assumed she would want to stay about with him for a while, never thinking she might not want too, or may have other things to do.

He looked down at the ground whilst waiting for a response, and saw that his hand was still in Autumn's. Not wanting to let go, he walked down to the carnival, with Autumn beside him.