Sorry Its Late.

[Taylor Mercer]

Taylor had sent Sam an owl letting him know she would be waiting outside the Hufflepuff Common Room at 2PM that day to give him her gift. She now stood against the wall of the Fourth Floor Corridor, with said gift tucked under her arm in a reasonably large box. She had needed to wait until her Dad had his friend get it made, so hopefully the gift in itself would make up for the lateness.

Taylor had tried to be cheerful, but after the release of the Gossip Magazine a few days ago, things had no been so good for Taylor. She would admit she had been avoiding Scorpius and the conversation she just didnt want to have. That stupid magazine had trashed every single one of her best friends. Toni, Sam, Hoshi, Aeon and Scorpius. Taylor hoped whoever did it was caught soon, so they could deal with the wrath of everyone ever mentioned in it.

 

[Sam Prince]

The article in the gossip magazine was running through Sam's head over the past few days and then there was the Yule Ball coming up and that was also stressing him out. How could he face Toni or any of his friends after that article. Though when he got the owl from Taylor he sighed, not because he didn't want to see her but the fact that she got him a gift and then there was the whole Toni thing. Maybe she didn't read it? Maybe she was only reading her own affairs? Sam hoped so.

At two o'clock Sam left the Hufflepuff house and walked out onto the familiar fourth floor corridor. It was empty except for one blonde girl, Taylor. He gave her a friendly wave and a smile, "Hey Taylor!" He walked up closer to her still smiling until he noticed the large box under her arm, "Taylor you didn't have to do this y'know?!" Sam said shaking his head at her.

 

[Taylor Mercer]

Taylor turned when she heard the familiar voice of Sam. She grinned, all thoughts of the magazine being forced out of her brain. She didnt want to bring up such things and turn this meeting into an unpleasant one. "Yes I did." She grinned and pushed the box into Sam's hands. Inside were a pair of Hufflepuff yellow quidditch gloves with 'PRINCE' stitched onto the back in black. As well as the gloves there were quidditch goggles, with the writing along the side. She had struggled to find something good for Sam, until she remembered her Dad's friend that made Quidditch equipment. She felt proud of her gift and for once didnt worry so much about what the person opening it would think.

 

[Sam Prince]

When Taylor pushed her gift into his hands Sam rolled his eyes but had a grateful smile as not to be rude. He was quite embarassed but figured he should open the gift. He opened up the box to see quidditch gloves with his name on the back and a pair of quidditch goggles. A large smile spread across his face. He looked up at Taylor with a wide smile. "Taylor this is amazing!!" He said, he couldn't wait to wear them on the pitch, even if he didn't make the team he would still wear them. "Thank you so, so much. I really don't know what to say. Its incredible!" Sam said placing the box under his arm and reached over with his one hand to hug her. Once he released her from the one-armed hug he placed his gift on the windowsill near them so he wouldn't have to hold them. He put his hands in his jean pockets and broke into casual conversation, "So how have things with you been?"

 

[Taylor Mercer]

Taylor beamed back when Sam thanked her for the gift and she returned his hug, "I know you work at a Quidditch place so I wasnt sure if you already had some, but-" She trailed off with a small shrug as she pulled away from Sam's hug. "Im glad you like them." She said truthfully with a big smile.

"Things have been okay." She said, looking out of the window in which Sam had just placed the box on. Things werent going great, but Taylor couldnt complain about them. She was sure if Sam had read the magazine he knew how she felt. Especially with his name being in it too. "How about for you?" She asked turning to him with a smile.

 

[Sam Prince]

"Things have been okay." That didn't sound like things were going good for her, but he wasn't going to question it further. He already knew what was up. It was that Gossip Magazine that took a hit to each of his friends and they were all equally annoyed about it. When she redirected the question back to him he just gave his shoulders a small shrug and leaned his back up against a part of the wall. "Something quite similiar to you.." He smiled a small smile, "I think everyone is feeling the same way if you know what I mean?" By 'everyone' he meant the group of them; Himself, Taylor, Scorpius, Jenna, Hoshi and Toni.

 

[Taylor Mercer]

Taylor nodded at his answer. "Yeah." He said with a light, yet somewhat sarcastic laugh. "I know what you mean." She smiled. Through it all she knew it wouldnt greatly affect her friends, but for the time being that magazine was doing a good job at getting under their skin. Taylor had to wonder how long it would go on for. When this person would get tired of digging up the dirt on people or when they were caught out. Taylor hoped it would be the latter.

"Well I guess I just came to give you your gift and see how you were doing. I have to get some last minute homework done." She admitted with a smile. "Ill see you around." She said before giving Sam and wave and a big smile and bounding off back up to the Gryffindor Tower.