When The Day Met The Night

[Olivette Tchovinski]

Olivette Tchovinski walked swiftly down the strees of Queenstown, New Zealand, her pink umbrella protecting her from getting wet. She didn't think it was going to rain until the following day, but there was nothing she could do about that, so instead of cooping herself up, the Michigander bucked up and put on her rain boots. After all, she had tourist sites to see. She was sure that she wasn't going to have fun cooped up in her hotel, though she had thought that the hot tub looked quite relaxing. The petite blonde still couldn't believe she was on vacation during the school year. It was only for two weeks, but it was still astounding. Her team-teaching coworker took over the class to surprise her, as a thank you from the school. She had been putting all her heart into that kindergarten class since she got the chance to be a teacher's assistant back in high school. From that point on she sealed her position, graduating as early as possible from college and securing a teaching position at that school. She loved the environment, and the kids, and not to mention the people. How could she have bad feelings towards any of them when they sent her to New Zealand for a much needed vacation, after hearing about the loss of her Grandmother whom lived in the beautiful country. Sure, the funeral which was approaching was sad to think about, but Olive was a little too optimistic to let it ruin her vacation. After all, now her 98 year old grandmother was in a better place, and not in any more pain. It was too bad she hadn't gotten to visit her more often.

The blonde stopped walking to consult her Iphone and look for any restaurants up ahead. Her stomach grumbled, and she mentally shushed it. She had been up for about two hours now, and an omelette sounded good. She hoped the foods there were similar to the ones that she ate back home. Though she knew they wouldn't all be. After all, her home-foods were in the international section of the grocery store that she had visited. It was so odd to think that she was a tourist this time. It was about the time that Olive had decided on a restaurant that she once again began walking slowly. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a man, seated on a bench. He had a cup in his hand, and the first thought to cross the petite woman's mind was that he must be homeless. Her heart swelled slightly and she approached silently, taking a few bills from her purse. They were the countries currency as she had exchanged her own money for them. Without even thinking she dropped them into the cup, saying with a smile, "Are you hungry? I an buy breakfast if you'd like." Olive's red lips starkly contrasted her teeth as she looked down with sweet eyes, feeling she'd done a good deed.

 

[Jon Phillips]

The twenty-three year old hadn't found it difficult to adjust to life after his return to New Zealand, though he hadn't found it to be a breeze either. Whatever remnants he once had of a regular sleep schedule had disappeared the moment he set foot in his home country for the time zones between New Zealand and France were not only dramatically different, but having to wake up at an early time enough to get ready to teach his classes was a feat he was not yet used to and probably the only thing he had to fault his new job for. Never mind the fault was not due to the school administration and only put up to himself or rather his lack of ability to sleep long enough to focus while teaching his students without a heavy dose of caffeine in his system. This morning in particular, Jonathon had woken up at an unusual time of five in the morning and as a consequence had no idea what do to with himself. He was thankful today was one of the few days a week he had without a class to teach though he did not have a clue in a mind to how he would spend the day or the extra four hours his body had given him. He rolled over in his bed and sighed as he contemplated the day, and after he had wasted an hour brainstorming what he could do to fill the time in his schedule he stood out of bed and stumbled tiredly into the kitchen to grab an apple which he took bites out of as he pulled on a pair of shoes before he finally left the forested area of his home and apparated to the muggle town on the other side of the lake.

When he arrived in a secluded part of the lakeside he took in the surroundings, noticing no one else in eyesight except the back of a runner that was too far away to have noticed his arrival out of thin air anyway. Knowing he was safe from exposing the magical world, he began a small trek around Queenstown which he had yet to do despite having lived in New Zealand for more than a month. As he strolled in search of a cafe the nostalgia he felt from visiting this town on a daily basis during the summers of his childhood was unmatched in spite of how different the town had become in the many years he had been away. The Queenstown vibe was still the same but the buildings, signs and streets had definitely changed, and the cafes modernized to fit the demand of earlier hours which was something he was happy about as he strolled into the first cafe he saw without an ounce of difficulty and ordered a double-shot latte without waiting too long as the only other customers were hungover students from another town nearby or middle aged men in suits which he assumed were on their way to an early start at work. As he left the quaint building he flicked the plastic lid from the top of his cup and threw it away, finding the small hole in the plastic too much of a challenge to drink through when all he wanted was a dose of caffeine in the shortest amount of time possible.

Jonathon sipped at his coffee while continuing his stroll, eventually sitting himself on a wooden bench with an immaculate view of the lake that he wasn't shy to take advantage of as he attempted to spot his house on the other side. He was about to stand as he gave up, realizing it was to no avail and his house was too concealed by the woods but the motion of a stranger dropping something into his coffee stopped him moving from the bench before he had even started. "What the-" He spoke as his gaze shot down and into the half empty cup to see two five-dollar notes as the woman who dropped them there offered him breakfast. Her words only added to his confusion to what on earth was happening, but instead of asking outright, Jon merely looked up with an overly confused expression that he hoped would prod the blonde to explain because his brain was still too tired to assume what she was getting at or what he was supposed to do with the notes now that they were drenched in his coffee.
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[Olivette Tchovinski]

Olivette needed to admit that she was not generally greeted with an inquisitive air when she did her acts of kindness. She looked down and noticed the coffee cup, half filled still with a steaming liquid that was getting some occasional rain drops in it. Olive then glanced over the man's outfit once more. It looked like something that a homeless person may wear, but being me with such confusion, and a look that told her she was missing something - she knew her mistake nearly immediately. The blonde's heterochromic eyes widened and she took a seat next to the man whom she had mistakenly dropped change into a cup for. Her once pale cheeks were now a rosy color, and she could feel the heat spreading all the way to the tips of her ears. Olive could honestly say that she hadn't been that embarrassed in a long time - maybe not since mistaking a students mom for their dad. And that was in her first year as a Teacher's Assistant back in high school. The petite woman was speechless for a moment, other than a meek apology that she was able to offer to the admittedly strangely dressed man.

"This is going to sound so hurtful and ridiculous, I really had the best intentions." Her Michigander accent was easily the most out of place thing about her as she spoke, one hand on the man's knee to make a move of comfort. "I thought that perhaps you were, oh this sounds so foolish, a beggar." Her face became more and more heated with every word. She'd just mistaken a man for someone begging for change, and while she was certain he was homeless, she now knew he wasn't trying to gain sympathy from anyone. She wouldn't be surprised if the gentleman decided to dump the rest of his hot coffee on her. She would forgive him of course, after all what had happened was her mistake. "I mean I know it must be hard to admit that you are if you are. I only want to help though. I can still buy you breakfast, and if you'd like we can get you some clothing too!" She hadn't realized that some homeless people probably didn't beg for change. "It's so noble of you to not beg for change while living in such rough times. Are you staying at a shelter? i could always put you up in a hotel if you needed!" She offered with another large smile gracing her face.