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Post by Delilah Simon on Jul 29, 2007 15:43:15 GMT -5
It was against the rules.
She knew it was, and yet she was out here. This wasn't her forte. She was a well behaved, happy student -- a Ravenclaw no doubt. She was more intelligent than this. She knew what the consequences would be if she was caught. 'I won't be.' she found herself thinking self-assuredly, and she stopped in her tracks and blinked slightly, surprised at her own forwardness. Being cocky and confident didn't run too much in family, even in her father. Sure Delilah was kind, caring and stood up for others, but in six years she'd never, ever snuck out after hours by herself. And even if she would have she knew that she wouldn't have normally been this sure that she would've been caught. I would have been shaking in my shoes. she mused, pulling herself together and continuing on. What's gotten into me lately?
She walked through the gardens, pulling her curly blonde hair out of her face and back into a ponytail to keep it from blowing over her grey eyes in the soft breeze. It was a nice night- not too cool or too warm. The half moon, waning, was out and so were the stars. A nice night to have snuck out, she decided, and looked up as she approached her destination.
It was a small oak tree, not too tall but large enough to support her weight. She loved to come here during the day, usually to read or write letters to her family. She'd grown up around trees, even back in the States. Trees were special in the Simon family. There was an old cherry tree in the backyard of her old home that she and her old friend Colton liked to climb. Another pine was planted many generations ago, the married Simon couples' initials reaching and wrapping all through the bark. Trees, to her, symbolized family and remembrance. That's why she liked this one, she supposed. It reminded her of home.
Just as she was about to swing up into the tall branches, there was a rustle behind her and she whipped around, blue eyes wide, fearing it to be a teacher.
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Post by Ripley Todd on Jul 29, 2007 15:52:50 GMT -5
She couldn’t sleep, not that night, hell not any night. Ripley was on the prowl again; maybe if she got a detention that kept her awake for a while then she’d go back and actually sleep. Pushing back her curly brown hair she walked outside, closing the large door behind her softly. Once out she looked around; the dark night was nice. With excited little shiver she broke into a sprint heading down towards a wall of trees; the wall of trees was the forbidden forest. It wasn’t long ago that she and Remus had stood in there, torn between arguing and hugging. Thankfully they had done both and forgotten the common room incident. She hoped.
She went into the forest with the single thought of walking around in the dark, she wasn’t afraid of what was in the forest, she was afraid of what was outside of it. Odd, demented yeah, but that was Rip for you. She stopped to walk, her chest heaving, heart pounding, her breath coming out in short bursts. The fun of a run. After a few minutes her heavy breathing stopped, and she saw someone by an oak tree. With a grin she approached.
“Twenty points from Ravenclaw, Miss. Simon.” She tried to imitate McGonagall and did a fair job at it. ”Don’t you know it’s against the rules to sneak out after hours, Dell? Christ, have I taught you nothing?” Ripley leaned against the trunk of the tree with a grin.
((Sucks -.-))
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Post by Delilah Simon on Jul 29, 2007 16:06:49 GMT -5
“Twenty points from Ravenclaw, Miss. Simon.” She tried to imitate McGonagall and did a fair job at it. ”Don’t you know it’s against the rules to sneak out after hours, Dell? Christ, have I taught you nothing?”
Delilah was sure that if she had already been in the tree when the voice had sounded, that she would've fallen out of it in nervousness and surprise. "Oh, I'm-" she started, spinning around, her face ashen, prepared to apologize to Professor Mc-
"Ripley?" she blinked, before letting a smile spread across her features. "Oh, thank goodness it's you." she said with a bright, happy smile. "Oh, well, yes, I mean..." she sputtered, averting her eyes and blushing lightly. Delilah was fairly quiet and shy, and didn't like to make trouble for any of her friends; or anyone else for that matter. In fact, she had absolutely no idea that Ripley had a thing for Remus. She didn't even know that Ripley knew about what had happened between her and her monthly furry friend. Otherwise, she would've talked to her about it and tried to work things out. But Dell was completely oblivious to both things.
She took the liberty of hoisting herself onto a low branch and smiling downa t her friend, mapping the liens of stress and worry racing across her tired face. "Couldn't sleep, then?" she asked in her soft voice, her blue eyes full of concern for Ripley.
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Post by Ripley Todd on Jul 29, 2007 16:33:14 GMT -5
"Oh, I'm-Ripley?" he blinked, before letting a smile spread across her features. "Oh, thank goodness it's you."
Ripley grinned, easing the stress on her face. ”No shit it’s me, Dell. God, did ya really think it was McGonagall?” She loved messing with Delilah, and true the Ravenclaw was a good friend, one of Rip’s best friends, but since she found out about Dell and Remus they had almost been distant, what’s done is done, her aunt Maggie would say. And hell, Rip didn’t see them together romantically now, so, why not let it go?
"Oh, well, yes, I mean..."
”Keep looking, you’ll find the words,” Ripley smiled and climbed up onto a rock near the tree, she wasn’t much for climbing trees—heights and all. She was fine on the rocks. ”How’ve you been? She was always concerned for her friends, another fault in Ripley. But a good one at that.
"Couldn't sleep, then?"
Ripley didn’t miss the concern in Delilah’s eyes, who could? Brown eyes shifted down onto the forest floor. ”I—uh.” It wasn’t often that Ripley Todd was at a loss for words. ”There’s just been a lot of things going on lately, with mom, and James and Lily…Remus. It’s all kinda takin’ it’s toll.”
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Post by Delilah Simon on Jul 29, 2007 16:59:16 GMT -5
”No shit it’s me, Dell. God, did ya really think it was McGonagall?”
A light blush dusted Delilah's features and she gave a somewhat sheepsih smile. It wasn't a secret that Delilah was reserved and didn't go out of her way to get into trouble. "Well, you can't be too careful I suppose." she said softly, as an explanation to why she was so jumpy. "Never done this without Remus or Sirius."
”How’ve you been?"
Dell flashed back to the events a few nights before, giving a deep frown, but decided not to bring it up. "I've been well for the most part." she said honestly. Other than the incident with her ex, Micheal, everything was going swimmingly with the Ravenclaw.
”There’s just been a lot of things going on lately, with mom, and James and Lily…Remus. It’s all kinda takin’ it’s toll.”
Her frown's purpose immediately shifted from herself to her friend's. "I'm sorry." she said lightly, genuinely, she knew how difficult Ripley's life was at that time. "If there's anything at all I can do, let me know." She understood why Ripley was stressed about Lily and James, those two had enough tension and fire for each other that it nearly suffocated those around them. Personally, Delilah thought they should just up and shag one day, get it over with so everyone else could breathe. Not that she'd ever admit it, though.
Then her mind drifted to Remus. The sweet boy whom she'd lost her virginity to on a rather life-altering, drunk night with he and James and Sirius. She remembered bits and pieces, such as how sweet and gentle he'd been, and she was grateful all the time that it was him and not somebody else. Nevermind their situation, she wondered briefly why Ripley would be worried about Remus. The full moon wasn't schedueled for another couple weeks, and he seemed to be fine, she'd asked him herself. A quesiton in her eyes, Dell tilted her head a bit. "What's wrong with Remus?" she questioned, concern for both of them now evident in ehr melodic voice and light blue eyes.
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Post by Ripley Todd on Jul 29, 2007 17:26:17 GMT -5
"Well, you can't be too careful I suppose. Never done this without Remus or Sirius."
“Hmmm.” Ripley nodded, pursing her lips. “I can see why you’d be jumpy.” Her tone took on a bitter edge. She only roamed around with James and Sirius; unfortunately she didn’t get as much attention from Remus as Delilah did. Lucky little Ravenclaw. Meanwhile the relationship she had with Remus was surroned by four walls and a lot of commentators, it was like she was down in the second period by one point and twenty seconds left in the third no way to get a goal.
"I've been well for the most part."
“Just well?” Rip asked softly. “Or is there someone I need to hunt down and hurt?” She was defensive of her friends, all of them and yes even the males who could very well beat someone up as well. But Ripley didn’t want a bad mark on Dell’s record, unlike her record which was riddled with them, but with good grades as well, maybe that was why she was still in school.
"I'm sorry. If there's anything at all I can do, let me know.”
“Well, I’m working on James and Lily, and unless you can change the past you can’t help with Miss Marry the first man I meet Todd.” Ripley let the malice slip into her voice and immediately checked it back into control. “They’re close, very close.” She added talking of James and Lily.
"What's wrong with Remus?"
“Nothings ‘wrong’ with him except me,” Ripley stated bitterly pulling apart a dead leaf. “I spill my heart out to the guy in a weak moment and now there’s this huge gap between us, then I found out about you and him from Sirius and James, which makes me feel like shit and then he—“ She threw her hands up. “I don’t fuckin’ know anymore!” She dug her fingers into her hair, pulling gently. “This is fuckin’ nuts.”
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Post by Delilah Simon on Jul 29, 2007 17:43:39 GMT -5
“Just well?” Rip asked softly. “Or is there someone I need to hunt down and hurt?”
Delilah laughed lightly and slid off the tree branch, not feeling much like balancing at the moment. Instead, she stood close to the boulder Ripley sat on, feeling the need to stretch her legs a bit. "You sound like Sirius." she said, a smile still visible on her lips from her earlier laughter. "Give me names, and I'll take care of them. Is there someone I need to hunt down and hurt?" she mimicked, though not menacingly, merely in good fun. "And then Sirius barked." she joked with a twinkle in her eyes. "So now you should howl to the moon." she laughed gently, winking to let the other girl know she was kidding.
“Well, I’m working on James and Lily, and unless you can change the past you can’t help with Miss Marry the first man I meet Todd.” Ripley let the malice slip into her voice and immediately checked it back into control. “They’re close, very close.”
Dell let a frown pass her lips and surveyed her friend a bit sadly. "Your mom, huh?" It was more of a statement than a question. She knew of Ripley's dad's death, and hoped that maybe her mom would allow the family some grieving time before fucking around, but she guessed that wasn't going to happen.
“Nothings ‘wrong’ with him except me,” Ripley stated bitterly pulling apart a dead leaf. “I spill my heart out to the guy in a weak moment and now there’s this huge gap between us, then I found out about you and him from Sirius and James, which makes me feel like shit and then he—“ She threw her hands up. “I don’t fuckin’ know anymore!” She dug her fingers into her hair, pulling gently. “This is fuckin’ nuts.”
Delilah Simon was not stupid. She was in Ravenclaw for a reason. She was not clueless, either. She was tuned in with all of her close friends and cared about them and their feelings more than anything in the whole entire world. But this completely blew her away. Feeling like the biggest shithead in the universe, Delilah took a step backwards slightly, shocked, tears filling up in her bright blue eyes.
"You... you knew?" she whispered, not particularly embarassed, but ashamed of the look that Ripley was giving her. "And you... you have feelings for Remus." A chill ran down her spine but she ignored it. "Ripley, I... I don't... Oh, forgive me." she managed, before lifting her hands to cover her face. She sobbed into her hands, much like she had before with Sirius, and she wished with all her heart that she had his cloak. Only this time, the cold came from the inside.
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Post by Ripley Todd on Jul 29, 2007 18:10:43 GMT -5
"You sound like Sirius." she said, a smile still visible on her lips from her earlier laughter. "Give me names, and I'll take care of them. Is there someone I need to hunt down and hurt?" she mimicked, though not menacingly, merely in good fun. "And then Sirius barked." she joked with a twinkle in her eyes. "So now you should howl to the moon."
Ripley laughed softly, nodding her head. “I would find that person too, me and Sirius that'd be like, Jeeze, Satan and Satan's wife kinda deal, though I could howl at the moon,” She countered. True, if she were in her animagus form that’d be a cinch. But you know, she was tired and she had a feeling it wasn’t going to do anything for her at all.
"Your mom, huh?”
“Oh, yeah,” Ripley nodded with a heavy sigh. “Some fuckin’ jackass she meant a month, a month after dad’s funeral and now they’re getting married this December. And—and she wants me to go home for the funeral. Needless to say I’m ignoring the letter and her.”
Now Ripley knew that Delilah was far from stupid, what she didn’t know was that Delilah didn’t know that she knew. She paused for a moment in thought and movement, it was almost like what she had said to Remus. She took her fingers from her hair, cracking her knuckles, wincing at her bruised once.
"You... you knew?" she whispered, not particularly embarrassed, but ashamed of the look that Ripley was giving her. "And you... you have feelings for Remus." A chill ran down her spine but she ignored it. "Ripley, I... I don't... Oh, forgive me."
“Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa” Ripley threw her hands up in front of her. “Do not start crying. It’s fine, six year crush he was bond to be taken at some point by someone better than me and what better person then one of my best friends?” True it still stung painfully, but she had her own secrets, and if Remus wasn’t making his mind up soon, what was the point of holding on? She stood up and wrapped an arm around Delilah’s shoulders. “Now stop your crying, okay? If I’m fine with it you should be….that doesn’t mean go after him. I have to worry about my own problems with him I don’t wanna worry about you hating me.”
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Post by Delilah Simon on Jul 29, 2007 18:24:43 GMT -5
“Oh, yeah,” Ripley nodded with a heavy sigh. “Some fuckin’ jackass she meant a month, a month after dad’s funeral and now they’re getting married this December. And—and she wants me to go home for the funeral. Needless to say I’m ignoring the letter and her.”
A deep frown marred Delilah's pretty (and usualy smiling) features as her mind drifted to Ripley's mother. Dell herself had been to Ripley's house countless times during the summer, before her dad had died, and her mother had seemed nice enough from what she could tell. Still, she supposed that everyone had their secrets; Dell sure had hers. It still came as a bit of a surprise to her, though, she thought Mrs. Todd had a bit more respect and love for her husband and family than that.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa” Ripley threw her hands up in front of her. “Do not start crying. It’s fine, six year crush he was bond to be taken at some point by someone better than me and what better person then one of my best friends?” True it still stung painfully, but she had her own secrets, and if Remus wasn’t making his mind up soon, what was the point of holding on? She stood up and wrapped an arm around Delilah’s shoulders. “Now stop your crying, okay? If I’m fine with it you should be….that doesn’t mean go after him. I have to worry about my own problems with him I don’t wanna worry about you hating me.”
Delilah's sobbing ebbed slightly, though a few tears still slipped down her cheeks, feeling slightly better at Ripley's arm around her shoulder. She sniffled loudly. "I'm so sorry, Ripley." she said, her voice quaking slightly. "I didn't know, I promise! I never would have... If i had known... I was drunk, he was drunk, and..." She sniffled loudly again and turned her head slightly to hide her face in her friend's shoulder. Yes, they both had been drunk, but it wasn't something they regretted per say, but Dell honestly hadn't known of Ripley's affections for Remus. But then she was hit with a revalation... James mentioned Remus' girl dilemna... She sat up angrily, her tears stopped but still swimming in her eyes. "He knew!" she shouted angrily, jumping up and stomping toward the castle. "I'm going to kill him!" she yelled, she couldn't recall a time she'd been so upset. "That little.... ooh he's going to wish it was full moon when I'm finished with him!" she growled, normally she wasn't this outspoken. It kinda scared her.
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Post by Ripley Todd on Jul 29, 2007 18:41:58 GMT -5
Ripley took note of Dell’s look and smiled slightly. “Don’t ponder on it, Dell. The woman you saw over the summer wasn’t the one she really was, trust me, she only became that girl when I got older. Didn’t stop her from trying to take my hockey game away. She’s better without me. And I might say I’m better without her.” She shrugged a shoulder, she knew that the night or two before she had taken care of her emotions and thanks to James she was fine.
She picked at one of the dead leaves on the boulder, listening to the quiet night and wind rustling the leaves from time to time. She hoped Delilah would come to her senses and just friggin’ relax.
"I'm so sorry, Ripley." she said, her voice quaking slightly. "I didn't know, I promise! I never would have... If i had known... I was drunk, he was drunk, and..."
Ripley would’ve rather not heard the truth about it. She knew what had happened. James had told, Sirius had told and spared no detail of the night. That was how she found out that was why Remus wouldn’t drink anymore. And of course she had considered getting him drunk for fun, but that hadn’t gone far.
"He knew!" she shouted angrily, jumping up and stomping toward the castle. "I'm going to kill him!" she yelled, she couldn't recall a time she'd been so upset. "That little.... ooh he's going to wish it was full moon when I'm finished with him!"
“Whoa, nice shootin’ Tex.” Ripley jogged after her, not a run, a nice easy jog. She wasn’t going to spare Remus being yelled at maybe it’d do him some good. “I love that you think you should go in there and yell at him, Dell,” She hugged her friend briefly, a quick hard squeeze. “But I don’t need you—the other person to yell at him. It was both of you, but mostly James and Sirius for hooking you guys up.”
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Post by Delilah Simon on Jul 29, 2007 18:58:02 GMT -5
“Whoa, nice shootin’ Tex.” Ripley jogged after her, not a run, a nice easy jog. She wasn’t going to spare Remus being yelled at maybe it’d do him some good. “I love that you think you should go in there and yell at him, Dell,” She hugged her friend briefly, a quick hard squeeze. “But I don’t need you—the other person to yell at him. It was both of you, but mostly James and Sirius for hooking you guys up.”
Delilah stared at her for a long moment, glad to have received the hug, and sank down onto her knees on the soft spring grass. Her hands were folded neatly in her lap as she stared at them, her shiny, recently trimmed finernails glimmering in the moonlight. Her head was spinning, her heart was racing and her eyes were welling up with a brand new batch of tears. She hated all the crying she'd seemed to be doing lately. Allowing herself a light sniffle, Dell was glad that her long, curly blonde hair was hiding her face from her view.
"I don't regret it." she said after a long moment of silence. "If I told you I regretted it, I'd be lying." Another sniffle passed through her, and her lower lip quivered. "I regret not knowing how you felt, and I regret that it happened on a whim." Her tears were clouding her vision now. "But I don't regret that it was him I gave myself to. I don't regret the special bond it had granted us, and I don't regret at all how I feel towards him, the immense friendship."
Sniffling yet again, she lifting her teary eyes to Ripley. "He's my very dear friend, Ripley, and so are you. I thought you ought to know the truth."
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Post by Ripley Todd on Jul 29, 2007 19:10:36 GMT -5
"I don't regret it." she said after a long moment of silence. "If I told you I regretted it, I'd be lying." Another sniffle passed through her, and her lower lip quivered. "I regret not knowing how you felt, and I regret that it happened on a whim." Her tears were clouding her vision now. "But I don't regret that it was him I gave myself to. I don't regret the special bond it had granted us, and I don't regret at all how I feel towards him, the immense friendship."
Maybe it was the words she was saying, or the fact Ripley was envying her, but she found herself wanting to cry again. She didn’t regret. Rip scoffed softly, how could Dell regret it, it had been Remus. Rip’s dream was to be with him like Dell had been, but now that dream was shattered, it had been shattered long before. Her words stung like bees, or wasps, Ripley didn’t know which one would’ve been worse at that moment in time.
Running a shaking hand through her curly brown hair, she looked away from Delilah, swallowing through the emotions clogging her throat, no words would come. She wasn’t that good anymore to disguise the hurt embedded on her face, at least the metaphor of hearing a heartbreak was false because it was happening then.
"He's my very dear friend, Ripley, and so are you. I thought you ought to know the truth."
“I know.” Two words, nothing more. What more could be said to Delilah, Ripley wasn’t angry with her, she was angry with herself, for ruining what would’ve been a relationship with Dell and Remus. She shouldn’t have said anything at all.
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Post by Delilah Simon on Jul 29, 2007 19:18:13 GMT -5
“I know.”
The night's sudden chill swept around Delilah in that instant, and she moved her hands up to her forearms to stave off the cold that seemed to be radiating from the inside of her as well. She hadn't meant for it to happen, what had transpired between her and Remus, but it was beautiful and meant a lot to both of them. Sex wasn't something Delilah took lightly, and thankfully Remus didn't either.
But still, she wished with all her heart that she would have known of Ripley's feelings. It would've changed everything. But now the truth was out and she couldn't take back everything that had been said. She shuddered. She sensed Ripley's sadness and grief, and it caused her heart pain.
"Don't give up on him." she said, her lips still trembling slightly as she spoke. Lips that Remus had kissed, lips that should have been Ripley's. Delilah felt like a tramp, just like Micheal had said. "I don't know how he feels toward you, because I didn't know you two had an almost-thing." she swallowed hard to keep her heart out of her throat. "Please don't give up on him because of me. I would hate myself forever."
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Post by Ripley Todd on Jul 29, 2007 19:35:56 GMT -5
"Don't give up on him. I don't know how he feels toward you, because I didn't know you two had an almost-thing." she swallowed hard to keep her heart out of her throat. "Please don't give up on him because of me. I would hate myself forever."
“There are no feelings from him,” Ripley snapped turning away from her friend, facing the forest. The cold of the night seeped into her, she was thankful for it, for her skin was hot with fury at Remus. ”I feel the pain, I feel the love and I feel the suffering. I’m nothing to him.” The bitterness of her words surprised even Ripley. ”I’m wishing on a star that’s long gone. A dream that won’t come true.” What more was there to say? Dell got the good guy and Ripley was left with no one, the way it was and always would be.
She combed back her hair again, brown eyes searching the darkness for a clue, a sign—anything that would tell her keep hanging on. But could you hang onto something that wasn’t there? She sniffled softly, her skin felt as if it could melt ice at that point. She took a deep calming breath and let it out slowly. “I give. That’s it, take me out coach I’m through.”
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Post by Delilah Simon on Jul 29, 2007 19:42:44 GMT -5
"There are no feelings from him, I feel the pain, I feel the love and I feel the suffering. I’m nothing to him. I’m wishing on a star that’s long gone. A dream that won’t come true.”
Delilah frowned a sat back a bit, watching her stubborn friend out of the corner of her eye. Ripley's posture suggested that she didn't care in the slightest, but Dell knew better. She cared a whole lot. A frown wove its way across Delilah's features, and she wished she could make things better. "You don't know that for sure." she said gently, pushing her blonde hair out of her face. "Maybe he does feel something for you, and, well... he's shy." she suggested, hopefully. "Maybe he's afraid to say what he feels."
“I give. That’s it, take me out coach I’m through.”
Her frown only deepened. Standing up, she shivered a bit before turning to stare at Ripley's back, her blue eyes piercing. "Don't you do that." she said with a strong note in her voice. "Don't you dare give up, Ripley Todd. That's not who you are."
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