Alone by the fountain ((Mack))

[jess4ever]

Rachel wandered into the courtyard, her face purposefully blank. The entire day she had been scrutenised by the other students, all of them believing she was responsible for what had happened the week before with Patricia and Richard. It wasn't even her fault; not entirely anyway. What Patrica had decided to do was her own fault, not Rachel's. All Rachel had done was tell her the truth. Granted, she knew now the truth was the last thing Patrica had wanted to hear, but she couldn't be punished for that mistake forever.

Sitting down on one of the branches, Rachel wrapped her arms around herself and shivered slightly. It was slowly becoming night, and she was glad that the last glimpse of sunlight was slowly disappearing. At least now the other students in the courtyard would be leaving soon, and she would be alone to think. Think. It seemed that was all Rachel was doing nowadays. She didn't seem to have much else to do now that Patrica wasn't even talking to her.

Stretching slightly, Rachel glanced at the other students and willed them to leave. If they were gone, she would be able to sit there inconspicuously and just get lost in daydreams, or figure out a plan. Rachel always felt better if she was in control of the situation. However, to her annoyance, none of the teenagers seemed to want to leave any time soon. One of them was leaning against a tree, another was playing with the water in the fountain, and a whole group was simply chatting and gossiping. Rachel made a face. They were probably gossiping about her.
"I can't believe it's nearly dark already. I think I'm going to go to the Great Hall and get something warm and tasty before heading to my dorm," she called out over her shoulder, almost pointlessly because the only effect was some of her classmates looking at her strangely. Sighing, she turned around and took out her journal.
"It seems as if I have once again proven myself..." she began to write, smiling wryly.

[Mackenzie Holden]

Mack's days were filled with the same old things. She'd get up, patrol the halls, go to class, study, patrol the halls, and then go to sleep only to wake up the next morning and do the same thing. There wasn't even room for Jack in the routine, not that he had been around much anyway. The love of her life had seemed to have disappeared into the blue and black of the world. Mack ran her fingers tiredly through her blonde hair and made her way through the corridors. The sun was setting beyond the windows, casting shadows on the walls. Students were making their way back to their common rooms, some speeding up when they caught a glimpse of her Prefect badge. A lot of the Slytherins didn't want to get caught by her like Patrica and Rachel had. They had lost Slytherin a lot of points, and Mack knew some students held resentment toward the two third years. The younger years that was. No one above fourth year gave a damn about it. Mack certainly didn't, hell she wouldn't have cared if she wasn't Prefect. The thoughts whirled by in her head as she turned to her left to dodge a couple chasing after one another. Mack scowled, blaming her lonliness on Jack's absence.

Her feet carried her to the Courtyard, where students were slowly piling out. There sitting on the bench by the fountain was Rachel Mason. Mack raised an eyebrow as she listened to the words filter around her about the third year. What was it with people and gossip? Didn't they realize gossip was for old ladies and hags? Sending an icy glare to a passing student, she made her way over to the third year and looked down at her, "Don't tell me I'm going to have to issue another detention for you being out past curfew, again." Mack greeted with a slightly joking tone. It wasn't curfew yet, but it was getting rather late and she didn't necessarily want a hard night of Prefect duties.

Without asking or being asked to, Mack took a seat by Rachel and looked around the courtyard as it continued to empty itself of students. "I've always hated this place. I have bad memories here. Memories from third year, that year was so full of drama it wasn't even funny. Let's see.... there was Tristan Wardle who was a huge mistake on my behalf, and then my rebellion stage. God was I glad when fourth year came and I ditched all those loser friends I had." Mack rolled her eyes and lookd at Rachel, "It'll get better."

[jess4ever]

Rachel looked up when she heard a familiar voice, and smiled slowly when she saw Mack heading towards her. She could still remember clearly the night of the Forbidden Forest, and almost laughed out loud at the memory of Mack carting off Patrica and Rachel to the Professor. Her smile froze and Rachel looked back down at the ground, shaking her head. That wouldn't happen again. Not only because going to the Forbidden Forest had been a stupid idea to begin with, but also because her partner in crime wasn't her partner anymore.

Even when Mack sat down next to her, Rachel couldn't look at her. Mack represented everything that she herself had been striving for, and it had collapsed around her ears. As Mack spoke, Rachel felt herself become slightly envious of the prefect. She had been through all the drama and come out better for it, yet Rachel didn't have any guarantee that it would happen for her. Patrica could be still refusing to talk to her in seventh year, and although the gossip would certainly die down eventually, Rachel would always remember the cruel things they had said. Rachel was surprised at herself, once she had embraced the gossip, and had only flung a golden smile at the people who took the time to talk about her. Now, she could barely tolerate it. Probably because I've been trying so hard to remove that side of me, she thought grimly.
"I know it'll get better eventually," Rachel said, fiddling with the end of her robes.
"But I did something terrible, Mack. Something they have a right to gossip about," she said, rolling her eyes and pointing to the students.
"I'm not trying to be self-pitying, please don't take it the wrong way. I know I have a lot," she finished, looking up at Mack for the first time.

[Mackenzie Holden]

Mack let out a long breath when Rachel told her that she did something really terrible. She knew that feeling, the feeling where nothing could ever work out the right way again. She also knew that that feeling was wrong. Her eyes darted away from Rachel to the flickering lights that were appearing in the castle one by one. "It doesn't matter if you did something really terrible, Rachel. Everyone does something they think is the end of the world once in their life. Want to hear what I did?" She chewed on her bottom lip a moment and then decided to use the biggest thing she had done her third year. All her actions were linked in some way, but the biggest concequence was the one she decided to tell Rachel. She really didn't miss third year. Third year was just full of drama, cat fights, tears, and hatred. Mack's third year had only one good thing about it and that was Jack and even now Jack had seemed to dim from her life. Mack felt the familiar pang of never having a happy life. She fought it down, knowing that Mack's doubts weren't something Rachel needed right then.

"Third year was full of mixed feelings and a whole bunch of mistakes. I did something that resulted in my sister going bananas about my actions, my father decided it would be fun to play 'punch the Mackie-bag' and in the end it resulted in my wreckoning." Mack stretched out her legs and yawned slightly before turning her gaze back on Rachel, "I was disowned and kicked out to put it simply and I mean, though I still bare the Holden name I'm not even a Holden." She laughed lightly at the irony in that statement. "I was kidnapped when I was younger from my real mother, the woman I live with now isn't my real mother though she was best friends with her." She locked eyes with Rachel, "Now, tell me, what terrible thing have you done that you can't get over when I had all that baggage to deal with and I'm perfectly fine now?"

[jess4ever]

Rachel widened her eyes in surprise, unable to speak for a moment. She had no idea Mack had to deal with anything like that, and for a moment felt guilty about unburdening herself to her.
"I'm so sorry that that had to happen to you Mack," she began, not knowing what to say. Rachel thought back to her childhood, and up until she was about seven, it had been perfect. Nothing had gone wrong, and she had been happy. And then her life had changed, and she became resentful, bitter and unhappy, and took out her anger on anybody who was kind enough to talk to her. Sometimes, even people who didn't. Since a few weeks ago she had been trying so hard to become the person she once was; the kid who had so much promise, and for the most part, she had succeeded. Until one stupid mistake.

Looking up from the ground, Rachel decided to confide in Mack. Maybe she could even give her some advice, or at least help her.
"I really, really hurt Patricia. She was going out with Richard, my best friend, and I kind of liked him too," she said, pausing. It sounded so insigificant and childish when Rachel thought back to what Mack had just told her, but she continued anyway. She knew Mack wouldn't get upset, she'd just tell her the truth.
"So I told her, in a fit of insanity, and then she started telling me how Richard liked me, and all of this over stuff that was completely untrue. Then, she cheated on him with Blake." Rachel paused to shudder. The mere memory of Patricia kissing that guy gave her the creeps. Turning to Mack, she shook her head.
"You might know him. He's disgusting. Anyway, Richard was there too, and there was a bit of an eruption. Patricia even kicked me," she said, laughing.
"And they broke up. Now, Patricia won't even talk to me, and I...I really don't know what to do. She means so much to me," Rachel finished sadly.

"I know that's nothing compared to what you went through, and I'm sorry if I wasted your time, but that's it. I really miss her, Mack."