Life's Lessons ((Mei))

[katy]

Katy’s blue eyes slowly flicked opened, a yawn escaping her lips. She pulled the covers over her shoulders while turning around on her stomach and burying her face in the pillow. A few minutes passed by where she couldn’t breathe, until finally, she rested the side of her check on the pillow and began to take deep breaths. For heavens sakes it was a Saturday! Couldn’t a girl just sleep in for once? Closing her eyes shut, Katy tried to drift back into sleep. Sighing in defeat she turned back on her back, staring up into the ceiling. School life always got mixed in with her personal life. Normally she would have no problem sleeping in until noon or later, but that hasn’t been the case with Katy lately. Her dorm mates were a bit weird around Katy, but honestly she wasn’t attractive to anyone so they didn’t have to worry about a thing. Sitting up right in the bed she turned her head to look out the window. It was still dark outside, but clearly morning. Pulling the covers aside she than began to get dressed. Pulling on a long sleeved blue and white stripped shirt with a pair of jeans, Katy than slipped her feet into a pair of sneakers. Her hair was already a curly mess and didn’t need to be combed. That would only take an hour. Picking up her book from the side table, Katy slowly made her way across the room, trying hard to not be heard.

The cool breeze of the morning greeted Katy as she made her way down a well used path toward the lake. There was of course no one outside at this time of the morning, but she wasn’t breaking any rules, well at least she hope she wasn’t. Taking a seat by a log that overviewed the lake, she set the book down on her lap. Her hands glided over the cover, her fingers tracing the words Twelfth Night. Myka had lent her this book after their day out in the lake. A smile appeared on Katy’s lip as she slumped down to the ground, her mind remembering that day. She remembered dancing in the room, jumping in huge rain puddles, and swimming out in the lake. That day, Myka made a promise to her that she wouldn’t try to avoid her because she was gay. After that the girl had kissed her. It was her very first kiss ever by a girl and it wasn’t exactly from a story book, but it made Katy realizes that Myka felt almost the same way Katy felt toward her. Than she just had to go and backstab Myka because people found out about her and everything just wilted away.

Sighing at the memory, Katy opened the first page of the book and began to read. She didn’t know how long it had been, but the sun was beginning to poke through the dark sky. Turning the page, Katy read on with the book not noticing that someone else was outside out this time too. Hearing a voice behind her, Katy dropped the book from her hands and watched it fall to the ground.

[meiyu]

Mei was usually up early, maybe it was because of having to for her mother when she was younger, she wasn’t sure. Whatever the reason, Mei was up normally at 5. Today was no exception. She was up and dressed by 5 and by 5:30 she was working on her essays and homework that she needed to do. She never knew of anyone else who got up this early so her first few hours in the morning were usually spent solitary. In fact, she normally finished her homework before 6 and could start a new book. But lately, she had taken to finishing her homework and then writing in her journal. She had bought the book in Hogsmeade two weeks ago and already it was a quarter of the way filled. It was all written in Chinese, so unless the person who found her journal could read Chinese, it was the safest thing for Mei to write in. Another morning all alone, in this common room so I won’t wake anyone in the dorm. Sometimes I feel so lonely because it feels as if no one understands what I am going through. Though, I know I’m not the only one who has ever lost a mother and had to go and live with a father they had never actually gotten to know. But there is always something that feels as if you are the only one who ever goes through it.

Mei looked up from her journal and sighed, biting her lip as she looked out the window. It was still dark outside, and the stars were shining brightly. She placed her journal in her bag and grabbed her cloak and her wand. She felt like sitting outside and writing, it would be more peaceful and she wouldn’t feel as alone. As she slipped out of the common room and out of the castle, her mind kept returning to her dilemma. It wasn’t necessarily a dilemma, but it was something that confused Mei more than anything in the world. Sure, her father had to take her and her sister in otherwise they would be placed in a foster care, but why didn’t he just let them be placed in foster care? It wasn’t like he had made any effort to be a part of their lives. Mei had only lived with him for a couple of weeks before having to return to Hogwarts, so she still didn’t know him that well. The letters from Yue Li seemed to describe him as a great man and her younger sister seemed to be growing quite fond of him. Mei wondered if she would ever think that way of him.

It was kind of chilly outside, but Mei didn’t notice. The cold didn’t bother her too much; sometimes she even liked the cold. Mei made her way down to the lake where she thought she would sit at the edge and write while staring at her reflection. She was counting on someone being down there already. Mei narrowed her eyebrows, “Lumos,” she whispered and the tip of her wand lit up. She made her way down toward the figure, her wand sending out a beam of light far enough to see at least three feet in front of her. Once she was about three yards away from the figure she put out her wand and then continued over, realizing it was a girl. She peered over the girl’s shoulder and read what she was reading. It was Twelfth Night by Shakespeare, a play Mei had read before. Recalling her favourite line, she spoke; “If I did love you in my master's flame,
With such a suffering, such a deadly life,
In your denial I would find no sense;
I would not understand it.”

[katy]

Katy gasped as the book fell onto the wet grass. Looking over her shoulder she noticed a girl standing directly behind her. She was reciting a line from the play. A lot of people most certainly knew about Twelfth Night. Smiling at her Katy spoke, "You know about Twelfth Night? Do you like it?" Picking the book back up from the ground, Katy began to wipe off the morning dew from the cover with the tips of her shirt's sleeves. Opening the book back up to the page she had left off on, Katy folded the top edge of the page down and shut the book. “What’s your favorite scene?” she asked turning around to look at the girl more closely. Katy has classes with this girl, but never remembered her name. It was something in Chinese or Japanese which she couldn’t really pronounce if her life depended on it. She also remembered that the girl was in the Ravenclaw house.

Scooting over toward the end of the log Katy smiled. “You can sit down if you like.” Waiting patiently for the girl to make up her mind, Katy held out her hand toward her. “I’m Katy Hudson,” she greeted hoping that the Ravenclaw will shake her hand. “Isn’t it close to being six in the morning? Normally people are still asleep, especially on a Saturday. Why are you out so early?”

[meiyu]

Mei sat beside the girl, "I've read it, like most things. I don't have a favourite scene, though. It isn't my favourite Shakespeare play. My favourite play by him would have to be Hamlet." She was quiet a moment, reciting her favourite part in her mind. With a soft smile, Mei pulled herself back to the present and turned her gaze on the girl. Taking her hand, she shook it gently. "Mei Yu Kim, just call me Mei, though. Pleasure to meet you." Mei didn't do well with meeting people, but she found she had something in common with Katy. They both liked Shakespeare and at least they both were up before anyone else in the world.

"I always get up this early. It helps to finish any homework that I couldn't get done the night before. It's also rather nice, because it isn't as bustling at five o'clock in the morning." She laughed lightly and crossed her arms against the cold. "I guess there's something about rising before the sun does that energizes me. I've always had to get up early, especially because my mother was always up at the crack of dawn, or more often - before the crack of dawn." Mei shrugged and looked at Katy with a small smile on her face, "How about you?"