Writing A Letter (Anyone)

[kristian]

Mikayla began cleaning her bed area. It was messy because she had been rocking out to her music she was listening to while no one was in the room. Mikayla quickly got dressed in her jeans, white long sleeved t-shirt, and maroon winter sweater. She was really cold it had been snowing outside. She let her hair stay down. It was beautifully wavy today. She ran to her bathroom and brushed her teeth. She put on a little bit of her gold eye shadow and a strip of brown eyeliner on her bottom eyelids. She was surprised at how much older she looked today. It was most likely because her hair was down and her outfit was a more mature choice. Usually she would wear something pink and stripped or something.

Mikayla was finished getting ready. It was Saturday so she decided to go to the student lounge and write a letter to one of her muggle friends from back home. She thought Mikayla was in boarding school right now. And also expected her to be back home for Christmas. Mikayla was actually going to write a letter explaining why she wasn't going to be home. She really wasn't going back because she had been invited to her friend Danielle's house. But then again Mikayla couldn't tell her she was going to be staying with one of her witch friends. And Mikayla new that if she said she was going home with some one else it would crush her. It was kind of a tradition they shared. Mikayla would go to their house and stay for Christmas while her parents were gone at work, but Mikayla new she would figure out the right thing to say.

Mikayla grabbed her pen and notebook. She also grabbed her robe in case she wanted to go outside or something, and headed out the door. She quickened her pace to the Student lounge. She hated walking down the halls of Hogwarts for some reason to many people walking about busily she felt like she was in the way or something. Mikayla finally made it into the lounge. She sat down on a window seat type thing that was over in the corner of a wall. She began writing and keeping herself busy. She didn't much care to look around and see who was in the lounge. She just wanted to write her letter. Mikayla opened to a blank page in her notebook and began writing busily.

[ashley]

Alarice stood opposite of her step-sister Emily breathing in heavy drawls, her heart pounding with anger. Emily had that annoying smirk on her face. The one that said "Ha Ha your stuck with me! Your mom married my dad! And I just LOVE to make your life miserable!" Alarice had to resist the stong desire to reach out, grab Emily's perfectly straight silky brown hair and whip her head around wildly. But she knew she couldnt do that. She had been told off by Mcgonnigal three times already that week for fighting and she now had three weeks detention lined up for after Christmas Break.
"I'm sick of fighting with you, I'm sick of being near you, Get out of my face, don't ever talk to me again." Alarice growled in a forced soft voice. People in the Gryffindor common room were beginning to stare.
"What a mean thing to say. Why, when we get back to your-I mean our house for break, I'm going to tell mom what you just said." Emily whispered, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
"She's not your mother and she never will be." Alarice said curtly, turning on her heel and rushing out through the portrait hole, looking for a place to just get away. After about 10 minutes of storming through the cooridoors she decided to turn into the student lounge and try and put herself in a better mood. She walked to the back of the room and sat down beside a very pretty girl dressed in a maroon sweater and white long sleeved tee.
"I like your outfit, it's really cute." Alarice commented in a friendly voice. It was easy for her to talk to people, especially when she was upset. It was her way of just putting all her emotions aside and forgetting about whatever was bothering her. She just surrounded herself with people and eventually she felt better. Plus, she loved making new friends. That always helped improve her mood.

[kristian]

Mikayla looked up from her letter. "Hey, oh and thank you my dad's assistant sent it to me well the sweater anyways." Mikayla looked at the girl she looked was nice. But Mikayla could see the there was something upsetting the girl. "My name is Mikayla Killingraff I'm in Ravenclaw." "I'm a first year she said looking to the ground. No one ever wanted to talk to first years. "Mikayla asked the girl. "Whats your name?" Mikayla was surprised that some one had actually came right up to her and started talking to her. The last person to do that was Danielle and they are best friends now. Maybe her and this girl will become friends.

Mikayla couldn't resist the urge to ask.. "Is something the matter?" "It's just you seem kind of upset and I'm a curious person and I can't help but to ask." Mikayla looked down at her letter reading what she had written so far. Mikayla scrunched her face up pouting a little she couldn't find the right words to say. She let the look of pout fade away from her face and she looked back at the girl.

[ashley]

"Wow I love it! I wish I had one!" Alarice replied once the girl told her where she had gotton her sweater. Alarice's family didnt have much money, so they just got by with what they had. Alarice was still wearing clothes she had bought in her first year. Luckily she was pretty skinny and hadnt outgrown anything yet. She glanced down self conciously at what she was wearing. A blue long sleeved shirt and a pair of grey, worn out jeans. Her long sandy blonde hair was tied back in two messy french braids. She hadnt had time to redo it, do to the fight she had just gotton in with Emily. She wore no makeup on her face, but she rarely did, she didnt need it. "My names Alarice. I'm in Gryffindor. I'm a third year." She answered the girl who had just told her her name was Mikayla. Alarice sat down in a chair beside Mikayla and turned to face her so they could talk. The girl then asked her if something was the matter.
Alarice gave a weak smile. I guess I'm not as good as I pride myself to be in concealing my emotions. She thought to herself before answering.
"Oh, I just got into a shouting match with my--this girl Emily." She refused to call that little brat her step-sister. Even if they wernt blood related, just using the word sister, even with 'step' before it, was a disgrace. "For the third time this week actually." She added with a grin. "She just loves to push my buttons. But anyway, whatcha writing? I didnt mean to inturupt." Said Alarice apologetically. She hoped she hadnt bothered her.

[kristian]

Emilia watched as the girl looked down at her outfit. She looked sad. Mikayla didn't know this girl yet but Mikayla saw how the girl admired the sweater. Mikayla then stood up took it off held it in her hands as she finished listening to the girl. The girl had so much natural beauty and Mikayla hoped the girl didn't put herself down or anything. It took alot for Mikayla to look this way on the mornings. Mikayla laughed thinking about how the looked the day before. Woo scary! She giggled. "Nice to meet you Alarice." "Thats a pretty name." Mikayla liked the uniqueness of her name she had never met an Alarice before. Mikayla watched as the girl smiled at her. Mikayla new she had asked a question sensitive to her.

Mikayla heard as the girl made a little bit of a pause before continuing with her sentence. "Are ya'll close?" Mikayla asked maybe the girls were cousins or something so they disagreed on things. Mikayla smiled back at the girl referring to her comment about for the third time. "Oh, I'm not writing anything important just a letter to a muggle friend of mine, she thinks I'm in boarding school right now." Mikayla looked down at the sweater in her hands. She handed it to the girl. "Here, you can have it if you want." My dad's assistant gets me new clothes all the time." Mikayla said smiling at the girl. "Its no big deal." Mikayla said being completely truthful. She got new clothes from Cynthia, her dad's assistant, everyday.

[ashley]

"Thanks!" Alarice said cheerfully as Mikayla complimented her name. "I think Mikayla is a very cute name as well!"
"No not close exactly...if you mean close as in relationship wise." Said Alarice answering Mikayla's question. She then told Alarice about her muggle friend who at the moment thought she was in boarding school. "Oh I don't have many friends from my old muggle school. Actually," said Alarice with a slight grin. "I did'nt make any while I was there. No one would talk to me." She giggled a little. "It wasnt because I was socialy disabled or anything. Actually, I didnt want to talk to any of them either. I made it into that school on a scholarship but everyone else was super rich and pretty snobby. You cant imagine how happy I was to leave..this place really is the best thing that ever happened to me.." She said with a smile. Mikayla gazed down at the sweater she had just taken off a few minutes ago in her lap. She then offered it to Alarice.
"Wow thanks! Are you sure you dont want it? That's so nice of you!" Alarice beamed, accepting the sweater modestly and holding it up to her body. "What do you think?" She joked. It really was a nice thing for Mikayla to do. Alarice never had new clothes, not that she minded much of course, there were so much more things in her life she had to be thankful for to make up for the lack of the latest fashion items, but of course, she was a girl, and dressing nice was always fun.
"So, are you going home for Christmas then?" Alarice asked, hoping that at least someone would be enjoying a happy holiday, even if she wouldnt be."

[kristian]

"Oh, thank you." Mikayla said referring to the comment about her name being cute too. Mikayla listened as the girl told her about the girl who bothered her alot. "Really, I only went to my school a while." "But the girl I met lived right across the road from us." Mikayla smiled sweetly while having a flashback to the days when she went to spend the night at her house. "I know what you mean.." Mikayla began her smile faded. "Hogwarts.. Is the best thing that ever happened to me also." Mikayla's eyes began to water a little. Whipping her eyes she smiled securely so she wouldn't have to explain the watery eyes to Alarice. "Oh, I'm positive."Mikayla said in response to the comment about if she really didn't mind her having the sweater. "Wow." Mikayla said as the girl held it up against her. "It looks great." Mikayla said giggling with a sweet smile. "Oh, I'm going with my friend to her house." "I don't know if you know her.. She is a first year Gryffie her name is Danielle." "She's really sweet." "I'm lucky to have her as a friend..." Mikayla said looking to the ground. "If she hadn't been my friend I would be stuck at my house with no one except my dad's stupid assistant Cynthia." "That would've been great." Mikayla said rolling her eyes stating the comment sarcastically.

[ashley]

"Yes I know Danielle, but just as an aquaintance. She seems nice though!" Said Alarice with a wide assuring grin, though really behind her smile, she was reliving a memory. A memory that contained images of her best friend. Her best friend who had been killed last year by death eaters. Even though Alarice still cried late at night in her room about Elly, and even though she missed her dearly and would do anything ANYTHING to have her backm, she at least had the comfort in knowing that Elly was happy where she was now. Alarice had seen her in a dream just three months ago, on the eve of her death, and she had told her so. Thinking about the night Ellly died gave her chills. She had seen it happen..she had been there.
Alarice watched Mikayla as she wiped a stray tear from her eyes just as she began to talk of how Hogwarts was the best thing that had ever happened to her. Alarice gave her a smile, then reached down in her pocket for a peice of chocolate. She loved chocolate. It was seriously the best thing in the world! "You want some?" She offered politely. Mikayla then told Alarice of how she would have been stuck at home with her fathers assistant Cynthia if she wernt going to Danielles for Christmas.
"Trust me, anywhere would be better than to what I'm going home to.." She said almost to herself.

[kristian]

"Yeah, she is." Mikayla said in response to Alarice's comment about Danielle. Mikayla looked at the girl. She had the prettiest little smile ever. Her teeth where pretty and white and sparkly. Mikayla only wished she could get her teeth like that. Even though the girl was smiling Mikayla could see a look of sorrow in her eyes. I know Mikayla has been studying facial expressions too much. Mikayla was just intelligent in that way. She new when her friends were hiding something, or were mad or sad. Mikayla wasn't going to ask Alarice what was wrong. She didn't want to Mikayla remembered the time she was talking to Dana and she ran out of the room crying. Mikayla didn't want that to happen again.

"I would love some." "Thank you" Mikayla said. The girl had offered her some chocolate. "The number one highest rated comfort food in the book." Mikayla laughed. She smiled her did you get it kind of smile and placed the yummy chocolate on her tongue. "Why are your parents divorced?" "Oh.. Sorry excuse me for my curiosity if you don't want to talk about that its ok." "It just helps me when I talk about the issues with my family. It helps me vent rather than holding in my emotions." Mikayla remembered her councilor once telling her something similar. "Scary!" Mikayla thought to herself.

[ashley]

Alarice giggled at Mikayla's joke about the chocolate. It really was true that chocolate worked wonders! Alarice's mother had once told her that chocolate helps calm you down and restore your energy after a run-in with a death eater.
"Why did my parents get divorced?" Alarice thought about it a moment. She knew why..well she knew parts of why. Her father hadnt known her mother was a witch when he married her. That may have been a big part in it all, but Alarice was only 2 when they divorced, so all she really knew was a bunch of crap she had picked up over the years by eavesdroping and what not. She decided to share it with Mikayla.
"Well, from what I know, my mum and dad met at a muggle club. My mum was a bit of a rebel and enjoyed going into the muggle world and mingling with the muggle's, even if her it was against her parents wishes. That's when she met my dad. They started dating, but she never had the courage to tell him what she really was..they got married and still he had no idea she was a witch. But when she got pregnant with me, she knew it was important that she tell him. She knew that I would not be able to control my magic as I grew up, and she knew that it wasnt right for me to not be told I was a witch. So..she told him. I dont know why but he stayed with her till I was old enough to walk and talk, and then he walked out the door and never came back. The last my mum heard of him was when she signed the divorce papers. I dont even remember what he looks like..." Alarice stared down at the rug on the floor and thought about all she had just said. She wasnt really sad that she had never had a father. What bothered her the most was that--she felt horrible for thinking it--that she really had a thing against muggles because of him. Which was completely stupid because they were people just like her, and she infact was part muggle.
"Most of them just dont understand." Alarice thought aloud. "They dont realize that we're just like them, and that our magic isnt scary or weird..it's just a gift.."

[kristian]

Mikayla looked at the girl as she told her why her parents were divorced. "So.." Mikayla began. "Thats the only reason you know of?" Mikayla said sweetly. "At least you still have your mum." Mikayla said to Alarice. "Don't take this question the wrong way, but which would you choose if you had to?" "Would you choose divorced parents, or parents that are never (never) around?" Mikayla asked curiously. "I know its a strange question.." "But its also a question I need an answer to." Mikayla said trying to remain happy and cheerful. Mikayla waited for the girl to answer, then she thought of another question to ask."You don't need to answer that previous question." Mikayla smiled. "What was the craziest thing you did while growing up a witch.?" Mikayla laughed as she remembered some of the things she had done. Well, the things she could remember anyways. Mikayla looked around the room waiting for a reponse from Alarice.

[ashley]

Alarice thought about Mikayla's first question for a while before answering. She had said Alarice didnt have to answer but she wanted too. She could tell Mikayla wanted to know. "You know, I would actually choose divorced parents over parents who were never around. I just wish I could meet my dad, have him around so I didnt have to feel so much hate because of him.." She said watching the girl closely. "Why do you ask?" She saw something flicker in Mikayla's cheerful, friendly eyes. She saw a sadness there that hadnt been there a few moments ago. "But anyway, once when I was little I stole my mums wand, because I was always so desperate to try magic but she would never let me. She always told me I would have to wait untill I got to Hogwarts. So anyway, I stole the wand and I tried to turn my goldfish into a tea cup like I had seen her do once before, but I ended up enlarging it untill it was about as big as half my bedroom. I got in SO much trouble for that one!" She giggled.

[kristian]

"Just curious." Mikayla replied coldly, kind of shivering. Mikayla felt as a tear was developing in her eye. Mikayla sucked it up and calmed down. Mikayla made a false smile acting as if she was fine and was still happy and cheerful. When the truth was not so bright and full of sunshine and rainbows. Mikayla smiled a little. She realized she shouldn't be sad about this, it was her parents mistake not hers, she hadn't done anything wrong to make them avoid her so. Mikayla laughed at what Alarice had done when she was younger with her goldfish. Mikayla smiled and laughed as she began to admit. "My mum is a witch also, one time when I was say 5 years old.." Mikayla began. "I have always been curious." "So I saw my mums wand and as the same reason as you, I began getting curious as to what would happen if I waved and said what my mum had said before." Mikayla laughed. "So I grabbed the wand and darted behind the couch of my play room, I swished it around say all these words I had heard my mum say, and before you know it the room was filled with all this stuff, and I even made the couch float up to the ceiling." "It was a mess, to say the least." Mikayla said laughing. Remembering those time when she had a mother and a father.

[ashley]

"Are you cold? You can borrow my sweater." Said Alarice, noticing that Mikayla was shivering. She held it out to see if her companion wanted it.
Alarice laughed as Mikayla told her story of how she had stolen her mothers wand as well. "I remember how excited I was when I got my wand and I could actually use it without blowing something up, or enlarging my pets." She said with a smile, then noticed something sad sparkle in Mikayla's pretty eyes. Alarice watched the girl closely. She was very good at reading people. Very little ever got by her, and she was always the one to notice when someone was upset. She had a feeling that something was wrong with Mikayla, but she didnt want to just flat out ask and make the girl uncomfortable. Alarice hated sharing her emotions with most people, or people close to her for some odd reason. She wasnt very good at opening up. She also wasnt very good at giving up once she wanted to know something. So she thought about all Mikayla had told her in the past 15 minutes they had been talking. She remembered how Mikayla had suddenly become distracted as the topic changed to their parents, and she thought of her fathers assistant she had mentioned earlier, Cynthia. And then she had an idea. "It's your parents isnt it? Is that why you asked if I'd rather have divorced ones or ones you never see? Do your parents work a lot?" Oh great, why did I say that. Alarice scolded herself. She wasnt very good at holding her tounge either. What a rude thing to just burst out. She thought, hoping that she hadnt butted into anything too personal.

[kristian]

"No, I'm fine." Mikayla said smiling. Mikayla looked over at Alarice, Mikayla new Alarice wanted to ask her. Mikayla just waited for her to say something. When Alarice asked about Mikayla's parents, Mikayla wasn't surprised or bothered at all about talking about them. She needed to let out some of the bucket loads of thoughts that were running through her mind. "Yeah, My parents are never around." "They used to at least write to me.." "But they don't even do that anymore.." Mikayla said looking directly in the girls eyes. "Its ok that you asked me you know.." Mikayla said to the girl, because she looked as if she was beating herself up about asking Mikayla that question. "My parents got really busy with ministry business when I was like 6 or so." "Thats when I got my first ever nanny.." "But she wasn't nice at all, she stole my mum's jewels and dad's wine." "Well, anyway they haven't been home but once since then." "Sometimes.." Mikayla began.. "I have to look at pictures around the house just to remember what they look like.." Mikayla hurt. She got a lump in her throat, her eyes were watering, and her heart felt like it was going a mile a minute. No one could fully understand Mikayla's pain. Mikayla was always looking for the one person who might could understand the feeling of your parents leaving and not ever coming back, but still being alive. Just never coming back home. Having a different nanny or care-taker each week. "The person who took care of me before Hogwarts wasn't my mum, nor my dad, it was Cynthia, my dad's dowdy assistant." "She isn't even his assistant she just takes care of me, the kid in the way all the time." "Up until I got my letter to Hogwarts.." "You know.." Mikayla began. "They haven't written me once while being here, they didn't even say goodbye." "Its funny you know.." "I didn't do a thing to have deserved having them leave like they did.." "But do I still blame myself yes.." Mikayla looked up at Alarice. She was still and cold. Mikayla looked scared. She sounded as if she was sobbing, but when Mikayla looked up, there was but one single tear rolling down her pale pink cheek.

[ashley]

Alarice listened as Mikayla began to tell all about her parents. She was relieved that she hadnt minded Alarices boldness. As Mikayla finished her explanation, she seemed to be in tears. Alarice reached over and gave the girl a hug, feeling sincerley sorry for her. She knew what she was going through. She knew how it felt to be neglected.
"It's not fair is it? That all you've ever done was love them and they dont even have the decency to stick around long enough to say hello." Alarice said angrily, to herself, referring to both Mikayla's parents and infact, her own. "My mum hasnt been around a lot lately either. And of course, my dad never has been. All my mum ever wants to do is be with Frank. All they ever do is go on vacation together. And not that I'm complaining about not having much money, but I must say, it does irritate me that here I am wearing things from two years ago with holes and stains while my step--while Frank and my mum are off in Spain in some fancy hotel. It just makes me feel like I'm not good enough, you know? Like being in my company isnt as good as being with Frank. Do you ever feel that way? Like your just not enough?"

[kristian]

"Try all the time.." Mikayla said still crying, actually by now she was sobbing. People were starting to stare. "Sometimes, before I came here.." Mikayla began, she was kind of snorting because she was talking while sobbing. "I would just write down every feeling I felt while my parents were away for the first time, it helped me get out the anger." Mikayla said whipping her eyes with her hand. "One time, one of my nannies found my journal, and she showed it to my mum, and you know what happened next..?" Mikayla asked now frustrated thinking about this memory. "Four long years in a counselor's office, thats what happened." Mikayla was still sobbing but not as violently as before. "Every time I see someone with their parents or grandparents, I get sick." "I literally puke sometimes thinking about them.. I just puke." Mikayla said, her voice getting quiet. Mikayla didn't even bother looking around. She could feel the eyes of everyone in the room burning into her. Mikayla looked up at Alarice, and asked. "Do ever feel like Hogwarts, is the only thing you have?" Mikayla said almost silent.

[ashley]

Alarice held Mikayla tightly as she sobbed into her arms, while she tried to tell Alarice more. People were beginning to stare but she didnt care one bit. Let them stare, they didnt understand what was going on; nonetheless, just so they could be alone to talk, after Mikayla had finished what she was saying, Alarice led her to the back of the room behind one of the tall bookcases.
"Did the counsling even help?" Alarice asked. "Probably not, considering the problem wasnt with you, it was with your parents.."
She stared at the ground a moment before she continued. "You know, when I first got to Hogwarts I felt it was the best thing that ever happened to me, and you know, it really is wonderfull. But you have to remember your friends. I wouldnt be anywhere without my friends. They really help me get by. Their the only family I need. I bet your parents still love you, Mikayla. And you havnt done anything wrong to drive them away. Sometimes, sometimes people just get carried away. I know this may not have been much of a help, but just so you know, if you ever want to talk about it, you can come to me." Alarice stared at the floor and began to play with the laces of her blue tennis shoes. "My father couldnt possibly have cared about me..who leaves a two year old behind and never comes back?" She asked with a sickening laugh.

[kristian]

"Don't worry about that.." Mikayla said in response to Alarice's comment about coming to talk to her when she needed to. Mikayla wasn't being snotty when she said that, she meant it like the kind "Heck yeah I will" type thing. "Parents can be so dumb.." "They get caught up in their own lives and don't even take the time to notice they have other things to take care of besides themselves." Mikayla said watching as Alarice played with her shoe laces. "Maybe, your dad was scared of trying something new." Mikayla said in an understanding tone of voice. Mikayla saw the people staring at them while they walked back to the back of the room and continued to talk. "Oh, no the counseling didn't help." Mikayla said sweetly. "But your right, it never was me who had to change.." Mikayla said drying her eyes with her hand.

[ashley]

"Your right." Began Alarice, feircly wiping away the tears that had begun to form in her eyes as well. She was NOT going to cry. She hated crying almost as much as she hated the pain her father had left behind for her to drown in. Crying made Alarice feel vulnerable and weak, and she would not do that to herself..not again. "My father was afraid of my mothers magic, but he must of been afraid of what he created. Me." She shook her head and laughed bitterly. "Like I was a monster or something, that he couldnt love.." She paused a moment, to collect herself, then cast a look around the place where her and Mikayla sat, facing eachother behind the bookshelf. People were peering in on them with curious faces, whispering to one another as they "nonchalantly passed". Alarice smiled.
"Looks like we've created quite the scene." She said to Mikayla. "And you never even got to finish your letter!" She stood up and held her arm out for Mikayla. "You know, thanks for talking about all this with me. It's nice to know someone else can understand." She said with a smile. "It really does help to talk about it. Even if we havent solved anything, I feel loads better!"