The Best Things Are Free ((Ingrid))

[Aaron Byers H4]

Aaron quietly made his way through the thick crowds of students. His face was set like stone. It wasn’t cheerful and expressive as everyone knew him to be, but impassive. Even when he looked in the mirror, he didn’t recognize himself. His hair was now shades darker, no longer to his chin, but rather cut short to above his ears. There were just visible bruises on his soft complexion. The memories of summer still haunting him like a dark cloud that just won’t go away. Yes, he had realized something from getting stabbed. That there were worst things that can happen and at least he had lived. There was only a fifty percent chance that he would survive, yet here he was, walking the hallways. Some would be grateful to still be alive. Aaron does a bit, but he wished he hadn’t pushed Ingrid away. She was only trying to help him, she wanted to help him, and he just shoved that guidance away. His thoughts seized momentarily as a younger student almost collided with him from the corner of the hallway. They apologized quietly under their breath, moving around Aaron. He stared at the boy until his figure was a dot before continuing his way down the hallway. There was a pile of homework that he had to finish, which was all due the next day. Aaron and homework….that was a strange and rare sight to see.

Finding an empty table by the window, Aaron slumped down to into the chair. He sat there for a moment, staring blindly at the table top. Why was he being so introverted? Aaron had been fine the following weeks before Hogwarts. Actually, he was working more with his guitar and camera as if nothing really was wrong. Strangely, he felt alone. It was almost like his whole life was flushed down the toilet ever since the attack. Aaron also missed Ingrid. He had seen her in the hallway a couple times, but never really talked to her. She was still probably still mad at him ever since the hospital visits. She had changed. Her hair was longer, lighter blonde, and her whole appearance was more mature. Ingrid had changed a lot since he last saw her. Did she think the same of him with his whole new appearance? Aaron had hit a growths sprout, now standing proudly at 5’8” feet and still growing. Closing his eyes, he took a deep, soothing breath before moving his backpack on top of his lap. Unzipping the zipper, he took out various rolls of parchment, along with text books. He was a charms and transfiguration essay due the next day. Why didn’t professors ever give longer due dates for assignments? Sighing, he decided on working on his Charms essay first. That should be easier then having to re-read his notes.

Sighing, he ran his fingers through his messy mop of hair. Resting his cheek on the palm of his hand, Aaron stared down at the neatly unrolled parchment. Where to start? The soft feather of the quill brushed against his mouth, as he tried to think of an opening sentence. Aaron might have changed into actually caring about his homework, but he still wasn’t all too good at finishing it. At least it was a change from not even doing it. His professors even noticed a different change in Aaron. Actually, everyone noticed his new demeanor. Giving up, the quill dropped from his hand as his eyes closed leisurely. He could see the little boy’s face he met in his stay at the hospital. The boy’s body was frail, almost breakable if you tried to hold him. Aaron remembered every detail about him. The color of his eyes, the way he always smiled when Aaron sat down to play cards with him. Through all his troubles, and knowing that he wouldn’t live long, he was still happy to be alive. It made Aaron appreciate to still be living…too still be breathing…to be able to walk. Yet Aaron was still unhappy. Feel a hand upon his back, Aaron opened his eyes looking behind him to see who it was.

[Ingrid Lewis H4]

Ingrid had been a lot more excited to return to Hogwarts this year than she had been the last two years. But then Aaron had gone all bonkers and wouldn’t talk to her. Suddenly Hogwarts was a dark and depressing place to be again. Of course, Sita was there and Ingrid was happy that they were talking again; but she hated the fact that Aaron had just let her walk away like he had. She had been only been trying to help, but he had to be angry toward. Ingrid sighed as she thought about this and made her way through the corridors of the castle. She really did miss her best friend, but it wasn’t only the fact that she missed her best friend – it was the fact that in his absence… she realized she felt more for him than a best friend. Not too much, but she knew that her feelings were stronger than any other feelings she had for anyone else. Well, I mean, Sita had a different type of feeling toward her. Sita was more like a sister and Ingrid wanted to say that the feelings she had for Aaron were just like a brother – but they weren’t. She knew that deep down, they were more than that. This kind of confused her, but it also really hurt her with how Aaron was acting. Then again, it wasn’t like she had told him. She didn’t plan on telling him either. No, that wouldn’t go over well at all. Ingrid sighed again and ran her fingers through her long blonde hair.

She had really changed since first year; but that was expected wasn’t it? Not only had her attitude changed, but her looks had as well. Her once nearly white blonde hair was now a honey colour and hung down her shoulders. She liked it long, that was one good thing that had come out of her second year. The only good thing, Ingrid would say. She tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. She had gotten her ears pierced over the summer, too, and silver medium sized hoops hung in them at the moment. Ingrid had also gotten taller, she now stood at about 5’6” and she was fairly certain she wasn’t going to get any taller. That was okay, Ingrid didn’t like the idea of being anything taller than 5’6”. Her skin colour wasn’t so pale anymore and it had a lot more colour to it. Her smile was nicer, straighter. All in all, Ingrid looked older. She looked 14 and that was good, because she was 14. She remembered how she used to hate how she looked like she was 6 when she was 11. It wasn’t all that bad, though, was it, Ing? No. First year wasn’t all that bad at all. Ingrid sighed once more as she turned the corridor and opened the door to the library. She had thought about getting her essays done before she completely forgot to do them. Honestly, she had been slipping a bit in her academics. Not too much, but she wasn’t on top of them like she was those first few years. Ingrid was a clever student, but she was rather lazy this year.

As Ingrid entered the library, she let her blue eyes scan over the occupants. Normally she worked in the common room, but she figured she wouldn’t get too much done in there today – so the library had won the toss up. Perhaps she should have stayed with the decision to work in the common room, though, because immediately Ingrid spotted Aaron sitting at a table; his eyes closed and propped up by his elbow. Ingrid let out a lengthy breath and tried to calm herself. She couldn’t just let him push her aside like he was. Oh, how hypocritical of you Ingrid May. That’s exactly what you did to Sita… well, yes, it was – but perhaps she could understand where Sita had been coming from now that it was happening to her. Ingrid took a step toward the table Aaron was sitting at, her hand gripping the strap of her shoulder bag. She eyed him a moment longer, losing a breath, before shivering and making her way toward him with determination. She must have been extremely quiet, though, or he must have been caught deep in his thoughts because he didn’t turn around when she approached him from behind. After a quiet moment, Ingrid placed her hand on his back and then slid into the seat next to him; letting her shoulder bag fall to the floor, “Hi…” she said in nearly a whisper, “doing your Charms essay?”

[Aaron Byers H4]

Aaron’s eyes were slowly starting to droop as he read the instructions over again. He didn’t know how to start the essay. It was a simple topic really. Explaining what the Accio charm was, it’s origin, and if you successfully completed it in class. Most class essays were like that. Giving conclusions on how you performed in class, and if you achieved it well. Feeling a hand on his back, Aaron jolted awake seeing a flash of blonde hair out of the corner of his eye. He didn’t look at the person until he heard them speak. It was Ingrid’s voice! Aaron tried to contain his smile as he glanced in her direction. She really had changed. She even looked stunning in Aaron’s eyes… “Hey,” he finally greeted as a short pause of silence. He didn’t know what to say to Ingrid. “Just talk to her like old times. The little voice inside his head said, making Aaron look back down on his paper. “Yeah, I’m still trying to finish this essay. It isn’t a hard topic, but I just don’t have the inspiration to write it, you know?” His blue eyes flickered from the paper to Ingrid’s face, a small smile finally curling on his lips. “Have you finished it yet?” Of course he probably had. Ingrid was always on time with turning in her word. She always tried to push Aaron into finishing his own homework, which never was on time. Aaron then laughed lightly, looking back down at his paper. “I’m normally never doing my homework…strange how things change easily.”

Biting his lower lip, his fingers slowly brushed through the feathers of his quill. It was a true statement. After Ingrid had been hospitalized last year, she had changed, just like Aaron. What the worst part of that was, Aaron wasn’t there for her. He was so self-centered to even visit her. Closing his eyes again, he listened to the silence around them, even though there were hoarse whispers from the other side of the library. “How have you’ve been, Ing?” he finally asked, getting the courage to look up from his paper. His eyes met hers, and instantly he wanted to apologize to her, but he couldn’t bring himself to say the words. Yes he was sorry for pushing her aside like he had, and he wanted to make up for loss time, but maybe it was best that she had left him alone. It made Aaron realize that there were worse things that can happen in the world. That little boy was a prime example. Even though he was going through harsh treatments, he still had hope, and the will to live. The thought of the boy made Aaron depressed all over again. He was so selfish. That was all in the past. Aaron was a changed man. He really had to start following his fathers and mothers advice. He couldn’t dwell on the past, but look forward to what tomorrow could be.

“I’m sorry…” Aaron finally blurted out tearing his gaze away from the stone wall he had been staring at before. “I’m sorry for pushing you away like I did…for saying what I said….” He sighed running his hands through his hair. “Time alone really left me to realize what I haven’t noticed in life.” Aaron soon began to pick apart the feathers of his quill, processing what to state through his mind. “But it was still wrong what I’ve had done to you and you were only trying to be there for me when I wasn’t there for you,” Setting the quill down on the table, Aaron gazed back into Ingrid face, his cold face finally showing some life. “It’s really hard to go on….I felt somewhat better after the accident….but I’m still fearful and empty inside.” Aaron took a deep breath from the bottom of his lungs, releasing the air. He hoped Ingrid would accept his apology to help him. He did need help, and Ingrid was the only person who could do that.

[Ingrid Lewis H4]

Ingrid smiled brightly at Aaron, or as bright as she could make her smile, she propped her head up by her elbow on the table and looked at Aaron’s essay briefly before looking back up at him, “Nah, I haven’t finished it. I haven’t even started it.” She knew that would sound odd coming from her. Ingrid was always on top of her assignments, she was never behind. She turned them in on time and they were done nearly perfectly. She was a clever girl, in fact sometimes she wondered why she hadn’t been placed in Ravenclaw, but that was okay with her. Ingrid loved being in Hufflepuff. “I’ve actually, kind of, been slacking in my work lately…” her voice dropped again into a small whisper as she turned around in the chair completely with her legs under the table, “My mind’s been elsewhere, you could say.” She looked at him with a sad smile and tapped her fingertips on the table as they sat in silence for a moment before Aaron mentioned on how strange it was that things changed so easily. Another sad smile appeared on her face and she nodded in agreement. It was quite sad, too, how things changed so easily. Ingrid could honestly tell you four years ago that she would not have seen the things that had happened to her and her friends, happen to them. She didn’t ever think her world would have been turned upside down like it had been, but it had, and it had happened fast. Super fast. Ingrid watched him, noticing that he couldn’t look at her at all, but that would all come in time – she knew it would.

Finally, he looked up at her as he asked her how she had been and Ingrid smiled a small smile and shrugged slightly, “Right as rain, I suppose. I don’t know. I could be better, but I’m not really complaining because I’ve been worse, you know?” She looked at him, straight in the eyes, trying to show him that she wasn’t upset with him for avoiding her – that she completely understood where he was coming from. Hell, she had avoided her friends for a whole year; him avoiding her like he was? It was kind of like payback in Ingrid’s eyes. She deserved it. She thought she deserved worse, actually. “I’m helping Janine adjust to life here. She’s overly excited so she gets herself worked up into this little ball of energy and tends to scare people. She kind of reminds me of myself in first year, but not nearly as outgoing.” Ingrid smiled wistfully as she tucked a strand of her blonde hair behind her and lowered her gaze to the table in front of her. She had been ecstatic when she had found out her younger sister was going to be joining her at Hogwarts; she had missed her so much the first three years she was there alone. Now that Janine was there, though, Ingrid couldn’t be truly happy because she was missing Aaron.

When Aaron spoke again, he was apologizing to her. Ingrid looked over at him intently, listening to his every word and when he was finished, Ingrid turned slightly in her chair. She lifted her hand and ran her fingers through Aaron’s hair before fixing it so it looked nice and combed, a smile on her face again; “Aaron, don’t worry about it. I understand where you were coming from. At least you had the guts to apologize and realize what was the wrong in what you did as soon as you realized it. I didn’t realize it until a year later and I still don’t think Sita’s forgiven me completely. I forgive you, though, but I don’t think there was much to forgive in the first place. You did what I did and I know why I did it which means I understand why you did it.” She sat back in her seat and picked up his quill to straighten out the feathers that he had been messing up only moments before, “I can tell you right now, you aren’t going to be the same old Aaron Ladies Man Byers that you were first year or anything, but I can help you become this new Aaron that’s just as great if not greater.”

[Aaron Byers H4]

Aaron’s eyebrow rose curiously at Ingrid’s comment. She wasn’t finished? That was odd. Ingrid was usually always on top of her school work to the point where she bugged Aaron to finish his. He missed those days. Aaron missed his old carefree attitude in general. Now he was just flat out boring......broken to a point that he didn’t know who he was, and Aaron hated that feeling. He had never felt such a way before. “This is kind of ironic. Normally I’m the one who doesn’t even turn in their homework. Now your behind and I’m slightly caught up.” Aaron chuckled inaudibly at the idea. That was the first attempt at a laugh he made in months. Looking down at the table, his blue eyes bore into the sandy parchment. His fingers brushed through the soft feathers of the quill as Ingrid continued to speak. She had mentioned that there was something on her mind that was keeping her from her studies. Could it be about him? Or maybe it was Sita? Nodding, he looked up at his friend, gazing into her face. It didn’t really strike Aaron on how much she had changed until then. “I know what you mean…” he began looking back off into the distance. His eyes traced the shelves of books in the distance. “There have been a lot of things on my mind too…but working on school work has helped with occupying my thoughts….” Aaron left out the part on his pressing issue of insomnia. He was afraid of his nightmares, which made him feel more vulnerable. Just like any other guy, Aaron didn’t like showing his fears to the world. Maybe Ingrid already knew about it? Also, there really wasn’t anyone else for Aaron to talk to. He hadn’t been able to talk to his old friends since his return. “What have you’ve been thinking about lately?”

His question hung in the air as Aaron adverted his gaze back down on the table. He just couldn’t bring himself to look at Ingrid. When he finally looked up at her, she began explaining how her life was going so far. He listened intently trapped in Ingrid’s gaze. Aaron could see understanding reflecting in her sparkling eyes. Was she trying to tell him something? Confused, he waited as she continued on about Janine. He grinned at her detail. Aaron had seen Ingrid’s younger sister around, but never really gotten around to talking to her. Janine probably knew that Aaron was off limits to taunt by Ingrid’s order. “I miss those years…” he finally added a sad smile spreading across his face. Aaron really did miss being able to run around and pull pranks on random people with Ingrid. That was the past, and now they were changed people. Maybe their new personalities could bring them to a new level in their friendship? Aaron smiled at the thought. He would like to get to know Ingrid on a more personal level. It wasn’t that he always knew much about her, but he wanted to know more. There were probably things that she couldn’t tell him last year that she could now. “But I think that what happened to us was suppose to mold up into something more than what we were….” Aaron trailed off staring deeply into Ingrid’s eyes. “I just don’t know if I can find myself again….”

As soon as Aaron was finished apologizing, his chest was heaving rapidly. Would she be able to forgive his rude demeanor toward her? Aaron’s eyes grew wide as Ingrid raked her fingers through his hair, smiling at him. He watched and listened to her attentively as she spoke. She wasn’t mad? A wave of relief flowed through Aaron as he smiled to himself. Ingrid had taken his quill, straightening the feathers out continuing on the direction of change. Aaron nodded as he took the quill from her hands. Setting the writing utensil on the table, he covered his hands with hers. His fingers softly brushed across her skin, Aaron own way to nonverbal thank her. “I’m willing to change…but I feel so lost….broken….I just don’t know where to begin Ing….”

[Ingrid Lewis H4]

Ingrid eyed her best friend with calm blue eyes, as he seemed to continue to avoid her gaze. She didn’t say anything about him mentioning her slacking in her school work or in the fact that it was ironic. In fact, she just continued to stare at him with a sense of knowledge. She knew he was burying himself in his work to escape the feeling that he didn’t like. She had done the same exact thing. She had been top student in her second and third year and now she was just an average student who hurried to finish something. She listened to him intently when he spoke about understanding what she meant when she said she had a lot of things on her mind. Of course he knew what she meant, he probably knew what she meant better than most people did. She didn’t say this though, in fact – she didn’t say anything until he asked her what was on her mind. Her eyes bore into Aaron and she smiled softly, “You.” Honesty came so easily from Ingrid to Aaron, it was always that way. She never lied to him, ever. Why would she start now? “I’ve been thinking about you. Mostly about what I could do to make you forgive me for butting into your business. A lot of the time, though, I’ve just been thinking about our friendship.” Ingrid reclined in the chair, making it tip back a bit – only on two legs. She knew it was dangerous and that Madame Pince would be snapping at her soon enough, but she honestly didn’t care.

“Ahh, those years. The wonder years. The years of giggles and smiles and no tears. I miss them, too, but you know what?” Ingrid smiled over at Aaron with a sparkle in her eyes, “I like these years. I like being able to understand things that I couldn’t understand when I was younger. I like being able to say that I understand those things, you know? I like being able to be older. I like talking with my mother about things that I couldn’t talk to her about when I was eleven and I love being able to direct Janine in the place that I think she’d be best in.” Ingrid wouldn’t change anything for the world at all. She loved the way things turned out and she loved the fact that she was happy; even if Aaron wasn’t at that specific moment. She knew he would be eventually. She looked at him intensely as he said something along the lines of things happening because it was supposed to mold their relationship into something else…something other than friendship. Her heart jumped slightly and she smiled at him, “What? Like Frenemies? Jeeze, Aaron, I didn’t know you hated me that much.” Her tone was joking, but she didn’t dare say what she had been thinking when he mentioned that. She nudged him with her elbow before laughing quietly and running her fingers through her long blonde hair, “I see what you mean, though. If we had stayed in our ignorance like we were in first year, we wouldn’t be able to have this conversation.

“And sure you will, Aaron. You’re stuck with me as a friend and I’m going to try my hardest to make you remember who you were.” Ingrid smiled softly at him and by now he had started apologizing. After she had finished combing his hair and sat back with the quill, Aaron had regained some form of composure and then took the quill from her hands and took hers into his. She lifted her gaze to him, silent once more, as she listened to him speak. Once he was finished, Ingrid smiled brightly, “You begin with re-…” “Ingrid!” Ingrid closed her eyes a moment and then looked up to see a small first year with light blonde hair running over toward Ingrid and Aaron, a smile on her face brighter than the sun. Janine didn’t seem to notice that Ingrid and Aaron were in the middle of something, because she hopped onto Ingrid’s lap and looked at Aaron with wide eyes. Ingrid took her hand from Aaron’s and ran her fingers through her younger sister’s hair. Janine reminded Ingrid so much of herself in first year and she didn’t know if that was a good thing or a bad thing. Would Janine be able to grow up without something terrible happening to her? Ingrid didn’t want to think about it. She smiled softly at Aaron, “Aaron, you remember Janie? Janie, Aaron?” Janine smiled and nodded before nestling her head underneath Ingrid’s chin and closing her eyes. Ingrid shook her head slightly before wrapping her arms around the small girls’ frame as she whispered to Aaron, “You begin with remembering someone who’s…well…who’s made you…you.”

[Aaron Byers H4]

Aaron couldn’t help but smile underneath his crossed arms as Ingrid answered. Were thoughts of him really occupying her mind? Ingrid was all Aaron’s mind could focus on lately. He didn’t want to continue avoiding her. There was no reason to now. “I don’t understand why you would want me forgiveness…” he whispered subtly, his head rising slightly. “I’m the one who should apologize. You were only being a best friend, and that’s what friends do. They worry about each other.” Nodding Aaron propped his elbow onto the table. Aaron had time to reflect on his life during his stay at the muggle hospital. The one thing that his mind made endless circles on was Ingrid. He hated not being there when she needed him; especially in their second year. While Aaron was running around the castle with the delusion of being a top secret agent, Ingrid was hurting inside. Not once did he ever think about helping her. How could she still want to be his friend after that? “I don’t understand,” Aaron concluded, his voice breaking the brief silence between them. “Even though I was never such a great friend toward you…..You were always there for me and not once were I there for you…” he acknowledged, looking Ingrid back in the eyes. “Yet you’re still here.” Smiling at the thought, Aaron tilted his head to the side slightly, still holding her gaze. There was a twinkle of happiness sparkling into Ingrid’s own beautifully shaped eyes. “I’m really grateful for that. Thank you.”

Smiling as Ingrid continued on about the joys of growing up, Aaron rested his head into his open palm. He was listening intentatively to every word that came out of her mouth, nodding a few times where and there. She was absolutely correct about everything. Growing up gave more opportunities and opened doors that were always shut. Even though Aaron missed his old carefree personality, he was welcoming all the new emotions overcoming him. Feelings that he used to thought were disgusting, weren’t anymore. Actually, they sounded quite more appealing than saving the world from pretend super villains. Beaming at the thought Aaron caught Ingrid’s gaze as she responded toward their friendship growing into something more. “I don’t like the sound of any of those,” he began, a teasing smile stretching across his face. “Actually, a friend with benefits is the first meaningless phrase that pops into my head.” Laughing, he rolled his eyes emphasizing that he was only joking. That would just be strange. How could you be friends with someone, but yet get more that was in a relationship? Some people did that, especially guys. Aaron didn’t want to go down that route. He wanted a solid relationship with someone that he had something in common with. “I’m only kidding, Ing. Unless that’s something you were aiming at. If so should I suggest a reality check?”

Laughing at his last statement, Aaron smiled as he watched Ingrid out of the corner of his eye. It was good to laugh, and that was exactly what Ingrid made him do. “What if I don’t want to be who I was?” he asked softly adverted his gaze to the ceiling. “I don’t want to return to my twelve year old self. I want to be someone who I could be proud of. Someone who is worth…” he began but was interrupted when a younger girl came running up toward them. Staring at the blonde girl, Aaron watched as Ingrid ran her fingers through the first year’s hair. So, this was her younger sister. Aaron couldn’t remember everyone in her family, but he most certainly remembered Janine. “So this is the famous Janine that Ingrid has boasted about,” he spoke softly leaning toward the first year with a smile stretching across his face. “Want to know a secret?” Aaron asked as the little girl nodded her head enthusiastically. Leaning toward the girl’s ear he whispered softly, nodding his head and he sat back into the chair. He knew Janine was going to tell Ingrid right away what the secret was. At least it was a better way of asking her to the Winter Bal than writing it down on a piece of paper.

[Ingrid Lewis H4]

Ingrid smiled brightly at Aaron and nudged him with her elbow, "Aaron, if I didn't bother you like this, if I didn't forgive you for the littlest things, and if I just didn't care about you – our friendship wouldn't exist. I don't know about you, but I love our friendship, I'd die if it ended." Her tone had gotten softer and her eyes had dimmed a bit, sadly, as she spoke and she felt tears appear and so she quickly turned her head to look at the book shelves, pretending to gaze at the titles. Her tears disappeared as she looked back at him when he said he didn't understand, and a smile reappeared on her face when he thanked her, "Don't, Aaron. I'm just being a good friend. It's what I do… though, Sita might disagree…" the sadness returned and she set the chair right and she looked at her hands on the table. She didn't know how Sita's friendship was going to turn out. Ingrid had been trying really hard to get things back to how they used to be, but Sita just didn't seem ready for it. Ingrid had exhausted every possibility for Sita's sourness, and the only thing she could think of that she hadn't thought of before was Aaron. She tried to tell herself that it was ridiculous to think that Sita was mad at Aaron for some reason, but then she would think about the Valentine's day ball and what Sita sang and it all seemed rather rational. Ingrid didn't know what to do. She was stuck between two of her best friends and one of them treated her badly when she was sick and the other she treated badly when she was sick. Either didn't look too bright at this particular moment. She tried to focus on the conversation she was having with Aaron, though, and so she turned her attention back to him and smiled when he spoke next.

When he mentioned friends with benefits, Ingrid raised her eyebrow at him and then laughed when he suggested a reality check; "Aaron Byers, that was something you would have done only a year ago. A friend with benefits was right up your alley." She smirked at him, feeling a pang in her heart. She knew that if he had decided to be friends with benefits with some other girl it might have just killed her right there on the spot. She wasn't sure why that was true, but she knew it would happen. Ingrid ran her fingers through her hair and listened to him talk about how he didn't want to return to his twelve year old self. He was then interrupted when they were joined by Janine. She had wrapped her arms around her little sister and was playing with her hair now, relaxing back into the chair as Aaron spoke to Janine. Ingrid couldn't help but smile at Aaron as he spoke to her younger sister, most people didn't talk to Janine because they didn't know her as any other person besides Ingrid's younger sister. She watched him intently and when he leaned over to whisper in Janine's ear, Ingrid had to keep herself from leaning her head to whisper. He leaned back and Janine watched him a moment before turning and leaning up toward Ingrid's ear, her lips brushed against it as she whispered; "Aaron wants you to go to the ball with him, Ingy. I think you should say yes…" Ingrid looked down at her sister and then back up at Aaron. It was quite like him to ask her through her sister, but that was alright… at least he had asked.

Now it was up to her to reply, but she didn’t know how to go about it. She looked at Aaron and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear before leaning over to kiss him on the cheek. She didn't say anything yet, because she didn't know what to say but she was going to answer him and her answer was going to be a yes, she would go with him, but she just really didn't know how to say it. She set Janine on the floor and the girl took a step back to watch them, her eyes watching her sister intently; "Ingy…" she said quietly. Ingrid smiled and then nodded, "Okay, I'll go with you." If it had been that easy to say why hadn't she been able to say it before? She wasn't sure, but that was okay because she had gotten her answer out now, "Any plans to go as something? You know the theme is couples throughout the ages…"