(Untitled)

[arisu_ryusaki]

Week Name/Date/Time: 'Careers Abound' / Thursday, December 8th / 7:00 PM
Location: Gryffindor Common Room
Open To: Jackie
Currently Involving: Ari, Jackie

Comments

[arisu_ryusaki]

Ari waved a hand dismissively at that. "That's what CLASSES are you," she corrected her. Doing your homework in your free time? Completely overrated. It was so much more fun to just work during the classes you didn't like and then you were free to slack off all evening!

...One wonders how Ari managed to get into any classes this year with thinking like that.

Hee. Now there's an idea! "I might just have to. I don't think he'd go without a bit of- well, loads of- help." Actually, she was fairly convinced that he was planning on sitting in the deserted library as the dance went on. And that wasn't at all expectable. She would just have to talk him into going and explain that it's for his girl training and such. And by talk, she meant drag him off, quite possibly against his will. Yes, Ari was most definitely more persistent than persuasive.

"But going with friends is always fun," she added thoughtfully. It was always more fun to hang out with a big group of people rather than just one person. "Charlie's going?" That was nearly as weird as Luc going. "I didn't think that dances were her things." Then again, she'd probably come dressed up as a pirate or something, just to be different.

While Jackie may have just faked a look of horror, Ari actually was horrified when Jackie suggested skipping it. "Jackie Zhang, you will do no such thing! You're going to come if I have to drag you out with me and you're going to like it." What a crazy though, skipping the dance. Blasphemous, really.

((*dies* Gabe sounds like some kind of man-whore or pimp in Jade!world))

[jackie_zhang]

Jackie giggled again. "I would try to do my homework in classes, but I can only get maybe half of it done then." She grinned. Her favorite classes were the ones she could zip by easily; it was her not-so-favorite ones that she had to study more. "You can get all of it done then? Even in Potions?" She could just imagine Snape chewing her head off if she even attempted to do homework in his class.

"If you can get Luc to go, then I'll go just to see!" She winked. She wondered if Ari would try to get Luc to dance with Avery, seeing as Soren had left, but even Ari wasn't that cruel... was she?

"I think Charlie might go just to spike the punch." Jackie grinned. "Or maybe Grady and her will just make an appearance before disappearing..." She really didn't want to think what they'd disappear to do, but that was better left unsaid and unthought in Jackie's opinion. "I'm not sure... I thought Charlie might like to flaunt her man about." Another chuckle. "Though I bet she'll hate to wear dress robes. Maybe she'll force him to wear the dress robes..."

"As long as you don't try to give me a makeover, I'll go with you, Ari." She laughed at Ari's horrified expression. "Maybe with both of us, we can drag Luc out?"

((He's got lots of friends who are girls! -since Akira left him, and Sean's going with Adelaide and Zomial's going with Saffron- and I just said 'hanging out' - they weren't his harem! ;D.))

[arisu_ryusaki]

"Pfft, do I look like I have a death wish? I'll have to know, I'm not completely mad." Well, that much was debatable but hush. "Potions is one class you don't want to work in." That would be sure to set Snape into a rage and she very much doubted the culprit would come out of it too well. "But I can get a lot of it done in other classes. They key is just to sit in the back and make sure to look up a lot, like you're actually paying attention. And then you can steal notes from someone else later." It was a completely brilliant plan in Ari's mind. It had served her well in the past.

"Good, good. I'll bring him just for that." Though Luc might die a slow and awkward death at the dance, especially if Ari tried to get him to ask Avery to dance. Which she would most likely do. She didn't see it as cruelty; she was just trying to help him be able to deal with girls without hyperventilating and making a fool out of himself. It wasn't like she was going to make him ask her out; it was just a dance, after all. They didn't even have to talk.

"She would." Note to self: don't drink the punch. "Ooooh, that would be marvelous," she giggled, laughing at the thought of Grady in Charlie's robes. That would be completely priceless. And completely something that Charlie would do. "We may just have to bring a camera to the dance."

"Aw, but makeovers are so much fun!" she pouted. "But fine. I've given you a makeover once so I won't try it again." She heaved a great sigh as if she was making a huge sacrifice. Of course, she was blatantly lying. Did Jackie really think that she would give up that chance? Ha. Now's there's a laugh. It would be very wise if Jackie stayed clear of Ari the day of the dance because the 6th year would most likely try to do her hair and makeup. "But between us, I think we have a very good chance of getting him out. Who can say no to us? We're an unstoppable team, you and I." Not that Luc could say no to anyone but that was besides the point.

[jackie_zhang]

Jackie chuckled at Ari's homework strategy. "I guess that would beat Avis' way... she just falls asleep instead, despite the glares and the docked points we get from Snape." She grinned, then tilted her head in thought. "I'd try that, Ari..." she winked, "but I'm the one they get the notes from."

"Maybe... you should try teaching Luc to dance too..." Jackie suggested. "Maybe then he'll feel... less awkward? And I think you have about two weeks to give lessons..." She would offer to help, but just getting Luc to agree to the entire thing would be a feat in itself. Besides, she didn't think she could dance quite as good as Ari.

She giggled though at the thought of Charlie and Grady. "I want to see her in dress robes though..." Jackie grinned. "I don't think I've ever seen her in a dress... but if you do sneak in a camera, be sure to hide it. Or she'll destroy it... and us."

"I'm sure if we find more friends to hang out with, he wouldn't feel as... singled out?" She continued. She would have to see if Saffron felt up to going without Zomial, and if Lauren and Sly weren't doing their own things... but it was hard to figure out who was still there. So many people were leaving due to the threat and dangers surrounding the castle, and it just felt empty. Jackie hugged her bear to herself, not wanting to voice those depressing thoughts to her friend. "But sure... I doubt he'd say no to us."

[arisu_ryusaki]

"She sleeps in potions?" Ari repeated, sounding completely shocked. "Brave girl, that Avis." Even if Ari was capable of sleeping in class, she wouldn't dare try and sleep through potions. It was far more obvious than just working on something else and it was also far more likely to anger Snape. "I don't know how even survives to tell the tale." But Jackie did have a point. Who else would the 5th years go to if it wasn't for Jackie? She very much doubted Charlie took notes and Avis slept during class. Possibly Tatiana but Jackie seemed like a more likely candidate. Poor girl. Forced to pay attention in all of her classes for her housemates. She must have the Gryffindor selfless spirit.

Ari's eyes lit up at the suggestion. "Oh that would be just GRAND!" she cried, clapping her hands together in excitement. "I'm sure he'll feel awkward no matter what we do but maybe he'll look less awkward and that's all that matters." Spoken like a true shallow girl. The only hard part would be getting him to agree. Hurm. But she was sure she could manage. Luc was a giant pushover, after all.

"Maybe they'll both come in dress robes?" If Charlie had to suffer through it, she might just force Grady to suffer with her. "I can't even IMAGINE her in a dress." No matter how hard she thought, she just couldn't see it. They really must remedy this sometime in the near future. "Oh, don't worry. I can be quite discreet when I want to be," she reassured her, adding a wink for good measure.

Ahahahahahahahaha. Ari? Discreet? What a crazy thought. It was surprising that she even know what discreet meant.

"Does he have friends?" Fine, it was rudely said but it was true. She had absolutely no idea who he hung out with. "Maybe Julian and Lexi could help us." She thought the former was friends with him and he and Lexi had met and seemed to like each other enough. "Darcy or Sascha maybe?" Hurm. She would really need to work on figuring out who he liked.

Before she could give it another thought, Jackie's bear caught her eye. She stared at it curiously, trying to figure out why Jackie would be carrying a stuffed bear. "Why have you got a bear?" she asked, looking puzzled. "And what's it got on it?" she added, squinting at the thing. It looked like a blue blob. Huh.

[jackie_zhang]

"Yeah... but she's done it for a while... so I'm sure she has a system." Jackie laughed at Ari's expression. "Hiding in the back, making sure the potions' smoke screen covers her..." She shrugged. "I really have no idea since I usually am busy with my cauldron and trying to help Charlie without looking like I'm helping her... because you know if Snape catches me, there goes another ten points from Gryffindor. You'd have to ask Avis how she manages..." She grinned.

"I'll leave the cornering Luc and dragging him to an empty classroom to dance for you." Jackie winked. "Just let me know where to meet you and if you need me to bring the records and stuff..."

"Both of them?" She burst out laughing at the thought. Poor Grady! What he had to do out of love for Charlie! It was actually quite sweet if Jackie thought about it, though -of course- she'd never tell Charlie that. Not when she valued her life. "I can picture her dragging him and then leaving him there while she makes her escape."

"I'm not sure... you'd have to ask Luc that. Sascha, I think, was one... but she also left earlier this week." Jackie sighed. "I... I don't think I've ever met Darcy... but maybe?" She asked, a little hopeful.

"Hmm...? Oh!" Jackie looked down at the bear in her lap. "Just to keep me company... kinda felt a little down with everybody leaving and all." She fingered the handkerchief around its neck. "This? It's supposed to be an octopus, and it sorta looks like one... if you tilt your head to the side and squint." She giggled.

[arisu_ryusaki]

"I may just have to..." She was horribly curious as to how she managed to do it without being caught. It was an amazing thing to be able to do, she mused.

Hee! "Don't worry; you can count on me to get him there." Even if she had to tell him that she had some exciting new book that she needed to show him. Oh yes, Luciano Delarco would most definitely be attending dancing lessons. "Hm. The only question is what is the best music to learn how to dance to." She wasn't entirely sure she had the appropriate music. Pfft, details. They'd figure something out by then.

"But if she spikes the punch, she'd want to be around to see the results," Ari pointed out. "So I don't think she'd be rushing off too soon." But she doubted that she'd stay there the whole time anyway. And she would most likely drag Grady off for a snog, something Ari didn't really want to think about.

Ari's expression darkened as Jackie reminded her of Sascha's departure. Yes, she had left but that had momentarily slipped her mind. She still wasn't over the fact that everyone was leaving; she still expected to find Soren on her prefects rounds or talk to Keiichi after classes. It was sad with so many of their friends gone and she couldn't seen to get used to it. "Oh, yeah. She did..." She forced her smile into her usual grin, not wanting to dwell on the subject of people leaving; that was far too depressing for this conversation. "She's a third year Puff. Sweet girl. I like her and I'm fairly certain she's friends with Luc." And if she wasn't, she should be.

"An octopus?" Ari repeated, doing just what Jackie instructed. "I don't see it. Did you make it?"

((gah, I thought Ivan's characters were leaving on friday. *fails*))

[jackie_zhang]

((REALLY? I'm sorry! I didn't know... want me to edit?))

"I'm not sure... did you want to teach him the waltz or something? Or... just some funky shake-your-body type thing?" Jackie asked and then stifled a laugh. Imagining Luciano Delarco shaking his booty was beyond words. "He probably just needs to learn the box-step? I doubt he'd dance the electric slide or makarena..."

"True... but she wouldn't want to get detention for it." Of course, Charlie rarely thought about the detention aspect of any prank so Jackie shrugged again. If she totally hated her dress robes, Jackie wouldn't be surprised if her best friend brought her invisible cloak along to spike the punch and then sit back and laugh at everybody drinking it.

"That's great." Jackie smiled and nodded. Luc did need more friends, particularly the kind he wasn't afraid of. "Maybe we'll make it a group thing? I might be able to find some more single unattached students..." Her thoughts drifted toward Jory again, and Avis and Tatiana and Ben.

"Me? No... um..." She thought about lying but what was the use? Ari would eventually pry it out of her. "Gabe did... well, he tried to anyway... which meant a lot." She shrugged, trying to wave it off as if it were nothing, but keeping the bear snug between her arm and her chest.

[arisu_ryusaki]

'funky shake-your-body type thing?' That was one way to put it. And the thought of Luc doing anything of the sort sent Ari into a fit of giggles. "I dunno; depends on what type of music they're going to play. I suppose he could just learn both." Maybe because she just really, really wanted to see Luc attempt the latter option. Who would have pegged Ari as a sadist? "I don't think learning to dance has ever killed anyone." Then again, Luc wasn't just anyone so who knew what the results would be? Well, it was a chance Ari was willing to take.

"Pfft, I think Charlie would take a detention for it." She practically lived in detention anyway and she very much doubted that Charlie would see it as too horrible of a consequence. "And wouldn't it be less suspicious if she stayed? Running away makes her the prime suspect."

Why, was Ari thinking like a criminal? Or a prankster, at least. Who would have thought.

"Though it seems like no one's single anymore!" Ari exclaimed, making a face. Sure, it was cute and all but everyone and their mother seemed to be paired off now.
The real question would be if Luc would be more comfortable in a group. Hurm.

"Gabe? As in Head-boy, your first crush Gabe?" That was odd. She really couldn't see him sewing. Try as she might, she just couldn't imagine it. She frowned, trying to connect the dots. "I thought you were over him by now?" At least she had hoped she was. But if she was, why would she be toting around a bear with some random thing he made tied to its neck? Ari narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "You still like him?" she asked, resisting the urge to add a 'why' to the end of that?

[jackie_zhang]

"I'm sure they'll play both fast and slow songs... and Luc will probably end up as a wallflower, but... I suppose if you drag him to the dance floor, he might... loosen up?" Jackie looked hopeful, although her eyes danced with merriment at the thought of Luc attempting such a thing. "And the first step to that would be teaching him to dance... so we'll try next week?" She grinned.

"Very true. If Charlie goes, or is dragged to it, though it will probably be a battle of wills between her and Grady, and I'm putting my money on Charlie - it will be quite an event." Although putting Luc in the same room as Charlie might lead to disastrous things... like Luc fainting in the middle of it. Hmm... would a Luc drunk on Charlie's spiked punch be less awkward? That required much thinking.

Jackie cringed slightly as Ari labeled Gabe her first crush and seemed to disprove. "Um... yeah... well... we're not talking right now. I told him I needed space away from him, and I... I think I'm getting over him." She shrugged. "But I... well, after everybody leaving and stuff, well..." Jackie swallowed. "I don't know. I think I still like him... but I... don't really have time to worry about that. It's okay though. I... don't know if we'll be friends later, but if we are, I don't think my feelings will matter."

[arisu_ryusaki]

"Pfft, OF COURSE I'll drag him out." Silly Jackie for acting like it was a possibility that she wouldn't. Oh yes, she had plans for Luc. There was no way he was going to just hide in some corner with a book at the dance, not on Ari's watch. "Next week would be MARVELOUS. I'll tell him that... I don't know. I'll come up with it later." Actually, she would probably just pounce on him and drag him off but still.

Nod, nod. Hurm. Charlie or Grady... Difficult. "Yeah, I agree." While Grady had the age and size advantage, Charlie would most likely come out victorious. But Jackie was right; it would be an interesting thing to see.

What? It was true. As far as Ari was concerned, he was her first crush so what was wrong with labeling him as such? She didn't see anything bad about it. There were plenty of worse things she could call him, after all.

"You're not talking?" Ari cried, looking completely shocked. She hadn't seen that one coming. "But it's good that you're getting over him," she said quickly, once the initial effect of Jackie's words wore off. "Though I don't know how being busy helps you get over someone. If you really like someone, he seems to be all you can think about, regardless of other responsibilities, yeah?" She didn't really understand what Jackie was getting at with that comment but hey, she would be perfectly fine if Jackie stopped liking Gabe.

"But I'm sure you'll make up!" she added optimistically, a bright, hopeful smile on her face. "I bet once you're over him, you can go back to being friends," she finished with a nod. Of course, things were rarely that simple and there was always the chance that a) it would take too long to get over him or b) being near him again would restart the cycle but Ari liked to hope for the best.

[jackie_zhang]

"Great!" Jackie became excited. The ball was starting to sound like fun, even if they weren't going with dates or as couples... because really, who needed that? Going with friends was the best, especially when she didn't want to think about romance and relationships. "Luc should know Phoebe, right? Maybe I can drag her out too." If she wasn't going with Dustin.

She grinned. A party really wasn't a party with Charlie there... and if she was there, it would definitely be a night to remember.

"No, we're not talking." She confirmed with a nod. She shrugged at Ari's comment, trying to be positive. "Well... school and quidditch and other things will keep me distracted and keep my mind off him... It actually worked pretty well before all the craziness happened... so I think it'll work now." She smiled, hoping it would be true. She paused, remember Soren's note, and wondered when she could talk to Ari about the Club.

"Um... I'm not sure about the making up part though. I think he was upset that I lied, so I don't know..." She sighed, but tried to look cheerful again. "It's okay, really... I hope we can be friends again... though it might be later."