An Interlude with Sulking Susan
Her stomach rumbled, reminding her she should really be at breakfast with a bunch of people who didn't really care if she starved herself to death or not. She sighed again.
"What is it, dear?" Madam Hooch asked, startling Susan, who in turn hit her head on the locker behind her. She hadn't been addressed so directly since she left home.
"I don't know what it is... but my housemates... and pretty much everyone else in the school just ignores me," Susan said to her feet, pouting. Madam Hooch straightened up from tying her shoe.
"I'm sorry, what was that?" Tears came to Susan's eyes, and Hooch panicked. "I'm joking with you. Learn to take a joke, Bones," she added hurriedly. "Your mom died recently, didn't she?" Susan nodded. "This must be hard. Were your housemates always like this to you?"
"Well, they'd be cordial.. I've never really been close with anyone, except Lisa, who left... but it's never been this bad."
"Maybe you need to stand up and make yourself noticed," Hooch pondered out loud, "while giving yourself a self-esteem boost in the meantime."
"I don't know how to do that!" Susan exclaimed. "If I did, do you think I'd be here right now?"
A moment passed, and the older woman walked to the other side of the locker room and opened a closet. "When was the last time you really got tackled to the ground by a dirty, sweaty boy, Susan?"
"What is it, dear?" Madam Hooch asked, startling Susan, who in turn hit her head on the locker behind her. She hadn't been addressed so directly since she left home.
"I don't know what it is... but my housemates... and pretty much everyone else in the school just ignores me," Susan said to her feet, pouting. Madam Hooch straightened up from tying her shoe.
"I'm sorry, what was that?" Tears came to Susan's eyes, and Hooch panicked. "I'm joking with you. Learn to take a joke, Bones," she added hurriedly. "Your mom died recently, didn't she?" Susan nodded. "This must be hard. Were your housemates always like this to you?"
"Well, they'd be cordial.. I've never really been close with anyone, except Lisa, who left... but it's never been this bad."
"Maybe you need to stand up and make yourself noticed," Hooch pondered out loud, "while giving yourself a self-esteem boost in the meantime."
"I don't know how to do that!" Susan exclaimed. "If I did, do you think I'd be here right now?"
A moment passed, and the older woman walked to the other side of the locker room and opened a closet. "When was the last time you really got tackled to the ground by a dirty, sweaty boy, Susan?"