[RoR] A place to meet

[jerry]

Walking the halls, Jeremy could find anything to do. Saturday night, and no one was around. He wished he could find someone, anyone, even that annoying Hufflepuff girl. However, as he walked and walked and walked, it seemed as though the world had ended. Not even a sound of footsteps. Jeremy sighed and walked slower, dragging his feet. The sound echoed off the walls so it sounded as though someone else was behind him. It made him feel less lonely.

The week hadn't been a great one for Jeremy. It had been completely uneventful. After meeting Carolanne on a rock, and having Ashton totally ruin their conversation, nothing had happened. He hadn't seen Carolanne, but had heard some crazy rumors about her. Now it had been obvious why she hadn't been too keen to talk about her boyfriend, er ex-boyfriend.

Jeremy, for the first time, felt as though he had found a friend in Carolanne. I say for the first time, because although Jeremy was very popular with the guys, he had never had a friendship with a girl. It had always been a hit and run sort of situation which made him look like a jerk, but a hero to the guys.

The Ravenclaw ran his hand along the stones of the walls. Jeremy was thinking that he wanted to find someone to talk to when he heard a noise behind him. Jeremy turned and looked, but no one was there. However, the wall that he had just ran his hand along was no longer a wall. A large door was in its place. Jeremy looked around him, seeing if anyone was there to see what he had seen, but no one was there.

Jeremy walked up to the door and turned the handle, it creaked open and he walked in. It looked like a separate common room. The furniture was decorated in a plum color, the room and light grey. A large dark wood mantelpiece was over and large blazing fire. The room smelled of spices and was very warm and comforting. Jeremy took another step in the room, walking up to the mantle. He put his hands to the fire and warmed them. Now he had a room, but still no one to talk to.

[Carolanne Roberts]

Silence. For once in the past few days, all she heard was silence. It was calming and something Carolanne really needed at the moment. As she walked through the halls, there wasn't a student in sight. No one to send her glares, no one to say what a bad person she had become. For the first time in days, Laney smiled.

So far, the only one to be there for her was Fay and she appreciated that greatly. She didn't want to put everything on Fay's shoulder's however and only went to her when she really needed someone.

Passing a window, she peered out to the lake, the large rock sticking out like a sore thumb. I wonder what Jeremy's up to. It had been at least a week since she saw him, even with them being in the same house. Laney had grown accustomed to sneaking in when everyone else was sleeping just to be free from the glares she received from the other Claws.

What I would do for someone to talk to, she thought to herself. It wasn't until she had turned away from the window did she see a large door. Looking both left and right down the halls she gave a short shrug and approached it. It seemed like an ordinary door, but why hadn't she seen it before?

Pushing it open, she peered inside before closing the doors behind her. The room was warm, giving her the sense of belonging, something she hadn't felt for a while. It was hard feeling like you belonged when you're brother was dating your ex and the current crush was still confused.

Seeing Jeremy, she grinned. Finally someone to get her minds off things. Walking over behind the couch, she placed her hands on the wood frame and looked at Jeremy. "Careful, you might catch fire. We wouldn't want that happening now, would we?" she said, sarcasm dripping from her tongue.

[jerry]

Jeremy took a step closer to the fire. It was hot. He could feel the skin on his palms tingling. Maybe the fire could just swallow him up and he would never be cold again, something Jeremy would love. His jeans were warm against his legs and he could feel himself starting to sweat underneath his sweater.

Jeremy didn't even hear the door open, it probably hadn't even made a sound. The next thing her heard was a familiar voice behind him. He turned fast, his face covered in the shadow of the dark room, but he smiled. "Oh, not to worry, I'm flame retardant." Jeremy said, realizing how close her had gotten to the fire, and actually catching on fire. He took a step toward the couch which Carolanne was standing behind.

It was weird that the person to show up in the mysterious room was the same person Jeremy had been think about moments before her found it. It could have been coincidence, but he doubted it. "Look whose following who around now!" Jeremy said, breaking the silence. "Its late, won't Ash be worried." Jeremy said, making a pouting face.

It seemed as though every time they met, Ashton wasn't far behind. Jeremy was sure that he was out looking for his sister and the door would open any second and in would walk the dark haired boy, taking Laney away from Jeremy yet again.

"Hard week?" Jeremy said, noticing the look on Carolanne's face. "Me too." He added, but he knew it was nothing compared to the week that she had lived through.

[Carolanne Roberts]

Why did it have to be Jeremy she ran into all the time? One of these days she'd have to proclaim him as her stalker, as a joke of course. Shaking her head she ran a hand through her hair, "I'm pretty sure you're just a plain flamer," she said laughing, letting him know she was just messing.

He was right this time. He hadn't followed her, she had somehow followed him. Giving him a shrug she answered, "I've adapted a new lifestyle. Haven't you heard? I run around wrecking guys' lives. I'm out for your's now." that was in fact a rumor she had heard about herself. She was a life wrecker and that all guys should stay away from her. Gossip.... When he mentioned Ash, she sighed, "Well, I'm sure he's not too worried anymore. I've done all the harm I could already. What other shenanigans can I get into?" That was her way of telling him that they were Ashton free for once.

"Hard week?"

Carolanne answered this with a simple nod. Making her way around the couch, she sat down on the very edge and sighed. Of course it was a hard week, it was for everyone involved. The good thing about gossip was that it died down almost as fast as it started up. People soon got bored, she only wondered how long it'd take for students to get bored with her. Insisting on changing the topic, she looked up at Jeremy with a rather confused look, "I've never seen this room before, have you?"

[jerry]

"A Flamer..." Jeremy looked at her. "Did you know that you're just plain hilarious." Jeremy said sarcastically. He enjoyed Laney's company. She was sarcastic, he was sarcastic. It was a big sarcasm party.

"In that case, stay at least five feet away from me at all times. I don't need my life in wreckage right now." He said with a smile, trying to be light and cheery about something that was obviously very painful to Laney. "Seriously though, don't listen to the gossip. Girls would kill for drama like yours." He said, sitting down on the couch, and patting the seat by him so Laney would sit down too. "With me, you're bound to get into some sort of shenanigan." Jeremy said, smiling. Good, no Ashton.

Jeremy looked around the room again. It look almost like the Ravenclaw common room, except a different shape and color. "No." Jeremy said, thinking about where the room came from. "I almost walked right passed the door as if it wasn't there." Jeremy said, remember the noise her heard, and then seeing the door. "I was thinking about wanting to meet up with someone." It was odd. "Maybe its a friendship room." Jeremy said, sounding as though he were five years old. A friendship room? Honestly.

[Carolanne Roberts]

Carolanne waved her arm and curtsied, "Thank you, thank you! I'd like to thank Jeremy Wheller, he is my inspiration after all," she said laughing at the boy. It felt rather good to kid around for once in the week. Everyone was so serious around her lately, she couldn't even joke without it taken literal.

Laney nodded, "Five feet at least! I'm like the flu, contagious and hard to get rid of," she said widening her eyes trying to act serious. It was hard though, Jeremy, Maxi and Fay were the only ones that really knew her right now. She didn't go looking for drama, it sort of found her. "I bet. You're just trouble waiting to happen!"

Carolanne turned to him and raised an eyebrow, "You almost sounded innocent there. Friendship room?" Lane gave a short laugh, "Eh, maybe its that one room Ash used to talk about. Shows up out of no where right when you need something." It could've been. She just didn't remember what it was called.

[jerry]

"Oh, how sweet. Your inspiration." Jeremy thought a second. "I believe you may be my sanity." He said with a smile. The smile faded. Jeremy hadn't meant to hit on Laney. He had meant it. Think about it. Jeremy was about to go insane with an Astronomy essay, he runs into Laney, a dull morning at the lake, he runs into Laney, the weeks seems boring and after going mental, Laney runs into him. It was almost as if every time Jeremy is at the end of his rope, Laney swoops in and saves the day. However, he wasn't going to say anything, let Laney interpret it the way she wanted to.

Jeremy gave a fake sneeze. "Oh, I think we had better make is 10 feet." He said with a smile as he stretched out, putting his feet up on the coffee table in front of him. He sighed. "Oh yes." Jeremy said with a yawn. "You never know what I'm going to do next." He smiled.

"Me? Innocent? Well, I must be a good actor then." Jeremy said with a smile. "What kind of room. Like if I needed a drink, it would be a room with a giant fountain of grape soda?" Jeremy thought of the possibilities. "Anything I want, eh? What would you want the room to be more than anything in the world?"

[Carolanne Roberts]

A rosy pink began to tint Laney's face and she stared at the fire hoping Jeremy wouldn't notice. "Well, at least one of us is sane," she said before turning towards Jeremy once more. She didn't quite understand what he meant about her being his sanity but it made her feel slightly better about herself.

When Jeremy sneezed and said something about ten feet, Laney furrowed her brows, "Hey," she said crossing her arms, "I'm not that bad, am I?" she asked before breaking out in a laugh. "I'm gonna get you back for that someday." Laney brought her legs up under her and watched as Jeremy became comfortable. "By the looks of it, I'd say you were gonna fall asleep or something," she said picking up a decorative pillow and throwing it at the boy.

Grape soda? Laney gave a shrug, "Sure, I suppose. I mean, if you really wanted it or something, I guess it could turn into a room full of Grape soda. Hate the stuff personally," she said with a smirk. "What would I want? Eh, a padded cell?" she said before she started laughing. Carolanne's face grew serious, "I don't know actually. I guess if I thought about it more, I'd want it to be something like this," she said looking around the room.

[jerry]

Jeremy sneezed again. "Oh, gosh woman." He said, not able to keep a smile off his face. "I think I should vacate the area immediatly." He laughed. "Oh, you're that bad." He said, and pushed her a little to make her know he was joking if the laughter hadn't given it away.

"I might." He said, Stretching out his arms, and putting a hand obnoxiously in Laney's face. "Wouldn't be a bad place to take a nap." He said, closing his eyes, pretending to be asleep. The silence that followed was hilarious to Jeremy. He cracked a smile, unable to hold it in, and his opened his eyes and stretched again. "Now that I am well rested." He said, sitting up and looking around.

"You dislike grape soda!" Jeremy said, putting his hand up to his mouth in horror. "It is the drink of the gods!" He said, smiling. Jeremy looked at Laney. "Do you really think you're going crazy?" he asked,serious for like three seconds. He didn't want her thinking that there was something wrong with her. Sure, she had just made an off hand comment, but Jeremy knew that she was fragile, even though she wouldn't even admit it.

"I agree." Jeremy said, looking around also. I was the perfect room for the Ravenclaw. A nice peaceful color, nice and warm, he noticed a bookshelf if he needed a book, and good company. "If only there was something to eat." Jeremy got up and looked closer at a table in the corner. He smiled as her got closer. "Cookie?" He asked, moving to reveal the table full of cookie and cakes and large glasses of milk.

[Carolanne Roberts]

Carolanne looked at Jeremy and smacked him a good one on the arm. "Funny," she said rather coldly before sending him a smile. "I'll make sure you're the first one to catch the Laney disease next time, " she said pushing her legs out so they rested over Jeremy's lap. Carolanne let her head fall back as she stared up at the ceiling.

"It is a rather quiet place. I should come here more often just to sleep. It'd be better than the common room," she said with a sarcastic laugh. "My turn," she mumbled as she closed her eyes once Jeremy finished his rest.

Laney kept her eyes closed and her face directed at the ceiling, "Yeah, I don't like it. It tastes funny. Nothing like grapes," she said with a laugh. She opened her eyes and looked at Jeremy, "God's don't drink Grape Soda, Silly. They drink Kiwi juice!" she stated with a goofy smile. Shaking her head she answered him, "No. I know I'm not actually going crazy, I just wish I knew what I wanted, you know?"

Laney lifted up her legs then brought her knees up as Jeremy got up off the couch. She watched as he uncovered a table of snacks, "Bring me a cookie, would ya?" she called to him with a grin. "I'm rather lazy today and don't feel like getting it myself."

[jerry]

Jeremy smiled back. "I guess it wouldn't be that bad." She had left herself wide open for him to sneak in the line. "As long as you nurse me back to health." He winked at her and then laughed. Oh, boy, how corny. Jeremy smiled as Laney put her legs over him. Apparently his line had worked, or she was tired. Jeremy figured it was the later, considering.

"What, did you say something." Jeremy said as he opened his eyes. He smiled, he had heard everything she had said, but he thought he'd play around with her. Such a typical man. "No, you're right. My roommates snore horribly. I think they all have sinus issues." Jeremy sighed.

"Kiwi juice?" Jeremy said, his face scrunching up. "You can juice a kiwi?" He said, smiling. "No, I'm sure its good." He laughed, and picture Laney trying to juice a kiwi. It didn't sound possible. But then again, the world was full of possibilities. Very Prophetic. he thought.

"Well, what do you want?" Jeremy asked her. He knew that a lot of the time he didn't know what he wanted it was because he never truly asked himself. He just assumed that the world hated him and that he would never be happy. Aw...Jeremy, the little emo kid.

Jeremy picked up a small tray of cookies and put a napkin over her arm. Placing his other hand behind his back, he stood up straight and walked of to Laney. "You're cookie miss." He said, putting the tray in front of her, serving her. He smiled. After she had taken the cookie, he placed the tray down on the table beside the couch. "Whats the matter with us?" he asked, making himself comfortable again.

[Carolanne Roberts]

Carolanne laughed at Jeremy. "What would be the point of being a disease if I'd have to nurse you back to health as well? It totally defeats the purpose, Jerm," she said with a small shake of her head. Jeremy, like Laney, was a bit contagious. If he smiled, you practically had to smile as well, hence his new nickname 'Jerm'.

Laney raised an eyebrow at him before started laughing, "Well, maybe you should ask for different roommates then, ever think of that? Mine are alright but I keep getting hounded with questions while I'm trying to sleep, it's a bit annoying," she said resting her head back again.

Lane's face scrunched up as she thought about juicing a Kiwi, "You know what, I actually don't know if it's possible. I suppose you'd have to add lots of water, but I think it'd work! I just drink the juice thats kiwi flavored," she said with a toothy grin. The only kind of juice she ever had fresh was orange juice and apple juice and neither were the best.

Carolanne's head shot up again, "What do I want?" she repeated half asking herself, Max, "A friend?" Laney shrugged then closed her eyes as she began to think, unfortunately she began to think out loud, "Someone who can look at me just the way I am and tell me I'm beautiful inside and out..." Laney heard her voice and her eyes shot open. "Did I just say that out loud?" she asked. Thank God I caught myself before I kept going.

Taking the cookie with a smile, she lowered her head, "Thank you, Kind Sir," she responded before taking a bite of the cookie. When Jeremy spoke again, she could help but laugh as she shrugged, "What do you mean? I think we're just having fun," she said taking another bite of her cookie as she pushed her legs over Jeremy's lap once he got comfortable.

[jerry]

"Well, there is no point, I'll just be sick forever, but if its the price I have to pay..." Jeremy was just kidding of course. He was attracted to Carolanne, but there was just something he could put his finger on. They were... wait for it... friends. It was almost as though Jeremy could never see her in a different light, something holding him back from liking her. He had never experienced this before, but it was unpleasant. It was nice. No pressure, kind of nice.

"Jerm? Like Germ?" Jeremy thought about it and laughed. "Wow. I bow down to you, Goddess of the play on words." Jeremy laughed. "Well, lets hope you can never get rid of me." he said with a smile.

"Ehh. I can't flake out like that. Not manly enough." he said, ruffling his hair. "I can't go running to Owen complaining about vibrations in the respiratory tract that was giving me headaches. She laugh and tell me to get some ear plugs." Jeremy laughed and looked seriously at Carolanne. "You should tell them to stuff it." He said. "it wasn't your fault." Jeremy actually had no idea whose fault it was, or even the number of people involved. It just felt like something he should say.

Jeremy smiled. He could be her friend. He took her hand, a very corny gesture in any other context and said to her: "You are beautiful inside and out, just the way you are..." He smiled and laughed.

"Exactly. Whens the last time you did this?" he asked, trying to make a point. They didn't talk to anyone, they didn't let go. Carolanne because everyone around her was judging her, or that what Jeremy thought was her problem, and Jeremy held it all in because hes a guy and thats what guys do. Jeremy didn't know how to put what he meant into words, but he hoped that Carolanne would understand.

[Carolanne Roberts]

Carolanne's eyebrows raised as she looked at Jeremy. "So... I'm supposed to nurse you back to health forever?" she said bringing the back of her hand to her forehead and looking up at the ceiling, "Oh please, kill me now! Save me the pain of dealing with this..." Carolanne looked at Jeremy for a moment as she paused; turning her attention back to the ceiling, she continued her dramatic plead, "... this annoying incurable... er... plague!" Laney faked a faint, only to smack her hand on the wood frame of the couch. Cradling her hand she frowned at Jeremy as if it was his fault, "See what you did?" she laughed as she rubbed the back of her hand.

Carolanne stifled a laugh, "Yes... a germ. Contagious and infectious," she said with a nod. She thought her nickname for him was rather cute... fit him well. "Get rid of you? Now why would I want to go and do that?" she said with a playful laugh.

"Oh I'm sure you're every bit the man," she said trying to put on a serious face. It wasn't working well. "I'm sure Owen would understand," she said with a laugh, "But just in case, I have extra ear plugs in my trunk," Laney offered with a grin. At his next statement, she only shrugged, "It was my fault actually." It was all she was going to say on the matter, or she thought, "But, I didn't mean for it to happen. And concerning my roommates, I've told them plenty of times. I've just about convinced myself to kick some guys out of their dorms and sleep peacefully for once," she said jokingly.

When Jeremy grabbed her hand, she gave him an odd look as she stifled a laugh, He's not going to, is he? And there it was. Carolanne let out a laugh, Oh my god, he did. "You're such a dork! You know that?" she said pulling her hand out of his. It did sound cute coming from Jeremy, but he wasn't the one she wished had said it. Sure, Jerm was an amazing guy, extremely handsome and one of the few that could make her laugh properly, but she was his friend and he was hers. It was the only way she could see him right now.

"I haven't done this since I was a kid, you?" Carolanne stared at Jeremy and grinned widely. This was probably the nicest thing anyone could do for her at the moment. It was just what she needed. After she was silent for a moment she gave a short sigh, "Thanks, Jeremy." She didn't know if he knew exactly what she was thankful for, but at least he'd know he had made her happy.

[jerry]

"Forever." Jeremy said, "And ever." He smiled. "I don't think I will ever get over it." Jeremy's eyebrows raised. "And whats wrong with this?" he asked. "Nothing, didn't think so." He said quickly with a smile. Very conceded Mr. Wheller. "I did that did I? Well, if I'm not mistaken you are the one with the ability to move your arm." She smirked. "But in any case. I'm sorry you hurt your hand. Here." He picked up a napkin her had brought over, shook out the crumbs, pulled out his wand and flicked it at the napkin muttering something. ice crystals formed on it. "Instant ice pack. It won't last long, but hey...I try." He said with a smile placing it gently on her hand.

Jeremy smiled. "Don't blame yourself. There had to be some other factor in the equation beside your stupidity." He smiled as a thought came over him. "You can always come up and sleep in my dorm." He smirked. "I'll sleep on the floor of course." He laughed.

"Actually, it has already been brought to my attention that I am indeed a dork." Jeremy smiled. "It adds to my charm you see." He said, letting Laney take her hand back. "And see, I made you smile!"

"No. Everything is always to crazy to just sit and talk. Its nice." he smiled. "Of course I have a wonderful Psychiatrist though. We meet randomly in the middle of the night in strange rooms. You should go and see her."

Jeremy squinted. "For what?" He said with a laugh. "I didn't do anything." He hadn't. He was just being himself, and he didn't think he was that good to thank him. It not like he was capable of changing the world and making it a better place.