Meeting like the Mom and Aunt XD

[Melinda B. Hayes]

Location: On the banks of the pond
Time and Date: 10:30 pm (right after the students arrive)
Private/Open: Private, Melinda Hayes and Hayden Rose

"Like mother like daughter." It's a fairly common phrase, isn't it? Normally the daughter scoffs and insists that she's not at all like her stuffy, boring old mother. But even in this instance, Melinda Hayes had to admit that as she and her mother parted ways to go to their separate meeting places to wait for their best friends...they were quite alike. Not only in actions, but in looks. Both had the same brown hair color-although Charlotte's was now highlighted blonde, the same jaw line, the same eyes, the same quick, easy smile. Personality wise, they were quite different. Charlotte was strict, and more rule respectful. Melinda was a casual free-spirit.

She sat down on the grassy bank and laid back, wondering what was taking Hayden so long. She had said that she just needed to do something very quick, and would come back as soon as she could. They didn't have very long before the house sortings-about 20 minutes, if that. She normally could care less about who was sorted, but her mother had sternly told her that if she was late to just one more sorting...well, it just wouldn't be good for Miss Melinda. So, what choice did she have but...perish the thought...listen to her mother?

The brunette stretched her arms behind her head, using them as a sort of cushion. "Hay-den bet-ter get here soo-oon." she sing-songed to herself.

What Melinda didn't know that there should also be a phrase "Like niece, like aunt."

[Hayden Rose]

Hayden Alexia Rose started twirling as she walked down to where she promised to meet her best friend, Melinda. She couldn't believe that she was back in her home-away-from-home. It seemed like just yesterday Melinda and her were sitting together at this very spot for the first time. It was then they promised each other that every year before school they would meet in this very spot every year before school started. But like every year, she was a few minutes late. Not like it was her fault, she had to make sure that they put her make up right where they always did.

She knew that everyone else would be here in about twenty minutes, but who cared? Melinda and her had missed every sorting every year, just sitting in their spot and talking. This year, her aunt had told her that if she was late, that she'd be in big trouble. She also said something about, 'Just because Melinda's mom in Headmistress and I'm the Deputy Headmistress...does not give you two the right to skip out on everything!' Not that Hayden had really listened, she wasn't very good at that.

Hayden knew that her aunt was going to be mad at her anyways. She wasn't wearing anything that she would 'approve' of. She was wearing a wicked short skit, and a light yellow tank top that just barely covered her stomach. Her light blonde hair was pulled back into a high ponytail, and her favorite necklace was glittering in the sunlight. Seeing Melinda, she sneaked up on her.

"MELINDA!" She screamed, and pounced ontop of her friend. "Hi!" She said, and gave her a very cheeky smile. "I've missed you!" She rolled off, and landed on the grass.

[Melinda B. Hayes]

She hugged her knees to her chest as a slight breeze began whistling its way through the trees. Oh no, it better not be a cold autumn. I want nice warmness until Thanksgiving...then it can be cold! She sighed, wondering how nice it would be if her thoughts actually could make things like that happen. But that just wasn't in the cards yet. Wandless magic was 'very advanced' and weather magic even with a wand, was 'quite difficult'. At least, that was what her father often told her. But there was that listening thing that she and Hayden hadn't quite yet gotten the hang of...

I knew I should've changed into my dratted robes on the bus!! The brunette silently scolded herself. Instead of putting on her light yellow and white Brightstar robes, she had decided to keep her 'muggle' clothes on that she had just gotten that previous weekend. A black leatherish tank top with a strap across the front and a black shiny miniskirt. It was so cute...And, honestly, Hayden had to see it...on the bus...and no other time. As she thought back to the typically tardy blonde, she recalled that she hadn't changed either...oh well. They'd both just be a little chilled when they walked into the Great Hall.

Melinda began rubbing her arms and looking around for Hayden when she was tackled by someone screaming her name. Immediately bursting into giggles, she grinned and yelled back "HAYDEN! I've missed you too!...Since we sat together on the bus." she rolled onto her stomach on the grass and asked. "Did they put your make up under lock and key?"

[Hayden Rose]

"HAYDEN! I've missed you too!...Since we sat together on the bus." Hayden threw her head back and laughed. "That was forever ago, though!" She gave her best friend a smirk, and then rolled her eyes up. "I hate leaves." She then picked some out of her blonde hair. Her cheeks turned bright red when she looked down and saw that her short tank top was now showing off her stomach. "Oops!" She said, and covered it back up. It showed off her new belly-button ring, which no one knew that she had-yet. "Errr..." She said, and now she was even more red. Hayden then gave Melinda a small smile, and tried to think of a way to change the subject.

As she thought, she looked out at the pond. It just made her think deeply about how this would be her second to last year meeting her best friend at this very spot. She wondered if one day they too would be teachers here. All this thinking was giving her a huge headache. Thinking was one of things in life she hated doing more than anything. "Did they put your make up under lock and key?" At this, Hayden shook her head. "No! They put it with your stuff! It was under your bed, now that I think about it. I guess they figured that because we're best friends I'd find it one of these days. Next year if they do that..." She trailed off, and laid back down. She noticed Melinda had a leaf or two in her hair, so she pulled them out. "Much better."

[Melinda B. Hayes]

Melinda shook her head, sending her long brown hair waving around her face. Only Hayden could think that just seeing eachother on the bus was forever ago. She too began cleaning leaves out of her own hair, because if Hayden had some, then she, who had been closer to the ground, most certainly did. She saw something glinting around Hayden's middle, and when she looked closer, saw that it was a belly button ring. "Hayden Alexia! When did you get that?!" Melinda shuddered, she was not good with pain at all. Especially needles, the thought of something sticking into you practically made her stomach turn over at the thought of it. In fact, if her mother hadn't gotten her ears pierced as a baby, she probably wouldn't have them now.

When Hayden didn't respond immediately, Melinda followed her friends gaze out onto the pond. It hadn't changed over the course of six years, but they certainly had. Braces, bad haircuts, bad grades...and here they were. From here she could barely see the courtyard, and knew that her mother and Hayden's aunt were meeting right there. Would they be doing that someday too? If not here, teachers like them, but somewhere else? She smiled. What if they just snuck here before the school year started even after they graduated...just for a little while. She imagined the kind of cow her mother would have if she found out. When Hayden answered her previous make up question, she smiled even more broadly.

"Or maybe they just figured I needed it more than you." She frowned as Hayden pulled a leaf or two out of her hair. "Dang, I thought I had gotten them all..."

[Hayden Rose]

Hayden watched as Melinda's eyes looked down at her belly-botton. "Hayden Alexia! When did you get that?!" She groaned when she heard that being ask. She didn't want anyone to know about it yet. If she mom or aunt ever found out, they would make her take it out. "I umm...I got it two weeks ago. I was looking for new clothes, and this ladt said that this new pink shirt I got would look great with a belly-botton ring. Of course, then I told her I didn't have one, she kinda..." She paused, and smiled, "She kinda shoved the needle into me and gave me this." Her finger went down, and touched her belly-button, which hurt very badly. Hayden could deal with some pain, but not much. She didn't mind getting her ears pirced-of course she was only six months old the first time she got it done. The second time she was ten, and then pain wasn't too bad.

She felt a tear roll down her cheek. Where did that come from? She felt another. She brushed them both away, and noticed that it was because she knew they only had two more years being safe in their school. She knew that this time two years from now, they'd be on their own. A few more tears leaked out of her eyes, and she looked over at Melinda. Was she thinking the same thing? Hayden couldn't tell. They had ben together for sixteen years...and she wasn't sure if they'd be together for ever. What if one of them got a job working in England, and the other here? She sniffed, and bit her bottom lip.

"Or maybe they just figured I needed it more than you." Hayden knew that she was talking about her make up. "Shut up, you're beautiful." As her head hit the grass, she looked at her best friend again, she didn't say anything...because she knew she didn't have to.

[Melinda B. Hayes]

Her brown eyes grew wider and wider as Hayden told the story of shopping for the pink shirt and ending up with a belly button ring. It made her more than slightly woozy. The lady hadn't even asked Hayden if she wanted the belly button ring? Forget the fact that Hayden probably would have gotten it anyway...And she had just...stuck a needle in her?! What!? Was it sterilized?! It could get infected! Melinda put a hand on the ground to steady herself before falling onto her back next to her friend. "Hayden...that's really not good. Does it hurt? Because if it does, you should get it checked out by the school nurse, you know...It's really really not good..."

Before Melinda could continue her nervous babbling rant, she noticed Hayden had began to cry, and that quieted her quickly. Looking at Hayden, she scootched closer to her friend, and held the hand that wasn't brushing away the tears that were slowly rolling down her cheeks. Why did everything have to seem so...different all of a sudden? "It'll be okay, Haydee." she said softly, but with confidence. She wasn't sure if she meant the belly button ring, or the uncertainty of their future...which now seemed to be looming ever closer. No, we'll be fine...just like Mom and Jayne...Part of her reminded her that one of the things she wanted to do was travel...and could she really take Hayden with her everywhere? Would it be easy to visit on the vacations if she was all the way in Italy? Spain? France? She clenched her jaw, determined not to start to sniffle, not even in the slightest bit. She gave a weak laugh when Hayden said that she was beautiful, bringing them back to the safe, school based conversations.

"Suuuure, Hayden. You have to say that because you're my best friend!" she playfully hit her on the shoulder.

[Hayden Rose]

Hayden's blue teary eyes looked inro Melinda's brown ones. "Hayden...that's really not good. Does it hurt? Because if it does, you should get it checked out by the school nurse, you know...It's really really not good..." She gave Melinda a sad look. "It hurts, but she said it would. I don't want to all anyone about it yet. It's really no big deal. I mean, it'll get better...right?" She asked this last part and brushed more tears away. She hated crying infront on people. She always tried to keep it all in, so that if she were to cry, she'd do it where no one could see or hear her. Her father once said that tears were a sign of weakness-and the last thing she wanted people to see her as was weak. Being weak meant she couldn't stand up for herself, and she liked being someone independent.

She felt Melinda's hand slip into hers. That was when she lost it. Tears flowed down her face, and she held onto her hand. "It'll be okay, Haydee." She heard her say it, but wasn't sure if she believed it. Would it be okay? They did have all of this year and all of next year. Also, who was to say they couldn't go places...together? When she felt her mascara running down her face, she stopped crying. She used her left hand to whipe the tears and makeup away.

"God, thank goodness you're so beautiful," She said, her voice cracking a bit as she tried to lighten to mood, "Being seen with me looking all ugly right now." Her tear-stained cheeks seemed to get dry rather quickly. "I hate when my makeup runs." Hayden was, for the most part, back to her normal self.

[Melinda B. Hayes]

When Hayden asked her if the piercing would get better, she just shook her head. As soon as they both stopped being so upset, she planned on dragging her friend up to the nurse-who, of course, knew the girls well enough to not ask any questions, and to not tell her mother or Hayden's aunt. How lucky for them, no?

She gave another weak laugh when Hayden pointed out that she must look ugly with her make up running down her face, and it was a good thing that she, Melinda, was beautiful. "Now, now, don't talk like that. She pulled out her purse, and grabbed her wand-which she had been smart enough to bring along with her-and whispered, "Tergio" This began cleaning off the tears and the mascara that had covered Hayden's face.

Putting the wand back in the purse, Melinda then retrieved her mirror, and held it up to the blonde's face, smiling. "See? All better now. And since you know where your make up is, when we get up to the castle we'll run to the dorms and you can put some more back on for the feast. It'll be fun...a race!"

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