The Tree

Theresa shrugged "I don't think that is a good thing, anyway you heard him, it was hardly a positive talk, do you think that he knows or that it was a coincidince that he noticed me for the first time, on the day that he or someone else could have overheard me saying that I liked him?" she asked worriedly.

"It definitely wasn't negitive though!" she said, trying to recall exactly what had happened. "He was very polite to you. And from my experience with boys, that means something. And he also smiled at you. And not a 'holy cow this girl is a loony tune' smile. A nice smile. Which means something."

"It's possible someone overheard you. I can't say for sure."

Theresa shrugged again "maybe, I don't know, I hope that I don't have to talk to him again soon, I acted like an idiot, I couldnt find anything to say" she said. She grinned "what, you mean the smile that most people give me, even you guys?" she joked as she swung her legs.

"Well, that's a good way to get to know the guy you like," Hilary said, unable to keep herself from rolling her eyes. "Try to avoid him and hope you don't have to talk to him anytime soon. You're supposed to do the opposite, silly!"

She feigned a look of innocence. "What smile would that be?" she asked. "This one?" She smiled at her friend. "Because we should be the only ones giving you that smile. It's the one that says we know you're a little crazy and like to pretend to be a monkey in the trees, but we love you anyway. That smile is reserved for friends only." She stuck out her tongue at her friend.

Alycia wandered outside, she was bored and had no one to talk to really. She bit her lip and wondered if she should bother those girls who were having a conversation. She decided to try her luck, if they wanted her to leave she would. No biggy. "Hello." she said as she made her way to the group of girls. It would have been easier had she known some names though.

Theresa laughed "gee thanks Hilary, and I don't act like a monkey in the trees, I act like a bird in the trees, monkeys can't stay still for this long thank you" she said trying to be insulted as she stuck her tongue out in retaliation. She looked around when she heard another girl's voice and smiled when she saw a Ravenclaw "hello" she said cheerfully.

Hilary looked up as the girl who had approached them. She recognized her from classes and from seeing her around the Ravenclaw common room, though she wasn't sure if she had ever met her for real.

"Hey," she said, with a smile. She wasn't sure of the girl's name, so it made sense that she might not know her name. "I'm Hilary."

She turned to Theresa. "That's why I said you're like a monkey," she teased. "You obviously aren't a real monkey. Though it might be interesting to have a monkey for a friend."

Alycia smiled and invited herself to sit down. "I'm Alycia. Sorry if I'm bothering you. I had nothing else to do and I was just roaming around." she said rambling a bit. She needed to stop doing that. It was obvious that if they wanted her gone they'd have probably glared or something like that to her.

Theresa smiled "Hi Alycia, I'm Theresa, your not bothering us, this meanie was just insulting me anyway" she said, pretending to smile sweetly at Hilary before laughing. She looked down at the floor and sighed "I wish I was a monkey in the tree, it would make getting down from here a whole lot easier" she said as she looked down at the other girls.

"Don't worry about it," she said, waving her hand. "We like talking to new people. Or at least, I do. I guess I shouldn't talk for others."

She paused a moment. "Now, Alycia, I have an important questions for you." She was feeling rather hyper, and wasn't completely sure why. Too much time doing homework and researching, maybe. "Do you have your cootie shot?"

She looked up at Theresa. "You don't have to come down. We're getting used to having to talk to the tree," she said, sticking out her tongue again.

Theresa pretended to gasp "you just want me gone" she said, crossing her arms and looking away from her. "If that is how you want it then you can talk to the tree for ever because I am never coming down now, even if Professor Spelling herself has to try and make me" she said, grinning as she pretended to huff.

"Do not want you gone," she said, crossing her arms. "Who would I tease then? But I can start talking to the tree, if you like. But if we're going to do that, we need to name the tree. Have any suggestions?"

She leaned back on her elbows, probably getting her robes all full of dirt, letting the sun warm her face. She had been cooped up inside too long today.

Lauren was wandering around and saw her three friends, and a Ravenclaw she had met on the train. She made her way over to the group of girls, waving at them. She noticed that Resa was in the tree, whist the other girls were on the ground.

"Hey everyone." Lauren said to the group.

Theresa stuck her tongue out at Hilary, "You are such a meanie, I am insulted here!" she said, faining hurt. She grinned when she heard Lauren and saw her walk over to them. "Hi tiny brain, how are you this fine day?" she greeted cheerfully. She picked a leaf and let it drop to the ground, she liked the way the breeze made it move in different directions.

"My cootie shot?" she asked tilting her head. "Um....what for?" she looked at all the other girls wondering what they had been talking about before she got here. She looked at the tree and just shook her head lightly, it was a nice tree, she gave them. She licked her lips and looked back at the girls.

"Hey, Lauren," she said, waving to her friend. "Great duel yesterday, by the way. That was awesome! We are definitely going to have to do that again sometime." She turned, gesturing to Alycia. "Have you meet Alycia yet?"

She turned to Alycia. "Just something we've been talking about the past few days. We know boys have cooties, and that you can catch them. But we aren't sure if there's a cure yet. So we want to make sure we're all protected." She couldn't help herself. She burst out laughing at how ridiculous Alycia must think they were.

Shelby felt a little bad as she was jolted out of her thoughts by Lauren's approach. "Hey Lauren," Shelby greeted her Gryffindor friend with a smile. She had been pretty quiet but she'd had a lot to think about. "Guess what- Resa talked to Rain!" she giggled, knowing that her words were sure to send Theresa into a blushing frenzy.

Theresa giggled at the Alycia's response to the cootie shot. "Don't mind her, she is just scared in case one of us catch something from hanging around with boys to much" she laughed. "The last thing any of us want is cooties" she joked as she scooted closer to the base of the tree and relaxed.
Theresa's cheeks burned deep red "shut up Shelby!" she said indignantly.

Hilary tried to calm herself down. She usually wasn't this silly. "You don't get cooties from being around boys. You get them from kissing boys!"

She turned to Alycia. "Don't mind me. I'm just losing my marbles apparently."

She looked between Shelby and Resa, hoping that this wasn't another row on the verge of starting. They had done the fighting thing yesterday, and she wasn't eager to get into it again.

Lauren laughed, "Really, Resa, and how was Rain?" Lauren giggled. "I'm good by the way." Lauren looked at Alycia. "Yeah, I met Alycia on the train with Shelby and Pete." Lauren said.

Lauren looked at Hilary and smiled, "Yeah. You were awesome yesterday! We will definitely have to do that again someday!"

Theresa laughed despite her blush "it wasnt really talking, it was like a quick few worded, not really paying attention talk, Hilary was there, she can tell you that it was a 'nothing' talk which I acted like an idiot in" she said, trying to throw a handful of leaves at Lauren.

Shelby giggled. She got up and went to sit next to Theresa by the base of the tree. "Sorry Resa, but that's what you get for calling me an old lady yesterday," she grinned, poking her friend in the side gently.

"Lauren, have you asked Professor Lewis about a magical solution to cooties, yet?"

"Sure, nothing, whatever you say," she said, offhandedly.

She looked at Alycia, feeling just the slightest bit bad. Here they were, talking like they always did, but this time there was a new girl here. Someone who didn't know all their gossip. She couldn't help but wonder if Alycia felt left out or out of place. She really hoped that she didn't.

Lauren shook her head, "No... I haven't as yet, but I may today.. She'll think I've lost the plot though. Did Resa ask professor Spelling?" Lauren asked trying to get the leaves that Theresa threw at her out of her hair. "So, what have you guys been talking about?"

Theresa grinned at Hilary "you traitor, it was a 'nothing' talk" she said. "We have been talking about, boys, squids, odd questions and thats about it and I have asked Professor Spelling but there is a line of people trying to ask her questions, I think she is trying to ignore us all" she said, laughing. She turned to the new girl "so Alycia, enjoying your classes?" she asked.