*The corridor was deserted except for Ian. He was supposed to be in one of his classes right about now, but anothe student made a remark to him about Mel being gone and he ran out before anyone could say anything. He couldn't take it. He didn't have anyone to talk to about it, no one to tell him that it would be okay, no one to tell him that she'd be back soon; He had to pull himself through this. He couldn't do it, though. He was so used to always having someone around to help him that he had no idea where to even begin. The only way he knew how to handle it was to cry, and that was exactly what he was doing at the time.

He wasn't like most boys his age who were too embarassed to cry, and it was quite obvious to anyone who saw him during this. He was sitting against the wall of the corridor with his legs pulled up to his chest and his head resting on his knees ((OOC: woah, did that even make sense? IC: )) and he was letting out soft sobs as he tried, in vain, to try and get over everything.

It wasn't easy, though. People told him that he just needed to grow up and stop fussing, but he couldn't. Mel was his sister, he couldn't act like her being gone didn't mean anything to him, because it did. He had lost his mother, father, and younger sister, and he definatley didn't need to add Mel to the list.

He just needed someone to talk to....*


OOC: Sorry that took so long.



~Mel

Xavier did not feel like going to class today, which was something unusual for him. He wasn't feeling so well today, and he had not an idea of why. He had been missing home for awhile, but that was cleared up. He was talking with friends now, making new friends, and being social. Today, he was just out of it. He was tired, and didn't feel like doing a thing. What he wanted to do was go back up to his dorm and lay down.

Xavier took a trip to the bathroom to refresh himself, when he passed through a corridor when exiting. He heard a soft sob down the corridor. Following the noise, he came to a guy, crouched against the wall with her face in his lap. "Hey, man, are you okay?" He asked, bending down beside him. Xavier never liked seeing anyone down. He had never seen this guy, but he wanted to help.

[[Really bad, sorry.]]

OOC: No, it's fine. I accidentally did one of my way too over used 'posting traps' where I make it nearly impossible for there to be a good reason for a character to be there. It was good anyway.


IC:

*Ian looked up when he heard someone say something. It had to be to him because last he checked, no one else was in the hallway.*
Ian:"I'm fine." *he choked out*"Perfectly fine." *He attempted a small smile, knowing that he just made a huge lie that could never in a million years pass as the truth. The smile was his way of backing it up and making it seem more...believable.*

Xavier could easily tell by appearance the boy was definently younger than himself, maybe a first or second year, it looked like. Xavier was now a seventh year. "I can tell something is upsetting you. Do you, want to talk about it, guy to guy?" He asked, wanting to comfort the young student. "I'm Xavier, Xavier Strife, a seventh year Ravenclaw."

Ian:"Hi." *he said, not returning the introduction in fear that Xavier knew about what had happened and would know that that was his sister, and then proceed to make things worse for him*"I...I don't know." *He really didn't know what he wanted to do. Talking would mean that he'd make an idiot of himself and he'd end up feeling worse if Xavier was another one of the people who was saying bad things about why Mel ran away, or he'd feel better if he did talk. He knew he'd end up talking eventually, he always gave in to things, he just wasn't sure if he wanted to give in just yet.*

"If I have to." *he finally concluded. He wasn't going to just go out and start talking, Xavier would have to force him into it.*

Xavier recognized who he was, slightly. He looked like Hunter's younger brother. Of course, Xavier did not know Melanie, and he was not any one of the people talking about her. "You don't have to, if you don't want to. It was only an offer," H etold the boy, standing up and leaning against the wall.

Ian:"But I don't know what I want. I do know I don't want you to leave, but I don't know if I want to tell you about what's wrong. It would be a waste of your time if you stay and I don't say anything, though, so I don't want to tell you that I want you to stay, but I just did, so I ruined everything." *He was clearly beginning to think things out too much.*

Xavier, was a little mixed up here. What is saying? He had thought. "Alright, slow down there. You confusing me, kid. Okay, so you want me to stay, but you don't want to tell me what is wrong?" Was the only solution that he could make out of what he had said. "Maybe it would help if you told me, but did not mention names?"

*Ian sighed*
Ian:"Even if I do that you'll figure it out eventually but...alright." *he thought about how to start everything off, making sure not to tell too much*"Well, a few days ago my sister left Hogwarts. We don't know where she went, if she went on her own, or if she was abducted, or what. But she obviously had time to pack, and one of her best friends and her son are gone, too. I'm worried about her, and I mean I'm really, really worried. A lot of bad things have happened to us lately, and I don't need another. I'm worried that she's hurt, or sick, or even dead." *once he said this he had to take a minute to get control of a new wave of tears that had started pouring out*"And I don't have anyone to help me through this, but I really need someone. My brother is coping in his own anti-social way, my sister's boyfriend is always drunk or too angry to talk to without getting hurt, and her best friend is just...I don't even know what she is. And they might be able to do this on their own, but I can't. I just want her to come back so I don't have to worry anymore, and so everything can be normal, but no one is telling me that it's even possible. Instead they're all being...messed up. All of us are right now, even me. She just needs to come back...."

Xavier listened carefully, taking in the boy's story. He soothingly patted the young boy's shoulder. Carefully, he thoguth for a moment of what to say to him, not wanting to make him feel even worse. Sighing, he answered the boy. "It's alright to be worried. I'm sure most people who are close to her, are. It would surprise me if you weren't worried. However, worrying will make things seem more... bad than they really are. If she's around my age, or even a bit younger, I'm sure she'll be fine. She'll come back, so don't you worry about it too long. Worry is what makes people close themselves off from the world, worrying that things will happen, so they're afraid to go out and risk. Your sister will be fine, I know she will. What I am saying is, you can't always worry that she won't be okay. You have to pull yourself out of the worry, the hurt. You need to put yourself in a happier place." Even though Xavier had no idea who the girl was, he had to say something to make the young boy feel a little more comftorable with the situation. He started to feel cheesy about what he was saying, because he wasn't very good at making others feel better. "Do you understand this?"

Ian:"Yeah." *he mumbled in response*"That sounds like...nevermind." *he knew that if he said what he was about to, he would sound dumb, or that he should've known all of this all along.*

"Sounds like, what?" Xavier questioned. "You don't have to be afraid to tell me."

Ian:"That's exactly what my sister would tell me, and I know it. I know that it's true, too, I just...I need people to tell me things sometimes. It helped, but...I'm still worried. Does that make any sense at all?" *he asked, almost confused himself*

"It does. You're still going to worry for the while, and you probably won't be able to stop it," Xavier replied with a soft smile. "So, are you going to tell me your name or what? No need to be shy, I don't bite, you know."

*Ian attempted another smile*
Ian:"Well I guess if I don't you'll call me 'the kid with sister issues' forever," *he joked*"My name is Ian, and my sister is Mel Hunter."