Sydney stood leaning on the parapet wall. She was very sleepy but somehow just felt like being on the astronomy tower, it was starry and windy...just perfect. She put her elbow on the wall and started getting lost in thought. She had met quite a few new people today. she stood there analyzing them, and kind of dozing of.

Mikal was the kind of guy who didn't talk much. He was quiet, quite shy and wanted to do well at school to prove he was at least good at something. But his clothes and scars didn't exactly make him an appealing person to talk to either so for the most part he sat alone in the commonroom revising. But he'd grown bored in their and came to the astronomy tower to get out for a bit when he saw her and felt rather embarrased. "Erm... Sorry." He said nervously, it was rarely he started a conversation.

"huh?" Sydney said snapping back to reality.Sshe saw a silhuette of a rather weak looking boy, apologising to her.,"No...no problem, i don't own the tower." she joked, which wasn't very funny, she decided.

Mikal hesitated and then hazarded a smile and nodded. "Thanks." he said, walking over and sitting next to her. He gazed at his arms for a minute- silver in the light of the moon and stars then looked at her. "I'm Mikal." he told her, he felt it polite to introduce himself.

"i'm..." she happened to look at his arm when sat next to her, ouch it was so scarred. Suddenly she realised she was staring and looked back towards the lake "i'm Sydney." she finished,"nice to meet you." she added trying to make up for the staring part.

He knew what she was staring at, everybody did. It seemed most people around here had never met someone like him. He was an emo, short for emotional, and his lack of confidence and the constant bullying had led him to take a knife to his arm. He didn't blame her for staring. He guessed he would have if he was in her position. "Nice to meet you to. So... What year you in?"

Sydney looked back at him."the 7th."she replied, still wondering whether he realised she had been staring, her cheeks turned a bit pink with embarrassment. "what about you?" she asked now fiddling with the hair clip in her hand.

Mikal nodded. "Nice. So you'll be out of here soon then?" he shrugged and looked around. "I'm in the fifth and still don't fit in." he told her. He knew it was his own fault he didn't fit in, but it still hurt that he was considered too different to speak to by most people. "What you plan on doing in your life?"

Sydney felt sorry for him when he talked about not fitting in, she had been through that too. But eventually she had found some people she could call friends. She gave him another smile, hoping it may make him feel better.
She was glad he changed the topic though, because she just coudn't talk about touchy topics, she just coudn't figure out the right thing to say at the proper time.
"um...I want to become a healer." she said," so this is your OWL year right? hows it going?"