Black Eyes and The Blues (Open)

[Dante Vroom]

Embarrassed was a good way to describe how Dante was feeling. People either stared, or looked away when he passed now. At least that’s how he saw it. That damn ball that Jax missed when they practiced had broken his nose. The injury resulted in two black eyes and a pressure and constant pain around his eyes and nose.

And so he walked the hall headed away from the hospital wing after getting some new relief for the discomfort. Dante went down the stairs avoiding eye contact with a group of girls as he descended. It was a long walk off to the lake with a guitar shaped case on his back. But he knew the relaxation would be well worth the effort. It was a nice enough day for such a trip. A cloud here and there, a bit humid so it could easily rain if the clouds congregated overhead.
Vroom, as people seemed to enjoy calling him, finally reached his destination: a large rock beside the lack with a flat top. Here was the place he wanted to play, or draw if the mood hit him. Here people would not bother him about the black eyes, or at least he hoped so. He would not mind being interrupted really. It was just that “what happen to you” gets old.

So he set the case next to him and sat on the rock. Quickly he opened the latches and the case. Pulling out the guitar and shutting the case again, paper and pencil still inside should he need them. He had tuned the guitar before leaving his room, but it was a long trip so he strummed to check. Still good, these new strings worked wonderfully. And so he began with one of his favorite songs. A classic for sure, Pachebel's Canon in D.

((Open))

[Sophia Crawford]

Sophia wandered outside into the fresh May air in a sundress and shades, ready for a nice stroll around the Lake. She turned her head, however, when she heard Pachelbel's Canon in D. She felt like she was at a wedding and looked around to make sure that there was no procession going on. Instead of the usual piano playing it, it was played today by a guitar. She scanned the outdoors for a guitar player...one had to be somewhere...

Her dark eyes finally rested on the form of Dante Vroom, a fellow Sixth Year. She smiled and waltzed towards him, her dress swinging with her strides. She watched for a while as he delicately strummed his instrument, not wanting to distract him or anything like that. He played from a flat rock, almost like a natural raised seat. Like any adoring audience, Sophia found a seat on the grass near him and sat and listened to the baroque piece patiently until he was done.

While he was playing, she noticed the boy had not only one, but two black eyes. It was something rare and it made the boy look like he was a descendant of a raccoon. Sophia wasn't the type to bring something so painful looking up, so she continued to listen to the boy play his music.

[Dante Vroom]

The notes came easily to Dante, it was a song he played often, so his hands knew what they needed to do. He closed his eyes as he played imagining those concerts he use to attend and watching grand musicians perform the piece. A smile came across his face. Playing was so much fun to him. If he was not set in his future, he would have considered trying out for a classical orchestra. Though finding one that wanted a guitar was a challenge.

Sadly, playing Canon in D alone left some of the harmonies out, not that it mattered much to Dante. He neared the end of the song and wondered what to play next, maybe something more modern. Though he came to the conclusion that maybe it would be easier to improvise for a bit and work into a second song. That option seemed best.

As his fingers neared the end of the score his eyes caught a new color and figure just to his side. He turned to see who or what it was. Sophia? Yep, the sixth year Gryffindor. He almost missed a G in his surprise, and his embarrassment. He looked back ahead of him and lowered his chin trying to hide his bruises. “Hey there,” he tried to sound inviting and smiled as he said it. Sophia was someone he knew nothing about, perhaps a good time to learn. Or a bad time with his current confidence level. “Have you been listening for long?” By now he was just improvising in the background. He hoped she had not been sitting to long, he didn’t think he was that oblivious.

[Sophia Crawford]

A smile crept across the girl's face. "Oh, not too long. You're marvelous on the guitar, by the way." She didn't know too much about Dante...other than the fact that his name was Dante, he was in Ravenclaw, and his last name was Vroom. Vroom was an interesting last name, rather intriguing. She always wondered how many people she hadn't met at Hogwarts; after all, she only had a year or two left and then it was...

She didn't like thinking about the future. It was something too stressful and involved too much thought. "Pachelbel's Canon was a nice choice. Have you been playing long?"

[Dante Vroom]

Marvelous? That was quiet to compliment, and it caused him to grin, which secretly hurt. “Thanks,” he said still plucking away. He really should have played more often it seemed to bring people to him. And the more he played the more he could stand to play. He knew it would only be a short while before his fingers became sore and he would have to stop for a short time. He was tempted to say he taught himself, but figured that kind of information was uncalled for at the time. It would just have been to show off anyway.

“ Pachelbel's Canon was a nice choice. Have you been playing long?"
“Nope, Pachelbel’s Canon was my warm up,” he shrugged. “Though I can not figure out what to play next.” He finally figured that he might as well look her in the eyes when he spoke. It was rude to look away, even if he looked like he just lost a fight. He could not keep eye contact for long though. Each time he did his confidence faded and his eyes went to the shore. Reflections of tree and the sky with it’s few hazy clouds were visible in the water. It reminded him of a song his father had taught him. He smiled and played the opening lick. Smoke on the Water. But as quick as he started it was over and he went back to aimless plucking. “What brings you out today?” Quickly looking back at the shore after he asked, and hoped he did not seem rude. Though he figured if he could keep subjects changing he could avoid comments on himself. “Avoiding studying?” He smiled and looked back at her.

[Sophia Crawford]

"Well, Jimi Hendrix," she said jokingly, "I've just decided to take an aimless walk around the Lake, but your music kind of drew me in." She hadn't even thought about studying, although it would've been the prudent thing to do. It was rather foolish of her to be out and about when she could be preparing for her final tests, but it was such a nice day...

Sophia couldn't help but notice that Dante's eyes were darting to and fro, that the eye contact was never too constant. Perhaps he was a little insecure about his eyes and their state. Sophia knew that if her eyes were as bruised, she would be telling the story to humor herself. That was just Sophia: easy-going and willing to have a laugh at her own expense.

[Dante Vroom]

He could only wish he was as good as Hendrix. Though the comment made him let out a chuckle and a nod. “Aimless walking,” he stopped playing for a moment as he spoke, “can’t go wrong with that.” He started to play again, but shook his head as he started. A small break would be nice. He set his guitar against it’s case, and stood up. He really should play more so his fingers did not tire so quickly. But adding Quidditch to his schedule had meant even less time for himself. He was lucky today in that he had a break to relax before the game against Sophia’s house. Did she play? That would mean he was going to be sending bludgers at her. Hopefully if that was going to be the case she would not hold it against him. Or he’d be a lousy shot, either was a possibility at this point. He walked off the end of the rock and landing on his feet. It was only two feet or so of a difference between the rock and ground level.

The more he thought about the conversation the less he worried about his eyes. He figured she had seen them by now, and if she was going to say anything she would have. “Usually though,” he continued his previous statements, “I like to think while walking, or at least skip some stones into the lake.” He thought off all the walks he had taken in the past month. Usually thinking about what the summer was going to bring.

[Sophia Crawford]

"I've always been horrible with skipping stones. I can never find the right ones to use, or they just plop and sink to the bottom." She said sadly. She was never too good with the outdoors, truth be told. When her parents took her camping, she would most likely sit in the tent or RV and watch TV or read a book while they went out hiking. Walking around the grounds wasn't as primitive as hiking, so Sophia was content with it and not disgusted in the least.

"Will you be going to the Quidditch game today? I heard it's my House against yours!" She pretended to glare at him, but couldn't hold it for long. She was impossible with being serious. "I've never really seen a Quidditch game before, but it looks like a lot of fun."

[Dante Vroom]

“I've always been horrible with skipping stones. I can never find the right ones to use ”
He laughed. “There is a trick to it,” with a smile, he looked down to the shore trying to find one that would work. He picked up a very flat and thin stone “like this one”. He bounced it in his hand as if preparing to throw it. But held it for a moment longer as she talked of Quidditch. He looked back toward the girl with another smile on his face. He gripped the stone in his hand rather than drop it to the ground.

“I was thinking about going, maybe be a beater for the game,” he said with just a hint of sarcasm. “But if practice with the Captain of the team was any hint of what is to come I might just reconsider,” he said and laughed. Pointing at his nose and the bruises under his eyes. “She broke my nose on accident.” Going to the game? So did that mean she was going to be sitting in the stands? “How about you? Going to go cheer for Ravenclaw. I mean” he paused in jest with a smile. “The winning team.”

[Sophia Crawford]

Sophia's eyes widened as Dante explained about his Quidditch practice. "She broke your nose...on accident? That's horrible! I'm sorry about that." She wondered how much it hurt for him to laugh, to smile...she felt bad about making him show emotion if it hurt him.

“How about you? Going to go cheer for Ravenclaw. I mean...the winning team.”

"Oh ho, Mr. Vroom, I think that when you say Ravenclaw, you really mean to say Gryffindor." she smiled mischievously. "If all of the Ravenclaw team is in as good a condition that you're in, I think Gryffindor's pretty solid," she joked. She hoped that it didn't sound mean by any means; she was hoping that the joking was lightening the mood.

[Dante Vroom]

He could not help but smile at Sophia’s reaction. “Yeah scary huh? I’d hate to see what would happen if I was on another team.” He probably would not have said such a thing about Jax if this girl was in his house. Word always got around when he said things like that. And he would rather not be on her bad side.

"If all of the Ravenclaw team is in as good a condition that you're in, I think Gryffindor's pretty solid."
He really needed to stop smiling, as it started to bother him a bit more. So he resorted to a short laugh instead. “Most of the team would not need a black eye to look a little rough around the edges.” He laughed at his own joke. In all honesty though he deeply respected his teammates. “So it should be an interesting game for sure,” he nodded. Not that he knew much about such a thing. After all it was his first game, so a few nerves where still jumping.

[Sophia Crawford]

She laughed at joke about the team, happy that he was a good-natured musician. Those were usually the best kind. Those moody musicians...hmm. A little too hormonal for her liking. She wondered what a Quidditch game would be like, hoping she wouldn't miss this one like she had all the others. She really did want to see Dante fly and beat away in the air.

"I'm sure you'll be brilliant, Dante. And don't worry about it." She could tell that the boy was a little on edge about the game. "If I wasn't such a Lion-Lover, I would be rooting for your team. Heck, I would even write Vroom on my face...but I don't want to be endorsing the wrong side. I'm sure some Gryffs would hunt me down and jump me if I did, but I'll be rooting inwardly for you." Sophia wasn't sure if she had made any human sense, but she hoped that Dante got the gist of her jabber.

[Dante Vroom]

Brilliant? Again Dante could only wonder how many compliments this girl could give before his ego spilled out of his ears. Or his head swelled to the brink of popping. Where the slightest sharp word would send him flying like a balloon released to deflate. An interesting thought to be sure. Jax would probably have something to say about his ability to fly that way though. The girl could comment on how many cracks in the pavement a person hit as they walked.

“My first ‘fan’” he smiled quoting the air as he spoke. She did not know him, but she would compliment and cheer him on? Dante could live with that, though he wondered why someone would do such things. “I’ll know deep down who you’re really rooting for,” he exclaimed and let out a laugh.

[Sophia Crawford]

"Fan? But of course!" she laughed a little. She could tell that Dante needed a little lightening up, and hopefully she was doing just that. "You know, on the outside I'll be cheering for the Gryffs, but underneath that layer, it's Vroom all the way. Sometimes people are layered like that. There's something totally different underneath than what's on the surface." She smiled mischievously and paused for dramatic effect. "And sometimes there's a third, even deeper level, and that one is the same as the top surface one. Like with pie."

She waited for Dante to get the joke as she stifled her girlish giggles. Yes, she was lame in the fact that she laughed at her own jokes, but at least she was lucky enough to have a sense of humor.

[Dante Vroom]

"Fan? But of course!"
He smirked at the remark, "cool," was about the only statement he could think to say about it. And it was cool to have a fan. Especially a fan that went through analogies to pie. She was something else, of that Dante was sure. "Pie huh?," his smirk widened, "delicious. But what about people of many repeating layers? Are they like a layered chocolate cake?" He rubbed his stomach in jest when he made the comment. "If that's the case, the more complex a person is, the more tasty their analogy would be." He remembered a cake he saw long ago, it had seven layers to it. Far to tall for a big slice to be cut, or the eater would never finish.

It was then he realized he still had a stone in his palm, that he had been rubbing with his thumb without really thinking about it. He turned rather quickly and tossed it out to the lake, and watched it skip a few times before finally skidding to a stop. In all honesty the skips were small, so the little rock did not go very far. "Here," he said as he reached down for two more flat stones, "lets see what ya got." As he said that he turned back toward Sophia, hand extended with one of the two rocks in his palm.