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Post by Josh York on Dec 22, 2008 15:14:04 GMT -5
Try as he might, Josh couldn't keep the expression of shock off his face. He knew full well that that wasn't what Derrick really needed to see, but he simply couldn't help it. As the boy turned, Josh did his best to wipe it off, but his eyes were still wide. Was he really hearing this? In all honesty, it was starting to trouble him slightly. Could they really be this similar? How was it possible that Josh had never talked to this boy before? It was like they were actually the same person and the longer Josh looked at Derrick, the more he saw himself in him. He was proud of the younger boy for coming out and saying it; Josh never had the nerve before. Even though he hadn't gone into detail, Josh had heard enough to understand how he felt. The pain in Josh's heart grew when the boy suggested he not try to make him feel better about it. He could understand that too.
Looking up, Josh tried a weak smile as Derrick sat across from him again. He took a deep breath in, feeling his hands starting to sweat and tremble as he opened his mouth. The first time he tried, nothing wanted to come out. Josh swallowed hard, trying again and he heard his voice, but only just. "I was three," Josh began quietly, "I don't really remember it much but...it was my parents, too. In a car accident." That was all Josh could get out before he felt that damn lump in his throat. He blinked furiously, holding it back and cleared his throat as best he could. Finally, Josh allowed his gaze to go back up to face Derrick.
"So," Josh wondered aloud, "Who do you live with now?" This was the second part of his secret and Josh wasn't sure if he'd be able to get it out.
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Derrick Breckenridge
Hufflepuff
Third Year
Watch Me Spin Circles As I Disappear.[on:Violently drifting][of:Drifting softly]
Posts: 154
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Post by Derrick Breckenridge on Dec 22, 2008 23:24:14 GMT -5
Derrick chuckled at the next question. He felt for the boys plight as it was his own down the cause of death but the fact that he had asked him what happened to him after was a whole other can of worms. He was unhappy that year to say the least but the way he had acted was childish. Reflecting on it now Derrick found the hell he put some of the people at the orphanage through quite funny simply because they deserved it. It wasn't exactly funny how he had acted but he didn't react well to the strangers let alone strangers who were trying to raise him and find him new parents. After all who would take well to such a thing? Staring out the window Derrick let himself drift back to that time briefly as he spoke to Josh about it acting as if it was still occurring.
"I was very unhappy, I cried a lot, and I didn't do much but cling to Francesca the year I was without parents. It's what made them deem me a special case. That well and I would be found at 2 in the morning screaming at God and the sky. I bounced around from orphanage to orphanage for the first 5 or 6 months until I settled down. Then more rejection but this time by parents who were scared by my eyes and couldn't understand how a child could be so happy. Those eyes were the reason I go adopted though 6 months later because they said they saw hurt that needed healing. My step parents are good people dealt with the whole magic thing quite well, let me do whatever I please, and more importantly their just themselves they've never tried to replace my previous parents. I've always appreciated that about them."
Derrick let out a sigh after he was done talking about his miserable year spent at the orphanage. He made no friends and the whole experience was a drag but he felt that he had grown from the experience so he couldn't really complain about it all that much. Josh wasn't talking about his particular issues as well as Derrick was but Derrick reminded himself that this was most likely because he hadn't spent a year crying about it. Derrick couldn't help wonder now about his housemates situation but didn't want to seem as if he was prying. Derrick shook the thought out of his head knowing that they were past that point now. Josh and him were just being honest for the first time in their lives and it was odd for the both of them. His face said as much.
"What about you who do you live with?"
Derrick didn't care if he told him or not simply because the other boy had like him already shared a lot with him. The thing was though that Derrick's year after to now was nothing to him. He had adjusted and cried it all out this boy still hurt as if the wound was fresh. Standing up he walked over and sat next to the boy on his bed placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. A small smile crossed his face as he spoke.
"If you need to mate let it out it's better that you don't hold it in. The sooner you get it all out the better it took me a whole year but you kind of comes to term with it. Granted that may be a bad thing as you focus more on what could have been. For instance right now had our parents not died we might both have girlfriends, be socially adjusted people, and also have talked to each other sooner. That has downsides to though...we could be Slytherins."
Derrick said the last part to lighten the mood. So that hopefully Josh would crack a smile and be a bit more comfortable about the whole situation. It was an awkward one but Derrick would do his best to try and bring it back to the friendly level it had been on just moments before.
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Post by Josh York on Dec 24, 2008 19:54:53 GMT -5
"I don't know how long I was in the orphanage before the Yorks found me," Josh told him, his hands fidgeting in his lap again, "I was young, so I don't remember the process much but I remember the day the Yorks took me home and I was introduced to my siblings. All of them were adopted as well and they're all older than I am. There's twins though, Alice and Joseph and they're only a year older than I am. Laura's two years older than me and Tommy is three years older. My adopted mum couldn't have kids and they wanted a big family so...they just adopted a bunch of us." He nodded slowly, letting his hands finally rest as he looked at the other boy. When he'd attended Muggle school with his siblings, it hadn't been a big secret that they were all from the same family. But when Josh became the outcast, it had become a problem. Even within his own family, Josh didn't fit. When he'd come to Hogwarts, he guessed everyone thought him to be an only child but now Derrick was the one person that knew this not to be true. And in all honesty, it felt like a great weight had been lifted off him.
"The world doesn't shine too kindly on adopted children," the older boy whispered softly, "At least from what I've seen. That's why I never told anyone about it...I've dealt with the ridicule long enough." Josh reached for his guitar again, plucking at the strings to give his hands something to do. He played the same song over again, his fingers moving quickly before he stopped. The sound echoed through the silent room before Josh spoke once more. "I think you're right though," he said, trying to grin lightly, "I think I'd rather be adopted than a Slytherin. Dirty snakes."
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Derrick Breckenridge
Hufflepuff
Third Year
Watch Me Spin Circles As I Disappear.[on:Violently drifting][of:Drifting softly]
Posts: 154
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Post by Derrick Breckenridge on Dec 26, 2008 0:33:11 GMT -5
Derrick took in what the boy was saying and couldn't help but feel that his situation was awkward. Then of course Derrick if thrust into that situation wouldn't know what to do and would feel awkward himself and that was why he thought this. Being in a family with multiple adopted children had to be a struggle and couldn't be the easiest thing to do. Sighing he couldn't relate with him on a family aspect but that was okay everyones family was bound to be different in some way shape or form.
"I knew how long I was there when I was there. If you ask me now I say a year because it's a nice round measurement but back then I counted days after the first month. I didn't know what I was counting to exactly at first but then I aimed for my eighteenth birthday. I didn't think I was going to get adopted when I was there. I looked sickly and miserable. I'm by myself though now my step-parents are around but not as much as most because they have a lot of business in the states but I see them enough. They love me, they're starting to grow on me, and that's all that matters. In my opinion anyway."
Silently he ran his hand over Francesca remembering the orphanage in full and how he had counted. They were long lonely days and nights ones that Derrick hoped he would never have to revisit again. Even if he could have kids should he get married he would adopted a child and he knew that now. Derrick would look for himself inside those orphanage buildings in each child until he found him. Derrick smile lightly at Josh's response and spoke again.
"Hey now there are one or two good ones mind you, at least that I've met. Although I wouldn't doubt that the description matches a majority of the house from who else I've seen."
Derrick thought first of Claire and Delilah but then of Brenton. The house itself was a mixed bunch but it seemed to be the only one that was like that. Sighing though Derrick stood now and realized just how much time had past. It felt like mere seconds but it had been nearly a half an hour. Maybe that was why he had such difficulty staying in one place and couldn't decide whether to sit or stand. If his hands weren't occupied for whatever reason he couldn't seem to make up his mind on what he wanted to do and became somewhat fidgety. Turning to Josh Derrick cracked a rare tooth showing grin.
"I guess this makes us just a bit more then friends doesn't it?"
He couldn't help but laugh after all it was the truth. They had bared their souls in this room and both of them didn't seem to have many friends. Either way Derrick put a somewhat serious face on to show that the laugh hadn't meant what he had said was in jest but rather he had laughed because it was a relief for him to have found someone.
"Your like the brother I've never had to be honest."
Derrick would let that sit for a while and waited before he spoke again.
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Post by Josh York on Dec 26, 2008 13:31:40 GMT -5
"I think I've spoken more to you today than I have with my siblings in a long time," he confessed as well, letting out a light chuckle of his own, "Even Alice and she's the one I'm closest to." He sighed softly as he thought of his sister. She had been the first one, aside from his adoptive parents, to really welcome him into the home. Little four-year-old Alice had leapt on Josh the moment he had been in the door on his first day with his new family and had instantly become his favourite. Her twin, Joseph and the other kids hadn't warmed so quickly to him, but Josh had never really minded. He had a bond with Alice at least and that was enough for him. Thinking of that day, a small smile grew on Josh's lips.
"We should jam again, mate," Josh suggested, plucking at the strings of his guitar once more, "Any requests?"
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Derrick Breckenridge
Hufflepuff
Third Year
Watch Me Spin Circles As I Disappear.[on:Violently drifting][of:Drifting softly]
Posts: 154
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Post by Derrick Breckenridge on Dec 28, 2008 22:30:18 GMT -5
Derrick chuckled slightly at what Josh had said. He could relate to this to seeing as for the most part he probably talked more to his new found friend then he had to his step parents over the summer. It wasn't so much that he didn't like talking to them it was just that they were not home much. It wasn't their fault they had to work and over the summer months most of their business was in the states so it couldn't be helped. When he was still being home schooled he saw them all the time but that wasn't the case anymore now he was at Hogwarts. It saddened him a bit because he was just starting to warm up to them. They had family that he had never had a chance to meet and now with this day he couldn't help but yearn to learn more of them. Sighing he looked out the window and considered Josh's offer for a bit. Derrick knew what he had to do now though.
"No mate maybe later, right now I'm going to do something I should have done a long time ago. I'm going to go outside and let this rain clean me because maybe that's why it's rained since. Maybe it's raining for me to do this and if not I'll know next year."
Slipping into his shoes Derrick pulled one of the few pieces of clothing his mother had knit that he could still wear. It was a simple yellow scarf and while it clashed terribly with the clothing he was wearing now he didn't care. It would be his towel and it would help cleanse him. Wrapping it slowly around his neck he smiled meekly at Josh and began to walk to the door. Stopping at the door Derrick turned and spoke the words he would leave his new friend with. That's what they were though friends and it was quite clear and simple. Derrick enjoyed it.
"I'm happy to have spoken with you and we should hang out later. Sorry to leave so abruptly but I really feel that I need to do this. Otherwise I would put it off as long as I could. Thanks though for sharing with me and listening. You're secrets safe with me."
And with that Derrick turned and exited the room feeling light and hopefully for the first time on this day in years.
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