Smells Like Teen Spirit

Indigo wasn't much of a people person. But she was working on her people skills. She was trying her very best to open up to people instead of hiding when someone approached her. She now didn't run, but she didn't talk either. Usually people just walked away when she wouldn't respo d to them. She heard a rumor going around that she was mute and that's why she didn't talk to people. But they had heard her talk at the sorting ceremony. How could someone forget that? Maybe nobody cared that she was there or not, that she talked or not. It was so hard to make friends when you couldn't speak a word.

The common room was mostly empty which made Indigo a bit more comfy. All she had to do was settle down and start reading her book. She spotted an empty couch and made her way over to it. She avoid eye contact with other students as she sat down on the comfortable couch. Just as she was about to start reading, someone sat beside her. She looked familiar but all she could do was stare at the girl.

McKenna was a people person. She loved talking to new people and when she was younger she’d make a new friend anywhere that she went. She was the most outgoing of the Arnett sisters, though Melanie was a people person too.

She was getting too antsy sitting in the library and watching Cori read. Once she grew bored of that, McKenna went back to the Montagnard common room. She spotted a familiar face. Ah… what was her name… it was a color. That much McKenna knew. Indigo! That’s what it was. She went over and took a seat beside her, smiling. “Hello! How are you today? I’m doing quite well. What book are you reading?” McKenna started spouting off questions.

Socal situations scared the first year. Having attention drawn to her made her sweat. Was there a way to escape this situation? Yes. Was her brain working properly so she could escape? No. No it wasn't. She thought back to the letter she sent her parents telling them that she was going to try her best to make friends and talk to people. This was her moment. This was the time to talk to someone. And wasn't it rude not to talk to someone when they spoke to you first?

"I-I'm reading Sherlock Holmes. Brilliant story," she said softly. "I'm well, thank you for asking." It was nice to be polite, people liked when people were polite. "I guess I don't have to ask if you're well."

“Sherlock Holmes?” McKenna tilted her head. The name of the novel sounded familiar, though she had never picked it up before. She’d have to ask Cori about it sometime. “Of course.” She smiled and giggled, shaking her head. “Naw, you don’t have to ask, seeing as I already told you.” She played with the ends of her braid. “I’m not bothering you am I? My older sister tells me that I bug people when I go up to them and spark up a conversation…so please tell me if I am.” She said softly. McKenna’s only friend here so far was her twin sister. She really wanted to make some more.

"Oh no, you're no bother at all," she said quickly. "I'm just new to the whole 'making friends' thing. I've never had a friend before. Frankly, I've never seen anyone but family before coming here." She was odd, she knew that. But she had every right to be. If people got to know her then they would know that she was just afraid of opening up and getting to know others. Humans were so hard to understand. She could hardly understand herself let alone another human being.

"Most people don't wait long enough for me to explain myself. If I tell you my story, will you tell me yours?" She set down her book and turned her body towards the girl. "Not just the things that I can see just by looking at you. I want to know the real you, not someone that is close."

She paused before continuing, "My family keep to themselves and I've never had any friends. I only left the house to pick herbs and things out of my garden, I wasn't allowed to leave the yard. My family is very spiritual so they taught me things. I'm surprised my mother even allowed me to come here, she thinks there's too many evil spirits out there."

“Oh, okay.” She nodded and fidgeted with her hands. “You’ve never seen anyone but family?” That sounded really lonely. McKenna had her two sisters, but she also had a few friends from her muggle school.

McKenna nodded and smiled, kicking her shoes off to cross her legs underneath herself. “It’s a deal.” She was curious about this girl’s story. The real her? McKenna wasn’t sure if she even knew the real her.

“That’s the only time you left the house?” She asked with a surprised tone. That sounded awful, not that she would tell Indigo that. “Are your parents muggles?” She asked curiously. “Can I ask what sort of things they taught you?”

She nodded to confirm she was only around her family. "I don't mean to be so awkward, please forgive me for that." Maybe she could get some pointers from the girl. She seemed to friendly enough to help her to become social. "Please teach me how to be social, you look so good at it." She abandoned her book and turned to the other girl. "Please?"

She nodded again. "My family lives far from other people, my family doesn't talk to people. We're very spiritual." There wasn't much to say about herself. "I guess that's it unless you want to ask me anything." This is the most she's ever talked to anyone.

"Yeah," she admitted. "I've never left the yard, I was homeschooled." She pushed some of her hair behind her ear. "No, my parents aren't muggles. If I show you what they've taught me, will you teach me to be social?"

McKenna nodded slowly. “Oh, no! You’re fine, you’re not that awkward.” She smiled. Wait…that sounded kinda bad didn’t it? “I didn’t mean it like that…uh..” Well poop. “Uh what?” Teach her how to be social? She watched as Indigo set her book aside. “Yeah, sure, I can try.” She giggled softly.

“Spiritual? Like how so? Are you guys pagan? What sort of practices do you do?” She rambled off several questions at once then reminded herself to tone it down. “Where are you from?” She asked curiously.

McKenna nodded and smiled. “Yeah, I think it’d be cool to learn that stuff. We’ve got a deal.” She smiled. “So your parents are magical? Mine aren’t, but I guess we have some distant relatives or something that are.” She shrugged slightly. “My family is from Scotland. My mum is an artist and my dad is a scientist. You know my twin, Cori, and I have an older sister, Melanie.” She smiled, her family really wasn’t all that interesting. At least not in the way that Indigo’s seemed.

The young girl grinned. She was going to learn to be social, there was hope to be normal. "I know I'm awkward," she said simply. It didn't bother her that the other girl thought she was awkward. "I've been trapped in my home for eleven years, I think I need some help."

"It's not so much about religion, my mother's family comes from a long line of witches. Instead of using their powers to benefit themselves, they use them to help others. I come from a long line of healers. I think my family just came up with their own rituals." All she knew was that she used herbs to heal stray animals and family members. "We use a lot ofnherbs and other natural things." Her father just went along with whatever her mother said.

"Your family sounds...wonderful. So many people." Indigo always wished for a brother or sister, someone to keep her company. "To be honest, I don't want to be a healer. I want to get away from all the traditions in my home. I just want to be myself but I keep getting pushed to be just like everyone else in my family."

McKenna grinned back at the girl, but it slowly disappeared when she mentioned being trapped in her home for eleven years. And McKenna being McKenna, she thought it was literal. “Oh my merlin! You were trapped in your house!” She exclaimed. “What! Oh my goodness.”

She nodded, trying her best to listen carefully. “Oh, okay.” McKenna hadn’t been sure if it was a religion thing or just practices passed through the generations or what it was that made Indigo’s family so different. “Oh, that’s interesting. So, you’ll be showing me all sorts of ways to use herbs?” She asked curiously.

“My family is really very ordinary.” She laughed softly and shrugged. “But, I’d definitely say I’m lucky to be a part of it.” She couldn’t imagine not having Melanie or Cori by her side. “You can just join mine and Cori’s family. You can be an honorary Arnett.” She giggled, grinning at Indigo. McKenna was being a hundred percent serious about this too. “We can have you over during breaks or something and yeah.”