Afternoon Stroll

Bird wasn't big on gossip but when rumors about the eleven year old began to spread, he became interested. He didn't want any false information spread about him, he didn't want any information spread about him. It was better to have someone get to know him by talking to him instead of getting information from someone else that didn't know what they were talking about. He couldn't see why some students talked about him, there was nothing special about him. He was just like everyone else. At least he thought he was. He was always told he was and he believed it. He didn't want to be different from others, he just wanted to fit in and belong.

The first year had spent part of his afternoon watching some students play quidditch but soon left when they finished. Now he had to figure out what to do with the rest of his afternoon until it was time to call it a night. So, he began to walk around and take in the beautiful sights that were around him. He was alone with his thoughts and all he could think about was how his first year at the strange school was going. He couldn't quite label it good or bad just yet, it wasn't over. Once he was on his way back to New York, he'd decide. But for now he sorted through the good and bad details. The good out weighed the bad.

Rhys didn't want to attend Beauxbatons for one main reason; Him and Harry would almost definitely be split somewhat. He was used to being metaphorically attached to his twin sister's hip but now not only were they divided based on gender, they weren't even in the same house. He still saw Harry, but it was definitely less than if they were still back at home. He should've been more adamant about convincing her to agree to be homeschooled.

The young ginger sighed as he rested beneath a tree and thumbed through a book. At least he still had Benedict Bear to keep him company. His chocolate eyes lifted and met the empty space where his imaginary friend occupied only in his mind. "No, I'm not studying," He answered his friend's unspoken question with a laugh. "I'm reading for fun and you'd be wise to do the same." He paused and then rolled his eyes. "Being a bear is no excuse." He chuckled and shook his head before something made his heart drop into his stomach.

He spotted the familiar fellow he accidentally splashed with hot chocolate. He recalled Birdie saying that they were friends after that but Rhys didn't know if the lad really meant it or was just being nice. Either way, he was just caught talking to his imaginary friend and must've looked weird, or at least, Rhys felt weird. His face flushed and suddenly he buried his nose into his book in hopes that Birdie might have not noticed him at all in the first place.

The first year hadn't really noticed anyone since he was in his own little world. But once someone began to talk, he began to pay attention. At first he thought that maybe someone was talkinhg to him but soon Bird realized that he wasn't the one that was being talked to. Instead the boy he had met seemed to be talking to himself like there was someone with him. It was none of his business to judge someone for talking to an empty space, it wasn't his business to judge anyone really. Birdie had outgrown an imaginary friend a few years back and didn't require one anymore. But he wasn't like everyone else and people went through things differently than others.

Should he talk to him? Or pretend like he hadn't seen him? Oh crap, he noticed him. Bird tried to pretend that he hadn't seen the boy but from the corner of his eye he knew that Rhys has seen him. Might as well go talk to him, right? The brunett made his way over to the other first year. "Hello," he smiled. "Enjoying the weather too?"

Rhys felt compelled to remain buried in his book in hopes that Birdie might think he hadn't heard him and walk away without further pursuit. However, Bird was the closest thing Rhys had to a friend who wasn't imaginary and there was no way Rhys was capable of being rude. Slowly his brown eyes rose over the book's hard cover and met with Bird's eyes. Timidly he folded his book and placed it in his lap.

"Mmhmm," He answered quietly, nodding gently. He patted the grass beside him across from where Benedict was for Birdie to sit. "I was just reading," He said, as if that were not obvious and would cover up the fact that moments before he was chatting with someone who was not there. He gasped as Birdie moved into the area which Benedict occupied. "Careful! You stepped on Benedict's paw!" He called in sympathy for his bear friend. His face suddenly flushed red. Something like that was customary when around Harry, but he hadn't been thinking when he said it. Surely Birdie wouldn't be as keen to play such childish games with him. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He must've seemed like such a freak to him.

Birdie was just about to walk over the where Rhys wanted him to sit when he was caught off guard when his friend suddenly yelled out. What had just happened? He wasn't sure. But he jumped back with wide eyes. Then he remembered that he had been talking to a blank space when he first spotted him. He nodded towards the empty grass and frowned. "I'm very sorry, Benedict," he spoke to nothing. "I didn't mean to, I guess I just have big feet." Which wasn't true at all, his feet were normal for a kid his age. "Forgive me?"

He turned back to his friend. "You shouldn't feel sorry, I should. I stepped on his paw after all. It was very rude of me to do so." He grinned and carefully moved over to the spot he had been assigned. "What are you reading?" His friend had an imaginary friend, that was okay with him. He couldn't judge him because of that , it was normal for someone to have one, Maybe not at this age, but he didn't want to point that out.