Give peace a chance! (for me.) [OPEN]

Selena strolled around the forest, it was already twilight. What a choice of the day to start of escaping the castle. Well, the grounds actually. But much away from the mentality of the crowd. Of what she believed to be toxic. Yet, new lessons hasn't started and now here she is, roaming and acting all as lone. She had to admit, she would rather choose to be with herself where no one can rummage in her thoughts and mind her business, than with some people who wouldn't dare to understand her. Just brag here and there about themselves and show how they're so superior. The unbalanced philosophy of man.

The young girl stopped, carrying the case of her acoustic guitar and settled herself on a large rock just steps forward. She puffed and continued to walk as she reached the place where she can now define the deafening silence of the woods. Don't care about anything else other than to spend this time with what she only loved nowadays - music.

Selena took out her red guitar and started to pluck the strings in tune with the echos of the surrounding. It began slowly, then by time and time, it transformed into a more passionate one - letting go of her emotions. One things she intended to not to do without her notice.

For unknown reasons, Lora loved the forest. She found it quite a nice place for a walk and to clear her head if she was ever stressed. Not much students bothered to walk into the forest and she took advantage of that.

All sorts of thoughts came into her mind as she strolled along but mostly she thought of her parents. She wished so desperately that they would just make up and talk to each other but that didn't look like it was happening any time soon. At some point she felt like screaming and crying to someone, but she had a feeling she couldn't do that.

After a while, Lora came across a large rock. As she walked closer, she could hear someone playing a guitar. That sounds beautiful, was her first thought.

"That was amazing." She commented with a smile, once the girl finished playing.

Selena stopped abruptly from playing as she heard someone speak from the back. She stayed still and shrugged. Compliments were not usually her thing ever since. But it was still better to know if you're an 'amazing' musician than not. And she knew for some reason, she is one. But she can't go on entertaining people when nobody even knew the real reason behind that passion. They're too ignorant for that. No one will ever get her situation.

The girl thought for a while, what if she can just go with the flow and trash that nonsense pride away? This may be a chance to find a person - at least one, who can be a companion. Or moreover, a friend. A being that will understand her and appreciate her art. The true and genuine way it was supposed to be.

"Oh. Uh, thanks. It's getting dark, you always stroll around this time?"

Selena asked casually and started again to pluck the strings of her guitar gently. Just to ease the nervousness.

"Not really, but I couldn't sleep because I was having nightmares. So I thought I'd come here for a walk." Lora replied with a smile and sat on the grass, opposite the girl.

"Did you compose that on your own?" She asked, referring to the music she just heard. "I wasn't lying, it really was beautiful. Though I couldn't help but notice it seemed a bit...personal somehow." She commented. "I mean, that was just an observation..." she quickly added and trailed off, hoping she didn't offend the girl in any way. "I should really stop talking." She smiled sheepishly. "So, what's your name? I'm Lora."

Selena shrugged and leaned her guitar beside the rock. Her composition was sure personal. But that not too confidential. She wasn't thinking of someone. Not entirely her brother. Just keeping things within the flow of nature. She just wanted to play, somehow and let her hiding emotions come out.

After a short while, she decided to answer the question. The girl Lora seemed to be the person who can understand. But still, Selena can't give the rest of the answers away,

"I'm Selena. And the composition is not really personal. I just went with the music around me. Here in the forest. I just felt the strings, and that's it."

Lora got the feeling that Selena probably didn't like getting compliments. Or maybe that she rarely heard them and was quite surprised that someone took note of her talent. Either way, she couldn't help but observe the mystery that seemed to surround the girl. She looked the type who was very much used to being on their own. But Lora wanted to show her how nice it was to be amongst other people.

"It comes naturally, huh?" She asked with a knowing smile. "I know what you mean. I write...uh..lots of poetry for almost every feeling within me and it brings me comfort." She admitted quietly. "Did someone in your family teach you how to play?"

Selena nodded and smiled shyly. She would write poems if she wanted to. But music is the rest of the story. It is every comfort she could ever ask for. Well, for her.

She controlled her usual shrugging as to not offend the friendly girl. She got up and sat on the ground to be more comfortable and took her guitar again after she had felt that it was all right to play again. When she made peace with the stranger.

"I've tried poetry, though. But it never came out right. I always end up with scribbled papers and nothing. Lyrics are not really my thing."

Selena explained, hoping that Lora would understand since this was a rare opportunity that she would tell things about herself.

"Well, my brother used to teach me. But as time went by, I just learned playing myself."

Or when he actually left? Stop thinking about it. It just blurted out.

"Most of my poems are love based though." Lora admitted with a light laugh. "I write poems about myself but most of them turn out be quite sad. So I just stick with the romance thing." She grinned slightly.

"Oh, why did your brother stop teaching you?" She asked curiously. "If you don't mind me asking, that is." She quickly added with a smile. "But that's really nice, if you ask me. I had a sibling as well; an elder sister. Thanks to her, I was able to see a lot of things around the world," she told and smiled fondly at the memories.

"Oh, you had past lovers? Or probably the present? Well, poetry isn't something where you hide your feelings, though. They're supposed to be shown by an invisible audience. And that's the essence of it. I remember I had a journal full of poems. But I reckon it's rotting in the attic. I was still younger then. And most of my writings are about foolishness."

Selena said with a hint of her mood getting lighter. She did feel comfortable now with Lora, officially her friend, having a sensible conversation with her. A stranger she just met and hardly knew. But their sudden bond was quite not the expected. It seemed to be catching up and soon enough, they'll be spilling secrets to one another. The deepest of all. Well for her, that's the case.

"Um. My brother? I guess it's best to not to talk about it. I wouldn't want to spoil the day with one topic that always made me lonely. Better not to be mentioned."

She said disappointedly and turned to look down, eager to not to meet eyes with the companion in front of her. She will not cry. Not one single drop of tear. She must grow up and trash that immature way of hers away. For once and for all.

"Um...no past lovers....it's present; I have a boyfriend." Lora replied, feeling the blood rise to her cheeks. "You're right. No matter how hard one tries, one can't help but pen down actual feelings of sadness or happiness." She smiled lightly. "Rotting in the attic? That sounds awful!" She exclaimed and grinned. "Hey, foolishness can go a long way, you know." She told Selena with a laugh.

Lora instantly felt guilty for making her friend sad. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to make you remember something horrible." She apologized and gave the girl a hug. "And I really don't mind if you want to talk about it," she told with a small smile. "Besides, the more we talk to one another, you'll begin to see just how talkative I can be." She commented, trying her best to make Selena feel better.

"Love. What does that even mean? Huh. I'm still young though, and I can be too ignorant about that side sometimes." Selena replied calmly and laughed softly, wondering what did happen to that notebook of hers. Well, she will never dare to come up to the attic. Who knows what would surprise her?

The girl hugged back shyly, feeling some sympathy for Lora that she seemed this nice. Even to a rather rude Selena, her first impression to be exact, she accepted her.

"Oh well. It really is a long story you know. Like it would never end. But I can try. Then we can exchange some stories. And I will see if you're really that talkative."

Selena said with a grin as she waited for the deal to be granted. Spilling some secrets to someone trustworthy can make her feelings be a bit better.

"Um, I don't think I can explain what exactly is love." Lora replied, a sheepish smile on her face. "It's fine if you are ignorant about it; you can't love someone forcefully after all."

"No problem, cause I like listening to people's stories and try to make them feel a tad better." She admitted. "Sure! I got good stories and bad stories," she told with a slight grin.

Normally Lora wouldn't agree to such terms but she got the feel that Selena was not going to spread the stories and thoughts that she was about to share. Besides, how many people out there actually like to listen to me? She wondered.

"Maybe I'll just stick to ignorance. I don't want an trouble about that side for sure."

Selena said and adjusted her sitting position. She lay by the grass, ignoring the awkward moment of hers she has just portrayed this time, and gazed at the top of the high trees. Admiring the wonderful shimmering lights of the starts who just showed themselves out. She sighed and started to question Lora of a thing about something that had happened to her. One thing that changed everything.

"You know the feeling of having problems with the family? Then losing someone you dearly love just because of some mother-monster of yours? Then you became different. Way different from what you were yesterday?"

The girl already felt too comfortable with the surroundings. And she would never hesitate on missing the chance of having a light feeling on a silent night. She couldn't remember the last time she felt any of this. As though she was her past self again. Just a young girl living the young life.

"I know you how you feel. Things aren't so dandy with my family either." Lora admitted with a sad smile. "I can't blame anyone though though I am angry at my parents for splitting up." She nodded her head in agreement. "It's natural that you are affected in such a way when you lose someone close to you. Trust me, I know." She mumbled mostly to herself.

Selena sighed hopelessly, with one side of hers glad that Alora understood. She continued to look up into the night and glittering sky, picking out constellations she knew, then closed her eyes as she replied, finally finding the words she can put,

"Then my mother grabbed my brother away. And now, it seems like years or even forever that I'm waiting for the chance that I might see him again." she paused, remembering the pictures of memories, without knowing that a tear already started to fall across her face. Although oblivious in the dark, she still begged that the person beside her wouldn't see her cry.

Selena inhaled and exhaled, settling herself again and continued with her sad story, "I miss him. Terribly. Where in the world is he? Is he okay? Is my stupid mother treating him right with all the wealth that she stole from my father? I have no idea."

"S-she grabbed him away? Why did she do that?!" Lora asked, the shock evident in her voice. "I mean, what sort of parent does that to their own children?" Hoping she didn't go too far, she said. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you." Feeling really sad for Selena, she hugged her tight. It was the only source of comfort she could give. "I'm sure he's alright," she murmured.

"Of course you miss him, I'd think you were crazy if you didn't." She replied and smiled humorlessly. "So you live with your father now?" Lora asked.

Selena stayed fixated with her position and looked over to her side, with her expression of sorrow as she went over to her next part of the story. She felt nothing out of weirdness. But instead, she felt that this girl right next to her is turning out to be one of the most trusted persons of all time. And including that, Selena would accept her as some sort of best friend who's there to comfort her when needed.

She wiped the tear that started to fall apart and spoke again softly, as though she did this sort of thing a hundred of times, and as though she was just wondering about a theory. One thing she isn't really sure about.

"She hated me. So maybe that's why she picked Andrei instead. I'm all right. And yeah, I'm closer to my father and we're the only ones left after that incident. That hell of an incident. I would never go back to the way I felt. And now, here I am. People don't usually get me. I know it. From their glaring looks and all. As if they're the only ones suffering."

OUTFIT!

"People can be idiots." Lora stated with a firmness that surprised even herself. "Besides, they have no right to be judgemental especially when they don't know what you have been through. Everyone has their own sufferings in their own way." She shrugged. "Just don't pay attention to them and make yourself feel worse." She told Selena with a small smile.

"I'm glad that you have your father with you." She told softly. "Why would she hate you?" She asked her friend curiously. "Did your dad try to stop her?" Lora knew she was probably asking too many questions but she couldn't help it. She felt the same sense of anger she had felt when her parents fought and then split.

Selena shrugged and smiled slightly, thankful for that piece of advice she can apply to her everyday heck of a life. It sure was true. No one can make her feel worse and worse each time. It can only let her down and sooner, she'll be someone that anyone can never see. Someone invisible and vulnerable that even people can step on. She would never want that obviously. Except for the fact that she's invisible. Probably a ghost or something that can still excel in her own rights would be satisfying enough. But that's not the point either.

The girl sighed and closed her eyes, letting another tear flow and moved on with her story, answering Lora's intriguing question. Why did her mother hate her exactly? What's it that she has done before? Clearly, she herself is not sure with that query. But in any case, this moment can be the real deal to figure that out.

"I really don't know. I mean, I'm not this kind way back. I'm more of the happy me and the past of my being then. Maybe because she thinks that I'm more of a daddy's girl. Or that I spend time more with the men of the house than with her." Selena replied confusedly and grunted with her other answer,

"Yep. He did try to stop her, though. But later, I reckon that he chose to give up because he can't be the one to point out what's right. I just think that he was already thankful that the suffering is finally over. Except for losing a son. And some money. But it was nothing really. And another exception for the pain that we're currently into." she sighed sadly and stared at the night sky once more while muttering in a monotone,

"Sometimes I wonder if I can pick out a star and follow it to where my brother is. Then end of story. End of my painful situation. But how in the world can I choose from a gazillion of stars? I don't even know where to begin."

"Men of the house? There were others living with you other than your family?" Lora asked confusedly. "So what if you're a daddy's girl? That doesn't have to make your mother think that you love her any less." She told Selena softly. She wondered if her own parents fought like this before they split. Maybe this was why she never saw her father.

She looked at her friend sadly and suddenly, images of her sister flashed into mind. And not the good kind. People in dark cloaks. Yelling. Hiding behind a sofa. Green light. She closed her eyes and shook her head, not wanting to remember that night. Everytime she remembered it, the guilty feeling just intensified.

"Yes, it's natural to feel relieved that the suffering is over," she murmured. "But it never actually goes away does it? Somehow, there is an internal conflict within us wondering if there was any way we could have altered the past."

Lora smiled at Selena's analogy. "Follow a star; wish I could do that. But it wouldn't get me anywhere except maybe heaven." She looked at the girl. "Don't worry, I'm sure you will find your brother even though it may take a while."

"Specifically just two men. And you already know that. But if horses count, then they do too. Also some of the guards of the house. I really don't go along with girls. And if I would try, I usually end up humiliated. But I never tried to talk with boys ever since my brother have left me. Just father." Selena replied with a hint of sarcasm and thought about all the pain withering away from her. Impossible. Just sheer nothingness of something that is not anymore real.

"I think heaven is such a great place. No wonder if I'll be the happiest girl there. Choose a star that would lead me there or to my brother. I think I'd just choose both of them. Or just the second one. Because it's already heaven if that would ever happen." She answered back with a sigh, eager to feel what's it like.

"So there's no one at home other than you and your father, huh?" Lora asked with the hint of a sad smile. "Why do bad things as such happen Selena?" She nearly whispered to the girl beside her. "They say everything happens for a reason. But I honestly cannot see the logic in that statement."

"I wonder if such a place as heaven exists." She commented and laughed lightly. "I'd probably follow the star and end up in heaven because I'm sure that's where my sister is. But then again, there are people here I wouldn't like to leave either." She looked at Selena and smiled. "Damn, I hate how us humans manage to make everything sound complicated." She muttered and shook her head.

"You are not alone. Everything here would be the reason why I want to leave and escape. Though a few things would force me not to. Like what's left of my family and rare found friends." Selena replied casually and looked over to Lora, smiling slightly at her to point out what she meant. True, she had found a jewel of a friend right here. And having that kindred heart of hers is also a rare find.

"For a purpose, huh? I can only think of none. Maybe our creator just wants us in misery. End of it. Or I would think to make us one hell of a strong being. What do you think? It's rather complicated to think of." She continued, sounding curious and looked up at the heavens above them, as though calling expecting something to come down.

"I suppose there are worse things that happen outside of this devilish school," Lora replied with a shrug of her shoulders. "And sometimes it scares me that one day I will have to leave this place and go out to fight." She admitted. "But I am determined to become an Auror and try to help people." She said and smiled slightly. "Rare found friends indeed," she murmured to Selena and gave her a hug.

She couldn't help but laugh at her friend's comment. "Misery? I think that's a bit harsh." She grinned. "I'd definitely go with the second option; it seems more...positive. Like I said, leave it to the humans to make everything complicated." Being the one that hates to be depressed, she suggested, "Alright, why don't we talk about something else? How are you adjusting at Durmstrang so far?"

"Yep. This place is hell indeed. And I also dream of that part too. We all are. That's why we're here kinda suffering at first." Selena replied slowly, making sure that she had said that all well, and patted Lora's shoulder as her gesture of pleasant thanks.

"Uh. Working on it. I hope I can survive the insanity that surrounds me. All seems mental and crazy. And just awkward beings. Most of the professors? I hate." She shrugged after telling the truth. One week of torturous school is equal to a year of craziness. She'd probably go mental like the others. Soon? Or is she already now?