Wallflower | OPEN

Ondrea had been gripping the banister of the Grand Staircase for at least ten minutes. I should just go back to my dorm, she thought. Go back, take off this ridiculous dress and... read or something. Or study. Or... anything not involving people. That would be good. Very.

But her (ulgh) therapist had said it was good for her to step out of her comfort zone. Which, Ondrea's mother had instantly translated to 'Ondrea needs to go to the Christmas Ball at school'. Worst idea ever, in Ondrea's opinion. Except...

Ondrea kind of actually wanted to go. If she could let go of the damn banister.

Finally managing to do just that, Ondrea took that final stair and walked towards the Great Hall. She would just... stand in a corner or something. Watch everyone else. She had no problem with being a wallflower for the night. It wasn't as if anyone she'd actually want to dance with would ask her, anyway.

Besides, she was pretty sure most people thought she was some sort of freak, and that alone usually kept the masses at bay.

Iris wandered around the Great Hall, loving the fun atmosphere. Everything seemed so...perfect. It made her forget about the things happening outside these castle walls. She sighed softly to herself, wishing everyday would be like this. She got a glass of punch and looked around to see if anyone else was just standing around.

She noticed a girl sitting by herself in a corner. "Hey I'm Iris!" She walked over to the girl and greeted her with a grin. "What do you think of the ball so far?"

J. J. was wandering through the mass amounts of people, weaving her way in out of everyone, alone for she was attempting to get to the bathroom.

She had just got out of the fray of dancers and excited students, and move towards where two older girls were standing, when she places on mis-step on the hem of her dress, and fell flat on her face.

Great, she thought bitterly as her face heated up with embarassment, tripped by my own dress.

"I knew I shouldn't have worn this thing," she muttered to herself.

Iris turned around at the sound of a thud and her eyes widened in surprise as she saw a student on the ground. She quickly went over to help the girl and took her arm gently. "Hey, are you hurt?" She asked, feeling concerned. "Want to go the infirmary?"

J. J. looked up at the girl who came to help her, letting her help her to her feet.

"No, no," she said, her face becoming even more inflamed at the thought, God, to have tripped myself into the hospital wing! "I'm fine - Nothing new, I do it all the time."

She gave a little laugh, and then winced as she bent her knee. Great, that's bruised.

"So much for looking elegant," she managed to attempt to joke.

Ondrea was surprised when someone approached her after a relatively short time. It was a younger girl, she thought. Pretty, too. She mentally shook herself, then drew in a long slow breath before answering.

"It's... crowded. L-ooks nice, though," she replied, words drawn out more than they ought to have been. Brilliant, Ondrea thought with an internal grimace, not stammering, but now I just sound slow, or something.

"I'm -" She had started to introduce herself when another girl tripped nearby. Ondrea also went over, standing by as Iris helped her up.

"Lemme see," Ondrea said kindly. She peered into the girl's face, brushing a stray strand of hair out of her face.

"You missed your nose, at least. And your chin," she remarked with a faint smile. "Met a boy earlier this year who'd gotten a bloody nose running into a tree." Ondrea took a step back to examine the girl's attire. "You're dress isn't torn, thankfully, so that just leaves scraped palms and bruised knees."

Ondrea took the girl's hands, turning them over to examine the palms. "I think you'll survive," she said, teasing lightly, as she let go again. "Though, your hands might sting for a bit."

And suddenly, she was back in anxiety territory, again. That had never made sense to Ondrea, how she could take care of and sooth a stranger without so much as a stammer or tense muscle, then suddenly feel terrified again once the 'crisis' was past.


Bugger it all, Ondrea didn't know why they were different! They just were!

Or were they?

Ondrea drew in a breath. "Are y-ou alright?" she asked, speaking slowly again, her arms folded securely around her middle. She glanced up at Iris, then added. "I'm... Ondrea."

And I sound like an idiot, she silently added.

"Are you sure you don't want to go to the infirmary?" Iris asked, not feeling convinced of the girl's well being. "Trust me sweetheart, most of the time it's hard to be elegant." She told with a grin. "I'm Iris, by the way. Though, you may call me Grayson 'cause there is another Iris in my year."

She turned towards the other girl. "Nice to meet you Ondrea!" She watched quietly with fascination Ondrea pointed out the girl's injuries and did a thorough check up. "Wow, seems like you know a lot of this healing stuff," Iris commented with a smile.

"You both look great, by the way." She looked around her and almost whispered to herself with a smile, "Everyone looks pretty great."

"Walk into a tree," she murmured, "Haven't managed that one yet."

J. J. flexed her hands feeling the usual sting and smiling at the girl, "Thank you Ondrea. I'm all right really."

She looked at both girls attempting to convince them of this fact. "It really isn't anything knew. I'm a walking ball of accidents, falling down stairs, and kicking walls."

"You're both really too kind, thank you," she said again, nodding at Grayson. "I'm J. J."

She blushed a bit as Iris complimented her, "Thank you - you do too, both of you - though I feel like I could have avoided mishaps better if they had just let me wear my robes."

Ondrea gave a timid smile. "My brother is al-ways getting hurt," she said. "Or... he u-used to.

"Everyone... does look nice," the girl agreed, turning her gaze out to the crowd.

"It sounds like your brother and I have something in common then," she gave a soft smile and a laugh, bending her knee up and down hoping for the pain of the bruise to eventually wear off.

She looked around at all the people, "Its funny... the school suddenly seems so much.. larger than it normally does."