The Place I Feel the Most like Me || OPEN

Anya sat down in a chair and opened her book on page 284 for "The Neverending Story." She was quite immersed in it and lost all her ability to recognize what was going around her. She hadn't even heard the argument that had gone on loudly just a few steps away from her. You could say that was why Anya loved reading her books. She never had to care what was going around her because of it.

Books always held a special interest in her heart and could always find a way to make one interesting even it it was the most boring one of them all.

She finally decided that she's read enough, closed the book, raised her feet on the seat so her head can rest on her knees. Sometimes, although living in a magical world, Anya wished she had the ability to jump into books and change things. Merlin knows she would change the history of some of the horrid-books she's read.



TC: Belongs to Meg and Dia's song. I think they deserve some credit for an amazing song like that.

Yefrem was sitting alone in the common room. His eyes kept travelling back to this one girl, all alone. She looked completely absorbed in a book. There was nothing to do, so Yefrem decided to go talk to her.

"Deep in thought?" he asked her, when she'd put the book down.

Anya tensed up when someone spoke up. She looked up to see a boy who looked around her age.

She smiled lightly when he asked her a question. "You can say that."

She was quiet for a moment, before she poke up again, "Are you new? I don't think I've ever see you here before."

Yefrem smiled, "Yes, I'm new."
He thought for a while, and looked at her again. "So, what were you thinking about?"

"That would explain why I've never seen you before," Anya replied. "I'm Anastasia but Anya is what I'm often called. I'm a third year and obviously I'm in Hrabrost."

She thought for a moment, unsure what her answer should be. She didn't know the boy and the last thing she wanted was to tell him what her family was like. She only covered the "nice" things her parents would do to her friends. What's the muggle saying? Telling a stranger is better than telling your friends? She shook that thought from her mind, telling herself that was dumb. Her friends would never judge her.


"I'm thinking about what the characters in the book," she said, deciding what to say. "Have you ever read The Neverending Story?"

"Yes, it would," Yefem said. "Nice to meet you, I'm Yefrem."
He thought about her question for a while, and then replied; "I can't remember to, but I'm sure my sister has. Characters eh? Whenever my sister Valentina reads, her opinion of them is all over the place. You can hear her muttering about who she likes and who she doesn't."

Yefrem laughed at the memory. She was so funny when she was like that.
"Do you like The Neverending Story, then?" he asked.

"Well, who wouldn't blame her," she grinned. "Everybody has their likes and dislikes when it comes to books."

Anya nodded, "Well, I've never read it entirely before but I'm loving it so far. Do you like to read?"

"Yes, I suppose," Yefem smiled thoughtfully. "It's funny, though. When she doesn't like the ending she starts yelling at the book. Also funny."

"Like to read? Well I don't really read much, but when I do, I only like books that end the way I want them to," he sighed. "Otherwise I get as annoyed as Valentina. You like to read, don't you?"

"Then I suppose your sister, you and I have things in common," Anya laughed lightly as she thought of all the times she 'accidently' burned books when the ending didn't appeal to her. Of course, back then she didn't get in trouble for breaking or burning things... she caught herself before letting her mind drift to unpleasant thoughts.

"Well I hope you don't read the endings first because then there's no point of reading the book," she smiled. "What books have you read that you haven't dismantled yet?"

"You said you're a fourth year, where did you attend before Durmstrang?" She asked, hoping she wasn't probing any terrible territory.

"Mabye we do," sighed Yefrem. "You hate endings that are just terrible too? I never pick up a book that has a horribe ending ever again. It just depresses me."

"No, of course I don't," he laughed, not overthinking it. "Well, first of all, I've met several horrifying stories. I mean, not just the endings, but a lot of things are wrong, like the characters are not very sane or realistic. The plot is also dull, and when I finally get towards the end, it is just so annoying that it can never be right. And those poor, stupid characters live happily ever after. Sorry, I'm rambling here."

Yefrem lowered his head. "I-I didn't really go to school much. I'd spend too much time having fallen out of things, fallen onto things, crashing with things, so I spent some time in a hospital room every day."
He smiled weakly, and continued. "My parents eventually started to try to put a stop to all the adventure, and tried to get people to talk to me about safety first. It was very lame, and they treated me like a five year old, so they seemed to think I was crazy, when all I was is an accident prone who loves adventure. They decided that I was pretty much crazy, and well..."

He trailed off, refusing to meet her eye. "So, you run into any bad endings?"

"Who doesn't?" Yefrem smiled. "I've never really considered reading it like that. It just never occurred to me. Oh well."

"Yeah, I hate those awful characters," he said. "And no, they really don't deserve a happy ending."

"Not crazy?" Yefrem sighed. "First time I believe that in years. And well, I suppose having a sense for adventure is a good thing. I suppose I'll try to limit the amount of trees I fall out of." He laughed. It was unusual for someone to think he was pretty sane. Very unusual...

Yefrem tilted his head; "Twilight? I think I've heard about it, but I can't remember reading it...."

"Loads," he grinned. "Well, I once read this book called Wolf Brother. I loved the story, but at the end it just failed. As if the author had just gotten sick of writing. It annoyed me so much, I almost threw it out an open window." He chuckled at the memory.

"So, when do I get to know you?" Yefrem smirked.

"You'd better," laughed Yefrem. "It's a very fun experience that I never seem to learn from." It was true. He'd fallen out enough times for a halfway sane person to just stop climbing them. Luckily, he wasn't halfway sane.

"No, well," he smiled. "I've never heard of this Brother Bear book, though." It truthfully sounded like an interesting book. Mabye he'd see if he could get his hands on it. Valentina might know.

Yefrem was very confused when she all of a sudden went a bit... Different.
"I didn't mean anything, it's just-"
He decided not to continue and looked at his feet.

"You really seem to like books," he sighed after a while. "Why is that?"

"All right," Yefrem laughed. "I'll make a mental note to do that. And if I should be so unlucky and not be there, what should I do? Run for my life?"

"Touching Spirit Bear sounds even better!" he smiled. "And I suppose he deserved it, too."

"Uhh, all right," he sighed, trying to just drop it all.

"Escape reality," Yefrem mused. "I never thought of reading that way, I suppose. Not the best childhood home? What do you mean?"

"I'll do what feels right," Yefrem beamed. "But when you fall out, expect a few broken limbs. If you're a beginner that is. You get better at finding where to fall."

His smile faltered as she told him just a little of her family. It was enough for him to understand.

"Oh," he murmured. "That sounds... um." Yefrem didn't really feel like finishing, and merely looked at her, hoping she'd explain further.

"If you fell hard enough to pass out, I'd try to wake you," Yefrem smirked. "If I'm feeling like being good."

He laughed. There was always a risk of breaking limbs. "You now have to, sadly." Falling out of trees was very risky, but fun if you knew where to fall.

"Not good," Yefrem sighed. "I honestly can't believe it when people think that way. Is it really that bad?"

"Yes, I would," Yefrem joked. "Depends on if you gave me a good reason to save you." He laughed and threw his arms into the air dramatically.

"And I am going to make you now so no turning back," he grinned. "If it's what it takes, I'd throw you off a tree."

"You get used to it?" Yefrem tried not to sound as angry as he was. Their own daughter? He thought to himself. How?

"Look," he said firmly, taking her hand. "You seem like a great person, and I'm sure you don't deserve it at all. How can they think about you that way? I'm sorry if it's personal, you don't have to answer."

"State my reasons?" Yefrem laughed. "And I should do that why?"

He sighed dramatically. "I suppose. But in the end, you're jumping off something so high you'll be able to touch the clouds." he smiled. "I'll enjoy that."

"It's all right," Yefrem murmured. "I'm sorry." He refused to let go of her hand, no matter how much she struggled.

"All right," he said, realizing her hand was still in his. "Um..." He let go and developed a sudden interest in the floor.