New meetings

"Yes, I write almost everyday" she told him enjoying the friendly conversation she needed after a day of school " And If I don't my mom would kill me when I get home" Alice told him and couldn't help but laugh at her comment. " Thanks! I really love this necklace, my mom was the one that gave it to me when I came here ... I think it was her way of calm me down and let me know she would always be with me, after all, its not easy leave your family at a young age like we do " her voice sounded a little melancholic.

Alice loved how a little conversation could change a person, now he was finally giving her real smiles, even thought she was almost 100% sure he didn't smile that much, being the complete opposite of her.

"The way I discover magic mas hilarious" she cross her legs underneath her and started to tell him her story like if they were old friends " I was 10 and I was having that phase all the girls have, you know when you want everything pink... I'm not proud of that by the way" Alice told her last sentence pointing him with her finger, to make her point clear "So one day I was playing with a white rabbit I have that my parents gave me and out of nowhere he started to get pink " At this point she was already laughing "My rabbit was so angry at me, because guess what my rabbit is... a he" After calming her laugh she gave Jimmy a smile and a shrug " But nothing a few a carrots cannot solve"

When she finish her story she realize of two things: One - She was talking to much of herself and Two - the comment he did about his parents.

" Wait... Why you say you don't know your parents anymore?" Alice told him watching him in his eyes, hoping for an honest answer.

Jimmy couldn't help but just sit there and smile as Alice embarked on her mini speech in front of him. He usually didn't care much for speaking as he usually preferred to listen. Listening came so easy to him as, in his view at least, there was no danger of being judged, he didn't have to worry about saying the wrong thing.

When Alice regaled him with her tale about her pet rabbit, he actually laughed. Even though it hurt his jaw, it felt right to do so, for the first time in what seemed like forever. Though when she picked up on his throw away comment about his parents, he froze.

Taking a deep breath, realizing that he wouldn't be able to avoid not telling her, Jimmy told her. "I....was disowned, my parents didn't take too kindly to magic. I was branded a freak and a monster. All because I made my dad's pen shoot out of his hand."

Sighing heavily, he added "I only wanted to prove the letter right and now here I am, in a foreign country having to fend for myself...". Jimmy pulled his hat down over his eyes, embarrassed that he had just told his past to a complete stranger. But for some strange reason, he couldn't stop himself from telling it.

Alice froze when he told her about his parents, she just couldn´t believe a parent would do something like that to his own child and only because a pen flew off from his hand. She let a few moments of silence pass until she took a deep breath and stand in front of him, pulling up Jimmy´s hat to see his eyes.

" Don´t hide from me" She told him with a serious tone " look you are not a freak ok, you are a very special person, with a special talent, I know a lot of people who would love to have that kind of talent...... The real freak on this story are your parents, they are the ones losing such an important part of their life, and I am pretty sure one day they would see that." Alice then smile and keep looking him in his eyes to let him know she was being honest " But thinking a little bit more I think we are insulting freaks by calling them like that, because I consider myself a proud freak" She smiled even bigger "besides you have me now...... and I never leave my friends alone" She went to sit on her chair hoping that she made him realize how special he is.

" ohhhh " Alice said trying lighten the mood in the room, she thought that maybe he didn´t want to speak about that anymore, after all she was still a stranger for him, although she is determined to change that" you know my rabbit it´s actually here, so you better keep my secret" she told him putting a finger in her mouth as a way to say silence and gave him a small wink

"Why did I do that? Why must I always learn the hard way? Why can't I keep my damn mouth shut???" were the thoughts that raced through Jimmy's mind as he sat, head bowed, staring at the floor. The silence that he usually loved seemed alien now. This wasn't the silence that accompanied study or deep thought, this was awkward silence and Jimmy didn't like it one bit.

Mercifully, it was Alice who broke it and not Jimmy. He was taken aback by the abruptness of it though, blinking rapidly as she pulled up his hat. "Why is she still taking to me?" Jimmy wondered as he gazed up at Alice. Jimmy could do nothing but smile at her remarks, his cheeks turning a slight hint of red in the process. "Thank you" he mumbled, still in shock that someone was being nice to him.

Jimmy put his finger to his mouth as well, showing that her secret was safe with him. "I would love to see the little fella sometime, if that's okay?" he said.

"Of course!" Alice said with a smile, excited that she made him feel better after such a sad story "He is not pink anymore in case you wonder... In my second year was when I finally discover how to turn him back to normal" thinking about that moment she couldn't help but laugh.

" I have always thought that my best and most hilarious year in hogwarts was my third" She told Jimmy getting lost in her thoughts for a second "It was that awkward time when you realize boys are cute and start to have your first crush" At this point she was laughing remembering all of this "But that's girl talk and I'm not gonna boring you with that.... What about you? which do you think was your best year? " When finished this question Alice notice there is something she don't know about him " Wait! I never asked you in what year you are"

"Oh, I'm a sixth year" said Jimmy "What year are you?" he added, finding Alice's constant smiling infectious. "I don't really have a favorite year, they were all the same to me, I learned, I studied, I did homework..." Jimmy said with a slight yawn, his non eventful school years caused this as soon as he began to think about them.

"So anyways, tell me a bit about yourself, Alice?" Jimmy asked, not particularly fond of talking about himself and looking to shift the focus on to her.

"Nice! I'm on my six year too" Alice felt a little shame when she saw Jimmy yawn "Maybe I'm talking to much... He must be tired and want to rest" she thought.

Her thoughts were interrupted when he asked her a question. A smile came to Alice face when she heard the question, she then rested her head fully on the back of her seat looking to the ceiling, trying to figure how to answer.

"You know, that is a hard question" Still looking to the ceiling she told him "Well I love to use sarcasm, specially when someone want to get me mad. I love music, but I'm a horrible singer ... I'm not even joking on that one, not even my mom like it when I sing" Alice laugh " I love chocolate, the nature, and few other stuff.... I have an older brother, he is the only one in the world I love to annoy just like he love to annoy me back ..... And I have always thought I'm good at reading people"

She stopped and looked at him " The fair thing to do is ask you the same thing you just did to me ... But I have a hunch you wouldn't like that to much" Alice told him with a small smile

"I'm sure you're not that bad of a singer" said Jimmy, chuckling. He then pulled his knees up towards himself, his head tilted slightly as he listened to Alice speak. Jimmy's eyes light up as she mentioned sarcasm, it was something that Jimmy loved to use often. Even though people tended to be offended by it or misunderstand it, Jimmy could never resist the urge to add in a little sarcastic remark here and there.

Slowly taking his hat off, Jimmy responded to her question "Yeah, you're right...I wouldn't like it, but since you answered my question..." he said, feeling unsure of himself. Jimmy paused for a second, taking the time to collect his thoughts before answering.

"Well, I enjoy reading. I always tend to have a book in my hand. I also love music, I have a guitar in my room, though I'm not exactly good." he said flatly, with a gentle shrug of his shoulders. "I guess there isn't anything else I can say about my family that you don't already know..." Jimmy added, his voice lowering a little. "Oh!" he exclaimed, suddenly remembering something, " I have a pet cat! She's black and she likes to curl up on my lap when I'm reading" Jimmy said, giggling a little. "Would you like to see her?"

" No, trust me when I said I'm bad.. I would sing for you, but I don't want you to be deaf" Alice told him with a smirk.

"I notice you liked books the first moment I saw you.... Now I know what I can give you as a birthday present" She told him with one of the smiles she would always give "I bet you are better than you think with the guitar!" She told him in a very honest way.

Alice's eyes started to glow when she hear Jimmy talk about his cat "ohh I'm not the only one breaking rules" She told him in a funny voice and with a raise eyebrow. " I would love to see her!.... I would like for you to meet furball but he must be sleeping right now"

In the moment she notice she said 'Furball' she just started to blush ashamed for revealing the name of her rabbit. But to be honest with herself she loved the name of her pet, since the first moment she saw him on the pet store, till now she still think of him as 'Her furball'.

"Don't blame me for his name " Alice told Jimmy before he have the chance of tell her something about the name she choose " I was 10 when I put him that name ... And I'm horrible naming pets" She finally looked at him " When can I see your cat?" Trying to avoid questions about her lack of creativity naming her pets.

"I'm not breaking any rules, cats are allowed, Alice" said Jimmy with a wry smile, still blushing slightly from when she spoke of his guitar. "What's wrong with Furball? I think that's a lovely name." he told her, tilting his head slightly, confused by her blushing.

"I'll go get her now, she's just up in my room" Jimmy said, rising from his seat and walking to the door, putting his hat on as he did so. "I'll only be a moment, hopefully she isn't sleeping" he added as he disappeared through the door, quietly excited.