[U light the s.t.a.r.s]Karms&Esteban[Up Above Me]

[Karmina Black]

The low crackle of thunder echoed in Karma's mind, warning her that there was indeed a storm coming her way. Except the thunder was muffled, and she could tell it would be quite a while before the storm hit the grounds of Hogwarts. This enlightened Karma, making her want to jump for glee. She loved storms... the sound of rain drops on the roof, lulling her to sleep in a maximum of five minutes. It calmed her, easing all of the stress that had happened that day, or the weeks before. Normally, Miss. Black's eyes would show her calmness, but on this particular day they seemed some-what haunted. This was not a good thing at all, in her case. Well, considering her eyes were normally happy, and... well... not haunted.

The sound of crunching leaves, and twigs underneath Karma's feet also set in a low echo in her mind. Her thoughts trailed off to various things, as she tried effortlessly around the annoying, fragile twigs, and various items. Finally, she looked up at the sky, seeing the millions of stars speckled magnificently up in the dark blue sky, scattering around the silver, waxing crescent moon. She had learned a lot about the sky in Astronomy class, which was now one of her favorite classes to learn in. When she looked back ahead of her, the tree was there, still as a rock. She smiled, walking underneath it, happy that someone had already cursed it to be still. In that case, she sat underneath the thinning branches, looking up at the sky while flipping her wand through her fingers.

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[Esteban Rodriguez]

Thunder rolled across the sky as Esteban walked across the grounds. It had been busy in the common room, due to a fourth year's birthday party, so Esteban had been ousted from his usual seat, right by the the fire. His book was still there, lying on the floor, bookmark in place. A pristeen copy of transforming terrors : is transformation always the right way to go? A bit of extended reading, something to double check whether he understood the basic principles studied in class. Of course the basic principles were not an issue, and neither was the extended reading, well it wasn't exactly taxing for someone with a photographic memory. His hand held tightly onto the ring that was always present in his pocket.

He spotted a figure in the distance, that looked strangely familiar. Not wanting to make a fool of himself, he decided to walk towards the whomping willow instead of just shouting across the grounds. As he approached he recognised the figure, who was now sitting at the base of the tree. "Karma?" he said quietly, sitting beside one of his closest friends.

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[Karmina Black]

Another echo bounced around joyfully in Karmina's mind, making her eyes close, as she moved her legs up to her chest. She wrapped her arms around the two long limbs, holding them to her chest. She leaned her head back, still looking up at the millions of sparkling stars lighting up the sky slightly. Her eyes gleamed up at them, masking a haunted look still. She hated this. She liked it better when her eyes were filled with joy, that way people wouldn't ask what was wrong. Nothing was wrong with her... right? Well at least that's what she wanted to tell herself. She leaned her head back against the rough bark of the tree, her eyes closing slowly.

Right before she could fall into her trance like state, Karma's head snapped up as she heard the footsteps grow louder, indicating that someone was coming closer and closer. Then she heard the voice... a voice of whom she had learned to love. She smiled as he sat down next to her, turning back to look up at the stars. "Yep, it's me. How are you?" She asked, her voice steady. "I haven't seen you in quite a while, Eduardo... it frightened me. I thought someone had gotten you..." She paused to laugh, showing him that she was joking around. She looked over at him, he eyes staring deeply into the depth of his. "I missed you. A lot. Where have you been hiding?"

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[Esteban Rodriguez]

"I'm good thank you and hope that you are too, but I fear all is not right in Karma's world today," he said quietly, glancing up at the stars shining overhead. He picked out the major constellations, watching as the stars glinted and the moon cast shadows over the grounds. The moonlight fell between the branches of the willow, forming small pools of light. The moonlight shined on Karma making it seem as though she had a halo, very pretty. "No, no one's got me, as you so put it. Lets just say I've been avoiding confrontation as usual. I've missed you too, everything seems so boring when you're not around, all the drama seems to revolve around you... I've been hiding in the common room by the fire, you know that's where I spend most of my time..." He paused and then continued, "how about you?"

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[Karmina Black]

Karmina looked down at the ground, her eyes falling. He was right. Something wasn't right with her today. She just didn't know what. She didn't know what would cure what was wrong with her. "Well, that's great Eduardo." She sighed, slowly continuing. "And yes... you're correct. All isn't right in my world today... or for the past couple days. I feel... empty. Somewhat, lonely. Make sense?" Tensely, she looked back up at Eduardo, her eyes still showing her feelings clearly. She looked deeply into his eyes, not taking them away from the deepness of his. It made her feel at home. Comfortable, and that she could depend on him. She liked this feeling. It wasn't something she had experienced in quite a while... well since the last time she had seen Eduardo.

Karma's voice broke the silence gratefully, "Hiding from life isn't good Eduardo. It'll get you no where. Trust me, I would know." She smiled up at him again, feeling slightly better. "Well, I suppose I can understand why it was boring without me..." She smirked, flipping her hair around dramatically. She laughed, slowly continuing. "Me? Well... everything seems to be crashing around me. Except for you though. You seem to be staying still... thank the sweet baby Jesus. What would I do without you, Eduardo? Eh?" Slowly, she looked back up at the stars, her heart aching in places she hadn't known it could ache.

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[Esteban Rodriguez]

"Hmm yes, I suppose it does," he said quietly, returning the gaze into her eyes before looking up at the stars once more. The stars are bright tonight. So beautiful. So carefree. They don't have any drama to deal with, any teasing, any upcoming tests, pressure from those around them. No, life is simple. For them anyway, if only mine could be that simple, but I guess that would make life rather repetitive and it would rather take the fun out of it. "Ok, so I wouldn't say I was hiding from life, just meerly taking a break from it, seeing as though I can't get a moments peace anywhere else," he replied, returning his attention back to Karma. He smiled as he listned to her, whilst pondering why of all places, they had chosen to sit here, outside, under the whomping willow. Oh well, her mind works in mysterious ways. "You would probably get into a lot more trouble without me." he laughed as he said this, then staring up at the stars once more he said, "so what exactly is crashing around you?"

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[Karmina Black]

Karma tilted her head back hearing the roar of thunder, and seeing the flashes of lighting from far off in the distance. She looked at the millions of stars, slowly scattering around each other. Then she turned her attention back to Eduardo, smiling at him. "Yeah, I can understand that, love. Taking a break from life. I need to do that right now. Clear my mind, and just think..." She smirked, looking deeply into his eyes. She ran a hand through her hair quickly, brushing it out of her face. She tilted her head back, looking up at all of the stars, over head.

"Ahh, yes I suppose i would get into more trouble without you. Actually, I would probably be on the... dark side if it wasn't for you." She laughed at her comment, feeling herself shiver at the name of the 'dark side'. Then her face went solemn quickly as he asked her the question. She thought about this for quite a while before responding earnestly. "Everything I know... or thought I knew. My whole world, friends, love, and what not. I hurt now too... like my heart aches at night, and sometimes during the day. It hurts a lot, Eduardo. Nearing to where I wont be able to handle it much longer." She sighed, her voice shaky now.

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[Esteban Rodriguez]

"Well everyone needs a break sometimes," he said quietly looking up at the stars. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a flash of lightning. He flinched slightly, wishing that they could be having this conversation inside, in the safety of the building where there was no chance of the lightning hitting him. "Well you're not," he said quietly, frowning slightly at the possibility that Karma might have been involved in the DE. He looked up at the sky again as another flash of lighning illuminated the sky. "I'm really sorry to hear that, but you know you can always talk to me if you can find me..."

[Karmina Black]

Sighing deeply, Karmina turned her head slightly to get a clear view of Esteban. She gave him a grateful smile, for the fact that he was actually listening to her. "Yeah, everyone does... I don't really have time to take a break from my rummaging thoughts, and my heartbreak, though. Although... you can't really call it 'heartbreak'. More like loss, and empty-hearted. I just don't know how to change that feeling, dear. I can't do it by myself... that's all I know, and believe. I just need to find someone to help me that's all."

Before her last statement could grow awkward, Karmina hurried on to her next sentence, steering the conversation on a new path. Which frankly, looked like a brighter and happier conversation heading their way. "Yeah, I know! I'm never going to join the dark side... trust me on that, love. I would never do that to Zane, or even you. Or anyone else for that matter. I'm just happy to be sitting here with you for the first time in what seems like months! I mean seriously... why did you just leave me out in the cold?!" She laughed, giving him the hint that she was joking about everything in those several sentences.

[Esteban Rodriguez]

Esteban listened carefully, nodding and agreeing in what seemed to be the right places. "I know you wouldn't Karma, you're not like them. Anyway, I really sorry I left you out in the cold," he said quietly, a look a sadness on his face, as he failed to spot that Karma was joking. That was one thing he could never understand about the English people. Fake jokes and sarcasm. I mean, why? Why waste words when you could have said the same thing in a lot shorter way and without the heartache. His thoughts turned to the Ball, which was only a few days away. He smiled, looking forward to the dancing, a chance for him to show those irritating name callers that he could dance.