Idle Hand Leads to Boredom (Rachel)

[Raylaigh Hawthorne]

It was wet outside. Ray sighed audibly as he rested his elbow on the windowsill and stared wistfully out of it. Struggles of Hammel during the summer. Class loads were light, though he had some summer school stuff to work on it was just so hard to be inside. So one would think that a rainy day would be good for Ray and help him become more productive since he wasn’t spending all his time flying. And with this cast on his arm he was no good dancing either. He turned away from the window and let out a long “Ugh!” As face planted on the bed. And he had no motivation to paint anything, he’d recently finished something he was very proud of. The first time he had put color to canvas to express the world he saw in his head.

It had been a long and laborious process because he was being a perfectionist and everything had to be just so. And worst thing! He’d already had lunch! He was hungry, but he was always hungry but it was that awkward time of day when there was only the small snacks sitting out while the cooks transitioned from lunch to dinner. He lay face down in his bed for a few moment before that too became boring. Fine! He would go do something. He left his dorm and headed for the student lounge. With luck someone would be there to talk to, or play a game with or something. If only Nao wasn’t such a hard worker and away doing whatever it was that he did when he ‘worked’. He hadn’t yet told Ray much other than that he did some stuff for translating. Damn the diligent little Asian, Raylaigh was bored but had been commanded not to bother him. He supposed he would have to wait until dinner to bother his best friend.

He stepped into the student lounge and found it populated with a few groups of people. He flopped into one of the cushiony chairs spread around and let his feet hang over the arm. His feet were bare and his wings fluttered lazily against his calves. Damn the rain! He would usually brave it but with his wrist already broken he really wasn’t looking to be double casted. He glanced around himself and his eyes fell on a girl sitting nearby. “I’m bored,” he announced. Hoping she might also be bored and want to do something.

[Rachel Kells]

Rachel sighed as she looked out the window. It was raining. Again. The rain had been a constant thing this week and Rachel had found that it wasn't helping her boredom at all. She knew that the land needed the rain, but that didn't mean she had to like it. The rain was something that let Rachel go to places in her mind she didn't necessarily like. She remembered the way she and her dad had laid out under the tin roof and just listened to the rain. It was something she had once loved. Now, it just reminded her of something she had lost. Rachel adjusted her hair over her ear and tilted her flower crown a little. She was dressed for outside, not inside. Rachel had wanted to go out with the butterflies today, but apparently that wasn't going to happen.

Deciding to be somewhat proactive Rachel jumped off her bed and grabbed her music book. She wasn't very good at composing songs just yet, but she was trying.She knew what sounded right and what was wrong, but somehow she could only find pieces. She could only find traces of what it could be. She had tried playing it out on the piano, but it didn't seem to be working. Maybe she needed to go someplace else and just think it through. That was what her dad had always done. Slipping on her shoes Rachel grabbed the composition book from her desk and meandered down the hallway. To others she seemed like her regular cheery self, all smiles and a bounce in her step. To those who knew Rachel, she would seem distracted, maybe even distressed. The only real tell for this though was the fact she kept fidgeting with her blankets and the counting of her steps.

Rachel stopped as she got to the student lounge and went inside. By the time she had gotten there someone had claimed the television and another group of upperclassmen had claimed the pool table. That was fine because Rachel had wanted the tiny desk in the corner. She found it was an excellent place to study, and it was a place where her imagination could run wild. She sat down, with her composition book out in front of her trying to just think through the notes.

A short while later she realized she was getting absolutely no where and his just wasn't going to work. Sighing she laid her head on her hands and pouted. Why was she so bored? Ironically someone else was bored as they piqued up with that exact statement. "Join the club." She looked over at the other boy and shrugged. "I hate the rain."

[Raylaigh Hawthorne]

It was such a slow day! Why had it been raining so much!? He needed sun, he wanted to get out and fly as much as he could before the inevitable Vermont snow locked them all inside for the winter. But no, it was raining. The room that Ray and his trainer used for flight was just too small, he couldn’t test his height limits or his speed limits in there. He really just wanted to get a wind tunnel or something. Of course, that took a lot of money and so that wasn’t really an option. It wasn’t like he could just request a wind tunnel just because he was bored. Though that would be kinda awesome. Well, the hope was that there was going to be something interesting going on in the lounge or at least someone who was bored enough to do something with him. This was why Ray was bad at being alone, he got bored by himself very easily.

Unless he were drawing or painting, but honestly he didn’t have the motivation at the moment. They were in between assignments and Ray was just not looking to be doing much of anything. Sure he had a few projects on the side he was working on, but it was always better to do work when he had the inspiration, not forcing himself to do something. Nothing good ever came out of that. He kicked his legs and beat his wings in an effort to get himself an idea of something to do, but nothing was coming to him. He was not clever enough to come up with something to do out of nothing. There were probably plenty of things that he could be doing right now, like homework or studying, but none of them were particularly fun.

He smiled at the girl when she took his bait and nodded his head. “Ugh, me too, it’s no fun being stuck inside. You know? Especially since soon it’ll be snow and no one is gonna wanna go outside.” He shifted in the chair so he swapped sides and was now hanging with his head over the arm of the chair closest to the girl and he was looking at her upside down. “What are you working on?” He asked gesturing at the notebook she had resting on the desk.

[Rachel Kells]

Rachel honestly didn’t like the rain because it was a reminder. She didn’t like being reminded of what she had lost, but she knew that no one else knew this. Instead her boredom drove her to the lounge, where she knew that she could at the very least people watch. She liked doing that, and coming up with random histories. This was especially entertaining if her composing didn’t go well. Luckily it was going okay, at least she thought so. She seemed to have some resemblance of a melody, but it wasn’t quite there yet. She knew something was off. That was when she remarked on the rain to the other student.

At least she assumed that he was a student from him being in the student lounge. He honestly didn’t look that much older than her, but she should never assume. He was very tall though. She could tell be how langy his legs were. She did notice however that there were wings on his feet. She figured that this was his power, and that he could probably fly if he wanted. She could just control butterflies. Her power was stupid in comparison. Sighing she looked over at him again, before trying to go back to her work. She really hated the rain.

When he replied she turned around in her chair to face him. “I like going outside, and I like the sunshine. It just makes everything better.” She smiled, for once, quite genuinely at the boy. She really did like the sunshine. She knew that it wouldn’t last though, and slowly lost her smile. “Snow is fine I guess, I much prefer Spring and Summer though.” She guessed that he was the same given how energetic he seemed to be. She went back a little bit, and looked a bit surprised as he gestured at the notebook. “It’s....” She hesitated, looking down at the book. “Just something I’ve been working on for the Piano. I can’t seem to get the melody just right though.” She knew it wasn’t very good.

[Raylaigh Hawthorne]

Boredom, boredom got Raylaigh into trouble. He was active, but breakable and unfortunately that restricted his activity. He could paint, he supposed, but he just didn’t feel like it. When he didn’t feel like it, he couldn’t push it. This made his options relatively limited, so all that was left to do was be social and perhaps look for the inspiration in the world or people around him. The student lounge seemed like the logical place and - miracle of miracles! - someone to talk to! He smiled at the girl and nodded. “Doesn’t it thought?!” He exclaimed, sitting up, matching her smile with an opened mouthed smile. “It’s like a dose of sunshine is all it takes to make you smile. No matter the day.” He closed his eyes as if he could see it in his mind.

“Me too,” he agreed, “Snow is fun for like ten seconds then it’s too cold and everything’s wet. Though I guess when you have a big fire to sit next to it makes it all better.” He rambled, “Though I have to say I like the fall too, I guess winter just kinda gets the short stick, you know?” He rolled off the chair and hopped back into it, rearranging his legs underneath of him so he could converse with her easier. His wings fussed at the new angle and he squirmed like an uncomfortable child being told to sit still. When he finally was able to settle his feathers he turned his full attention back to the girl. “Oh cool! You can play piano?” He smiled brightly.

“My name’s Ray, by the way,” he added, “Why don’t you hum a bit for me, maybe I can help. A second pair of ears, you know. Not that I know anything about music writing or playing or anything…” He giggled and scratched his head sheepishly, “I have to be the only fourth grader in the history of ever to flunk out of recorder practice.”

[Rachel Kells]

The rain just made everything sad. She wasn't who she used to be, and the rain didn't hold very much joy to her anymore. Plus it stopped her from her usual activities. Besides, rain wasn't fun. She didn't like getting wet, and she knew the butterflies didn't like it. "Sunshine would be a welcome change from the constant rain we have been having." She smiled over at the boy again. "It is also known to help humans not be bored." she flipped her hair back over her shoulder. "Which we have both admitted we are."

"Snow is no fun, at least to me." Her smile briefly flickered as she remembered ice skating in the park with her dad. That had been fun, but not anymore. She was sure the winter would be worse than last. It would be the second without her dad. She smiled over at Ray, hiding her internal monologue with the brightest smile on her face. "The smell of firewood is nice. Plus you can have hot cocoa with marshmallows." That was her new favorite part of winter. She just substituted in the new memory. He would never know the difference. "Fall can be pretty, but it's like everything is dying." She didn't like the way everything withered in preparation for the winter."Yes." She shook the pencil she was holding. "I play the piano, as well as the violin."

She grinned over at the student. "Rachel. Rachel Kells. It is nice to meet you Ray." She grinned then tilted her head humming out the part that she knew. "Well that was it. It's only a part. And I know it isn't that good." She hung her head a little, her hair hiding her eyes. She barely peeked out. "I just can't figure out where to go next." The melody was eluding her. Grinning she shook her head over that the boy. "Oh I hated the recorder practice. My teacher was a snob and said I was holding the notes too long." She really didn't like 4th grade and in some small way she was grateful to Hammel. She just hated her power.

[Raylaigh Hawthorne]

“For serious,” Ray agreed with a bob of his head. He would definitely have to admit that sunshine would make it so he never touched the ground again. It was too bad that Nao couldn’t fly. His smile grew in return and he shrugged innocently before dramatically admitting, “Too true!” Complete with casting his head back and groaning. “Some people can find things to do like books or video games or whatever, but I hate being cooped up.” He sat up and huffed like a child being told he had to sit in time out for a transgression he didn’t commit. The flyer smiled despite playing up his misery, in fact it was a rare moment to see Ray without a smile on his face. Even on a day as miserable as today, though honestly, the fact that Jack wasn’t here helped a hell of a lot.

“Awe, but you can do a lot of fun things. Also snow is a lot softer to fall in than the ground.” He added brightly. He missed her split second sobering and nodded his head joyfully when she mentioned marshmallows. “Oh man I feel like I haven’t had hot cocoa in forever! Oh! But…” he lowered his voice, conspiratorial. “I know where we can get some, my friend taught me some art of snearkery.” He winked at her playfully. He laughed at the unexpected turn of events. “Well, that’s depressing, I’ve never thought about it like that.” It made sense now that he thought about it. “I don’t know, I think I like the spring when the songbirds are bad. They’re a lot nicer than some of the migratory birds.” He shook his head. Especially geese. Geese were the worst.

“Cool! And nice to meet you Rachel.” He leaned forward listening to her humming and nodded his head. “Are you kidding, that you did that yourself is amazing!” He beamed at her and tapped his finger to his chin. “Ugh, what a betch,” he drawled giggling at the idea of someone fussing about her holding notes to long. “I can still remember it,” he cleared his through and pitched his voice up and mimicked a posh British accent; his teacher didn’t have a Britist accent, but it made the story better. “’No, no, no, Raylaigh, you must encourage the sound, not honk it out like a sick elephant seal.’” He broke down into giggle and dropped the act. “True story… anyways. I like it, what if you did something unexpected, like make it seem like you’re gonna go in one direction and then BOOM! drop it and run.” He’d seen that in tactics of flight watching birds. They’d go and go and then spot prey and plummet like a bullet. It was the most beautiful and shocking thing Ray had ever seen.