<div class="floatleft">(https://festivalreviewsdotorg.files.wordpress.com/2016/05/greggsulkin.jpg)</div><div class="floatright">(https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/harrypotter/images/f/f3/DurmstrangCrest.png/revision/latest?cb=20160112161151)</div><table class="bbc_table"><tbody><tr><td><strong>NAME:</strong> Aaren Sandstrom (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=299655.msg14658128#msg14658128)<br/><strong>YEAR:</strong> Fifth<br/><strong>BLOOD STATUS:</strong> Half-blood<br/><strong>WAND:</strong> 12 inch | Redwood | Dragon Heartstring <br/><strong>WEARING:</strong> Durmstrang Male Uniform<br/><strong>DATE | TIME:</strong> 2 September, 2019 | Evening<br/><strong>LOCATION:</strong> Hallway beyond Dining Hall <br/><strong>CONTENT:</strong> Memories<br/><strong>MOOD MUSIC:</strong> Fall Out Boy - Phoenix (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JqY-6q-RNA)<br/><strong>TAGGING:</strong> Nadia | Open</td></tr></tbody></table><br/><hr/><br/>Aaren wasn’t quite prepared for the massive contradiction that Nadia brought with her into the hallway. He considered for a moment just how different she was now, compared to when they had dated. At least, she seemed like she had changed. Try as he might, Aaren could never quite convince himself that the reason she ended things was because she believed she deserved better than him; someone smarter, more capable, stronger. Maybe they really just weren’t right for each other.<br/><br/>Nadia posed him with a task; figure out what it takes to keep her in the hallway, or watch her leave. The problem was, in all the time that had gone by since their breakup, he felt less sure of who she was and what she wanted. She made it clear back then that she desired to explore - explore other relationships, other possibilities, other guys. He had to respect that, even if he didn’t want to. Ultimately, what it told him was that she no longer wanted him.<br/><br/>Surely, if he had gone with his schoolboy fantasy of assaulting her with a kiss, Nadia would have been rightfully offended. Aaren was trying to be more mindful of reading signals, but Nadia’s signals were so difficult to decipher, if one could even say they existed at all. When she used to look at him, it was with adoration - a smile that came naturally. Now, if he looked closely enough, it seemed as if her smile was harder to form than her stoic, expressionless face.<br/><br/>He could think of nothing else to say or do that would keep her in the hall with him. For whatever reason, she deemed it - him - important enough to go after when he left the dining area. But now that he had her in a secluded area, Aaren was less sure of himself. He inadvertently piqued her interest, but he couldn’t make her stay. Seemed like nothing had changed since their breakup, after all. He sighed to himself when she walked away, mentioning she was glad they both chose to participate.<br/><br/>Even though she has posed her challenge of sorts like it was one that came with no correct or incorrect answer, Aaren couldn’t help feeling like he had lost. Maybe there was something she had expected to hear him say. Maybe she wanted him to beg her not to participate. But Aaren couldn’t do that. It would make him a hypocrite. Even if he was worried about her safety. “Yeah,” he murmured as she walked on, waving without looking back. Aaren took it as a sign. She was over him. It was time to move on. “See ya.”<br/><br/><hr/><br/><div align="center"><em>End.</em></div>