<Shane and Ryan>A New Step

[Ryan Vail]

Never had groups of people felt so nice, and Ryan loved raves. Returning from Wales always was a joy. Its not that she didn’t love it there, she really did, but her family had been close to her, and she hated leaving her friends behind. In both hands were bags of things, robes and books, quid ditch supplies, and around her neck was a purse that was filled with money. One thing Quidditch brought, if nothing else, was money.

A child bumped into her dropping his ice cream onto her shoes, he started to cry. Ryan smiled and pulled money out of her purse, “Here little one, get yourself a new ice cream.” The child smiled and grabbed her hand, pulling her with him. She struggled not to drop her things as the two raced through the crowds. Sitting in front of the ice cream shop she watched the boy get two cones, and he brought on out to her. They said there goodbyes and the boy ran to his mother who had been in the store across the street.

Ryan slowly licked the ice cream, strawberry, it tasted so sweet. She loved sweet treats, she always had. It was the sugar and it was the sin. She usually was on a strict diet, even if she couldn’t control her shape even a little bit, she wanted to be healthy. Every once in a while a forbidden treat could be the thing in the world, better than Quidditch, better than love, better than children, better than laughter.

[Shane Varrick]

Shane moved through the crowded streets with surprising ease. I guess working there for as long as he did made it easy for him. Dark sunglasses blocked his chocolate brown eyes from the afternoon sun, a plain black t-shirt and jeans covered his body. He carried nothing but a bag of quidditch supplies he had bought at the store he used to work at. Nothing like returning to a place with such memories. That was where he realized he wanted to teach, and look at him now. He hadn't realized the time had passed so quickly. He had been at Hogwarts for a while now.

Walking down the main street filled with bustling people, Shane had already bought all he needed and not quite wanting to return to Hogwarts just yet, let his feet direct him. He found himself standing near an old ice cream shop, looking around he wasn't sure whether or not he should buy an ice cream. It was a warm day, for being the middle of October, and while he wasn't a health nut, he did like to keep himself healthy. Shrugging, Shane decided he could afford a small cone and entered the shop. He almost ran into a small boy as he ran out with two cones. Smiling to himself, he stepped aside to let the boy through.

A few moments later, Shane reappeared from inside the store, carrying a small chocolate ice cream cone in his free hand. Looking around, he noticed a girl. It took him only a second to recognize who it was. Hesitating only briefly, Shane approached the girl. "Ryan," he smiled, his baritone voice friendly in the cheerful air. Sure, Shane knew who she was, but he hadn't really talked to her that much. He'd known her more for her career in quidditch than anything. "How are you?"

[Ryan Vail]

Ryan jumped when she heard her name, almost dropping her icecream. She turned to see Shane, “Oh! Hello Shane..umm Mr. Varrick…Professor Varrick?” He wasn’t sure what to call him. She didn’t know him on a chummy level. From Quidditch mostly, and he knew he worked at Hogwarts. She rubbed her head with her free hand, since she had put her bags on the ground before.

“Im good, visiting my parents and sister.” She smiled that cheesy smile that people trying to act like they were having a conversation with someone they hadn’t spent time idolizing used. “How are you?Any trouble with the students at the school?” Ryan tried to never be rude, It happened frequently where she slipped up and was rude, but she tried not to be.

[Shane Varrick]

Shane almost blushed as he watched the girl jump and almost drop her ice cream. It was a good thing his skin was naturally tan and hid it well. A friendly smile danced across his features as she stumbled to greet him. "Please, call me Shane," he wasn't too fond of his students calling him 'Professor', he certainly didn't expect the girl in front of him to do so.

He nodded, happy to hear that the girl was in visiting family. "I'm sure their always glad to see you come home," he nodded. He knew how it was traveling all the time. He never really got to see his family much but always returned home the second he got a chance. Raising his eyebrows at the girl's question, he couldn't help but chuckle, shaking his head slightly. "I'm good, a couple students here and there, but that's usual, right?" he offered, attempting to make conversation with Ryan. He wasn't the greatest at starting conversations, most of the time avoiding people unless given a reason to talk to them. He wasn't sure what had sparked his interest in speaking with the quidditch player in front of him.

"How's the pros treating you?" he asked, knowing she had become a rather decent seeker over the past couple years. He had tried his hand at professional quidditch for several years, he wanted to say six or seven, however he never really got into it. He thought that many of the people just played for the money, not for the joy of it anymore. They treated it like work, and that wasn't something Shane wanted to end up doing. "I saw a few of your games," he smiled, he always kept up with quidditch, it was something he loved with a greater passion than some people could understand, so he could see a good player when he saw one, and he was looking at one at that moment.

[Ryan Vail]

Ryan smiled, she blushed and her hair started to faze read, though she didn’t realize it. Her hair was short, and up for the most part so she really couldn’t see any of what was going on with the biggest emotion alarm on her body. “ Shane it is then.” She said, calmly. She never had trouble talking to people, ever. This was different, she had spent years wanting to be like him, and a few other players but she would act this way around them too, and talking to him sort of freaked her out.

“Quidditch has been amazing, Its kind of crazy playing for an all girl team, I’ve only been playing with them a little over a year. I used to play semi-pro, and I had guys on my team and they were less materialistic and I…” Ryan put her hand over her mouth, and waited a few second before releasing it, “Im sorry Im talking to much.” She looked to the ground for a couple seconds, thinking about her team. She had had an offer two switch to another Wales team, which she was considering.

She wondered if maybe she should ask him, but she wasn’t sure. Both teams were good, and both were notoriously shallow. She hated the shallowness of the players, but she had expected it going in. She realized she had been quiet some time and she looked up to Shane, “ Why did you quit the pros?”

[Shane Varrick]

Shane thought it almost cute, the way Ryan's hair started to turn red as she blushed. He didn't mean to make her flush, nodding at her statement. The girl looked so tiny compared to him, and he wondered if that was the reason for the way she was acting. After all, many people seemed to be hesitant around him. They always thought he was all muscle and no brains, but that wasn't true. He was an intelligent man and he had a rather warm and soft personality, even if he does try and hide the fact.

Shane quietly listened to the girl as she spoke about her career, he didn't mind, he loved seeing her so in love with the sport. He hadn't even noticed the fact that she was rambling until she stopped speaking. Curiously, he looked at her before she apologized. "No, it's fine," he chuckled lightly. "It's great to see someone so devoted to the sport," he added, his voice thoughtful. If there was one thing he looked for in a player, it was the passion felt for the game, the love of being able to play, not just playing for the win or for the money.

The silence between them hadn't really bothered Shane that much, he shifted his weight from one foot to the other, thinking about what they could talk about. He hated not having something to talk about with the girl. Her question caught him off guard. Looking down at her for a second he looked away, trying to think of the right way to put it into words. "Because no one played for the love of the game anymore. They treated it as a job, and they played just for the money," he paused, looking back at Ryan before continuing. "I didn't like that. I love quidditch, and I hated seeing people deface it on the field," he shrugged, glancing down at the ground, to the multiple bags by Ryan's feet. He didn't really expect her to understand, a lot of people didn't. He knew what he did was right though, for him at least. He was happy where he was now.

[Ryan Vail]

Ryan nodded as he spoke and her hair dimmed until it was black, she was comfortable around him, not chummy, but comfortable. She listened to him, thinking about it. She saw it in a simler way. She didn’t like the people who played for money or fame, but in her competitive nature she enjoyed having what she did. She looked up at him for a moment, then down, then up again.

“It is a job.” She mumbled. Her mother had always said it wasn’t a job, it was a hobby, and that she should work toward something better, “ Its also a way of life though, Or at least a job that’s worth enjoying and loving.” This was louder, not so much a mumble. She smiled. She was an aggressive player, she always had been she slid her free hand to her hip as she licked her icecream.

“The people who defile the game are the ones who find themselves hitting the ground the hardest.” The only thing she didn’t like about being a seeker was that she didn’t get the physical attribute of it. She got to show off her moves, but unlike a chaser or beater, you cant do much against the other players. She had been a chaser in school, and that’s how she started when she played out of school but she found she was good at the seeker position. She was daring and competitive.

[Shane Varrick]

Shane watched as the girl's hair returned to a shade of black. He thought it so interesting that the girl was a metamorphagus, able to change her appearance on a whim. He on the other hand, kept his appearance pretty much the same, and he was known for his shaved head. Thinking about why he left the pros was something he hadn't done in a while, and it brought back an argument he always had to fight inside his head. The girl had a point, as much as Shane didn't want to admit it.

"I'm not saying it isn't," he shrugged, the discussion was growing to a personal level for the professor. "I just think it shouldn't be treated like one. A person should love to play, just to be able to play. For the competition, for the adrenaline rush. They should play for the feeling they get when their high above the ground with nothing but a broom supporting them. Not because it's a job," he attempted to explain his position a bit clearer. At least the girl got somewhat of where he was coming from. He licked at his ice cream.

A deep chuckle passed through him. "Amen to that," he smiled, he was liking Ryan more and more as they spoke. Looking down at her, he found himself wanting to see what the kid was made of. He wanted to get out on the pitch with her and see just how far her skills went. Sure, he'd seen her play in a couple games and he had picked up her competitive, daring approach to her position, and she was a talented seeker, but he wanted to get out there first hand. "Next time you have a bit of free time, drop by Hogwarts or something. I'd like to get out on the pitch with you," he stated, not breaking eye contact with the girl, though his sunglasses made it difficult.

[Ryan Vail]

When he said she should drop by Hogwarts Ryan’s eyes lit up, and if that wasn’t noticeable enough her hair turned florescent pink, “Really? Is that allowed?” She had looked up to Shane when she was younger and now he wanted to be on the pitch…with her? “That would be awesome!” With her luck she would damage herself somehow, like falling or running into something. In fact the odds of her even making it into the air without hurting herself were slim.

She was on cloud nine and instead of talking to much, she couldn’t think of a word to say. She couldn’t even snap out of her thoughts until a she felt her icecream melting on her hand. ” oops.” She said licking it off her hand. It was a weird site, an adult trying to get strawberry Icecream off her hand. While most adults might use a napkin, or if there really lazy magic, Ryan preferred the childish way.

[Shane Varrick]

Shane wasn't exactly expecting Ryan's reaction to be that enthusiastic. He was surprised to see her hair go pink, she looked good with pink hair. "It's my pitch, I don't see why not," he chuckled, and even so he could talk to Drifton. He was almost completely sure Ian wouldn't care though. He couldn't help but laugh. She seemed like such a little kid at times, but it made talking to her entertaining. He licked at his ice cream, getting tired of holding it, he thought about just wolfing it down, but that wouldn't be a very smart idea.

Shane laughed, watching the girl lick the strawberry ice cream off her hand. The girl was definitely different, and he liked that. "Chocolate is so much better than strawberry," he teased, licking his ice cream again. He didn't really care, but he wanted to see her reaction and he couldn't really think of anything else to talk about. He didn't want the conversation to end so quickly either. He was enjoying talking to the young seeker.

((It's short....))

[Ryan Vail]

Ryan finished getting the icecream off her hand she looked at him. Chocolate better than strawberry, no. Still, she wondered. She had always ate sorbet and just recently had started eating icecream…she hadn’t had chocolate… It took her only a second to decide what she was going to do.

She reached an arm out and made a gorge in the side of his icecream and she stuck her fingers in her mouth. She stood for a minute, not saying anything. Then she looked up him stubbornly “No.” She giggled, “Strawberry wins.” She stated matter-of-factly. She liked strawberries more than chocolate, she really wasn’t a chocolate person.

Not like if she had thought it was better she would have admitted it. Her stubborn-ocity was legendary…well at least that’s what she said.

[Shane Varrick]

To say Shane expected what Ryan would do would be a complete and total lie. He had nothing against strawberries, he just thought the strawberry flavored ice cream was nasty. He had always been a fan of chocolate, even when he was a kid. He remembered running down to the ice cream shop in New York by himself when he was just a little kid. His mother would throw a fit when he came back, but he didn't care, he kept doing it.

The look on Shane's face as he watched Ryan jab her finger into his ice cream was priceless. His jaw dropped and he stared at her in awe. Composing himself quickly, he raise his eyebrows, waiting for her answer. He didn't expect her to say chocolate, she didn't come off as the time to simply agree. Rolling his eyes as she giggled her answer, he licked his ice cream to cover up the gouge in it. "Strawberry is disgusting," he retorted, scrunching his nose up and making a funny, wincing face. He had a feeling this argument was going to go on until one of them gave up, and he didn't think it was going to be Ryan.

[Ryan Vail]

Ryan laughed. She noticed how shocked he looked when she stole his icecream, she only giggled when he pushed that strawberry was disgusting. “ Chocolate is disgusting.” She licked her own icecream while shaking her head, something the klutzy girl shouldn’t be doing. Surprisingly enough she didn’t drop the icecream or knocked any of it off the cone.

“And it gives you acne.” She said, sure of herself, “that’s why depressed teenage girls have so much acne, which ends up making them more depressed so they eat more chocolate. In the end they are just where they started.” She took another bite of her strawberry icecream, and it was dangerously small.

[Shane Varrick]

He simply arched an eyebrow as she pressed that chocolate was disgusting. "Now I wouldn't go as far as to say that. It does make people fall in love," he shrugged, slipping his hand into his pocket and taking another lick of his ice cream. How could anyone not like chocolate?

"Do I look like a depressed teenage girl?" he asked, looking down at Ryan. He wasn't sure of the answer he would get, but either way, he didn't really care. Acne never gave him problems, sure he had it when he was a teen, but he never had it real bad. It wasn't like he was always eating chocolate either, no, he kept his diet rather healthy most of the time.

((Sorry it's short))

[Ryan Vail]

Ryan laughed, “I don’t know, your curves and long blonde hair confused me for a minute.” she teased, “Im kidding.” But she laughed. Even at twenty-five she looked very much a teenager, and still had some acne to make it worse, though she could cover it up well but special skills didn’t stop her from having oily skin. that’s sort of the reason she never enjoyed chocolate, since even though she could fit specifications of people she liked she still had acne and didn’t have full control of her powers so sometimes she was a little pudgy. She has always been self conscious of how she looks, which is a tad bit Ironic, or maybe the exact opposite of ironic.

“ I hated my teenage years. These past five years have been heaven.” She laughed. She had caused enough trouble and gotten caught enough times. She spent much of her teenager years making up for trouble, and when she wasn’t doing that she was doing something that would out her back in that situation.