Damaged (Open)

[Justine Torrance]

Justine had all but forgotten that Natasha was still in the room. But her reaction wouldn't have changed if she remembered. In her opinion, Natasha was just as bad as Samantha, if not worse. Everything about Natasha screamed fake. Surely she couldn't be happy like that, pretending to be what she wasn't. Justine was very selfish in her way, but she knew when someone was not being truthful. Natasha played at being this perfect, well-mannered ice princess. But she had a mind underneath that act. So it seemed to Justine that she was playing a part, just to get whatever it was that she thought she deserved.

Areisa, on the other hand, was more like Justine. She could kind of sympathize with the girl's desire to get away from everyone else. Justine was the same way. They could almost be friends, if it weren't for the fact that neither one of them really liked to socialize with other people.

Justine regarded Natasha for another moment before getting to her feet. "I'm out of here," she mumbled.

[Ariesa d'Veldrin]

"Lavender and Rock Water."

Ariesa looks up at Justine's back.

"Burn a drop of each essence beside your bed tonight."

Her eyes were still dark and her expression looked rather irritated. The two things she offered in advice were very basic potion ingredients, ones that students kept in their kits, typically.

She did not offer these pieces of advice idly or for the good of the other people. She did it to shut them up so that the bickering would stop within the house common room. It was a great irritant to her.

[Justine Torrance]

Justine wasn't looking at the girl as she walked by to go up the stairs, so when she heard the voice, she wasn't entirely sure she was really hearing it. She hadn't ever heard Ariesa speak before, and really hadn't expected to do so now. But she stopped and looked over her shoulder at the fifth year, a frown creasing her features.

What, precisely, was she meant to do with this bit of unsolicited advice? Was it supposed to help her sleep better, or to keep her from fighting with her fellow Slytherins? She knew enough about the healing properties of lavender to know of its calming effects.

Justine could have demanded of the girl what she meant by this, or returned a snippy comment, but, to be honest, she wasn't in the mood for either. She just wanted to drop the whole thing and go back up to her room, where hopefully Ophelia and Leilani were done with their incessant airheaded prattle.

So she mumbled an insincere "Thanks," and went on her way without so much as a look back.