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Post by Kayleigh Doyle on Jun 22, 2009 10:32:01 GMT -5
Why had she come here? Kayleigh Doyle had asked herself that numerous times traveling across the big pond back to the side of the world she came from. She didn't want to end up in Ireland again, she needed to branch out from there. Too many memories were there... too many happy ones, and then there was the bad one. The same thing went for America. Why not settle somewhere she had never been? Why not go to the place her parents told her they used to go as children when they attended Hogwarts? She had the idea that if she went to London she might be a little closer to her real parents.
Arriving in London, Kayleigh told herself to breathe. Now wasn't the time for a panic attack. There were a lot of people every where and she hated crowds. Was she almost insane for moving somewhere where there were a lot of crowds? If Kayleigh was the one answering that, the response would be more than likely.
Breathing in, she set off with her light baggage. She didn't carry much since she didn't really have that much. It was enough to get her by. Maybe she could find an odd job so that she could make some kind of money. That would be an idea. Maybe some place small, like a diner in America or something like that.
First, she would have to find a place to stay. That might or might not be challenge. Kayleigh started to walk. She wasn't sure which way she was headed. She could just find something along the way.
On her way, she accidently bumped into someone as she was counting the number of steps she took in each square of sidewalk and dropped her notebook. "I'm sorry," she began to say.
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Post by Rosalind Nivens on Jun 22, 2009 15:36:00 GMT -5
(Sorry, Rori...)
Rosalind was on her way to meet someone when she literally ran into another body. No, that wasn't quite right, another body ran into her and threw her back a couple of feet. She had a petite frame, and it was easy to throw her off balance, even if the other person was pretty small too.
"Yeah, you should be," she snapped the second the mousey looking girl apologized. "Watch the bloody hell where you're going, would you?" She didn't even bother to bend down to help the girl with her notebook. It was the least she should have to do for knocking her off her path. She hated when people were in their own little world. London was too busy for that kind of thing.
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Post by Kayleigh Doyle on Jun 22, 2009 15:46:01 GMT -5
She didn't mean to run into anyone, she was just trying not to really see the crowd around her. "I-," Kayleigh began again. Breathe Kay, breathe.
What a way for her to start somewhere new. "Sorry," Kayleigh mumbled again. Apologizing was something she found herself doing a lot. The woman she ran into was pretty rude, but Kayleigh knew that she wouldn't snap back at her. Not today anyway.
She bent down to pick up her notebook. "I wasn't really paying attention. You're alright, right?"
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Post by Rosalind Nivens on Jun 22, 2009 16:57:18 GMT -5
"Yeah, no thanks to you," Rosalind hissed, brushing off her clothes, which were muggle for the day in London. She gave the girl a wicked look and rolled her eyes.
"Just watch that no one curses you for running into them," she said, as if she'd been caring enough and kind to the girl in the way she responded. After that, she stormed off.
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Post by Cale Robbins on Jun 22, 2009 17:22:27 GMT -5
Cale had seen all of this happen from a few buildings down, and as he made he way towards the two women, he heard one of them huff off angrily. He never understood that mentality. Why did people feel the need to be rude to other people? They were all walking this journey alone; there was no need to make it more difficult on anyone.
"Hey," he said gently, coming up behind Kayleigh. "Are you all right? Don't let her get to you. You'll probably never see her again in your life anyway, right?"
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Post by Kayleigh Doyle on Jun 22, 2009 17:53:42 GMT -5
After standing up from picking up her notebook off the sidewalk, she nearly jumped at a new voice. She just wasn't expecting it, that was all and she didn't really like people coming up from behind her either but she knew that was never going to be helped which direction people came.
"Hey," Kayleigh said trying to regain herself. "Ye-yeah, I'm alright. It was my fault I ran into her anyway. I wasn't paying attention." She gave a light smile. Friendly. That was all it was. Just being friendly. Kayleigh hid any panic that might have shown on her face. "That's true. It was just an accident, nothing disastrous. At least no one was hurt," she tried jokingly.
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Post by Cale Robbins on Jun 22, 2009 21:49:30 GMT -5
"It's true," Cale said, visually checking her over to make sure she really was all right. When he was satisfied that she was, he met her eyes again and smiled.
"And even if it was your fault, we're going to say it wasn't," he said. "She's not here to argue, and the way I saw it... she nearly knocked you off your feet."
His grin widened a little. He just wanted to see her smile genuinely. He wasn't sure she was the type to do that too often.
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Post by Kayleigh Doyle on Jun 22, 2009 22:05:08 GMT -5
The stranger was on her side? A light smile fell across her face. She would have responded that she could have been able to withstand the girl knocking into her, even if she did appear small, but Kayleigh didn't move her lips with that answer.
"That's an excellent observation," she said with the light smile widening a little. Kayleigh tried to remember when someone tried to help her, and not out of complete pity. She didn't want pity, she just wanted to get better and not jump at every little thing and not almost have a panic attack ever time something happened.
"I appreciate it. I'm Kayleigh, by the way."
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Post by Cale Robbins on Jun 23, 2009 14:26:33 GMT -5
"I've been told I'm quite the observer. I'm just saying, if you ever need a reliable witness, I'd be the one to call," Cale joked with a wink. The truth was, he did watch. He was an observer, but more of an active observer. He didn't always know what made a person tick, and he couldn't read them like books, but he usually always knew how to deal them.
"Hi, Kayleigh. I'm Cale. It's a pleasure to meet you. Where are you headed? I may be able to act as a bodyguard for part of the way."
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Post by Kayleigh Doyle on Jun 23, 2009 14:54:34 GMT -5
"I'll keep that in mind." This was normal. A nice joking conversation. It made her feel like she was normal. The man didn't seem like he was trying to analyze her and find out what was wrong with her. That was what she needed.
"It's a pleasure to meet you too." At his question, Kayleigh's brows came closer together. For a moment, she almost forgot where she was going. "Erm, I was looking for a place to stay actually. I just got here, and I didn't know which way to go so I just picked a direction."
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Post by Cale Robbins on Jun 23, 2009 15:28:40 GMT -5
"Oh," Cale said, somewhat surprised. His eyebrows rose to match. "Well, I can help you out with that."
His first thought was to offer a room at his place. He was well off enough that he didn't work, but devoted his time to projects that met his passion. His house was inherrited and large enough that if she did stay, he probably wouldn't even see her. But he barely knew her, vice versa, and it wasn't exactly the right thing to offer just then.
"I can recommend a few places. How long are you looking to stay?"
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Post by Kayleigh Doyle on Jun 23, 2009 15:38:23 GMT -5
Why hadn't she really thought about this before? Kayleigh never really thought any of it out. She just knew she had to get out of America and she did want to end up going to London but she wasn't sure how long she wanted to be there. If she could find a job, maybe it would be alright. If she felt safe there, that would be another deciding factor.
"I'm not really sure about that either," Kayleigh started. "A week, maybe two or more. I haven't really thought about it. Although, it just depends on if I find a job or something like that." She fiddled with the side of her notebook. A habit when she was slightly nervous and had her notebook in hand.
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Post by Cale Robbins on Jun 23, 2009 15:51:46 GMT -5
"Well, there are a couple of nice hotels at the South End, it all depends on what you're willing to pay. Tell you what..." He looked down the street, and then back at her as if he was considering something.
"Why don't you let me buy you lunch, and tell me what kind of work you're looking for, and what kind of place to stay... I might be able to help you out." Cale was always friendly, but there was something honest and lost about her that reached out to him. He normally wouldn't just ask a stranger to lunch. He just thought she looked like she needed a friend.
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Post by Kayleigh Doyle on Jun 23, 2009 16:00:04 GMT -5
Kayleigh bit on her lower lip. What was she willing to pay? She didn't have that much cash with her. While she was in America some owl came by and left a note saying that there was a little bit of money in Gringotts in her parents' vault. What would she do with wizard money? She didn't have any need for wizarding money, she wasn't even a witch. Maybe she could just worry about that later.
"I couldn't ask," she stopped. She wasn't asking him to get her anything. Her facial expression said she was thinking it over. "I guess I could. It's better than just wandering around here lost."
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Post by Cale Robbins on Jun 24, 2009 13:52:55 GMT -5
Cale was ready to stop her and tell her that she wasn't asking him for anything, but her own train of thought seemed to lead her there. His expression softened and he smiled. "Good. I was worried for a second that you might think I was a creep for offering. I assure you, I am not. There's a great little cafe just down that street that makes the best sandwiches in London."
He nodded his head down the street. It was a busy street, too, so she wouldn't have to worry that he would try anything. So far, she was very trusting, and he just hoped that no one ever took advnatge of that from her.
"You can consider it part of a grand city tour. Where are you visiting from?"
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Post by Kayleigh Doyle on Jun 24, 2009 14:47:39 GMT -5
"I wouldn't think you would try anything with people around," she said with another light smile. Kayleigh had already glanced him over subtly just to make sure that she was going to be safe. Maybe she was too trusting, after all she didn't see a gun so maybe it would be alright.
Looking down the street, she swallowed. More people. She could make it through this without panicking, right?
"America," she said with a hint of an Irish accent. Her accent had slowly started to disappear while she was living back there.
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Post by Cale Robbins on Jul 10, 2009 4:37:55 GMT -5
"You never know. I might be some kind of exhibitionist serial killer."
Maybe that was too much. Cale often thought he'd gotten awkward around people, but he tried to brush it off, laughing to show her that he wasn't serious. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her. She already looked like she was ready to bolt.
"America? You're not from there originally, though, are you?"
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Post by Kayleigh Doyle on Jul 10, 2009 9:24:58 GMT -5
Any color that was on Kayleigh's face drained. She was ready to run if you have to, but his laughter was what stopped her from running. He hadn't hurt her yet and he didn't have any kind of weapons that she noticed. She was going to be safe, right?
Kayleigh shook her head at his question. "No," she answered, "I'm from Ireland originally. My family moved from there several years ago." She left it at that. There was no reason for her to spill her history to a man she just met not even an hour ago.
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Post by Cale Robbins on Jul 10, 2009 12:13:29 GMT -5
He could see that his words made her nervous, and he instantly regretted it. "Hey, I'm sorry. I didn't meant that. Come on. Whatever you get, it's on me. I'm a nice guy, I swear."
He smiled and gestured across the street. He even waited until there was a group of people crossing so that she wouldn't feel so much pressure.
When they crossed the street, he lead her to the cafe he pointed out and opened the door for her. "Pick any table you like," he told her. "And then maybe you can tell me about Ireland. I've never been, but I'd like to see it."
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Post by Kayleigh Doyle on Jul 10, 2009 12:39:19 GMT -5
Kayleigh moved a little closer to him as they moved through the people. It was just a safety thing. In a way she felt safer around people yet she didn't. She couldn't really see who was around, that was what scared her.
When they cleared from the people, she moved away from him and then walked through the door. "Thank you." She searched he empty tables and sat near the window. It was just the fact that she liked to see around her that she choose the seat.
"Ireland is a pretty place. Wide open places and you can see for quite a ways." She did her best to avoid anything about herself. It was good to just talk about the place in general.
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