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Post by Daphne Brady on Nov 30, 2009 18:32:41 GMT -5
For the first time in an extremely long time, Daphne found herself completely bored with nothing else to do. She finished all the requested work and handed the people back their work. Once she finished in the library, Daphne practically ran out of the library before anyone else could find her and ask if she could do their homework. She was just far to nice, but she thought that right now was going to just disappear so that she could have time away from all the work.
It was ridiculous at how she didn't bother to say no. Daphne just stayed behind the curtains in life. She never thought that it was her place to really get out in front of the curtain and be an actor in the grand play. She always thought of herself as the person behind the curtain, making the actors look good, at least the certain actors that came to her, asking her for help.
Dropping off her bag in her room, Daphne left the Hufflepuff common room, passing a few students as she took her exit. She just let her feet guide her and she ended up toward the seventh floor. Everything was extremely quiet and Daphne started to hum to herself. It happened to be Fortunate Son by Creedence Clearwater Revival. She let her fingers graze the stone wall as she slowly walked down the hall.
At the moment, she felt completely at ease. There was no pressure on her to stop goofing off and getting work done. There wasn't anyone that she had to answer to, and that in itself was a relief. The kind of relief that she needed for awhile.
She continued to hum quietly, although it was slightly amplified because the the empty halls.
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Post by Heather Louise White on Nov 30, 2009 20:10:38 GMT -5
Heather was not one for standing still. She always had to be moving, and she loved exercise. Studying was never her thing, but if it was physical, she liked it. On days where she couldn't go out and practice, she often used the Room of Requirement as an exercise room. She had just finished a particularly invigorating workout and was planning to go down to the common room and finish her potions essay.
As she turned the corner, however, she saw Daphne wandering around aimlessly, and she waved at her friend. "Daph!" she called, running up to her. "What are you up to?"
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Post by Daphne Brady on Nov 30, 2009 20:31:04 GMT -5
Daphne's humming continued. She didn't even hear footsteps, because she was finally off in her relaxed world. Looking ahead, Daphne gasped as someone rounded the corner. She wasn't expecting to run into anyone but she noticed that it was Heather.
A smile spread across Daphne's face as she met her friend in the hall. "Heather," she said happily. She felt like she hadn't really spent that much time with Heather, mainly because she had far much work to do, that was until at least today.
"I'm just wasting time. I'm finally finished with everything and I'm ahead with mostly everything." Her smile was still on her face. "What about you?"
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Post by Heather Louise White on Nov 30, 2009 23:27:23 GMT -5
Heather had been particularly busy lately with her practice schedule, so she wasn't quite aware of how busy Daphne had been, although it wouldn't have surprised her. She had tried, many times, to encourage Daphne to just say no to Brenda and all the other girls who were always trying to take advantage of Daphne.
She walked over and leaned against the wall. "You're not still doing homework for that... Brenda girl, are you? I keep telling you... you're better than that."
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Post by Daphne Brady on Dec 1, 2009 9:31:36 GMT -5
Her smile faded. "Well, I," Daphne hung her head for a moment and then looked up again. She wasn't going to lie to Heather, besides, her friend knew better. "I haven't been able to say no. She comes up usually whenever I'm already working and just throws it there. I can't just not help her." She didn't use the words, 'do it for her'. Daphne saw it as she was helping rather than just doing it, but there was that part of her that said she should say no. Although, another part of her rationalized that if she didn't do it, then Brenda might do something as payback for Daphne not doing her work.
She sighed. "I know, I know." There was an almost defeated tone to her voice. "I'm far too nice." Daphne knew that was true. She just needed that one thing that set her off in the right direction to just say no. Heather encouraged her and maybe she should start actually listening. It felt great not having that much work to do, yet it also felt alien to her.
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Post by Heather Louise White on Dec 1, 2009 16:55:56 GMT -5
Heather sighed and shook her head. “Daph, I love that you’re so sweet and want to help everyone. But Brenda is just using you, and you know it. She gets you to do all her work for her, and she treats you like dirt. You don’t deserve that.”
If Brenda had ever tried any of that with her, Heather probably would have hexed the girl. She was generally nice and non-aggressive, but there came a time when a person had to stand up for themselves. One word Heather had no problem saying was “no.”
“You don’t need her as a friend. You have me. I know I’ve been busy lately with practice, but if you need me, you just have to ask.”
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Post by Daphne Brady on Dec 1, 2009 17:29:51 GMT -5
Again, Daphne couldn't meet Heather's eyes because she knew that it was true. Brenda did use her. She used Daphne so that she could go out on 'dates' all the time. Then whenever Daphne would come up to her and give her her work, Brenda would just turn around as if she didn't really know her more than half the time. Why was she really being so nice?
"I do need you Heather," she said quietly. "I don't know how to just say no and let it go." Daphne leaned against the wall and looked back up to her friend. "If it hadn't been for you, things would probably be worse right now." Daphne wasn't even sure how things could have been worse but she didn't want to imagine it. "Can you help me?"
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Post by Heather Louise White on Dec 19, 2009 18:12:40 GMT -5
Heather began to stretch her arms, which were still sore from her workout. "Of course I'll help you," she said. "You just need to learn how to say no. Brenda and all those other kids are just going to keep taking advantage of you until you learn to stand up for yourself. You're better than that, you know?"
There was a difference between doing a favor for a friend and doing things for people like Brenda. They were taking advantage of her friend's generous nature and it really bothered Heather.
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Post by Daphne Brady on Dec 20, 2009 20:55:48 GMT -5
Of course there was a difference between doing a favor and being taken advantage of, but Daphne didn't really know the big difference, or she didn't really want to. She knew that even if she said no, Brenda probably wouldn't believe her. Even if Brenda didn't believe her, she had to start somewhere, right? It was more than likely going to take something for Daphne to finally put her foot down, and when that day come, Daphne wasn't going to really be able to help what came out of her mouth.
"I know." Heather had told her that before, plenty of times. She crossed her arms and rested her hands on her elbows.
"So how has everything been going? Quidditch practice going good," she asked changing the subject.
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Post by Heather Louise White on Dec 29, 2009 16:18:42 GMT -5
Heather sighed, aware that Daphne was just changing the subject in order to avoid talking about an uncomfortable situation. She knew Daphne too well, and she was not fooled.
“Practice is fine. Well, as much as it can be when I’m practicing by myself. I’m itching for a real game… I’m going to have to arrange an informal game or something. But enough about me. Come on, I have an idea. We’re going to practice saying no, OK?”
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Post by Daphne Brady on Jan 16, 2010 22:18:38 GMT -5
Daphne did in fact want to avoid talking about an uncomfortable situation. She didn't want to disappoint Heather, but she didn't want to disappoint Brenda or anyone else either. However, Daphne knew if she really and truly had to chose between them, she would chose Heather. After all, she was her best friend and she had been there since their first year. She was going to have to disappoint one of them, and she knew that it was going to be Brenda. The only thing that Daphne really wandered was how it was going to happen.
Daphne started to follow Heather. "Alright, we can do that."
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Post by Heather Louise White on Jan 23, 2010 0:08:38 GMT -5
Heather sighed softly. She knew Daphne too well, and she knew exactly what she was doing. But she couldn't avoid this forever. If she didn't learn to stand up for herself, people would continue walking all over her for the rest of her life. Heather couldn't let that happen. Daphne deserved better than that.
She led her friend back to the Room of Requirement and concentrated on a room where they could relax and talk. When the door appeared, Heather led her into the room and closed the door.
"OK, we're going to practice saying no," she said. "Go sit on the couch."
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Post by Daphne Brady on Mar 18, 2010 21:08:32 GMT -5
The only way that Heather was going to really allow her change the subject was if she did what Heather wanted her to do. Daphne did want help to learn to say no, but part of her realized that there was something that had to happen before she really started using it. However, a little practice wouldn't hurt, would it?
"Alright," she said moving past Heather and sat down on the couch looking up to her friend. Daphne had no idea how this was going to go.
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Post by Heather Louise White on Mar 18, 2010 21:35:44 GMT -5
Heather sighed. Maybe it had been unfair to expect too much of Daphne right away. But she didn't want Daphne to just do whatever anyone told her to do. Daphne had a mind of her own, and she should be allowed to use it.
"No..." she said, running a hand through her short hair. "You were supposed to say no. Daph... just because someone tells you to sit down doesn't mean you have to do it. You're allowed to say, 'no thanks, I'd rather stand,' or 'OK, I'll sit, but over here.' Understand?"
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Post by Daphne Brady on Mar 19, 2010 9:37:17 GMT -5
Daphne should have expected that was going to be the start of it but she wasn't even thinking. "Sorry," she started but then stopped. That was another bad habit, apologizing. She was going to have to work on that too.
She stuck her hands into her pockets. "Got it," she said with a nod of her head. This was going to be somewhat frustrating, she could tell. Daphne crossed her legs as she sat on the couch. "How do you get rid of any sort of guilty feeling you have if you say no? Just go on about whatever you were doing?"
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Post by Heather Louise White on Mar 27, 2012 23:40:28 GMT -5
Heather sighed. She couldn't exactly relate to Daphne's dilemma. Although she sometimes felt pressure from other people to do well at quidditch, and she sometimes felt like her family expected things of her, she still wasn't one to live her life trying to please others. At the very least, she knew her own mind and wasn't afraid to stand up for it.
"Well, it depends on what people ask of you, and who's asking. If a teacher tells you to sit down, then of course you do what they say. But no one who is really your friend is going to get upset because you don't do what they ask you to do. Brenda Blair is not your friend, and you do not have to go out of your way to make her happy. If she tells you to do her homework for her, what do you say?"
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