Hogsmeade Trip [Sydney]

Ryland had hated himself for a few weeks after Sydney and him got out of school on bad terms, so he had sent her an owl over the summer to see if she wanted to spend the day with him one time after he got out of work. Summer was a heavy shift, but he usually got let out early on weekdays; and today was a Wednesday. He smiled as he walked to the ice cream place, the one where he'd embarrassed himself in front of  Morgana. To say that he liked ice cream was an understatement; he loved ice cream. Especially the spicy mango flavored one.

Walking in before Sydney arrived would be disrespectful and unfriendly, and the whole reason for this meeting was to get on good terms with her again. He'd hate to lose someone's friendship for his own reckless words. After arriving, he waited patiently for the girl, looking around and into the many wandering eyes of other witches and wizards who were already enjoying their summer holidays.

Sydney was shocked when she received Ryland’s letter asking her if she would like to spend a day with him over break. She was skeptical at first; she had her doubt about whether it was real or some kind of joke. But she reluctantly agreed to meet him at Flourean Fortescues Ice Cream Shop in Hogsmeade. She was kind of excited to see Ryland and very excited to try the Bertie Botts Every Flavor bean Ice cream.
She weaved her way in and out of the crowd in Hogsmeade Village. She searched for Ryland and finally found him outside the icecream shop. Sydney fluffed up her blue and silver tutu and walked up to him, “Hey, Ryland.” She said quietly. She was really nervous about this meeting as much as she was excited.

Grinning, Ryland greeted Sydney, "Hey!" He then took notice of her tutu and remembered the first time he had met her; she wore the same Ravenclaw-themed tutu. "You do realize I have an extremely good memory sometimes, right?" he asked her as he pointed at her tutu. He also remembered how he'd gotten in trouble with Madame Torres that day for wearing not wearing her uniform during school hours.

Turning to the ice cream shop, he opened the door and motioned for her to walk in, as the nice guy he was. In reality, most of his new, gentleman-like manner came from Phoenix and Wade. Yes, Wade. Believe it or not, his cousin had been a rather nice person; Phoenix hoped he'd break the family tradition too. Sadly, that did not happen. Pushing his depressing thoughts aside, Ryland turned to walk in after Sydney. "You know, I'm actually really looking forward to the ice cream...but where would you like to go next?"

Sydney shyly looked down at her boots and pushed her hair out of her face before looking back up at her friend, “Doesn’t really matter to me. Wherever you want to go.” She followed him up to the counter and looked at all the flavors she had to choose from. “What are you going to get?” she asked with genuine curiosity. She saw the Berties flavor and smiled. It looked like regular ice cream but was filled with little jelly beans that she knew would make her stomach turn if she tried the wrong one.

Though Ryland was definitely a boy, he could tell that Sydney was being unusually quiet and formal. "What's wrong?" he asked her suddenly, wondering why she was acting so strange. He hoped it was a season girl thing, and not that she was still angry with him about what he had said in the Common Room hall about her. He had made a mistake, and he was paying for it. Fair enough.

"Um, I'll get the fruity and spicy one. What about you?" he added. Though no one could tell, he had a thing for spicy foods. Especially exotic, spicy food. Sure, he was French and he liked classy dinners, but he enjoyed the unusual ones much more. Ryland had practically begged Phoenix to take them to Mexico for the summer holidays, and he was still sadly waiting for an answer. He glanced quickly at Sydney to find her eyeing the Bertie Bott's ice cream and a grin spread across his face.

Sydney looked up at Ryland and said, “I kinda want to try the Bertie Botts Flavor. I hope its good.” She got her wallet out and took out some sickles to pay for her icecream. She looked at the flavor that Ryland said he wanted and started sweating just thinking about it, “I cant do spicy things. I never have been able to. Just a weakness of mine.” She went to the counter to order for them and pulled out more money to pay for Ryland as well. Since he was the one that suggested the trip, she could pay for them.

Was Ryland really so awkward to talk to? He probably was, the wolf part of him had lessened his social awkwardness, but it hadn't completely ruled it out of his system. So the let go of his question and focused entirely ln his friend. "I like the exotic sense of it." He replied, though before he knew it, Sydney was going to pay for his ice cream too. Phoenix's voice told him to not let her, for chivalry, so he quickly stepped in and said, "No, no. I can pay for mine." He didn't want to be rude, but he couldn't let her do it. Before she could complain, he took out his own money and handed it to the owner. "I always pay." He slipped in the rest of the money to pay for Sydney's and turned to give her a friendly smile.

"Ive only ever let guys pay for me if i was on a date." sydney said as she turned a bright shade of pink. "Now i feel like i owe you." She took her icecream and found a small booth in the back corner of the shop. She sat down and scooted over so Ryland could sit next to her if he chose to do so.

Ryland didn't mean for this to be a date. Had it come off that way? Scratching the back of his head, he took his ice cream and followed Sydney to a booth and sat across from her. "Um. You don't owe me anything. We're friends." he smiled, a friendly type of smile. It wasn't that he didn't find Sydney attractive. She was really attractive, but his heart was already set on that introverted, stubborn, fascinating, non-impulsive, insightful, completely clueless girl by the name of Aylee Walters. Sighing, he changed the subject. "So how's your summer been?"

"Its been ok, i guess. However, my brother is sick. Hes got Mono or something. Stupid Jace." She blushed and took a bite of her icecream and made a sour face, "Gross!!!!!! Bogey flavor." She giggled softly and wiped her mouth with her sleeve, very ladylike. "How about you?"

Ryland grinned as Sydney took a bite out of the bad side of her ice cream. "That's disgusting." he chuckled. He wasn't the kind of person that liked surprises, so he tried to not go for situations in which a shocking moment would come out and bite him, though he seemed to be doing that lately. Still, he answered Sydney's question. "It's been great. Lucy finally met one of my really good friends and it's amazing to see them together! But the best part is that we're going to France during Christmas!" Ryland couldn't stop thinking about that, he wanted to go back to his home country very badly.

"France sound samazing. Ive always wanted to go. The coolest place I've been outside of London is America, which is pretty much home." She would love to go to France, if only she could afford to get there. "What about you? Whats the coolest place youve been to?"

Ryland thought about this question. "I've only been to America too, New York and California, but I was born in France so that doesn't exactly count." Though he'd like both American places, he couldn't exactly say there was one that happened to be better than the other. "Actually, I think I've enjoyed them equally. Just for different reasons."

“Well, im actually from new york. So I have a personal favorotism for there. But California is awesome too.” She mentally lectured herself for talking so much, like Ryland actually cared. “And I never said ti was a date by the way. I just said I only let guys pay for me if it is.”

Ryland listened, then narrowed his eyes. "I never said you said it was a date. I said we were friends, that's all." He had, in fact, said nothing about this meeting being a date. Sure, he was worried that it had come off that way, but he was pretty sure he'd made it clear enough that he didn't want it to be. "But anyway, let's change the subject." He said as he waited for Sydney to talk about something else.

"Whats up with you and Aylee?" Sydney asked nonchalantly as she scooped her icecream into her mouth. This bite tasted like chocolate chip cookies. She rasied an eyebrow expectantly while she waited for an answer.

And now he was regretting changing the subject. Ryland turned away, not wanting to face anyone whenever the Aylee-subject was brought up. "Umm. I mean, I don't think there's anything going on." he replied, sure that even though he was a little, maybe a lot, into her...his feelings weren't returned. "Um, I do like her, if that's what your asking."

"YAY! Omg i knew it! Are you going to tell her? Please tell her. Please? Can i be there when you tell her? How are you going to tell her? When are you going to tell her?" She started firing questions at light speed without giving him a chance to respond or even think about responding.

Ryland didn't know what to do, the questions came without a breath for him to answer. Internally panicking, he looked around for a second, remembering what he had just admitted to and figuring out a way to answer the many requests from Sydney. "Um." he turned back to look at his friend, "I haven't told her yet..." Though he planned on doing it this year, he wanted to make sure that the possibility of him making a fool of himself wasn't great. "Um. I don't know how to tell her...I'm sort of clueless when it comes to girls." he admitted with a small smile.

Sydney shook her head and giggled, "Dont worry. Most boys are clueless when it comes to girls. Especially when it comes to being able to tell when a girl likes them." She quickly stopped talking and blushed an insane shade of red. She just realized what sha had said and tried to avoid eye contact by continuing eating her ice cream.