"Hey man." Gabe said grinning as Chad joined. "amd we aren't headed to the library. We were just walking and talking." He looked back at Derek curiously. "reading and swimming...hmm well let's see. I like to do those things too. I actually used to be like you too. Oh, sorry. I make it sound like you aren't normal. It isn't a bad thing really. I can definitely empathize with you though. I know what it's like to not be comfortable around anyone." He smiled slightly and looked down at his shoes as they walked running a hand through his hair.

"So, you mean you used to be uncomfortable around people?" asked Derek. And it's not so much that Derek was uncomfortable with people. . . he just wasn't any good at speaking with them. Girls especially, some of them were offended quite easily and he had no idea why. "I don't mind, really," he said to Gabe with a shrug.

Gabe grinnd and nodded. "Yea, it's true. I did used to be like that. When I was younger, and especially when I started here at Hogwarts. It lasted until about oh the end of our 5th year maybe." His smile faded slightly and he shrugged. "I don't really know why I'm not like that anymore. After just being around everyone, I just kind of got used to it."

"Guess some of us just never really grow out of it," he said dully with another shrug. "I just don't know how to talk to people. I say the wrong things or I say too much or I'm too honest." He straightened his tie as he thought of other things that made him hard to talk to. "I don't know what to say to people anymore sometimes."

"well maybe it's just because you are so worried about doing those things, that it ends up happening. You just need to find someone that you can really be open with" Gabe shrugged and smirked. "Who knows...maybe you will find that somone at the ball tonight."

"I do have someone I can be open with," said Derek, "Rocio. I talk to her just fine." She'd been someone he'd known since before they had come to Hogwarts. They'd been best friends forever now and they were like brother and sister. She was the only one he had truly trusted with any of his problems.

It was now he looked at Gabe and narrowed his eyes. "What's that smirk for, Walker?"

"I didn't mean anything by it. I was merely stating that you might find someone to talk to. Having more than one person that you can confide in isn't exactly a bad thing." Gabe stopped walking and looked at him. "Honest, I wasn't implying anything."

"If you say so," said Derek. "I just don't get the feeling people enjoy talking to me all that much." He shoved his hands into his pockets now and leaned against the wall. "I'm probably a hopeless case anyway."

"well no wonder no one likes talking to you. Most people probably won't even give you a second thought because you are all down and seemingly depressed all the time." Gabe pushed him in the shoulder slightly and smirked. "You've gotta liven up a little. Smile once in a while. None of that hands in teh pockets staring at th floor all the time stuff."

"And you'd think I'd have learned to smile having been with Rocio a lot," muttered Derek more to himself than to anyone else. Rocio was definitely his exact opposite. It was quite amazing that they even got along let alone became best friends. "Alright," he said standing up straight once more and taking his hands from his pockets. "Better?"

"Definately." Chad said. He had mostly remained silent through out the conversation. He smiled at Derek and emulated his stance. "Now just pick your chin up a bit more and don't lose eye contact." Chad added as he did the same himself.

Derek did as he was told. "Like that?" he asked. He felt a bit awkward doing all of this. Good thing it was only the three of them standing here. But he did feel grateful to them, he had to admit. Even if he would never admit it out loud.

Gabesmiled. "Perfect. It's all in how you present yourself. Walking around slouched over and dismal is not going to make people want to talk to you. Of course neither is strutting around acting like you are the best thing on the planet. But you get the idea." He looked at Chad and nodded in approval. "We may turn him into a social butterfly yet."

"Yep. A true Cinderella story." Chad replied. a small smirk slipping across his features. He chuckled and shook his head slightly as the thought of Derek in a dress and glass slippers entered his train of thought.

"I suppose he'll stop speaking with us soon," Chad added with a sigh of mock remorse and a bow of his head. "He'll be too busy chatting up girls."

Derek rolled his eyes at them. He was the worst with girls. He always said the wrong thing. He wasn't sure what he was saying or doing wrong but he knew he always offended them. "If the lot of you keep this up then--"

"Who'll be chatting up girls?" asked Rocio. "Surely not Derek?" It seems she'd come over to see what the boys were up to. She had seen them standing here, in front of the Great Hall. "What in the world are you lot doing here anyway?"

"They're trying to teach me to be more social," he replied.

"Oooh! Really?" she said excitedly. "That's excellent. He could really use it. Otherwise he'll be all alone because none of the girls will want to dance or even talk to him. It'd be such a shame."

Gabe laughed in response to Chad's comment. "Yea, so we better get out all we can while we are still on speaking terms." Turning he saw that Rocio had joined them. "yes, I actually think we are making progress. I mean look at him, he isn't looking completely gloomy." He chuckled and looked at her. "Would mi'lady like to join us in this amazing transformation we are about to embark on?"

"He just needs a bit of practice that's all." Chad said. He smiled at Rocio, but couldn't help thinking that it would be easier without her. Then again he could be wrong. "Yeah help us out Rocio."

"I'd love to help," she said with a grin. "Sounds quite fun! And we only have until tonight to make him into a new man too." She pushed her red hair from her face. "So, how's he doing so far, boys?"

Derek sighed. Now he just felt like a big project they had to work on for class. Oh, well, he'd better not complain or else they'd . . . eat him or something of the sort.

"He's doing well. I mean we were holding a nice good conversation. Then Chad showed up...." Gabe ended in a rather depressed tone then chuckled. "Nah it was fine. I told him he just needs to present himself more positively. And then you came. So we are in the process of presentation."

"Very well... Infact I think that tonight Derek, you will be ready!" Chad said. He smiled brightly at Derek and patted him on the back. He ruffled his blond hair and smirked at Gabe. He pushed the young man playfully. "What's that suppose to mean? And then Chad showed up? Are you implying I'm a bad influence or something?" The Ravenclaw asked.

"The lot of you are really odd," said Derek. "You know that?" He then looked at Chad as he gestured towards the Entrance Hall. "You can go first," he said with a nod. "I'll follow."

"What? I said nothing of the sort." Gabe said looking completely innocent chuckling at Derek's accusation. Leaning over he whispered in Rocio's ear loud enough for the others to hear. "Chad's the mental one, we just like to go along with it so he feels better."

"I can hear you, you prat!" Chad exclaimed, nearly shouting as he poked Derek hard in the ribs. The young man chortled and started walking toward the Entrance Hall and the Castle grounds, the blond boy rolled up his sleeve's and undid his tie as the bright sunlight warmed his dark skin. "Light! Ah it burns!!" Chad joked as he tried to hide behind Rocio.

Rocio couldn't help but giggle at the boys. They could be real immature sometimes but they were always quite amusing to have around. "The lot of you are absolutely ridiculous," she laughed. "Especially since I'm nowhere near tall enough to hide you, Chad." She shook her head at him.

Derek had followed them all outside and squinted at the sunlight hit his eyes. "What exactly are we doing out here anyway?" he asked. "Just for fun or something of that sort?"

Thanksies!! Sure, just hop in!

Adrianna finished her plate and quickly followed behind Rocio. "What's this new project?" she asked, looking around at the boys. When she heard what it was she grinned. "PLease can I help?" she asked, looking at them. "Derek doesn't know me as well as Rocio, or at least isn't as comfortable around me- don't think I haven't noticed," she said, quickly looking at Derek and shooting him a grin.