14.1
The Fallout-
I did not even make breakfast before I heard a group discussing what happened last night. I don't know how they know, considering Slytherins aren't welcomed in Gryffindor after parties. The whispers hush once they see me passing them in the common room. The halls are empty at this time of day since it's just before breakfast, and most of the school is hungover. My pace is slow, my hands in my pockets and shoulders back.
I make it to the Great Hall at the same time as Jo. I hold the door open for her as we make our way into the mostly empty room safe for the teachers. She makes my coffee, and I make her cinnamon toast before making myself a fruit salad. We don't speak until Elle appears at her spot. I make her some toast as well.
"I've heard so many people talk about last night, " the blonde whispers across the table as more students fill the hall. Jo and I nod before the girl with the silk press speaks up.
"The only other thing that I've heard today is about how Black nearly toppled over the fireball tower near the end of the party."
I can hear the people around us talking about it. Most talked about how Adelaide threw the first punch even though it never landed on the other girl. I try to ignore them, but it's hard when my hearing can pick up on damn near every voice in the Great Hall.
The students quiet down when the doors open to reveal Adelaide and her friends. Adelaide's head is down, and the other girls surround her on all sides. The conversations resume once the girls are sitting in their spots at the Ravenclaw table. Most of the voices question why Adelaide and I aren't sitting together.
"Hey." I look up from the untouched plate before me to the girls across the table. Both girls are staring at me. Elle is the one who spoke. I hum in response. The girls glance at each other one more time before Jo speaks.
"You wanna leave?" I sigh quietly before nodding. I know we will be stared at, but I'd rather that than be forced to listen to every student talking about me and my "girlfriend." The girls' response is immediate. Both stand, waiting for me to join them on my feet before we start the walk of shame out of the large room. I try to tune out the whispers that follow us until we finally leave the room.
—
I'm sitting in the same corner of the library as always when I hear a few pairs of footsteps coming my way. I know this as there are no other tables nearby and no bookcases in my vicinity. I get to a stopping point in my reading before closing the textbook. A small voice asks, "Are you really friends with him?" Which gets a familiar voice to respond by telling the rest of them that he is, in fact, friends with me. They all stop a few feet from me before a pair steps forward.
"Ansley?" Eldon's tone of voice is full of pride. I turn my head to side-eye the boy. I see four other first-years standing behind him by a few feet.
"Yes?"
"I wanted to introduce you to my friends." I let him finish before standing. I turn to face him and his friends. He has an excited look on his face as I look at them. They quietly stare back at me until the only one in red and gold steps forward to introduce herself.
"I'm Asma Gra-" I stop her in the middle of her saying her last name.
"First names only. I'm your senior, after all." She nods a few times before restarting.
"I'm Asma. " Her golden hair is just past her shoulders. She's the smallest of the group but the most confident. I gaze at the boy on her left with the red hair and blue jumper.
"My name is Jake." His voice is as soft as a preteen boy's voice can be. Now to the brunette with the Ravenclaw shirt.
"Audrey." Finally, there is the black-haired boy in the yellow zip-up.
"Will."
"Now that you all are done, what did you need?" I lean my palms onto the table behind me.
"Uh," Eldon sputters. "I just wanted to show you that none of them are Slytherin."
"When I told you that, I didn't mean you couldn't make friends in our house." Eldon looks down before I continue. "But your friends seem nice. Are these the ones that Eleanor introduced you to?" I get a nod in return, alongside a smile from the boy. This is when Eldon turns to his friends and waves them off. I watch their journey to the bookcases and leave us alone together. He turns to me with concern, evident in his features.
"What do you need, Eldon?" I pull out the chair to the left of mine as I sit back in front of my textbook.
Once he is seated, "Are you okay?" are the first words out of his mouth. I blink at him until he further explains. "I've heard what happened last night." Ah. I place my hand on his shoulder and quietly explain what happened and how I feel about it. Once I am sure he understands I am fine, I wave him off to get back to reading ahead in my potions class.
—
It's a few hours until dinner. I'm walking down a corridor on the third floor on my way to The Room when I hear three pairs of footsteps approaching me. I don't think anything of it until I hear my name being called by one of the three people. I stop walking and wait for them to reach me. I turn around when I listen to them stop near me.
It's three Ravenclaw boys. They look to be a little younger than me. The power dynamic is clear to me. The two brunette boys are the followers, while the blond in the middle is the leader. The blond looks pissed off at what I assume is me. His fists are clenched, and his nostrils flared. I don't speak first.
"You don't deserve her." This boy has audacity. His voice is pretentious, boldly spewing filth. If our relationship were real, I may have been mad. I watch as he works himself up from my lack of response. The boy to his right leans forward to whisper something I don't bother listening to.
"If this was all you wanted to say, I will be on my way." In an instant, I see that time seems too slow for me. I watch as he throws what he assumes is a punch. It's a split-second decision, but it's not one I regret. It works. His fist was almost to my face before he stopped and blinked at me. His eyes widened, and he stared at me while his friends went to his aid, even though nothing had physically happened to their friend. I take this as a chance to leave.
I've kept my girls waiting for too long.
—
It's a little after twelve when I make it to my common room's main entrance. It's quiet as I creep further in.
"I need to talk to you." Fucking Hell! What the fuck! I turn to see a now smug Regulus. His lips are only slightly tilted upwards. Rolling my eyes, I lead him to my apparently empty dorm room. I go straight for my desk and place my bag on it. Turning and leaning back on the desk, I watch Regulus pace in the same spot as always until he chooses to speak his mind.
"Why are you dating her?" Again?
"I am only telling you this because I know I can trust you with it." I cross my arms and look at him deadfaced. "It's fake."
"Fake?"
"Whose idea?" He copies my stance and crosses his arms at his spot near the door.
"Hers." Shrugging, I watch as he rolls his eyes and leans his head back. I hear him silently sigh before making eye contact once again.
"So she's know about your, escapades, the entire time?" I nod.
"It hasn't been so bad."
-1,382 Words-