Chapter 2
*you have arrived at your destination*
Whoosh
It’s early October in New York. The wind is fierce, blowing hard at every chance, making goosebumps appear all over his arm. The anxiousness isn’t helping Xeno at all, maybe people won't notice anything off about him if he just, well I don't know. Acts normal?!.
That can be hard for some people. Acting normally, no worries in the world, like nothing bothers them. But for him it’s different. If he is nervous, he won’t try to mask it. He just looks like a nervous wreck and rolls along with it.
Pandora heaves the last bag out of the car and excitedly shuts the door with, what looks like, no worries in the world. None at all. Thoughts are wrapping around his head like a tornado, messy, and uncoordinated. Making it hard to think straight ab-
“No need to be nervous you know, they don't bite”, she calmly tells him. Offering him a bag to hold. His bag to hold.
“I'm not at all nervous you know, just, uhh, yeah not nervous. It’s just that, I don’t know if they’ll like me you know?”
“Oh don’t be silly, come on. If I like you, they will too. Maybe even more, you just have to wait and in 3..2..1”
Ding!
The bell was pressed. There’s no going back now. Even with the urge to hop back into the car and speed off, leaving these unknown people behind. No. He will just have to brave it out. That’s if he can, of course.
The glorious reddish-brown double doors open, and a boy appears from behind. His hair was in messy curls, a soothing tone of tanned skin, blue and white swimming trunks with a shark on the one side. This must be James, the one who was hosting it all.
Pandora wasn’t lying when she said that the house was massive. A lot bigger than necessary. It was a tall red bricked house with grey stone on the corners. Large white windows were scattered all over the house. It looked luxurious from the outside. He tries to get a little peak from the inside. Yes, it was just as nice as the outside was. Wonder how much it costs to maintain this.
“Oh hey guys, yeah, everyone is just in the back. Fucking about in the pool. Come on in”
He steps back, allowing the two to follow in, closing the oversized double doors back shut.
Bang.
—
“Hey Reggie, you coming in or what!”
Xeno looks over to see a boy with long black hair, splashing about in the water, just like a kid.
That must be Sirius.
“I’ve already told you no so fuck off”
And that must be his brother, Regulus.
“Aww, you're no fun. Where has Jamsie gone?”
“First of all it’s James, and secondly, he just told you. You have ears for a reason you know.”
“That doesn’t answer my question dumbass”
Xeno tries to tune them out and focus on not embarrassing himself. Aka, sticking with Pandora. If he can find her that is. While internally panicking and overthinking about everything possible, a girl with golden ginger hair that’s flowing in the wind and shining in the sun is walking over to him. Great, that is just what he needed. Well, what did he expect? Of course, people are going to try and talk to him. Didn’t he know that?
Oh great. Here she comes.
“Hey there, you must be Pandora’s friend. Im Lily, Lily Evans. And you are?”
“Oh hi, boyfriend yes, it’s nice to meet you, Lily. I’m Xenophilius. Or just Xeno for short. I don't mind either one.”
Damn. Just stop talking man. Just listen and look. No talking.
“Well, it’s nice to meet you too, Xeno. By the way cool name. Way better than mine, you know? Like Lily? bit basic right”
“No, it’s nice. My favorite flowers are lilies actually. They are just so majestic and pretty.”
“Aren’t they just. Anyway, it’s nice meeting you and I hope you feel welcome. Catch you later!”
And breathe. See that wasn’t so bad, was it?
He watches as she walks away, into the house hiding away from the sun and welcoming the shade.
“WATCH OUT COMING THROUGH”
Someone rushes past Xeno, making him tumble a bit to the side. It was James. Canonballing into the pool. Creating a ginormous splash that resulted in getting everyone wet.
“For fucks sake James! Watch what you're doing man, bloody hell.”
“Whoops, sorry rem. Maybe next time you should um, I don’t know like move?” He laughs hard from the water before getting slapped in the head by a flip-flop.
“Ouch, it’s just called having fun moony don’t cry”
“I’ll fucking show you fun in a minute”
Jesus Christ. What a bunch of so-called ‘friends’.
Un-hiding from the shade, Pandora walks out in her white and pink bikini with her pink goggles on her head. Man, she looked like a model, walking straight out of a magazine. She’s just so-
“Heyyy”, She plants a kiss on his cheek. “How’s it going? Talked to anyone yet?”
“Yes actually. Um Lily I think her name was? yeah she is really nice”
“Very, but I think it’s time you meet everyone else now. Don’t you think?”
“Um, ok sure”
“HEY EVERYONE, OVER HERE”
Oh no. Here we go. The last thing I wanted to happen.
Everyone stops what they are doing and looks over to them. Every single pair of eyes is on them.
“I told you I was bringing someone new, here he is! Please be nice to him he’s a bit nervous”
A couple hey’s, hi’s and how you doing? were being thrown at him from all angles of the garden. He just politely nodded and maybe said ‘hi’ a few times. It’s not easy meeting a bunch of people at once. But here he is. Xenophilius Lovegood. Meeting a bunch of people. At the same time. Which by the way is very tiring and confusing. Trying to keep track of everyone's faces all at once is a lot. But somehow he manages just fine.
—
Sirius
“Hey! Where are the fucking towels I’m freezing over here”
Everyone is inside now. The sun hiding from them rather than the other way around. The weather forecast was a bunch of bullshit. Saying it was sunny all day when a storm started and forced everyone to pack up and go inside.
What the fuck weatherman? Pick a side.
Sirius wonders around shivering looking for a towel. He’s so dramatic. Waffling on about going to die if he doesn’t get a towel asap. Luckily his boyfriend spots him and hands him one.
“Thanks, babe. was going to die you know, no towel at all”
“Ahh, love being a drama queen don’t you? There are other people here without a towel coping just fine.”
“Well, I'm different of course. Too fragile and delicate”
“Yeah, that’s what you think Sirius Orion Black. Too delicate to be touched by anyone, except his dashing boyfriend Remus. Oh how handsome he is”
He punches Remus in the arm while drying himself off and going to change into some clothes. Obviously, clothes that will outshine everyone because that’s what Sirius Black does all the time. Makes sure he is the best one everywhere he goes. I'm better than everyone else always he repeats in his head. Never admitting to feeling small but always acting big. Because no one can see the Sirius Black when he’s not feeling on top.
He drops off his swimming trunks and slides on his clothes. Which consists of a cropped David Bowie shirt, of course, a leather jacket, black jeans with rips, and black boots. Perfect. His outfit is the cherry on top. The outfit that never fails to lack perfection, Well, in his eyes anyway. Now. Time for the hair. He walks over to the make-up table and tries to locate a brush to take away the knots in his gorgeous long locks of black hair.
Aha!, a pink brush in the second draw-up, next to all the bobbles and hair clips. Sticking out like a sore thumb. Pink glitter on the back with a capital L in the center. Hmm, this is probably Lily’s brush that he ‘borrowed’ one time. Whoops?. The brush brushes out the knots so well and makes hair feel cushioned and soft. He brushes through his hair thoroughly, making sure no knots or tangled-up bunches of hair are left.
It does take a while for his hair to be complete, for it has to be perfect of course. No mistake can be made when it comes to his hair. Usually, Remus brushes his hair, but he is downstairs somewhere, helping out probably.
Knock knock
That makes Sirius’ heart skip a beat. Who could this be? probably Remus coming to see if he’s ready yet. He gets up from the stool by the makeup table and goes to open the door. But when he does,it swings open and he gets a little confused. Xenophilius is standing there, awkwardly realizing someone was in this room.
“Oh gosh sorry. Didn’t realize someone was in here, my apologies” He tries to back away but Sirius doesn’t let him.
“Don't even think about it. You have been acting weird since you got here. Like yes, I get you are nervous but you're being suspicious every corner you turn. What is your business here? What are you here to do?”
“Umm, I was invited by Pandora…”
“Okay, but you never answered my questions.”
“I'm just here to meet everyone and umm…, have fun I guess”
“Mhmm, whatever. But just know I’ve got my eye on you so no more funny business. Got it?”
“Yes, I got it. Sorry, Sirius. Didn’t mean to-”
Sirius had had enough. He walked out of the room and went to find his boyfriend.
What a complete freak! What the hell was he even doing upstairs anyway? He never went in the pool so he has no reason to barge in on me like that.