The love notes
"Dorcas. Wake up."
They groaned and turned over, pulling the blanket over their head.
The owner of the voice sighed and pulled the blanket completely off of them.
"Leave them to sleep", someone else said, "they'll be hungover."
Dorcas lifted their head slightly to peer at the people talking. Lily waved from her seat on the other sofa, a cup of tea in her other hand and a bowl of cereal in front of her. Regulus was folding the blanket he had snatched off and placed it down on the table. He picked up his own cup of tea and sat next to Lily.
"Ah, You're awake!" James yelled as he entered the room, a bowl of yogurt, granola, and blueberries in his arms.
Dorcas slammed their head back onto the pillow and groaned again.
"How are you… fine?" Dorcas said, their voice muffled from the pillow.
Regulus laughed, "it's 2pm, we weren't fine but we've had hours to get over it."
James grinned and sat down on the sofa. Regulus pointed at him bitterly, "apart from him."
"Too stubborn to get hangovers", Lily said, shaking her head.
James winked, "I'm magic."
Regulus and Lily both looked at each other, laughing.
"Hey uh… when did Marlene leave?" Dorcas asked, peering at the sofa.
"She left about an hour ago with Sirius and Remus for lunch with Peter's mums." Lily answered.
Dorcas nodded, "I should probably leave."
"Yeah", Regulus nodded.
"No, you can stay as long as you want." James argued, sending a look to Reg but the other man just looked back at him in confusion.
Lily got up, "you want some food? tea? coffee?"
Dorcas shook their head, "no, it's fine. I'll probably grab something on my way home."
Dorcas slowly got up, accepting a cup of water Regulus put in front of them and a pair of sunglasses. They collected their things, and started to walk home.
They passed the cafe they had gone to with Marlene a lot, and sat down there for some food.
"Where's your girlfriend?" one of the staff asked.
Dorcas smiled, "we're just friends."
"Oh, sorry. My mistake."
Dorcas leaned their head on their hand and stared at the cup of tea in front of them. They wondered why Marlene hadn't brought up the notes in her books. Dorcas had outwardly asked Marlene if she wanted to go on a date in the last book they had brought. Why hadn't she said anything about it?
♡♡♡
Sirius opened the door and peered their head through, "I'm bored."
"Same", Marlene huffed, "I hate putting bedding on."
Sirius walked over, "I'll help."
They worked together to get the duvet cover over the duvet, Sirius getting stuck inside for a few minutes, and lifted up the mattress so the other could put the sheet on it.
Once they finished, Sirius noticed Marlene's shelf.
"Wait… are these all the books you've brought from Dorcas? They're so obviously gay."
"That's kind of the point", Marlene said as she pulled out her phone and sat down on the bed.
Sirius reached up and pulled a book off the shelf before opening it to look through it.
They paused on the front page and glanced over to Marlene, "have you looked inside these?"
Marlene shook her head, "nah I didn't buy them to read."
Sirius smirked, "maybe you should", they threw the book to Marlene.
Marlene opened the book and spotted the message straight away, "oh my god."
You look really pretty today, I don't think you're seeing these messages.. or maybe you're just ignoring them (hopefully not)
I really like you, I found a flower that reminded me of you, this morning, but I chickened out and didn't give it to you.
"Dorcas likes you", Sirius teased as they read the message again, over her shoulder.
Marlene sprang up and grabbed the other books from the shelf, opening the covers of each one.
You have dimples. Omg you're so cute. How'd I not realise you have dimples?
I really wanted to hold your hand earlier, maybe one day
I can't believe I'm doing this. This is so awkward. I don't really know why I'm doing it, I just really like you and want to ask you on a date but I'm too nervous. I don't even know if you're straight or not.
I was listening to Blondie today, the song Sunday girl came on and it reminded me of you. Will you be my Sunday girl?
Please just read these. If you're reading them please just come and say you don't like me back, I can handle the rejection but I can't handle not knowing.
How do you read books this fast? You say you don't read much and then you've brought like, 5 books in the span of a week and a half.
I think you may be the most attractive person ever. Your laugh, your smile, your eyes, the way you dress, your personality. Everything about you. You're the most beautiful person, inside and out.
Okay. I'm just going to say it outright, well write it. I've been writing these notes for a while and there is now way you aren't noticing them when you read the books. So, here goes.
I like you. So much. Will you go on a date with me?
"Why the fuck didn't I read these books?" Marlene groaned as she got up and pulled her shoes on.
Sirius laughed and crouched to where Marlene was before, reading the notes as well.
"Dorcas is so smitten, how could you never reply to their love notes?" Sirius shook their head, jokingly.
Marlene grabbed a denim jacket and stuck her middle finger up at them, "I didn't know they were there, you git."
Marlene grabbed the last book she had brought, the book that Dorcas had asked for a date in.
"Where are you going?" Sirius shouted as she ran out the room and then the apartment.
"Dorcas!" She shouted back.
Marlene ran to the bus stop, while she waited for the bus she read the message in the front page of the book over and over.
The bus got there and she climbed on, after five minutes it reached her stop. She ran to the bookshop and up to the counter.
"Where's Dorcas Meadowes?"
The man shrugged, "they're not working today."
Marlene felt the adrenaline disappear, she left the shop and started walking back to the bus stop.
As she walked she saw the cafe she had gone to with Dorcas, in the distance. She decided to grab a drink from there, to make the trip at least a little worthwhile. She'd go back to the bookshop tomorrow.
She walked over to the cafe, and glanced inside. Dorcas was sitting at their table, by the window, sipping on a cup of tea.
Marlene grinned and ran inside, she stopped at the Dorcas' table. Breathing heavily, she opened the book to the first page and held it in front of them.
Dorcas looked up, and their gaze flicked between Marlene's face and their note in the book.
Marlene smiled, "hi."