Losing Game/// James Potter

Chapter 50

"Because I was fucking in love with you for 7 bloody years, James. I was never good enough for you then, yeah?" She snapped at him, her anger making her admit the words she never thought she'd say to him, "B-but now when I finally find someone new, apparently they're not good enough for me?!"

James abruptly looked up at Elsie with wide eyes as all notions of rationality burst into flames. Absolutely nothing made sense to him. His heart seemed as if were going to explode into pieces, yet has never beat more steadily. Time seemed to have slowed, yet has never gone by at a more perfect pace. Everything seemed to be a mess, yet he had never seen his life more clearer. She was in love with me...

Not looking up at him or seeing his reaction, Elsie painfully spoke again through her tears, "I fucking loved you James, isn't that torture enough?! J-just let me be happy for fucking once..."

He wanted to speak, he wanted to do anything to show her that she doesn't have to be happy with Benjy. She could be happy with him. But, he couldn't bring himself to move as he finally understood everything she was saying to him. Elsie loved him, past tense. He loves her, present tense. It was as if her words paralyzed him, he was frozen in his spot with nothing to say. She was in love with me...

And just like that, she was running away from him with tears streaming down her face. He reached out his hand to call her back, but she was gone. Suddenly, James regretted ever comparing her to the sunrise. Because, there was one very important thing he forgot about them. No matter how stunning they are, no matter how close they look, no matter how intimate they feel, the sunrise was only ever meant to be seen. Not to be touched. She was in love with me...

A tear unknowingly fell from his face as he regained his composure, reminding him of the sin he committed once again. He let her slip through his fingers for a second time. She was in love with me...

He slowly found himself walking back to his dorm room, slamming the door shut behind him. James fell onto his bed, feeling something hard beneath him. He rolled over to see the book Elsie had given him for his birthday opened up to the last page, the page with the picture of him and Elsie peacefully cuddling. His fingertips grazed over the moving image, watching the way her lips naturally formed a small smile.

James laid back on his bed with the book in hand, staring at the picture with tears blocking his view, while sadly whispering to himself, "Happy Birthday to me."

Elsie ran as fast as she could all the way back to Gryffindor Tower, not having a certain place in mind. When she rushed into the common room, she found the 3 other Marauders lounging around on the couches. Remus took one look at Elsie before shooting up from his seat and rushing over to her. Her cheeks were stained with tears, her eyes were swollen red, and her lip was ever-so-slightly quivering.

"Els?" He softly whispered, walking until he was right in front of her so he could block the view of the crying girl from everyone else around them, "Lets go to my room."

She nodded her head without putting up a fight and immediately followed her scar-faced friend up the stairs and into his room. As soon as the door shut behind them, she collapsed into his arms and let out all the tears she was holding back.

"Shhhh, it's alright. I'm right here," he cooed while sliding his back against the door until he was in a sitting position with her in his arms, "No more hiding those tears, let them out."

"I lost him, Remmy," she sniffled through her tears, muffling into his shirt, "I pushed James away, I-I lost him."

"You could never push him away. You could never push any of us away," he chuckled into the crying girl's hair while resting his head on top of hers, "He's your best friend, he's not going anywhere."