Summer Holiday

Chapter 6

A month had passed since Fred and Sophie's departure, but that meant an entire month of secretly meeting at the pier had flown by. Guilt had been a strong emotion in Sophie's life. She felt guilty that she had been enjoying herself the past month. The beginning of their breakup was depressing and sorrowful, but the more time she spent with Theo, the more she began to forget Fred entirely, but not quite entirely yet.

Nights were the hardest. When she was alone in bed she would cry silently to herself. All the memories of their relationship would come flooding back, and she would have to relive them alone in bed. The evenings at the pier would leave her forgetting about her broken relationship. They would leave her laughing until she was gasping for air or leave her angry as her and Theo talked about the latest rumors circulating the castle, but they never left her sad.

She had not seen Fred since that dreadful night when he let her go. She worked diligently to avoid him. This couldn't work forever and she understood that, but for now she wanted to absorb every moment with Theo and continue avoiding Fred. It was working for her now and that was all she cared about.

Before she headed to the pier that evening she had to finish her astrology assignment that she had been putting off. She gathered her books and parchment and headed for the astronomy tower.

Not many students were out and around the castle this evening. It seemed to be a quiet night. Sophie reached the astronomy tower and headed through the doorway. She placed a foot on the bottom step of the spiral staircase, but paused when she heard an all too familiar voice.

"I don't have an answer. Everything is different now." The familiar voice spoke. Sophie tilted her chin towards the ceiling trying to peak through the cracks in the wood. She tilted her head a little more to see Fred standing at the opening of the astronomy tower clutching the railing. She tilted her head once more to see the person he was speaking to was Angelina. She was standing particularly close to him. Sophie felt her breath hitch as she realized who she was eavesdropping on.

"It's been a month. I don't understand why you still care. Didn't she dump you?" Angelina asked.

"Yes, but I don't see why that matters. I need time." Fred sighed and turned away from Angelina.

"I don't have all day." Angelina replied snippily.

Fred didn't speak after her comment. He continued to stare out at the sky as Angelina and Sophie both watched him.

Sophie hadn't seen him in a month, and she was unsure how she felt watching him now. Her mind was screaming at her to get away from there as any sane person would, but her body was frozen in place. Her eyes widened as she watched Angelina reach out a hand and place it on Fred's chin. Angelina closed the gap between her and Fred and leaned in to kiss him. Their lips locked and Sophie felt herself losing oxygen. She couldn't take in a full breath as she watched the two of them begin to intertwine their bodies.

Reality struck and Sophie's body was no longer frozen. She rushed out of the astronomy tower as fast as her legs would allow while staying as silent as possible. When she reached the other side of the doorway she broke into a sprint towards the front doors of the castle. She reached the doors and pushed them open with all her force. When she reached the grass in front of the castle she hunched over and placed her hands on her knees as she tried to regain her breath.

Oh god.

Deep in her heart she knew the both of them would move on and end up with different people, but she never pictured it happening so soon. She continued to draw in as many deep breaths as her lungs would allow.

Oh god.

She didn't know what to do with herself. Should she tell someone? Should she go back to her dorm. She sat up and looked around. She began sprinting once again, but this time towards the pier. Theo would have the right thing to say.