bruises - james potter

one hundred and eleven

Will and Dylan didn't look away from the three in front of them; just needing a second of silence to go over everything that had just been thrown at them, even if they didn't believe a word of it.

"If we say we believe your Peru story, can that be the end of it? We just want to go play in the arcade."

"What do you mean, story?, it's 100% the truth." Cassie asked as the group began walking towards the white pier at the end of the beach.

Blue waves crashed into the legs holding it up, and created white sprays of water around it. An arcade rested in the middle of the pier, even from where they were standing the group could still hear the sound of coins dropping onto metal trays and bells ringing when people hit them that came from inside.

Dylan let out a small laugh as he wrapped his arm around the girls shoulders, making her almost trip over under the sudden weight.

"And we're straight, c'mon, let's go."

•••

"We're meeting who?" Cassie froze as she hears the words fall from Lily's mouth. Her eyebrows quickly darted up to the top of her head and her mouth hung open slightly. Lily apologised to the woman who bumped into Cassie after she suddenly stopped, before replying to the question:

"Petunia's new boyfriend."

"Petunia's new boyfriend." Cassie repeated, almost as if she was testing the words on her tongue. Lily nodded and began walking again, Cassie stared at her retreating figure for a moment before chasing after her.

"She has a boyfriend? Someone willingly attracted to her?" She asked, turning her jog back into a walk when she was by Lily's side.

The two of them were walking down one of the many streets that surrounded the Evans' house, on their way to a café that was a few roads away.

Petunia and her parents had already left for the café , but Cassie was late back from her date with James - entering the house with a few new bruises on her neck and swollen lips - and Lily didn't trust her to walk the streets alone considering how often she got lost.

Petunia had given Cassie and Lily a stern talking too before she left the house, telling them that they she didn't want any of their 'nonsense' ruining this for her, and if they were to do anything 'out of the ordinary' she wouldn't let them forget it.

That had only made Cassie want to do her 'nonsense' more, but then she realised it was a public setting and she wouldn't have been able too if she wanted to (a look from Lily also quickly shook the idea from her mind.)

It was just past midday, the sun still high in the sky but not at its highest; a few of its rays were blocked by clouds but most of them were able to pass through and burn the ground below them, and the skin of anyone who was in it for too long. The grass that lined the pavement they walked on had somewhat of a yellow tint to it, the odd patch being very green from people watering them regularly. White daisies with pink rims dotted the grass, some more lively than others.

Squeals from children were loud as they sprayed each other with the garden hose, going silent for a few moments when those drops of water created a rainbow in the light. Dogs were panting in the hot sun, their paws resting in the paddling pools that theirs owners had placed out while their tails waved lazily and cats were hiding under cars, trying to stay in the cool shade. The constant ringing of an ice-cream van was heard from a few streets over.