FROM EDEN | Mattheo Riddle

XVII. The Great Lake

*Tap, tap, tap*

A soft staccato knocking woke Violet from her slumber, her eyes gently fluttering open. She peered drowsily at the silhouettes of her sleeping roommates, oblivious to the persistent knocking on the door. She threw her duvet haphazardly, slipping on her slippers and jumper as she shuffled towards the entrance to their room. She was greeted by the face of none other than Mattheo Riddle, smiling sheepishly at her frowning face. "What the fuck?" She grumbled, rubbing at her tired eyes, wishfully hoping he was just an apparition.

"Sorry to wake you up, sleeping beauty, but I need to borrow you for a second." He grabbed her hand and quickly dragged her through the halls before she could protest. His footsteps were light against the concrete to avoid alerting the professors. "Mattheo, where are we going? It's way past midnight." Violet grumbled, her body still heavy from lack of sleep. "Shush," he looked back at her, "It's a surprise."

Minutes later, Violet found herself at the shores of the great lake, wherein a punt was waiting at the dock. The stillness of the water was unsettling, for she knew there were creatures lurking beneath its depths.  "You woke me up at 2am just to show me a punt?" She deadpanned at the boy.

Mattheo rolled his eyes, "Get in and you'll see." He got in first, offering a hand to her. "This better be good," she muttered as she took his hand. He began to punt towards the center, humming a soft tune to himself.

Violet looked up at the dark half of the sky. The silver moon was nestled in a blanket of blue with glittering stars seeming like sequins embroidered across it. The silver light shone down upon the lake, kissing the water aglow. Beneath the dim light, Mattheo looked utterly angelic, the moonbeam creating a halo behind him. The sight took her breath away.

Soon enough, they stopped in the middle of the great lake. "Wait for it," he whispered, wearing a bent smile and excitement in his eyes.

She waited for a beat. Nothing.

"Seriously, Mattheo? We have classes later!"

"Wait!"

Just as Violet was flirting with the idea of throwing him over the boat, a shooting star caught her eye, then another, soon turning into a meteor shower. The sky seemed to weep comets, leaving behind a trail of cosmic dust in its wake. Her mouth parted in awe at the sight. It was beautiful.

"I heard muggles make wishes when they see a shooting star," Mattheo said, stealing a glance at Violet. The stars reflected on her brown eyes, but the spectacular sight could not hold a candle to her beauty. "Make a wish," he whispered, entranced by the woman sitting next to him.

She knew it was foolish to do so, yet there was no harm in trying. "What will you wish for?" She asked the raven-haired boy beside her.

"Nothing." He said softly it was almost a whisper, "I have everything I could ask for right now." He held her gaze, affection alight in his brown eyes. He looked vulnerable at this moment, stripped raw of his usual cool demeanor, she thought. It was the right moment to ask him what had transpired last week.

"What happened?" Violet asked cautiously, "to you and harry?"

He sighed, breaking eye contact, "It doesn't matter."

"It matters to me," she pressed on, covering his hand with her own.

"Would you even believe me if I told you?"

"I would," she said genuinely, without a hint of doubt. Her thumb caressing soft circles on his skin.

"We got into a fight over his parents," he said regretfully, "I cast a spell I shouldn't have." For once, he looked remorseful, the shadows deepening his frown.

"You aren't your father. His mistakes aren't yours." She raised her hand to his face, gently stroking his cheek. She looked at his dark eyes. They were so close she could faintly see her reflection on his irises. He held her hand on his cheek, making a move to kiss her, but his arm slipped over the boat, tipping it towards the water. Violet shrieked, the icy water setting her skin alive with chills. Then, despite her teeth chattering, she laughed wholeheartedly, splashing Mattheo with ice-cold water. "You absolute sod!" Her laughter mixed with his that she could no longer discern which was hers.

As they grew quiet, she pulled him close, wrapping her arms around him and rubbing his back to bring warmth back to his skin. Water droplets fell over his curls and his thick lashes, then to his plump lips. Violet had the urge to kiss them away. She closed the distance between them, his lips slotting perfectly against hers.

And that was when Mattheo knew he was completely, utterly, under her spell. That he is setting himself up for a heartbreak, and there is nothing he could do but to brace himself and wait for it to hit.

Note: this is a very short chapter just to let ya'll know I'm alive and continuing the story :> This scene is inspired by Beach Read by Emily Henry, if you haven't read that book, READ IT!