Vulnerability

Chapter 16

[Atticus' POV]

Who does she think she is?! I crumble up another piece of paper and throw it at the wall. She's so infuriating. How is Sebastian any better than me? She doesn't know how bad he is, he tampers with the dark arts more than me. She's getting herself into something dangerous and I don't know how to convince her because apparently, I'm the bad guy. I scoff to myself as I leave my room and go to the library.

"Where are you going?" Ms. Scribner asks as I walk past her desk, I ignore her. "Mr. Latimer, where are you going?" She asks again.

"You're too old to be worrying about what I'm doing," I snap at her and walk into the restricted section.

"Mr. Latimer! I will report you to the Headmaster!" she yells after me.

"Do it!" I shout back as I head to the basement, normally I would be more polite about this exchange but I don't care enough now.

I head to the basement and browse through the books, I need to focus on something else right now. Freya loves to play with fire and something about her seems off, I mean these "assignments" she keeps coming back from half dead? A Professor isn't going to put a student in that much danger. She's hiding something else and I intend to find out what. I grab a few books and stuff them into my bag.

When I'm leaving, I hear the librarian bitching to some other students about how they're being loud. Yet, she's the only person I hear. When I leave, my stomach grumbles so I head to the Great Hall. I haven't seen either Sebastian or Freya since last night when I caught them. Usually, I'm used to Freya catching me, never the other way around.

When I walk in, I don't see either which is great. I sit alone at my table and then Freya walks in, not only does she walk in but she walks straight to me.

"Yes, Hufflepuff?" I asked smiling as I look at her, for someone who claims I haven't gotten under their skin– she loves to bother me. Not that I mind looking at her.

"This is my only time telling you to fuck off," she says.

"Usually it's "fuck me" not off," I reply with a smirk, and her face becomes angry.

"Don't come near me or Sebastian, don't try to sabotage because I know this bothers you," she snaps.

I stand up and look down at her, "You don't know anything because if you did know anything you wouldn't be spending your time in Sebastian's lap. Maybe the Slytherins were right, you are a whore—" I start to say.

Smack. I stumble back, looking down at her with wide eyes. She just fucking slapped me. My face barely stings but the force was enough to knock me off guard.

"You of all people do not get to call me a whore! You sleep with anything that'll give you fucking attention!" She yells, there she is. "Which is pretty sad, were you not loved as a child?"

I freeze, I don't speak or move– I just stare. Normally I would've killed anyone else in a heartbeat, but I just couldn't. Freya's face goes from anger to shock at her words to sadness.

"You win," I say to her as I start to leave, as I turn away she grabs my arm.

"Atticus, I didn't mean that. I'm sorry I was way out of line," she says.

I don't look at her and shake her arm off, I don't respond as I leave the Great Hall. What's wrong with me? Why didn't I snap? Kill her? Do anything! I can't hurt her, it's like something stops me every time I go to hurt her. I don't know why and I intend to find out, she's hiding a secret because I know there's more to her than she's letting on.

*.·:·.✧ ✦ ✧.·:·.*

[Main POV]

As soon as Atticus walks out the door, I feel horrible. That was low of me... Atticus did not deserve that at all. I don't get to regret my choice of words for long due to a letter I got from an Owl. It's from Sebastian, he wants me to meet him in the Undercroft. I forget all about Atticus and go find Sebastian.