The Mystery of You

chapter five: realization

"Willow, do I look okay?" asked Juniper while she looked in the mirror.

"I think so. You look almost as good as new!" I smiled. She had missed her afternoon classes, but in one afternoon, she was able to heal most of the boils thanks to the speedy work of Nurse Blainey. Nurse Blainey had given a note to her for her professors, and she was sent on her way.

Juniper was the talk of the school as she walked down the hallways with her head held high. She was always able to move past things quickly, like the events of the spring, without much trouble. She heard someone laugh at her and stopped in her tracks. She moved her mouth as if she was going to say something but decided against it and we continued our walk to the Great Hall for dinner. As we were turning a corner, I walked directly into someone.

"Again?" Everett said with a smile, a dimple showing in the middle of his right cheek.

"Ugh! I am so sorry. I need to be more careful. We were just on our way to the Great Hall for dinner." I felt my face shape into a dopey feeling smile as we locked eyes.

"And I was on my way to check on you, Juniper." He motioned to her before continuing. "You look like you've improved." Juniper's face turned bright red at the attention and the realization that he had seen her covered in boils after all.

"I feel much better. Thank you for helping me get to the hospital. By the way, I am going to duel the little troll that did this to me, if you want to come." Juniper smiled up at him, hopeful for his presence at the duel.

"I would not miss it! Do you need help getting ready for it?" Everett smiled down at her as Juniper blushed. I suddenly felt a small bit of jealousy build up in my chest watching them smile at each other. Was it just Everett's nature to flirt with every girl?

"She doesn't," a voice sounded from behind us.

"I don't know. I might need his help too, Sebastian," Juniper said with the blushing smile on her face.

"No. You won't. I reclaimed the top spot in Crossed Wands last spring. I am your best bet at winning." Sebastian sounded annoyed. Sebastian stood so close to me that I could feel the slight brush of his arm as he spoke. The skin on the back of my hand tingled at his light touch, just like it had in Feldcroft.

"Guys, I am so hungry. Can we table this for later? I haven't eaten since breakfast," Juniper said, feeling the tension in the air, no longer enjoying the attention.

"Let's go," I said while grabbing Juniper's arm and leading her past the two idiots.

"That got weird."

"Yeah, I will say," I said before letting out a snort. I glanced back at Sebastian and our eyes met, but I turned and kept moving despite the flutters in my chest. I could not help but wonder about the jealousy I had felt watching Juniper flirt with Everett or the tingles that ran their way up my arm as Sebastian stood close.

*Sebastian's POV*

I watched as Willow and Juniper walked away from Everett and me. He huffed and walked away as Willow glanced back and, for a moment, I felt like we were back in Feldcroft in the summer. I remembered the way I held Willow as she sobbed into my chest, my hand on hers at the dinner table, and my smile as she flew in for the second time.

"Well, hello there. I didn't expect you today,' I said while running my hands through my hair.

"I thought I could help you out. I brought a few things." Willow placed her broom against the house. She was weighed down by a large satchel that was almost half her size.

"A few things for?"

"For cooking!" She smiled and threw a bag of different vegetables at me. I laughed and followed her inside. She seemed so comfortable in Feldcroft and at the cottage that, just last week, had felt like a cold and dark place. Her smile made everything feel warmer.