Paired With The Potterhead

Chapter Twenty One: A Conversation That Is Long Overdue

Leave Out All The Rest - Linkin Park

Chapter Twenty One: A Conversation That Is Long Overdue

Following the incident with Nora in the hallway, I might've went and punched a few faces before Lannon finally drew the last straw and expelled me. Yes. You read that right. Expelled. As in never returning to school again so any chance of me getting into film school next September is gone.

On top of that, I'm the one who is currently housing the English project. Our model of Hogwarts is sitting in my room, 3/4 of the way finished, and I won't be able to either present it or give it back to Nora for that matter. She wants nothing to do with me now so I seriously doubt she wants the model back. That would only mean I'd have to show my face around her place. 

On another note, Josh is livid. I've never seen my brother so legitimately mad that the veins in his neck stood out when he yelled at me in the car on the way home.

"Expelled?! Jesus Christ Laney what were you thinking?! Were you even thinking at all?! What am I supposed to tell our dad?! 'Oh by the way Laney got kicked out of school but we all knew this was coming eventually'."

Most of his lecture just went right through one ear and out the other as I just stared out the window at all the buildings we drove past. We passed the secondhand bookstore where Nora got me the first three Harry Potter books. The bakery where I got her treats that same day. Basically anywhere that we shared happy moments sped past my window. I get it, Universe. Fuck you too.

After Josh finally fell silent, I could see that his face had turned into a calm expression, much unlike the way it was just minutes ago. He looked more worried now than angry.

"Laney. I can't help you if you don't talk to me," his voice was soft and low. He turned his head, his brown eyes gentle. This was the Josh I knew and loved. He might be mad but I know deep down he cares.

"I don't want to talk." I shoved my earbuds in my ears and started to blast music. Linkin Park. Loud and drowned out the world, just the way I liked it.

"Laney," I could barely hear my brother say. "Lane-" To my distaste, he pulled a bud out of my ear as he drove. "Please listen to me. Don't block me out."

I sighed heavily. "Fine. I'm listening."

"Good. It's about time." Josh pulled up to a stop sign and took this opportunity to look at me. "I don't know what happened at school or why you....punched multiple students in the face but I don't care about any of that. I mean I do-"

"Just get to the point, Josh."

"Right. Sorry. Like I said, I don't know what happened but I need you to know that I'm worried about you, squirt. And I can't help you if you don't talk to me."

The light turned green which gave Josh no other choice but to look away and focus on the road again. There was a brief moment where I thought I was going to confess to everything and tell him the whole story. Maybe I should've. Maybe I should just tell him everything about how I feel about Nora and every other emotion that I've kept hidden from him over the years. If this were a movie, this would be the part in the film where the main protagonist talks about their feelings and gets advice from a supporting character. But this isn't a movie and I'm not a main protagonist.