SOME KIND OF DISASTER ─ oliver wood

[ 027 ] the pros and cons of breathing

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THERE WAS NO WAY SAWYER WAS LETTING OLIVER have the upper hand. Her world was one of business transactions. Favours had to be returned. Oliver taking the blame last night wasn't an exception. No matter what had (or might have) transpired between them.

After lunch, after Jeremy and Quinn had proposed a study session—since they all had a free period except Rio, who had Charms—but Sawyer had places to be.

"I need to see McGonagall," Sawyer said, the lie rolling off her tongue easily. She hadn't told either of her friends about last night's fiasco. In fact, anything to do with Oliver Wood, Sawyer never really divulged. As far as they knew, her investment in him only went so far as the end of fifth year, when they'd been "together". Telling them the truth would have to wait. Sawyer didn't think it'd be a big deal, anyway. They'd understand. And Rio's track record of lies outweighed her predicament.

"Will you come meet us later?" Quinn asked, hopefully, hovering next to Jeremy, who was carrying her books. "I think I need a second opinion on my Astronomy essay."

Sawyer shrugged. "Maybe."

"I still need to help you with that essay," Jeremy pointed out, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. He'd forgotten to take them off after class, and it'd been funny when he tried to eat his soup and the glass kept fogging up.

"Ah, shit," Marcus grumbled, smacking his forehead. "I completely forgot I had Herbology homework due next period."

Quinn patted Marcus on the arm in sympathy. "We should probably get started then."

"Yeah," Jeremy said, frowning. He turned to Sawyer to flash her a bright grin. "We'll see you later, yeah?"

Sawyer waved them off.

As soon as the rounded the corner, she turned in the opposite direction and began walking away from the Transfiguration classrooms.

As she cut through the courtyard, Sawyer found her brother and his friends sprawling out on the grass in the sun, chewing on cherry suckers and guzzling down packets of exploding sugar rocks in their usual spot under an oak tree. She could hear the candy fizzing and popping on their tongues over their boisterous laughter. Oliver wasn't among them. None of them had noticed her as she headed straight for them. She caught the tail end of their conversation.

"—so she's, like, just waiting to know what he wants to say to her, then this complete idiot just freezes up and puts the potion down his—"

"Shut up! It's not like you haven't done anything totally embarrassing to get a girl's attention. Remember third year—"

"Hey, who's telling the story here, huh?" Jun cut in, smacking Ashton so hard on the back Sawyer felt the impact reverberate in her own spine.

"Oh, Ash." Wyatt shook his head. "For someone who brags big game about his dick and all the action it gets, it sure sounds like you're either losing your touch or you're making all that shit up."

"How bout we talk about your lack of action, then—"

"Hello, boys," Sawyer interrupted before Wyatt could defend himself, crossing her arms over her chest.

If there was any way to find out where Oliver was serving detention, Sawyer's first choice wouldn't have been getting the information out of his friends. Unfortunately, Sawyer didn't have another option that wasn't totally time-consuming and a waste of her effort. During Transfiguration, McGonagall had separated Oliver to one corner of the room while Sawyer remained in her original seat, and even after class, she didn't have the chance to catch him alone. In DADA earlier, she had no such luck either. Oliver was always surrounded by his friends.