We Will Shine {Book 6 in the Star of Gryffindor Series}

Chapter 39 - Away From Prying Eyesss

~Wren~

"Do you think she's okay?"

"I mean, no." Colette rolled her eyes. "Would you be?" Albus shook his head, pursing his lips. "We just need to give her some space, all right? Let her process it all."

I frowned. "I told her I'd wait for her."

"Then wait for her. Whatever. But don't press, okay? Honestly, you're probably driving her crazy."

Albus and Colette started off in the direction of our next class, and I stepped to the side of the corridor and tried to stay out of the way. Was I driving Astra crazy? I winced; she'd probably told Colette that, or else I don't know why she would've mentioned it. I needed to do better about that.

But it was really hard. After all, I just wanted her to talk to me. The roles had been reversed so many times. And I knew things felt better after they'd come out of your head. I just wanted Astra to feel better, that was all.

Well, maybe I was a little afraid, too. It wasn't like Astra didn't talk to anyone. James had told me not to worry, that she'd opened up to him. Colette hadn't said that, but she seemed to know enough that I could assume Astra'd talked to her, too. And of course, she always seemed to talk to Albus. Well, when he wasn't with Poppy, of course. But even he was with Poppy, sometimes, now, it seemed. So why wouldn't she talk to me?

I cared about Astra. I did. I wanted her to be safe, and okay, and stable. And that's why I was pressing her and being annoying. That was all it was. I couldn't just be being selfish, and trying to keep my best friend from floating away from me.

Honestly, I was afraid. Afraid that whatever this strain was between us would grow until we weren't even friends anymore. Afraid that we were drifting apart, and why? For no reason I could see.

And I was afraid that, at the core of all my efforts to help, I was really just trying to help myself. I was being selfish, trying to make Astra feel better so I could have my friend back. That couldn't be it. That couldn't be my motivation. I genuinely cared about her.

Haverna's door opened, and Astra stepped out. I put on a bright smile, ready to cheer her up, but then I hesitated. Something was off. There was more here than simply being frustrated about getting detention. Astra was blinking, moving slowly, seeming almost stunned. She took a few seconds to even realize I was standing in front of her, though by now we were some of the only students in the hall. She stared at me for a moment, something heavy in her eyes that I couldn't place. I forced my smile back, though less bright now. "That took a while. What happened?"

Astra shrugged and looked away. "She gave me detention."

"Oh." I struggled to keep my face neutral. "Are you... is everything okay?"

"Yeah, fine." Astra sounded annoyed, but she wasn't meeting my eyes. She crossed her arms and frowned sullenly at the ground. Of course, she was lying, but I had no idea about what. Now didn't seem like the time to confront her.

"Okay." I shrugged lightly, passing it off like I'd believed her. "Well, Potions is starting, if you'd like to go." She didn't respond, so I continued, "Or... we could skip, if you'd rather just have some to think." She shrugged, sighing heavily and glancing around the corridor. Still avoiding my eyes. I didn't know what she thought I'd see if I looked in them. I was almost getting afraid to. "Or," I said slowly, not really wanting to say it, "if... if you'd rather be alone, I can go..."

Astra blinked in surprise, then glanced at me. "I... yeah, I think I need to be alone. If you don't mind..."

It took all my will power to smile and nod, and it felt horrible. She didn't trust me anymore, was what it felt like. And as much as I told myself that was silly, as soon as the words had been released into my head, my mind grabbed hold of them fiercely and wouldn't let go.