In Your Shadow ✓

Chapter 14

They continued their way to the Great Hall in silence. When they arrived, they sat down at the Gryffindor table.

"Oh, hey, Kaden," Jason greeted the brunette boy, who took a seat next to him.

"Morning," he muttered.

"Kaden!" James grinned at him from across the table. "How are you?"

"Not like you actually care, but fine," Kaden frowned. "What do you want?"

"Can't I just ask how my fellow housemate is doing?" James tilted his head to the side.

"Mia doesn't like you and she never will," he scowled. "And I can't do anything to change that, but even if I could, I still wouldn't, so let me be."

"It's a lost cause, my friend," Isaac shook his head while placing some bacon on his plate.

"I couldn't have asked for more supportive friends," James mumbled grumpily.

"Cheer up, will you?" Jason sent him a pleading look.

"Am I not handsome enough?" James asked. "Is that it?"

"For Merlin's sake," the redhead sighed, then he turned to look at a blonde girl sitting near them. "Oi, Sarah!"

She turned towards him with a confused expression on her face. "Yes?"

"Do you think James is handsome? Be honest."

Her cheeks reddened slightly. "Oh, uh... well, yeah."

"Cheers," Jason nodded at her, then he turned back to James. "Does that answer your question?"

"Who cares about Sarah's opinion?" He crossed his arms over his chest. "She's not Mia."

"Get a grip, man!" Isaac groaned. "Again, she's really not all that."

"Right," Kaden scoffed. "I bet you're just saying that because you know she's way out of your league. For the record, she wouldn't go out with any of you."

"I sure hope not," Jason chuckled. "I'm her friend."

"Would you stop flexing with that?" James glared at him. "Look at me, I'm on talking terms with Mia, and she actually enjoys my presence."

"That's right," he grinned.

"Screw you, Jace."

"You know what?" He leaned back. "I'll go and talk to her right now."

"What?" James' eyes widened. "Why?"

"Because I can," Jason shrugged with a smile, then he stood up from their table and started walking towards the Ravenclaw one.

When he spotted Mia and her friend, he made his way over to them.

"Excuse me," he squeezed himself between Mia and another girl. "Visitor coming through."

"Jason?" Mia raised an eyebrow at him. "What are you doing here?"

"Just thought I would check up on you," he dropped an arm around her shoulders. "What's up?"

"I'm... eating?"

"Good, good," he nodded. "Hello... Sage, right?" He glanced at the girl sitting on her other side.

"Yes, hi," she nodded at him unenthusiastically.

"Listen," he turned back to look at Mia. "I would like to have a little chat with you."

"About?"

"You'll find out soon enough."

"Fine," she let out a sigh. "Let's just get it over with, then. I'm not hungry anymore anyway."

"Alright," Jason stood up.

"I'll see you in class, I suppose," Mia told Sage, then she stood up as well.

Jason put an arm around her shoulders again and started guiding her out of the Great Hall.

"What's with this?" She asked, gesturing at his arm.

"Ah, I reckon James is watching us, so I thought I would mess with him a little."

Mia raised her eyebrows at him. "What a great friend you are."

"Oh, I am."

When they walked out to the Entrance Hall, the two of them stopped next to the wall.

"So?" Mia turned to face him. "What is it?"

"Right," Jason nodded, putting his hands inside his robe's pockets. "Well, James told us about your little meeting yesterday."

"Meeting?" She scoffed. "I caught him sneaking around on the corridors and did my duty as a prefect, there was nothing more to it."

"I know that, but he told it to us like... well, he said that the two of you were flirting and stuff, that you seemed to be really into him and all."

"That doesn't surprise me," Mia rolled her eyes. "But it's not true."

"So, you... you really don't like him, right?" He looked down into her eyes.

"Of course I don't."

"Listen," he took a tiny step closer to her, lowering his voice. "I can't be sure about this, but I really don't think that he actually likes you. I mean, I think it's the chase that he enjoys, the fact that he has to fight for you, you know?"

"That's possible," Mia nodded.

"I just don't want you to get hurt, so I thought I would tell you."

"I appreciate it, Jason," she smiled up at him. "But there's no need to worry, I'm really not into him."

"Okay, great."

"Anything else?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "We should hang out sometime, I miss my girls," he pouted, making her chuckle.

"Tired of your fellow Gryffindors, are you?"

"I am," he grinned. "They're not bad, but I miss spending time with you and Daisy."

"I'm sure we can arrange something."

"Excellent, I'll be waiting for the details, then."

"Fine, I'll talk to Daisy as soon as I can. Now excuse me, but I better get to class."

"Alright," he sighed. "Have a good one!" Jason waved at her, then he went back inside the Great Hall to re-join his housemates.