inertia || a Fred Weasley love story

sixteen.

"You guys are so stupid holy fuck." I told the ceiling as we finally were able to compose ourselves.

"Diana, what did you do to anger Fred?" Peaches prodded, nudging me with a foot. I let out a heavy sigh, keeping my gaze upwards.
"I told him I was going to the thing tonight with Cedric."

Juliet let out a low groan.
"That must be why he told us he wouldn't be going."
"George said he was acting odd today." Wilda added.

"I didn't mean to upset him! He was just being so weird and I was getting so fed up. Like," I pushed myself up onto my elbows, looking at the three of them, "-he was making it sound like I was hanging out with Cedric a bunch on purpose, like as though I liked him or something, and then he started like- ignoring me? Kind of. Maybe I was overreacting a little. But then Harry asked me if I was going to the thing tonight with anyone and I just- I don't know, mentioned Cedric. And then!" I sat up dramatically. Wilda had gone back to the mirror to finish her makeup, and Juliet had started glancing at her phone. But Peaches was sitting on the edge of the bed, eyes lit with excitement at the gossip, "-Then Fred fucking left detention! Like he literally got up in this dramatic display and left! And then Ron said that he liked me and I was like what? Huh? Since fucking when?"
My voice got a little high and desperate at the end, and there was a beat of silence.

"So do you like Cedric?" Peaches asked. I chewed on my cheek, contemplating the question.

"I mean, I like hanging out with him." I said defeatedly, and Juliet huffed slightly, having finally checked her phone. We glanced at her, but she remained silent, thumbs tapping her screen rapidly.

"Well, do you like Fred?" Wilda suggested when Juliet didn't say anything.

"I barely know Fred!" I cried, covering my face with my hands.
"He's a really sweet guy, when you get to know him." Peaches said shyly. Wilda hummed in agreement.

My phone buzzed then, and I glanced at the screen. Cedric was asking if we wanted to pregame. I relayed the information to the girls, and they expressed excitement at the idea.

We pregamed by the lake. Cedric had brought two of his teammates from the Quidditch team, and Peaches seemed elated. She had placed herself in the middle of them, asking all sorts of mundane questions about the sport, feeding their egos. Juliet had absently hugged one of the water bottles of vodka we brought to her chest, still typing on her phone frantically. She'd barely put the thing down since we left the dorms.

"Who do you suppose she's texting?" Wilda muttered as she sidled up next to me, crossing her arms against the cold. She'd demanded one of the boys lend her a beanie, and she'd pulled it down to her eyebrows, making her face seem rounder and her eyes darker.

"I have no idea." I said honestly, flexing my hands in my jacket pockets, feeling the warmth of the vodka starting to spread through my body, "But she said it was embarrassing, remember?"

"Do you think it's the same guy?"

I shrugged, and Wilda let out a little snort, shaking her head as we watched our friend let out a little puff of air, brows furrowing as she began to type even faster.

"I feel bad for whoever is receiving those paragraphs." Cedric said quietly as he approached the two of us. Wilda nodded sullenly, and then gestured for Cedric to pass her his own bottle of vodka.

"Juliet is always texting paragraphs to someone, though." She said swiftly before taking a large swig, only wincing slightly as she swallowed. She passed it to me, and I did the same, relishing in the warmth the alcohol brought me. Cedric stomped his feet a little and blew into his hands.