FLASHBACK ONE
I believe hating someone is the same thing as loving them.
If you think about it, you pay attention to almost everything they do. The way their face changes when they don't like something. The beauty marks on their face or even scars that you pick up on to use as an insult to them.
You study them. The way they act, their choices of food – do they prefer butter as their waffle topping or honey? You watch them, not as a stalker, but as an observer because you want to know everything about them – their weaknesses and strengths. What you could possibly use against them. Everything.
The way their lips twitch when they don't have an answer. Your heart beats faster when they say something and you can't come up with something good enough at the moment. Every interaction is like reading the scene in the book where the overdue kiss finally happens. It's the rush of the adrenaline and the way your heart beats so fast that you can feel the vibrations of it.
You lose sleep because you need to do better than them. So you are better.
It consumes you, just like love does, so why is love so different from hate?
Because jealousy, ignorance, and the universal circumstances ruin it.
It's like playing a game of tug of war. Just have to wait till the end to see who wins.
Flipping through the pages of my book as I studied for the Potions test we were about to have in the next thirty minutes.
Students were gathering in the Great Hall as they sat in small groups of their own. Their small whispers filled up the room as they grew louder. Food appeared on the tables as there were snacks for us to chew on for the moment.
Chewing on a piece of waffle in my mouth as my eyes were glued to the writings of the book.
"You look so stressed, it's just a small test. Professor Snape gives them every week, just one more question every test than the previous one."
I sighed as I swallowed. "I know — I know, but knowing him, he always throws in a discussion question and I'm always half asleep through those talks because I'm trying to catch up on the sleep from last night that I didn't get — " I took a deep breath, " — from finishing work from other classes."
"Okay then," she said as my head thumped against the book in exhaustion. "You do realize you've received a full score of an O, meaning an outstanding on all the tests we've taken in the last month, right?"
"I mean if you put it that way," I muttered with dissatisfaction, "you know what, I have twenty minutes left, and I should spend it relaxing, right?"
"Definitely," Bonnie smiled, "working up your brain actually does the opposite of helping you work through your tasks. Professor Trelawney taught us in Muggle Studies. It's very helpful. Muggles seem so sane to me."
"Sane? Quite the opposite actually." I turned my attention to her as I stabbed the waffle with a fork.
"Indulge me then, how is a muggle more chaotic than us wizards?" She asked as I smiled with the answers that came rolling through my head.
"Let's see then, they have math in their world. It's like alphabets and numbers in a question. Margarita mentioned them to me in the letter the other day. Something about solving equations."
"Alphabets in math?"
"Yes. They can't just magically make food appear like us in a minute. They have to make it. Like work on it with all the ingredients. I heard it takes hours."
"Oh. I forgot you have Muggle friends. I'm quite surprised you trusted them with such a secret. They must mean a lot to you." She took a bite out of a scone.
"In a way," I said quietly, "some people just have a way of sneaking up on you." Putting a piece of waffle in my mouth.
"Talking about sneaking out, Blaise wanted us to go to the Muggle ice cream store in New York. We can get your favorite cherry-flavored ice cream."
"None of us own a car, let alone drive one, Bonnie." I looked at her hysterically as she adjusted herself in her seat.
"The Weasley's are letting us borrow theirs for the weekend. I might have slipped your name." She looked at me as I blinked at her.
"You did what? Weasley wouldn't agree to that. He knows I'm scared of heights. I wouldn't sit in a flying car. I think he gave it to us because he has a liking for you."
She pointed a finger at herself as I shook my head. "Weasley does not like me. Secondly, I have barely spoken to him. Thirdly, his mother has a disliking for Slytherin's. Fourthly — "
"But — " I tried to cut in.
" — his sister kind of creeps me out."
"Ginny creeps you out? How? I mean, from what I've heard she's very popular amongst the Slytherin's — when I mean Slytherin's I'm speaking about Blaise."
"Don't get me started on his small crush on Ginny Weasley. It's sort of cute in a way. But it doesn't stop me from being creeped out with the whole chamber thing from the second year." She shook her head, pushing her dark hair behind her ears — disagreeing with me.
"Oh come on, it's cute how both of you have a thing for the Weasley's. I'll remember to tease you both about it here and there." I laugh as they almost attempt to throw a piece of bread at me.
"I do not have a liking for George Weasley." She held her ground as I tried to hold on to my laughter.
"I never said which Weasley." She was taken back as she clamped her mouth shut. I looked at her as she pretended to not notice my existence for a second.
"I don't like him," she spoke as I looked at her amused. "I do not like Weasley," she repeated herself.
"Okay — okay — " I began to speak as she didn't let me finish him.
"I don't like him. That will never happen." She stared at me as her face was absolutely serious. "If you keep this up, you don't get ice cream. I'm going to leave you to do Potions homework alone."
"Okay, okay, I won't speak of it again. No need to leave me out of an ice cream plan." She nodded her head as she took a bite out of the scone. "Oh is that George?"
She turned her head quickly around as there was no one, obviously. I just enjoyed messing around with her. She pushed her hair back to her face, fixing herself as the realization hit her.
"You know what — "
"We have a test, we have a test right now. So we should go, right? So much more important. Think about the test and then we'll argue — I mean talk, definitely talk later." If you don't push me out of a moving car later. I smiled.
"You're lucky you have an adorable smile, or else I would've definitely tried to hex you at this very moment."
I smile again.
|
It was after hours. Sneaking out the Slytherin corridors as we made it outside. Bonnie held onto my hand as we cast an invisibility charm because you can never be too cautious.
Stepping through the corridors as we watched all four sides before moving. It would've been a menace if we were to accidentally bump into Snape, or Filch, or the very popular, Mrs. Norris. Definitely not.
"Blaise is a Slytherin's Prefect and being able to get away with everything is really infuriating to me. As well as the fact he just vanished with Nott in broad daylight." She sighed as she looked to her left to make sure no one was walking around.
"Not to make this worse, but it's in the middle of the night. I'm pretty sure he vanished with him pretty easily." She turned around to look at me as I shook my head.
"I don't think I even know who the Head Boy or Girl of our house is. I forgot to look at the sheet when we came back for the fifth year morning orientation." She fussed as she mumbled, stumbling back as a Ravenclaw Prefect walked past us.
She began to speak as I clamped my hand over her mouth. The boy turned out as he heard a muffled sound. We stood still, for a minute I could've believed I wasn't breathing.
"I don't get enough credits for this," he said as looked at Bonnie. "I cannot handle catching another student having sex in the broom closet again. My eyes have been traumatized enough." He sounded so tired — it almost made me laugh.
"Don't laugh," Bonnie whispered.
"I wasn't going to until you told me not to," I whispered back. She smiled as I smiled back. I still had my hand over her mouth as we took a step to the left when the Ravenclaw took a step towards us.
He knocked on the closet seven times, they believed it was a lucky number. So he knocked seven times. "I won't open the door, I promise," he spoke quietly, "if you could just magically float back to your dorms, and pretend this never happened, that'd be great."
He stood there as no answer came. Don't laugh.
"Okay fine, I won't tell the Professors, just please leave, I'll even close my eyes. My eyes have been through enough already anyway." He placed his hands on his face, covering his eyes as I let out a laugh.
"I can hear you laugh, you know?" The Ravenclaw Prefect stared at the broom closet as he put his hands on his hips. We moved behind the Prefect slowly as she gripped my hand. "You know what? I'm opening the door."
He grabbed the handle as he opened both doors of the closet. It was empty for just a moment as Mrs. Norris jumped out. I gasped as Bonnie backed up.
Mrs. Norris looked at the Prefect as she swirled around his legs. "Oh — it's a cat. Such a pretty cat." He bent down to pet her as he stopped and revised the moment. "I'm allergic to cats — fuck."
Running towards the empty corridor we ran as if we were being chased. "I can't believe that just happened," Bonnie laughed as we held hands, running through the halls of Hogwarts at night.
"Shush," I laughed, "the next thing you know Mrs. Norris is chasing us." We were both out of breath, laughing at the Ravenclaw Prefect. Blaise was standing with Theodore as they opened the doors of the car.
"Took you guys long enough, what were you doing?" Blaise asked as we bent down slightly, trying to catch our breaths. "Did you run a marathon while you were at it?"
"Something — something," Bonnie breathed, "something like that."
"We were watching the Ravenclaw Prefect catch two students having sex in the broom closet."
"You guys saw two students having sex in a broom closet and didn't think to let me know as well? If I'm being honest, that's rude." Theodore placed the cigarette between his lips as he inhaled.
"Before we jump to conclusions, they weren't actually two students there, it was just Mrs. Norris."
"Mrs. Norris was having sex?" Theodore asked. "I thought she was with Filch?"
"I'm going to pretend that's not weird," Bonnie said as she opened the door of the car. Sitting in the front passenger seat.
"That was supposed to be my seat," Theodore argued as he vanished the cigarette with a flick of his wand. "I was here before both of you, I was waiting. Blaise wanted to leave."
"I know you did not just turn this around on me. I'm just trying to devour some cold New York ice cream." He shrugged his shoulders as he moved to open the door of the driver's seat of the car.
"I'm sleepy, and ice cream makes me even more sleepy, so let's leave before I decide to fall asleep in a car when we're so high up in the air." I attempted to open the door of the car.
"We're just waiting on Malfoy, then we're fucking good to go. Can't wait to see New York women, are they all blonde?" He asked me as I made a confused face.
"They aren't."
I turned around as he stood behind us. He was dressed casually. He was wearing a long-sleeved black shirt with a pair of black trousers. His hands were in his pocket as he looked at Theodore.
His eyes slowly moved to me as I looked at him. I hated him. I hated him with every bone in my body. He was anything but infuriating, his mere presence was like a needle pricking you constantly.
I hate needles by the way.
"I didn't know you were coming along with us." I turned around to open the door of the car. I want to throw myself off of a tower for no reason.
"I wasn't informed either, or else I would've declined." I know he did not just turn this on me. I turned around as I stared back at him. He tilted his head slightly.
"As if I would've gone anywhere with you, let alone sit in a car with you for the next hour of my life." He was here for barely a minute and I felt like leaving already.
"I'm not sitting anywhere near you, I'm making it clear so don't get any ideas." He moved to grab the handle of the opposite door.
"What makes you think I would willingly sit next to you? I'd rather listen to Professor Snape ramble about a dark potion for the next hour. Theo, you're sitting between us." I opened the door as I told him to get inside.
"Absolutely not," he said, "I am not going to sit between you guys and watch you tear each other's heads apart. I happen to like the window seat, please."
He walked forward, pushing me inside the car as he sat next to me. I was sitting in between them like a bloody chicken sandwich. Only one side was tomatoes, which I love, and the other was pickles, which I fucking hated.
"See, happy friends, look at all of us sitting in a car together." He patted my shoulder as Bonnie groaned in the front seat.
"As long as you don't kick my seat, this should be a smooth ride." Bonnie turned and looked at Theodore who rolled his eyes.
"I don't kick your seat, I just have long legs."
"Well tell your legs to stop kicking my seat."
"Sorry, I'll just slice them in half, apologizing for the inconvenience."
I could've sworn I heard a chuckle from my left. Blaise pressed the invisibility spell button on the car. Mr. Weasley had installed an Invisibility Booster and it was modified to fit the entire Weasley family.
Resting my back against the seat I took a deep breath in. Oh how badly heights terrified me. It made my heart jump and it felt like everything inside me was about to explode but couldn't.
I hated it. But sitting by the window brought me some type of peace. The scenery was everything to me. I liked watching it, even though we were anything but near the ground, it was something that gave me control over what was happening.
Sitting in between them was not peaceful.
My shoulder brushed against his as I laid back. I wanted to internally scream — as loud as possible. Some part of me felt my heart drumming against my chest. We were so high — so far from the ground. Fuck this was a bad idea.
Blaise had his hand on the steering wheel as he steadily drove. It didn't bring me such a surprise. He was smart — picked up on things. He was an observer. He liked to watch from the sidelines. He was a quick learner, that's how we met.
Groaning as I leaned my head back. You'll get through this. Imagine a scenario in your head. Sleep, just sleep. Close your eyes, my eyes are already closed. Shit. Okay. Stop tapping your fingers, Young. I didn't say that.
"What?"
"Stop tapping your fingers against the car seat," he said as I turned my head to face him. "It's infuriating."
"Okay." I continued tapping my fingers against the seat of the car. This is distracting enough, right? He drew a deep breath from me ignoring his comment.
Cursing under his breath as a low sigh came from Bonnie's mouth. "Do you guys ever get tired from arguing? Like do you ever just think of a truce?"
"No."
We both said too quickly.
I could feel his gaze on me as I turned my head away. Could this car ride be any more annoying? It wasn't annoying, I'm exaggerating a little.
I wanted to pause my thoughts.
That felt impossible.
It was.
All my mind ever did was overthink.
It's how it truly began. Overthinking was the cause of my every decision in life. There were some points where I did things with no thought process at all. Some of them were the best moments of my life.
I feel like if I'd ever get the chance to have the ability to just shut off my brain, I would take it every single time. I just want peace from my own head. It exists. I wanted to run away from my own head.
I felt so sick of myself sometimes. My own self. My thoughts. My decisions. My emotions. My hatred. My ability to solve something or think about something or just like someone without going insane.
Brink of insanity. That's what I felt like all the time. I felt like I was standing on the edge of a cliff, and there was wind coming from both directions. Pushing me backward and forward. Not knowing where I'm going to land.
It was like reading a book and not knowing its ending. It keeps you at the edge. It makes you want to keep reading until you know the answer. Something that'll bring you peace, even if it's bittersweet.
Bittersweet. It was pleasant, nice, assuring, but at the same time, it was suffering, regret, and dark. Oxymoron is when a phrase contains two opposite words. Bittersweet was one of them.
A mixture of pleasure and pain. Bittersweet moments are my favorite for some reason. I hate the way it makes me feel because it feels so good. It tugs only your heart again, and again, and again. It's uncomfortable but at the same time, there is comfort in it that eases us.
It resurfaces the memories that we experienced in the past. Bittersweet is like a transitional moment in our life. It has a depth of sadness, but it brings us to a stage of ecstasy. Oh how much I loved bittersweet endings, I loved reading it because those books I would remember in my heart forever.
New York City was always beautiful. The shining lights, cars running at all times, people walking in and out of large buildings. It was a city that simply never slept. And part of me liked it, it reminds me of my thoughts, they never slept.
Adam used to live in New York City. He used to own a small apartment in Manhattan until he decided to move to Scotland since it was much easier for him. He had been taking care of me since I was little. He was like the parents I never had.
Part of me was grateful. Part of me was ready for disappointment.
He helped a dream of mine come true. A bookshop.
I had wanted to have one for the longest.
After returning eighteen, I was finally able to have a hold on how it ran. My mother had partially helped me. She helped me pick who worked there. Looking at their resumes.
It was helpful since I wasn't there to run it all the time.
Adam owned this property which is why he moved here in the first place, but since he was unsuccessful — he handed it to me as a gift.
It was a dream that had finally come done. I couldn't think of what name was particularly fit best for it. It took me a couple of days, lots of scribbling names on a piece of parchment, and back and forth with my mother's opinions.
Undone. That's what I chose. It was bittersweet.
"I can't decide if this took an hour or a minute." Theo had opened the car door as we were parked. The lights from the ice cream shop blinged so blue. The neon lights around the huge sign, people chattering as they walked by.
"An hour and a minute are two different things, Theo," Bonnie groaned as she stretched. "Anyways, we're finally here. Too long but it wasn't too short."
"That was literally what I was trying to say — "
"Do you all plan on spending the rest of the night outside the ice cream shop and talking about how long it took or going inside?"
Bonnie and Theodore turned their heads toward them as I stood between them. He rolled his eyes as he walked past us. Sometimes I wondered why he was always in such a stubborn — annoying mood.
Walking inside the ice cream parlor and my eyes wandered around everything inside it. The refrigerated packaged ice creams. The people sat as they talked to their friends. The selection of flavors.
Cherry ice cream was my favorite. It was perfectly sour and sweet. This was my favorite place to coke every time I felt the need to eat it. Soon enough it also became Blaise's favorites, which meant coming here every month.
Blaise picked mint ice cream. Theodore picked strawberry ice cream along with Bonnie. She hated how he picked the flavor as him.
"Pistachio ice cream." The words came out of Malfoy's mouth and for a minute I was surprised by his choice of flavor. He asked for a cone as I took a spoonful of the cherry flavor into my mouth.
He was weirdly okay being around muggles. I would've expected a weird disgust because of his notations of muggle wizards. His pureblood beliefs and how they're superior seemed to be the least of his issues as he took the cone.
My eyes watched him for some reason. His hands held onto the cone as his thumb slightly pressed onto the soft-hard shell cone. I looked away as I poked the ice cream with the spoon, looking at it melt very slowly.
"It was definitely worth coming in tonight." Blaise took a bite out of his ice cream and I subtly heard Theodore gasp. "So worth it." He was definitely enjoying his mint ice cream.
"You took a bite out of your ice cream." Theodore stared at him as Blaise realized all of our eyes were on him. Theodore looked more weirded out than any of us.
"I know," Blaise said slowly as if it were a subtle question but not at the same time. "It's ice cream."
"You never bite your ice cream. Who bites their ice cream? Not me, not Wright, and definitely not Evelyn." I tried to hide my laugh as I looked away.
My eyes went to Malfoy who was in a conversation with a girl. My interest immediately developed as I watched him talk to her. She was smiling as she twirled the blonde pieces of her hair between her fingers.
She was a muggle, obviously. I don't know why he seemed so interested in her. He was talking to her casually as he smirked and my eyebrows rose with surprise. That was his signature smirk and it was something he was very good at using.
His eyes found me as I tightened my grip on the spoon in my hand. His tongue slowly licked the pistachio ice cream as he swallowed it. I wasn't sure if I was appalled or not as I turned my face.
I felt — don't know.
"There is nothing wrong with hooking up in a broom closet, I think it's the perfect place." My head spun back to the conversation in front of me as I bit my ice cream to help it freeze my brain — even for a split second.
"I don't know how you're comfortable doing it in a broom closet, props to you, mate." Blaise put his hand on his shoulder as he assured him. Bonnie laughed as she looked at me.
"Men," she whispered, "I swear." I smiled at her.
"Oi, where's Malfoy?" Blaise asked.
"Talking to a blonde girl over there," I said as I pointed my head in that direction.
"I knew it," Theodore said, "there is something with New York and blondes."
"More like something with him and blondes," I subtly whispered as Bonnie heard. Her eyes sparkling towards me as I shook my head. She tilted her head at me as her eyes turned to him.
I turned my head as the blonde folded a small piece of paper, her hand going over his chest as she slipped it inside his pocket. She was quite literally eye fucking him in public.
Out of all the people here, she went for him. I was right here, but she didn't seem the type to be into girls.
An hour must have passed. Finishing up with our ice creams as we made our way back into the car. Settling myself between them as there was awkward silence roaming in the air.
Moving the car to the empty alley as Blaise pressed the Invisibility Booster and he turned the wheel.
There was something about ice cream that always made me want to sleep afterward. We were only ten minutes into the ride as it grew quiet. Theodore was quietly asleep beside me as his head rested on my shoulder.
His entire weight was on my shoulder as Bonnie was half asleep, toying with the seatbelt as I watched her soft hand movements.
Everyone sat in silence and suddenly I was too aware of the person beside me. His eyes were watching outside. His fingers moved across the material of his pants softly.
It felt too quiet. Maybe that was just me.
"I thought you hated muggles," I said quietly as his fingers stopped moving and his attention was diverted to me.
"Is that what you're really trying to say or is there another question?" He asked and part of me hated that he was in fact correct.
"Do you think there is another question?" I asked as his head turned towards me. I didn't realize how close he was to me until his head turned. Theodore's weight felt twice as heavy when his eyes bore into mine.
"Is there?" He asked as I narrowed my eyes.
"What if there was?"
"Then ask it." As if he'd answer with anything but sarcasm.
"No."
"Okay." He turned his head as his fingers began to trace the material of his pants again. I was twisting the rings on my fingers as I leaned back on the seat.
Turning my head towards him as I looked at the back of his head. Soft blond hair as there was a small tattoo, hidden almost. "I was surprised how kind you were to the girl at the parlor." It came out of my mouth out of nowhere.
His fingers stopped again as he poked his tongue on the side of his mouth. My eyes simply watched. "I'm surprised you didn't just hex her the minute she looked at you, I was taken by quite a surprise if you ask me."
"Is that what you were so curious to ask me?"
Arsehole.
"Why would I be curious?"
"Are you?" He turned his head to ask me and I felt incapable for a second. I am not. Why would I?
"I'm not curious, just observant." He tilted his head as he waited for me to throw in another comment. A second. Two seconds. Three seconds.
"Would you rather want me to speak to you?"
"What?"
"Would you have wanted for me to speak to you instead of her?" He asked. I was taken back as I stared at him. "Now why would I want that?"
"Are you upset that I spoke to another girl?" He asked and I felt nothing but offended. Theodore groaned as I moved too suddenly. A gasp? Was it a gasp?
"That was a funny one, look at you, and actually a hilarious joke for once." I laughed subtly as I looked away, feeling relief.
"I'm not laughing." He wasn't.
"But I'm laughing, so that's not my issue."
He adjusted himself to face his body towards me. I laid back a little as I had the urge to wake Theodore up and have him interrupt the conversation.
He stared at me for a second as my brows rose. "What?" I asked him as his stare grew intense and I hated the way it changed the atmosphere in the air.
"You're infuriating."
"Did you want me to thank you?" I asked as he was confused. I was even more confused. This was confusing.
"Why do you always ask such questions at the weirdest times and pretend it's not infuriating?" He asked. I wonder if he had ever spoken nicely to someone. Sarcasm was like a big neon sign over his head. Screaming, sarcasm, I only speak in sarcasm, that's what I see when I look at him,
"Do you always like to talk in such a way and add a hint of sarcasm every time? Do I look like a riddle solver to you?" He blinked at me. I blinked back at him.
"Stop fucking doing that."
"I'm not doing anything." I stared blankly at him.
"You're being irritating, and making this ride extremely difficult than it already is when you're next to me." He rolled his eyes, his jaw was clenched as I scoffed.
"I'm literally just sitting here with your friend sleeping on my shoulder. I asked one question, barely even."
"Why don't you try and keep your mouth shut for the rest of the ride, Young. I'd do us all a favor."
"You mean you, a favor. I asked one question and you're going on this whole quest of unnecessary things."
He cursed underneath his breath as I turned my head.
"Fucking infuriating."
"You know what, Malfoy — "
"Evelyn you have been moving like a fucking animal from the last ten minutes — " Theodore chimed in.
"No, explain to me," Malfoy exclaimed to me.
"Oh, I will."
I turned my body to face him as it turned into a bickering match with constant insults and necessary curses in the air.
"Merlin's beard, I just wanted some fucking sleep." Theodore stretched as his legs pressed against the front passenger seat.
Bonnie groaned, "Theodore, for Merlin's sake — "
"You're just sitting here making me out to be something I am not. What have I ever done to you? I asked one thing. Fucking curiosity."
"Curiosity? Really? That's your concern?" He argued back.
"They're arguing again. Again. Remind me to never — ever sit next to them." Theodore stretched as the passenger seat was yet again pressed forward.
"Okay, that's it." Bonnie turned around as she faced him. "I cannot stand you."
"I haven't even done anything — " Theodore gasped.
"It was your fault." Malfoy huffed.
"My fault?" I asked. "You're being delusional. That was in the second year."
"You're kicking my seat even though I said not to." Bonnie pointed at Theodore as he threw his hands in the air.
"What are you going to do about it?" Theodore asked.
"Can you all not argue?" Blaise peacefully asked as his voice disappeared into the sea of insults being thrown and arguments.
"It was your fault. Why are you so fucking stubborn?" Malfoy asked as my jaw dropped.
"I'm stubborn? I'm stubborn?" I looked at him.
"The fact you're just doing this on purpose is what is infuriating." Bonnie pinged her finger at him as Theodore leaned forward.
"What does that even mean?" He rubbed his eyes since he had just woken up.
"There is no one else here, obviously I'm talking about you." Malfoy sneered as my lips formed into a thin line in frustration.
"I can't do this — I can't."
"Mate, let's not argue, I need to focus. I can't do that with all of you yelling at each other like little kids." Blaise turned his head to look at all of us.
I had my entire body facing Malfoy. He was trying very hard to look at me and moved my face to make him look at me. Theodore was holding his head as Bonnie was yelling at him.
"Strawberry ice cream? Since when do you like strawberry ice cream?" Bonnie asked as she stared at him.
"It's a flavor!" Theodore stared at her.
"You literally hate muggles. Sorry if I was being curious. Is that what you want to hear?"
"Literally when did I say that?" He asked as my eyes widened.
"Your entire life." I shrugged my shoulders.
"There was chocolate chip, mint, blueberry — "
"It's just ice cream." Theodore laid his head back against the seat as Bonnie faced him.
"Don't make me say it again," Blaise pleaded, "I cannot afford to turn around and lecture you all like toddlers."
"Whatever helps you sleep — "
"I didn't mean to kick your seat, Wright."
I wasn't even paying attention to how the car had completely changed the course of its direction as Blaise pressed the button over and over again.
"You're acting like a seven-year-old, I don't understand why?" I questioned as I turned around, resting my back against the seat.
"Uh," Blaise subtly said as he held onto the steering wheel. "Uh. "
"I can't fucking wait to get out of this car," Malfoy said.
"I don't preferably enjoy being next to you."
"I'm literally apologizing," Theodore exclaimed, "twice."
"Is that what this is?"
"Not to ruin all of your guys' moments but," Blaise said as he pointed at the huge pole in front of us. "I can't get this to turn."
I don't think I had processed that quick enough or processed it too quickly as he continuously pressed the button and tried to steer the car away.
"We're going to die," Theodore whispered. I couldn't tell how to react as I watched Blaise struggle to turn the wheel. "We're literally going to fucking die, mate."
We're not going to die. We're too young to die. I was saying things in my head instead of out loud. I don't think anyone processes accidents. It sort of just happens.
Malfoy moved forward as I leaned back. Theodore was closing his eyes, waiting for the moment to happen as Bonnie's voice closed off slowly. I think I can safely say many of us had a near-death accident.
"We're not dying, Theodore," I told him as I leaned forward, next to Malfoy. Between the driver and passenger's seat.
"I don't know why you thought taking the Weaslebee's car was a good idea, Blaise." Malfoy was trying to come up with something, anything, but instead, he spoke the opposite. "It's not like they can afford — "
"How is that helping anything?" I turned my head to look at him. "What matters right now is, we're in this damn car, and we need to come up with something before we crash into something."
The car was going too fast, the pole in front of us was growing near. At this point, I was agreeing with Theodore and thought about everything I haven't done yet.
"It's magic," Bonnie muttered, "for Merlin's sake, we're all wizards," she mumbled through her words as she pulled out her wand. I couldn't tell if she was going slow or the car was about to hit the pole.
One second, just one more second and we were about to —
"Immobulus." The spell cast all over the car. We're wizards, something that slips my mind and I wonder if we really know what we are sometimes.
For a bleak second, we looked at each other. Everything was fine, right? Everything should be fine. But not realizing the fact that when you cast an Immobulus charm on a flying car — it won't stay in the air.
"Bonnie — " Blaise said like a whisper.
"I didn't really think that one out."
I turned my head as the car dropped. It was a second? Maybe a minute? I don't know. The car crashed against the ground. You could hear the glass break as the tires squished against the metal of the car.
One bright side, magical cars don't start honking very picky after a crash. That's good, right?
Groaning as I opened my eyes. Still in place as my eyes moved around the scene. We were in the middle of an empty alley, surprised that no one heard the huge crash as I tried to move my body.
I could hear Bonnie's voice as Blaise turned around to look at us. I saw their mouths moving but their voices had tuned out completely. "So are we in heaven?" Theodore mumbled, massaging his forehead.
He looked forward as he saw Bonnie's face. She looked concerned. "Never mind," he groaned, "we're in hell." I would've laughed, I wanted to as Bonnie slapped his thigh.
"He's a complete areshole," she said as she looked over to me. "So I take it we're all very much alive?"
"I don't know about the person next to me," I mumbled as I turned my head. His head was down, looking at his arm. There was a small amount of blood on his hand as he applied pressure to his arm. "You're bleeding."
"Here I thought you hit your head too hard and lost your eyesight, never mind." Maybe he was a little funny? Maybe I did my head too hard.
"That made me laugh, definitely hit my head too hard." I smiled as I adjusted myself.
"You're never driving— " Bonnie said to Blaise.
"That wasn't even my fault — "
" — ever again."
—