November 2034
ELLA
"Are you okay?" Iris asked as soon as Ella had made her way to her friends in the bottleneck of students trying to leave the classroom.
"We were going to go out and see if you were okay, but then Logan stood up, and we were like Oh. My. God," Kyrie said under her breath. She glanced back his way as she said this and Ella was quick to flap her hands at her.
"Stop!" she hissed. "Don't make a big thing about it, okay? I'll explain later. Just not here. I'm fine."
But Logan wasn't paying attention to them anyway. He was talking to Professor Whitby and Ella knew exactly why.
The common room was busy when they returned. It was always packed on Saturdays and when they'd left for choir, they'd given up their good spots in the cushy chairs, so they went back up to their dormitory.
Iris flopped onto her bed, scooching back up against the headboard with a pillow hugged to her chest.
"Okay, spill the beans Miss Soloist!"
Kyrie grabbed Ella by the wrist, pulling her over to Iris's bed. She sat down, hugging her knees to her chest.
"It's not that exciting of a story," she said. "I just panicked a little and Logan came out and talked to me."
"Uhm, no. You're giving details. I'll go sneak Veritaserum out of Professor Pym's supplies if I have to. I'd feel bad about it, but I'm not above it," Kyrie said, eyes wide.
Ella smiled a little. "He just asked if I was okay and then he sat with me for a while. And after a little bit he asked if there was anything that would make it less scary and he decided he'd ask Professor Whitby if he could play his violin. So then I wouldn't be standing in front of everyone by myself."
Iris had her hands on her cheeks, fingers pulling her eyes down.
"Ella," she said with the utmost seriousness. "He's so in love with you it's not even funny."
"He's not in love with me. We don't even know each other that well."
"Oh please. You're always passing little notes back and forth back there."
"Well, that's just because Libby kept asking me questions so I started writing stuff down for her one day and he made this joke that he was jealous and wanted to pass notes, too. So now it's just what we do."
"Exactly," Iris said, looking at Ella like this explained everything. "He was jealous."
"It was a joke!"
"He made it one so he'd have an excuse to talk to you," said Kyrie, raising her eyebrows.
"I don't even know why you're arguing with us. You like him, too."
"I never said that."
Kyrie and Iris grinned at each other. "You don't have to," Kyrie said. "It's so obvious."
"Can we talk about you and Alec or something? You're always pestering me about boys these days."
"Yeah, 'cause it's the first chance we've had. We've been dissecting Alec for like two years already."
"Okay, then let's talk about Iris."
"I don't even like anyone," she said, waving a hand. "I have no news. I'll let you know when that changes."
"Anyway, back to the topic at hand. He literally offered to play a violin just so he can stand up there next to you?"
Ella pressed her face down into her knees so they wouldn't see how much she was smiling.
"Oh my god. Don't hide," said Iris.
"Do you even want to do the solo?" Kyrie asked.
Ella lifted her face up. "No," she said. "Yes." She looked up at the ceiling. "I don't know, maybe. I guess I do, but it's scary."
"But it's like we said. You've already done it once."
"I know. He said the same thing. It's different with a big audience though. And like... my dad will be there. My mum... Juni... it's different."
"Well, it sounded really freaking good, so I think you just get over it. It's not like you're going to get up there and make a fool of yourself. It's going to be good."
Ella twisted her lips to one side.
"Thanks," she said.
"Just imagine," said Kyrie, with this big, goofy smile on her face. "Ten years from now... you and Logan Pickering will be this total power couple... making music together... melting everyone's hearts."
At that, Ella swung her legs over the edge of the bed and went to her trunk. "I don't know about you, but I have a ton homework to do," she said.
"You're such a prefect," Iris whined. "Don't remind me that I'm procrastinating."
But somehow Ella did convince them to put their conversation aside and get a little work done.
—-
Halfway through dinner, Juniper appeared. It was the first time Ella had spoken to her in weeks. They didn't talk much at school. Juni was always so busy with her one million friends and quidditch practice and generally didn't have time for her less-cool big sister. But every once in a while she would just appear like this, out of nowhere, usually with something very specific to say or ask.
That was certainly the case today. She climbed onto the bench next to Kyrie, looked at Ella across the table and said, "Are you dating Henry Parker?"
Ella's cheeks got hot. "No," she said.
"Then why are you blushing?"
Iris and Kyrie looked at each other.
"I'm not," Ella lied.
"Everyone's saying you made out with him."
Ella wanted to slide right into the floor and disappear. Was that what he was telling people? It hadn't been making out really. At least, she didn't think so. He'd kissed her more than once that day. It hadn't been quite as straightforward a kiss as the one at the beach over the summer, but it hadn't been anything terribly risky either.
She weighed her options. Lying was not one of them. Juni would find out the truth if only because she talked to their mum about everything, and their mum knew. Maybe her dad knew, too. She wasn't sure. He hadn't let on, but it didn't seem possible that her mum wouldn't have said anything. They were friends, her parents. They talked about stuff.
Ella settled for giving Juni as few details as possible. "We were talking for a minute, but not anymore. He was kind of a jerk to me."
Juni had come over here looking so confident that these rumors were true, but now that Ella had sort of confirmed them, she seemed even more skeptical. Something about her expression really hurt. "He was talking to you?"
"Wow," said Ella. "Thanks, Juni."
"No offense. You just don't seem like his type."
"Well actually, he's not my type," Ella said shortly. No one made her bicker like Juni did. There were moments when they really got along and she enjoyed being around her sister, but most of the time, everything Juni said or did rubbed her the wrong way. Her mum had told her so many times that this was how sisters were, that she had been the same way with her sister but they'd gotten closer as they'd grown up. Ella didn't really see this happening. She'd always love Juni, but they were so different.
"Sounds like he was at one point."
"Just drop it," Ella said. "We're not dating. I don't like him. It's done. It was going on for like two minutes, anyway, so just forget about it, okay?"
"Does dad know?"
"I don't know," said Ella. "Probably. Mum does."
She sort of smirked at that and glanced up at the head table even though it was a Saturday and he wasn't usually there on the weekend, except when there was quidditch.
"I think he's talking to Annabelle now anyway. That's why I was asking. 'Cause if you were dating and he was cheating on you, I was gonna hex him while he was on his broom at practice, but I guess I don't have to."
This was Juni's way of showing affection. Oddly, it made Ella feel just a little bit better.
Still, she was glad when she stood up to go.
"She is just infuriating," she said, shutting her eyes when Juni had sat back down at the Ravenclaw table.
"Being the oldest is rough," Kyrie agreed. She had four younger siblings. None of them were old enough to be at Hogwarts yet though.
"At least you have siblings," said Iris. "I'm all alone. The sole object of my parents' disapproval."
"They have nothing to disapprove of. What are you talking about?"
"Well they will when I flunk all my O.W.L.s," she said matter of factly.
"Don't be ridiculous."
Kyrie was about to add something when another unexpected guest arrived. Logan took a seat backwards on the bench next to Ella.
"I talked to Professor Whitby after rehearsal," he said.
"Yeah, I saw that."
"He said he'd consider it, if it sounds good. The practicing commences tonight. Just thought you should know."
Ella smiled. "I look forward to hearing your rendition."
"Don't you two worry," he added to her friends. "I won't let this one back out of her shining moment. As her choral next-door neighbor, I feel it is my responsibility to get her up there with confidence."
And with that, Logan smiled and left, but not before placing his hand on top of hers on the bench. She didn't think anyone else saw, but her heart started beating a little faster.
Kyrie and Iris waited until he was out of earshot to start pestering her about this newest development. She couldn't even be mad though. She wished he'd stayed longer.