you are loved. - r.lupin (ft. THE s.black)

love is a lie

"This would be the time when you respond, Care."

Caroline was frozen and the only thing that was comforting her was Remus' warm hands on her face. Remus' brown eyes searched hers for an answer or a sign, something, anything. "You don't mean that," she said quietly. "Just take it back and we can go back to how we were a few seconds ago."

"That's not really the answer I was looking for," Remus said jokingly but Caroline didn't laugh. His gaze remained on the girl of his dreams and she tried her best to remain eye contact. "Caroline, I love you."

"Don't say that, Rem. You don't mean it," Caroline murmured. "We've been doing whatever this is," she said, motioning to the both of them, "for like a month and a half."

"And I've loved you for six years, Caroline. Now that I finally have you, I can finally say it." Remus tried to smile but Caroline's sad look made his smile falter. "Caroline, I love you."

"Stop saying that, Remus."

"I won't stop saying it," Remus countered, his anger growing. "Caroline, I love you. I love you, I love you, I love you! I've loved you then and I'll love you now and I'll love you ten years from now!"

"Stop it!" Caroline shouted. "You don't love me!"

"Why is me loving you such a hard concept for you to grasp?!" Remus pleaded, his eyes looking frantically between hers. "I love you more than you could ever imagine! Why can't you just say it back?"

"Because I can't!"

"Do you love me? Caroline, it's a simple question. Yes or no?" Remus asked frantically.

"I think you should go. My roommates are probably coming back soon and I want to get some of my homework done," Caroline whispered. "I still have Divination and Transfiguration to do."

"Care, I don't want to pressure you into answer or lying to make me feel good about myself so if you don't love me right now, that's fine. I can give you time, I can do that. As long as there is a possibility, I can stay here with you and we can just take our time. Tell me if there's a possibility, that's all I ask."

"Just go. Please," Caroline pleaded desperately, her voice cracking.

"Don't be like that," Remus begged but Caroline didn't respond. "Look, if I go right now, I'm never coming back."

Caroline looked down and began to examine the material of the blanket. Wordlessly, Remus stood up and removed his hands from Caroline, leaving her with a cold feeling. The werewolf threw his sweater back on easily but it felt like the hardest thing in the world for him. He found her dress on the floor and tossed it into her lap, causing her to flinch. He picked up the brown paper bag and the boquet of flowers from the floor.

The crestfallen boy glanced back at her one last time but Caroline's gaze remained on the blanket and she hadn't moved at all. He didn't even say goodbye as he left.

When he reached the safety of his own dorm, he trudged over to his bed and opened the drawer of his nightstand. He sat on the edge of the bed and pulled a black velvet box out of the paper bag labelled with Caroline's name. Then, he put the small box into the nightstand and slid the drawer shut.

---------------

"You're joking!" Regulus laughed. They sat on Caroline's bed while sharing the cheesecake that Remus had given her yesterday. Caroline's roommates left for the day to play quidditch scrimmage with the boys so her and Regulus had to room to themselves.

"I'm not," Caroline moaned while shoving a piece of cheesecake into her mouth. "Stop laughing! It was so bad, fuck, this cheesecake is so good. That was off topic but anyways, I just sat there and he left! Just like that!"