Broken {Ron Weasley}

8. Normal

Maybe I don't actually like Ron.

After all, I only had a dream about him. That means nothing in real life.

And we had been talking about the lack of romance in my face. Maybe my conscious was just making up for my lack of physical touch.

It's the first day of school after break ended; it's a new start. I'll hardly see Ron anymore. I'll get over this stupid crush.

I gathered my things for my first class and took a deep breath as I left my room and reminded myself under my breath, "I don't like Ron."

I made my way into the school hallways to attend my first class as I spotted a flash of red hair in the crowd ahead of me. My stomach turned as I immediately knew who it was.

But I'm fine, I don't like him.

It's just my friend Ron. My old childhood best friend.

"Hey y/n," he greeted me, doing a little head nod and grinning as he passed me.

It's my boyfriend, Ron.

Shit.

"Actually," he called out from behind me now, spinning around in the middle of the hall while causing a traffic jam of students. "I have to talk to you."

"Okay?" I asked skeptically.

He began scoping out the crowd around us. "Anyone here I should try and set you up with?"

"Ron," I sighed, shaking my head. "I already told you. You don't need to get involved."

"Hey y/n!" came Lavender's voice from behind us as she ran to catch up. "I missed you over break."

"Hey," I smiled back, slightly annoyed that she'd interrupted.

She leaned closer to me so that Ron was out of ear shot and wouldn't listen to what she was about to say. "Did you put in some good words for me?"

Suddenly jolted by the realization that I was supposed to be talking Lavender up to Ron the entire trip, I glanced over at Ron quickly and raised my eyebrows, doing my best to be discreet while Lavender looked ahead.

He furrowed his eyebrows back at me, confused by the request, so I gestured toward Lavender until he understood.

"Hi Lavender," he smiled softly, his face turning a light shade of pink as she turned to face him.

"Hi," she gushed, her smile spreading across her entire face.

"I gotta get to class," Ron announced flatly, speeding up to walk away from us. "See you girls later."

"Bye," Lavender called out softly, reaching her hand out as he got further and further away. She turned back to me anxiously. "Oh my gosh. He's never spoken to me before. You must've said something really good."

I gave her a week smile and shrugged. "It was no problem, really."

Except the guilt twisting in my stomach said otherwise. I had hardly spoken about her the entire time besides flat out telling Ron she liked him.

And even worse — I like him too.

~

"Hey!" I heard someone yell out from behind me once the last class of the day had ended.

I turned my head and looked over my shoulder to see Ron running to catch up with me as I made my way back to my room.

"Hi," I greeted him as he slowed down to walk alongside me.