The Room With 1000 Stories

Help at Hogwarts

Lena's POV

HOGWARTS

Lena watched as the white dove settled upon the tree branch, ever so softly fluttering its wings. Wouldn't it be nice to have wings? Wouldn't it be nice to fly far, far away? The dove surely did not have any troubles to fly away from, Lena thought. It was perfect. Then again...in her experience, the look of perfection did not mean happiness. Just then, another dove flew to sit beside its brother. This one had ugly, grey spots upon its back. In comparison, it was beautifully flawed. Lena wished she could photograph this. She could make up an entire story for the two doves and tell it in a few snapshots...but these thoughts stole her focus from the boy who sat beside her.

"Lena," he said, calling her attention back. The birds flew away.

"Okay. I'm listening." Lena said, crossing her arms. The water from the fountain lightly sprayed them in the breeze. Carter did not say anything for a moment which Lena found odd as he had been begging to speak with her for some time. She glanced at him before turning attention toward the fountain.

Carter took a deep breath. "Lena, I need you to know that I never cheated on you." He began, "You know me and I hope you trust me. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me and I would never do anything to jeopardize that." He spoke very quickly as if afraid she would interject if he drew breath. She considered his words. She wanted very much to forgive him at that moment and to hold his hand again but the anger inside her still burned hot. She picked at a thread on her skirt.

"You aren't saying anything." He said.

Lena's hair blew in the breeze. It was very quiet here. The students must've been in class. "My Mom told me that you cheated on me." She said softly, diverting her eyes.

"I know. I don't know why she would tell you that." Carter replied. Was he calling her mother a liar without actually calling her mother a liar? She finally allowed herself to look Carter in his hazel eyes. Those eyes had never lied to her before. But her mother had lied and manipulated her on multiple occasions. Her mother...her mother had started all of this. Lena's heart pounded louder and she felt her ears growing hot.

"My Mom." Lena scoffed, as she realized, "Oh my God! Of course, she would do that! She hates you! She's been wanting me to get with Chris Royal for years!" It was all coming to light. She wanted to hit something or scream but unfortunately, her target was not nearby.

"Chris Royal?" Carter remarked without thinking, "That douchebag?"

"Such a douchebag." Lena agreed, thinking back to all the times her mom had pushed her to go out with that guy even when she was with Carter. Suddenly, she felt very naive for ever having doubted Carter and all the while angry...so angry.

"So then we're okay?" he asked her gingerly. He put his hand on her knee and offered her a kind smile. Could he feel how tense she was?

"Carter," she said, tears now welling in her eyes, "I'm sorry for everything."

He looked surprised and took her shaking hand in his. "You have nothing to be sorry for. I mean, would it have been nice for you to trust me? Yeah. But I can understand wanting to trust your own mother-"

"It's not that." She said, ripping her hand away, "I think...I think I knew she was lying."

"What?"

"But I didn't want to believe it," Lena confessed. She turned from him, finding her reflection in the water of the fountain. "I think I was just fooling myself into believing that breaking up with you was my own decision, that it was my choice. But even that was her influence!" Lena was trembling. She didn't know how to process all she was feeling right now. She felt betrayed by her own mother, disappointed in herself for believing the lies, and angry all at the same time. She felt like a powder keg about to explode.