Beyond the Universe - Jily AU

2. The Flame of Friendship

Monday, October 17th, 9:30 AM

"Look at your finger," she demands, drifting her eyes down to her own.

"Shit."

"Shit indeed," she mutters, tearing her eyes away from her ring finger to meet James' apprehensive hazel ones.

"Time's up!" Flitwick announces to his class, pointing at the sand timer. James and Lily jump in surprise, gaping at their teacher like deer caught in the headlights. Each of them don identical looks of angst, bewilderment, shock, and most prominent, ambivalence while their hearts march to the same furious drum beating. "Back to your seats please."

In a dazed manner, Lily haphazardly collects her notebook from James' desk and stumbles across the room while staring at the ground and bumping into desks and people alike without realization. Her green eyes are wide in confusion as she shakes her head in befuddlement. This couldn't be right, could it? James Potter? Her soulmate? Ridiculous, absurd, farcical, even! She shakes her head once more, hoping that by doing so, she propels the whole topic of soulmates and love into the nearby garbage can. She doesn't even believe in true love, this whole matter was insignificant and beneath her. Yes, she doesn't have to worry about James Potter, the only thing truly important to her is school, her grades, and in the future, college.

Lily brushes hair out of her face with the back of her hand and directs her gaze towards her teacher, ignoring the eyes of James Potter boring into her forehead.

"Would anybody like to present their work?" Flitwick sweeps his eyes across the class expectantly, searching for volunteers in his silent class.

James shoots his hand into the air urgently, the direction of his eyes switching from the redhead determined to ignore him to the white haired teacher.

"Mr. Potter!" Flitwick points at the student, beaming while he does so.

"May I use the restroom, sir?" he requests breathlessly, his blush more conspicuous than ever.

"Oh, yes, of course," the teacher nods his head, an aura of disappointment lingering around him as he hands his pupil a hall pass.

James snatches the slip of paper from the fingers of his teacher and bolts out of the classroom, not bothering to feign nonchalance as he yanks open the door and sprints through the halls. He intermittently glances behind him and ruffles his hair before ducking into the nearest bathroom, rolling up the sleeves of his jumper, wrenching the faucet handle, and splashing cold water on his face, hoping to decrease the heat continuously rising in his cheeks.

His eyes timidly make their way to the mirror in front of him and he flinches at the sight of his reflection, noting the persistent crimson red shade of his face. Water droplets cling to his lengthy eyelashes and dark eyebrows, glimmering like diamonds, and shining like tears. His hair is rumpled and uneven, as if somebody took a rubber balloon and rubbed it on the top of his head. As if that isn't bad enough, he can't seem to rid the dazed expression obstinately dwelling in his gold flecked hazel eyes.

He redirects view from the mirror to his violently trembling left hand, unsure of what he desires to see. His eyes immediately jump to his ring finger, where Lily's initials are scrawled in black ink and lowercase letters right above his knuckle in her bubbly, scripty, slanted, handwriting.

James rubs his fingers over the initials as if trying to make them disappear, but they remain wrapped around his finger like a permanent ring. So it's real, he thinks. Lily Evans is his soulmate. An irrepressible grin of glee forms, consuming his face, and he lets out an elated whoop that reverberates around the deserted bathroom, nearly shaking the stalls.