Prophecy ~ Lams (COMPLETED)

Chapter 27: Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch (Part 1)

These chapters are going to be a bit longer

AND IF YOU KNOW WHAT THE CHAPTER TITLE IS REFERENCING THEN WE ARE BESTIES NOW

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JOHN POV

I was dead inside. Nothing could change the way I felt, even the minor possibility that someone had kissed him on purpose. I didn't believe Eliza. Or Peggy. Or Laf, or Herc, or Maria. It wasn't worth hoping for anymore. It wasn't worth hoping that maybe they were right, because the odds that they weren't were bigger.

Alex had been my lifeboat, and now I was drowning in the middle of the ocean.

I somehow made my way through the rest of December, and winter break had come faster then I thought it would. Of course, I dreaded the moment I had to leave with my father. But I'd get to see Pippa; and have my own room for a week. My dad and grandparents were the only ones who were outright homophobes, though the vast majority of my relatives had underlying symptoms. I couldn't wait for it to be over.

"I'm home."

The house was large and desolate, like always. My father made a beeline for his office, leaving me to fend for myself, like always.

The South Carolina heat was a lot different from the cold of December that had taken over Hogwarts. I had finally gotten used to the chill, and now this 70 degree weather was making my throat dry.

"I'm leaving!" I yelled to no one. The sun was starting to set, and I knew exactly where I wanted to go. I grabbed my Invisibility Cloak, broom, art stuff, and wand, and took off.

Landing in a field not too far from the house, I found the spot I'd go to at the top of a hill. From there I could see everything.

The sky was a watercolor of oranges and purples. A few stars were able to be seen, including the biggest of all: the sun. The big ball of gas was slowly diminishing below the treeline, making the shadows of the foliage long and dim.

Stroking the paper with my paintbrush, I blended the yellow of the sun with the color of burnt sienna. The orange turned into red, and then to purple, then to blue. The trees were a dark violet, and I painted two hills on both sides of the paper. 

this kind of moment was one where it was just me and my art. watercolors were not the kind of medium that I'd usually use, me usually sticking to charcoals and pencils, but the kind of picture I was trying to make called for the slick movements of a paintbrush and easily blended paints.

One one of the hills, I sketched out two people holding hands, soaking in the last rays of the sun. On the other hand, a single person stood, hands outstretched. In between the hills, I painted a black heart. then I scribbled it out.

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Christmas came as quickly as winter break had. With no letters to write and send frequently to Alex, and no friends to keep me company, the time went by with the snap of my fingers.

I adjusted the bottom of the suit that I didn't want to wear. The Mannings were arriving soon, and my relatives were coming later.

"Henry! What a pleasure it is to see you again. Merry Christmas."

Every Christmas, My father had his best business partners, the Mannings, over for breakfast. Even after Mom died and Martha disappeared. I could never understand why they didn't just come when the rest of the family came, They were my aunt and uncle.

"Hello, William." Mr. Manning embraced my father, who stood there with a stiff posture.

"Hey John!" Martha revealed herself from behind her mother. She wore a gold dress with a flouncy skirt that hung just above her knees.