no one else. // Theodore Nott

eight.

Theo Nott

Pain. That's all I felt as I came back into the real world; came back into consciousness. I just laid there and stared at my ceiling, trying to remember all that had happened last night and waiting for this pounding headache to go away.

My curtain was slightly open and I sat up, ready to get ready for the day but I didn't want to. I looked to my nightstand and saw a washcloth. There was also a bin. I'm surprised I didn't puke.

I threw my legs over the edge, standing and noticing I'm still in the same clothes from last night. I walked over to the bathroom and opened the door, looking in the mirror and noticing how awful I looked. Wrinkled clothes and messy hair. Puffy eyes and drool on my cheek.

I turned on the sink and splashed my face with water. My headache was increasing with the more time that passed since I woke up. Drinking last night was not the way to handle my problems.

The thought of her hands on my chest. The thought of wanting to bend my head down and feel her lips against mine... It had killed me. Since that night at the window seat, her eyes and the way that she spoke of the raindrops and how she felt like one; I haven't been able to get her words out of my mind since.

No matter how hard I try, her eyes seem to find mine, and then for the rest of the day, she is all that I can think about.

Sadie's hands on my chest, my hands on her hips... The tingle and shock that ran through my body... It was something that I'll never be able to forget.

She and I have never had a connection and I've never really cared to try. I didn't care if we had a friendship or not, if we did then we did. But we didn't.

I looked at myself in the mirror a little bit longer, small things coming back into view. Pouring drinks, Sadie's eyes locking onto mine and me walking over to her and making small talk... after that, it's a blur. What did I do?"

"Morning mate," Blaise said walking into my dorm and sitting on my couch. "Did Sadie stop you from stripping in front of everyone?" He chuckled.

"Last time we saw you, you were climbing onto a table and asking everyone if they wanted a show," Draco said, sitting next to Blaise.

I leaned against the doorframe of my bathroom, watching my dorm door open again and the girls walking in, Sadie following with her head down.

"Does anyone have pain meds? My head is killing me" Pansy groaned, laying on my bed. Sadie stayed by the doorway, not looking at anyone and Astoria sat next to Draco and Blaise.

"Look, you guys need to get out. I have to get ready." I groaned, walking over to my door, closer to Sadie, and motioning for them to leave.

They all whined and stood up, walking slowly over and out of my dorm. Sadie started to leave but brought her hand up and rested it on the doorframe, turning but not looking at me.

"Myers," I said, looking at her and waiting for her to look at me, lock eyes with me so that I could be taken away from this godforsaken dump of a world.

"Nott, did you mean what you said?" She asked, looking left and right and then straight into my eyes.

What did I say? What did she mean? Oh-

Standing here, her eyes locked with mine and trying to remember... I did. I remembered it all. Saying, asking her if she felt the tingle I did while I touched her face. The way my lips pressed against hers and waited for her to kiss me back... But she didn't.

"A drunken mistake." I smiled, trying to convince myself. "I'm sorry for entering your personal space." I stepped back, my hand on the door.

"Oh. Okay." She nodded, taking her eyes off of mine and backing away from the door. "Uh- just don't get that drunk again. I don't want a personal show." She glanced up and smirked "I'm not swooning over you like the others."

I bent my head, my tongue dragging across the inside of my cheek and I glanced at her "Don't make that a challenge, Myers." I stepped closer to her, her lips a breath away from mine again. Her breathing hitched and she tried to hide it "Because if you start one, you'll lose."

I picked my hand up and poked her shoulder, pushing her back slightly and then I shut my door. I took a deep breath as soon as it clicked and leaned against it.

It wasn't a drunken mistake. It was exactly what I've been wanting to do... for a while now.

I kissed her and wished that I did again. But that's all I can ever do is wish, right? I've been wishing my whole life... Wishing that I had a choice of my own but I didn't.

Her lips were sweet... like tea mixed with honey. A smooth touch to them. The feel was one that could make you pass out from a sugar rush. Being close to her was like everything I've ever wanted.

Everything's always handed to me. I never have to work for anything that I want because I can just ask for it and it's there. Money... got it. Hook-ups... got it. A future... got it. Her... well that's something I have to fight for. And I will.

Challenges... things that I never lose. That's what Sadie was; a challenge. And if she knew it or not, I was going to win her; win this challenge that just happened to form.

I opened my door as quickly as I could and took long strides down the hall and to the top of the stairs. I sprinted down them and looked across the common room. Her hair cascaded down her back as she took the first three steps up the stairs to the girls' dormitories.

"Myers," I called, her head turning and hair flowing out of her face. "Down for a challenge?" I smirked.

"Challenge accepted." She smiled, a red tinge touching her cheeks. "See you, Nott."

And now I'm right where I wanted to be.