Game On

Part 9 - Crying & Confrontation

I storm down the streets of Hogsmeade fuming and swallowing tears. I intend to find Sirius and give him a piece of my mind. However, once I pass The Three Broomsticks and glance into the window my feelings are shifted.

I jolt to a stop when my eye catches on an eloquent mess of long dark hair. I look through the glass to see my friends, the Marauders and Dorcas seated at a table. They all laugh at something James has said and sip Butterbeer. Sirius sits closest to the window with his back facing me, he lazily has his arm resting across the seat next to him, a cigarette in hand. He throws his head back slightly and let's out a laugh I can hear from outside.

I feel my heart begin to beat faster again in rage as I turn to enter the store. Yet, I stop again. I look at Lily laughing while leaning towards James, Remus shaking his head slightly, Marlene whispering something to Dorcas. Suddenly my throat tightens and this burn inside of me changes from rage to humiliation.

If I go in there now then everyone in the store will hear about how being payed was the only way someone would ask me out. They'd know that Sirius had tricked me. Even worse than all of that they would see me in my fit of rage, I probably wouldn't be able to hold back my tears and they'd all see me crying. Dramatics were not my thing, I'll leave that to Mary.

So I turn back to the castle. 

Once the dorm door has been shut I can't help the tears that fall down my face. I wipe them away profusely angry at myself for letting him get to me, angry that I've wasted a Hogsmeade day, and angry that I'm crying. All of these things just make me cry more.

I give myself over to the only thing that I know might help; sleep. A headache from crying tends to lead to a solid rest so it's not until around 5 in the evening when I wake up again.

"Oh sorry, I was just grabbing something didn't mean to wake you." I hear Lily's motherly voice from the bed next to mine as I yawn and sit up.

I glance at my clock. Confused for a moment before I remember why I can feel dried tears on my face.

"It alright I shouldn't have slept that long anyway."

I begin to get out of bed.

"Oh my god. Jade are you alright?" Lily rushes over to my bed.

"What?" I ask tiredly

How could she already know about Sirius?

"There's mascara all over your face! Were you crying?"

Oh. I try to wipe my face off while Lily sits next to me.

"Yeah I'm fine I just..." One look at Lily and her concerned face makes me spill my guts.

I tell her everything about Declan and Sirius.

"Merlin." She says with her arms wrapped around me. "Do you want me to kill him because I will. I will go down there right now and hex him if you say I should."

I half laugh half sob at that. Then I take a deep unsteady breath.

"No, no, I think I have to kill him myself."

She laughs while gripping me tighter, "I knew this bet was going to end badly."

I scoff, "Merlin, I can't even think about the manky bet."

I stand up off the bed and turn to Lily.

"Right now I just want..." I pause, "To eat."

She laughs, "We can do that."

I change out of my clothes and into my robes. Next, I go to the bathroom and fix myself up a bit, washing my face and re-applying mascara. Lily patiently waits for me until I tell her I'm ready and we begin making our way to the Great Hall. Halfway down the stairs Lily pauses grabbing my arm and turns to face me.