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REJECTION IS THE HARSHEST STING
March 3, 2021
EVERYONE WAS CHANTING James's name as he chugged a cup of fire whiskey on a table in the Gryffindor common room. Partially because he was chugging it, but partially because he led his team to another victory and they were now really close to winning the house cup. He danced drunkenly on top of the table to the music that blared throughout the room.
He wasn't sure what the song was who was singing — all that mattered was that it had a beat and that there were people watching him. Lysander was snogging a girl in the corner, Lorcan was high and sitting on the couch, trying to flirt with a Slytherin in the year below and Fred was dancing with a girl and a boy, sipping from his cup ever so often.
James heard a shriek from across the room and his eyes snapped over to the source. His eyes landed on a hysterically laughing Nyah Thomas ( who was attempting to flirt with a Ravenclaw boy in their year, but was drunk, so was doing terribly ) and Lily Edwards standing next to her, trying to not laugh.
He thought that Lily looked fit, for a lack of a better word. In corduroy flare pants, a yellow crop top and her hair pulled back, he wanted to make her his and bless the sheets of his dorm bed. He bit the rim of his cup, not having anything else that he could do as he watched her from across the room.
He saw another guy starting to approach her from the other side of the room ( he just knew these things and his friends had found that it was best not to question it ) and anger bubbled within him.
"Oi!" he yelled. "Edwards!"
Many people at the party stopped to stare at him and Lily, curious to see what creative way he'd ask her out and how brutal her rejection would be.
"What do you want Potter?" she asked loudly as she glared at him.
"Come up to my dorm with me?" he asked as a mischievous grin formed on his face. "Promise I'll make it worth your while."
"I'd rather shag Moaning Myrtle," she retorted as her jaw clenched — clearly not happy at how public this was.
"Oh come on!" he pushed. "One night and you'll feel differently."
"Shove off, Potter!" Nyah yelled at him.
"It's not a no," he called out as he pumped his fist in the air.
"You're right," Lily growled, glaring at him. "It's a never ever. It's a I'd rather be six feet under. It's a get off that table because you look ridiculous."
James clenched his jaw, a glimmer of hurt in his eyes, but he didn't respond to her. Everyone turned away, the show over. He grabbed a random cup that was discarded on the table that he was standing on a chugged it — not caring what was in it.
The alcohol now tasted bitter instead of sweet as it cascaded down his throat and he jumped off the table. He stumbled forward a little, but regained his balance and suave demeanor and spotted a girl in his year flirtatiously looking at him — a Hufflepuff he thought, but honestly he couldn't care less.
He smirked and strutted over to her and her friends sent her suggestive glances as they moved over slightly.
"You look far too fit to not be dancing with someone," he said as he approached her.
"Then I guess I'll have to dance with you," she said. "Because no one else's asked me."
"Lead the way," he said as she took his hand, sending her friends a glance, and led him over to where a group of people were dancing.
His hands found her hips and her arms were wrapped around his neck as she slowly moved her hips. His lips soon found her neck and she turned her head to the side so he had easier access. He smirked against her skin when she moaned a little when he blew over a newly made hickey.
Lily watched from afar with a frown on her face. She didn't like him like that and yet, she was still hurt. Because how could someone ask her out continuously and proclaim their undying love for her and then do that. How could someone show so little remorse for the feelings of others?
Because surely this thing that he had for her was a joke. Because no one was that cruel. She didn't like him like that and yet she felt used. Because now, she was the 'bitch' and people — girls — would take pity on him and he'd get a night with them and she was left, standing, with a castle-wide 'hands off' policy on her ( though there were some people that defied it, but they never stayed ) and the guy who'd set it sucking the face off of another girl.
Was she just a doll to him? Someone to look at, but to be discarded when things got real? Something that could be put back together with glue, only to be able to be smashed again? Someone to show off, but never seen with a beating heart or thoughts or feelings or dreams?
The more she thought about it — something that she tried not to do lest she spiral — the more her stomach churned and the more the alcohol caught up to her.
"I ... um ... I'm going to go back to my common room," she mumbled to Nyah. "Are you going to be ok here?"
"How about I walk you back?" Nyah asked quietly.
Lily just nodded and grabbed Nyah's hand. They bid farewell to the boy that Nyah had been talking to ( and that they deduced was actually rather creepy and seemed much better with alcohol in their system ) and stumbled over to the portrait hole and left, not with a bang, but with a blow of the wind.
James didn't notice that Lily had left — he was intoxicated and not just by the fire whiskey as the girl slowly moved her hips around.
"It's not fair that you ask Lily Edwards out and then go to me," she pouted. "I'm not a second choice."
"Never were, darling," he replied with a smile. "She's not all that. She's not you."
The girl smiled and giggled as he took her hand and led her up the stairs to his dorm. Some people at the party cheered as the door slammed closed, not with a blow of the wind, but with a bang.
