fundamentals of love ; james sirius potter

18. normal topics to converse about

I'm invited to the Potter's for dinner tonight.

James had it easy, he only had to meet my dad who is able to like anyone if they spend enough time with them. But, I'm up against four people tonight. His family's so intimidating. His dad's Harry Potter (just this statement alone is enough) and his mother's Ginny freaking Weasley (I had posters of her on my bedroom walls when I was younger), I'm scared I'll be starstruck when I meet them and make a total fool of myself.

"Hair up or down?"

"Down," Isla says, looking up from her phone. "Also, no talking about Bismarck and the events leading up to the first World War."

"But that's my go to conversation starter."

"I know. You used it on me and I avoided you for the next five years."

That five-year period was dreadfully lonely, I had friends but no best friend that I could rely on so most of the time I was by myself. So, I cross out doing friendly history debates that venture into ruining relationships as we do at my grandparents's house.

Isla's jittery tonight. It means that she has something to tell me but is nervous to do so. She believes she's keeping it well but in reality, I figured it out yesterday. That's both a blessing and a curse that comes with being so close to a person, you know them too well and with that comes a lifetime of waiting in anticipation for truth.

Today's been cold. August is finally starting to die out and September's cool days are starting to seep into the last few of summer. The rain has made today, a day where you sit at home and don't do any of the household tasks you really need to because it's like your bones have grown old from the chill.

Thankfully it makes dressing for the occasion much easier because you can never go wrong with jeans and a sweater.

It's time for me to leave and Isla's reached her peak jitteriness.

"I got a promotion."

I turn around to my best friend, letting out a little yell. "Good job I, that's amazing! We need to celebrate when I'm back. Let's go out to some bar and . . ." my words are dying because I see the pained expression on her face.

"The job means more pay and less traveling, so it's much more steady," she begins. "But, when I say less travelling it's limited to a country rather than the whole world."

Please be close. Please be close. Please be close.

"It's a completely different branch though they all sort of belong to the same tree, I guess."

Oh Isla, it is far if you're taking this long.

"Japan."

"When do you have to go?"

"End of October."

So we have approximately nine weeks or about two months left of living together, then for the first time since we were eleven, we won't be roommates.

I'm devastated.

"You're devastated," Isla states, going over to me and wrapping her arms around me like a mother. "Don't worry, I am too. This wasn't the plan Ellie, but . . ."

"You'll go because I love you too much to ever let you stay," I say, hugging Isla so hard that she's ready to drop dead.

She's crying. "I'm going to know you for the rest of my life, and we're never allowed to say that we used to be best friends."

I'm even more devastated now.

This is a different type of less than when my mother left. This is a different type of loss than when Vonnie and Jimmy grew up. This is a different type of loss than graduating from Hogwarts. This is a different type of loss than splitting up with Morgan.