alluringly entwined | f.w, d.m

36

"If I was you, I'd be pretty fucking pissed," Da'Shylah said honestly, and clicked her tongue. "Two guys and neither of them are loyal? Fucking hell."

"Well, I'm not exactly loyal to either of them." Oshun shrugged and toyed with the spade pendant on the necklace she was wearing.

"Yeah, but you have to choose between them, so why not get a taste of both," Mavi said smoothly as she scribbled on her parchment.

"Mavi's got a point." Forest's head tilted at said girl.

Oshun was with her lady mates in the library since she and Forest had an assignment to do with Mavi. It was their free period, so they all just gathered at a table in the library.

Oshun exhaled a breath of air. "Yeah, but how am I supposed to expect them to—"

"Oshun. Hush, love." Da'Shylah put finger over her own lips in a gesture of shush. "You shouldn't expect them to be loyal. You should expect them to show actual interest and mean it in the long run."

"Da'Shylah's got a point too." Forest kept nodding as she copied down Mavi's notes since she missed some during class.

"They can't show interest in you during holiday when you spend time with them, and then they start sticking their tongues and nasty penises into other ladies when holiday is finished," Da'Shylah stated whilst she examined her well-manicured nails. "You got both of them, which gives you a valid reason for wanting to try it out with both to see which you feel a deeper connection with before you have to choose which you want to marry."

Oshun nodded slowly as her eyes lowered to the table. Her friend was right actually.

Draco and Fred couldn't just give Oshun the affection and interest during holidays away from school and other ladies. They either wanted her or they didn't—there was no in between.

But perhaps it was hard for them to show... no, no. Oshun needed to stop giving them the benefit of the doubt. She needed to stop making excuses for them.

"So you're finally realizing you need to stop giving them the benefit of the doubt, huh?" Da'Shylah's voice ripped through her thoughts, reading her mind perfectly.

"Yeah." Oshun glanced down to hide the sheepish tint in her cheeks.

"Good," Da'Shylah said proudly.

"I actually haven't spoken to them in a few days," Oshun mentioned. "Well, not properly speaking to them. I just act casual around them whenever I cross paths with them because showing my jealousy and distress would only add to their egos."

"That's smart." Mavi nodded, impressed, as she dipped her quill in her ink jar. "Acting like you don't give a fuck will humble them instantly."

"Exactly." Oshun cocked her head in a way that said Obviously. "So I've been doing exactly that and it's getting easier. But when I see Draco being so touchy and hushed with Astoria, and Fred being close and comfortable with these other girls, it makes me angrier than it should." Her tone quieted down.

"And that is perfectly natural," Da'Shylah soothed, placing a soft hand on Oshun's thigh under the table. "You fancy them both, clearly, so it's perfectly natural."

"I fancy both of them..." The realization only dawned upon Oshun. She never really thought she fancied both of them, but perhaps she did.

Perhaps she sought for the way Fred could make her laugh and smile genuinely with such ease. The way he was always so touchy and physically affectionate with her, shamelessly so. The way he wasn't afraid of talking to her and opening up with her.

Perhaps she sought for the giddy way Draco made her feel by just the simplicity of his skin brushing against hers. The way his silence spoke a million words to her. The way he was so protective and tender with her in his own way.