Coiled (Book 1 of 2)

His Brother's Brother

"... Something wrong, Y/N?" From her perch on her bed, Charms textbook open on her lap, Mary speaks softly.

Shaking my head, I twist my hands together in front of me as I continue to pace back and forth.

I've been like this for the past half hour, pacing around our room in endless loops. And though she's had the courtesy to pretend not to notice, her gentle acknowledgment forces me to admit how painfully obvious my distress must be. And now, as my eyes meet hers, I see an unmistakable expression of concern etched across my friend's face.

Clearing my throat, I force a tight smile, "No, nothing at all."

Except everything.

Monday evening.

Reggie and I are supposed to meet.

Supposed to, as of the plans we'd made last week.

But that was before Friday.

Before the kiss.

And now ...

I'm completely worked up. Afraid to see him.

In fact, I'd spent my entire weekend preoccupied over what'd happened between Reggie and I: how amazing his lips had felt against mine, and how wrong I must be for that. Desire and guilt, over and over. It was a maddening loop, one replaying unceasingly in my mind.

Worse still, and even far more confusing: the revelation that the only time I'd felt any sense of relief, or distraction, was my brief chance encounter with Evan. And when I considered that, I was left even more preoccupied and distraught.

No! No more thinking about Rosier.

That was the promise, remember?

Goodness knows I've got enough on my mind as is.

Nodding more to myself than to her, I resume my pacing. Out of the corner of my eye, I watch Mary slide a piece of parchment into her book as a bookmark and shut it gently, setting it at her side, "... Meeting Regulus tonight, right?"

I still at this, my head whipping back towards her.

Are my thoughts really that obvious?

Am I that transparent?

When she sees the expression on my face, she merely shrugs, "Don't you usually meet with him on Mondays?"

Bless you. Bless you for giving me an easy out.

"Ah. Yes. That's right. We do."

"And tonight?"

"Tonight ... I find I have a bit of a headache."

A desperately pathetic fib, and one that slips off my lips before I can help myself.

Mary frowns at this, "Perhaps you could cancel then? Go to Madam Pomfrey and get a tonic or something of the sort?"

Already considered faking illness. The idea's sorely tempting.

Though it'd just mean putting off the inevitable.

I'll have to face Reggie sooner or later.

"I think ... I think I'll just go. Go, and see how I feel."

Mary gives me a sympathetic smile, "If you're sure. Don't push yourself, I'm sure he'll understand, right?"

"Oh, yes. Certainly."

Before I can convince myself otherwise, I resolve to leave to meet Reggie.

Delay any longer, and I'll be quite late. And that'd be just rude.