Chimerical

Two truths and a Lie. (Pt.2)

Alice was hurting. It had been another week and she was determined to avoid Rose- despite Lily and Marlene warning her not to. Rose had tried to come and talk to her but Alice ignored her, pretending as if she didn't exist. What was going on with her? She asked her ridiculous mind. Why was she acting so strange? She had already gotten over their quarrel on the very day it happened. But what she had come to realise in the last few days was that she was angry with herself- for being so selfish. In fact, she was extremely sorry and embarrassed of the way she had behaved. There was no excuse for it and she knew that she needed to apologised to her best friend. But she just couldn't bring herself to do it.

She stood by the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall, debating on whether or not she wanted food. Maybe she could skip dinner? She thought. She wasn't hungry but she might be later. Might as well eat, she figured. Her friends were yet to arrive so she decided to start without them. She piled her plate with Yorkshire puddings, sausages, peas and some gravy. She munched in peace, already feeling better with food in her stomach. When it was time for desert, she reached out for a treacle tart but before she could, another hand pulled it closer to him. He looked up at her with a guilty look in his eyes.

"I'm sorry..." he said pushing the plate back towards her. "You can have it."

Alice smiled. That was so kind of him, she thought. She loved treacle tart. She has never had anyone give up dessert for her before; especially not a stranger- it was a rather unexpected but nice gesture.

"Are you sure?" She asked doubtfully.

The boy nodded firmly as he passed it to her. He moved to grab a slice pumpkin pie.

"Thanks Frank." She said gratefully. "I really needed that."

"You're Welcome. Besides, those things disappear fast." He said pointing at her dessert. Alice couldn't agree more; there had been a number of times when she missed the opportunity to grab the tart and soon enough, despite the magic cast around the food in Hogwarts- it always disappeared quickly. For a while, they continued to eat in awkward silence before Frank cleared his throat.

"So why are you alone? It's not like you." He continued.

"Why not?" She challenged.

"You like being around people."

Alice sighed. "Honestly, it's silly. I can be a real idiot sometimes."

Frank chuckled. "We're eleven, Al.We're supposed to be idiots at times. Adults are idiots all the time." He finished waving his spoon in the air.

Alice laughed. She couldn't disagree with him. After all, she could recall the multiple times her mother yelled at her father and called him an idiot.

Their conversation was interrupted by one particular Ravenclaw- one Alice just seemed to be jealous of lately. Isha greeted Frank before turning to face the Gryffindor girl. Crossing her arms across her chest, Isha spoke up.

"Can we talk?"

Alice nodded. She got up and walked out of the Great Hall following Isha. Once they reached the Gargoyle, they stopped. They stood in silence for a moment, sizing up each other.

"I'm sorry..." the words puzzled Alice. She did not expect an apology.

When she got no response from the otherwise confused girl, Isha decided to continue speaking.

"I know that it must be hard for you to see your oldest friend drift away from you. I never meant to come in between. One of the reasons we spend more time together is because we belong to the same house, have the same classes and work together as partners for assignments. I don't think you should punish Rose for that."