Dear Thea // Cedric Diggory

09

Althea;

By the time I get back to my dorm, hot tears are streaming down my face. I hated myself for being so stupid, for being as gullible and naive as I was. All the clear signs I missed start to rush back to me. It was like someone was waving a great, raging red flag right in my face, but I was just too color blind to see. Quinn never truly liked me, maybe never even cared about me, he just wanted a high five from his teammates and a new broom. But at the expense of what? Traumatizing someone? He surely didn't care.

"Thea? What happened?" Jade gasps, seeing my current state as I walk through the door.

"You were right. Cedric was right" I let out in between sniffles.

She ushers me towards her with open arms, pulling me into her soft embrace, and my breath begins to steady itself. I sit there for a moment, it's all I can do as I try to calm myself down.

"What happened?" she asks.

But her question only makes the feeling of constriction in my lungs worse, my breaths become more shallow as my heart begins to pound more intensely. Soft shushes and words of reassurement fill my ears as she lightly moves my head so that it's resting on her lap, the rest of my body curling itself into a ball.

"It's okay, there's no need to tell me right now, take your time," she moves her hand gently back and forth over my back, providing me a sense of safety. After a few moments, I begin to calm down. Shakely, I start to recount to her the events that had just taken place.

"I will fucking kill that bastard," Jade seethed, her face etched in a deep frown.

I take a harsh breath in, composing myself, "I'm okay, nothing terrible happened, I'm safe, I'm fine, let's just leave it alone, okay?"

"Thea, we can't just let something like this slide, what would've happened if you didn't get up?" Jade exclaimed, anger teetering in her voice.

I don't know what he could've done there, but it wasn't anything good, I'm just glad I didn't stick around to find out.

"I only want to forget about the whole thing. I really am okay, I promise."

She sighed, now running her slender dark fingers through my hair.

"Fine, but I'm not making any promises that I won't kill him if I see him, alright?"

"Thank you Jade, I love you, but right now I don't want to provoke him anymore."

Nodding, she accepted my request.

That night, I laid in bed wide awake, Jade cuddled close behind me. Just having the presence of someone who I trusted and cared for next to me made such a difference, but it wasn't enough to help me fall asleep; to stop me from recalling every single moment from this afternoon in my head, or going over all the interactions I've had with Quinn in the past. Uneasy, there was no point in trying to get any rest, I knew I'd be up for a while.

/

The next morning, everything comes flooding back to me the second I wake up. Yesterday wasn't just a nightmare, it truly happened. Exhausted, I can feel the lack of sleep in my limbs as I slowly try to get out of bed. I make my way to the bathroom, still dazed. Glancing at my reflection, I see that my eyes are puffy and swollen, almost doubled in size from the tears they shed last night. I release a deep, deep sigh. It's the type where you just feel done, like you can't take anymore.

I'm so tired, but it's not only from getting barely any sleep, it's everything. My stomach suddenly grumbles, and I realize I didn't eat anything last night.

"Jade, could we get some breakfast?" I call from the bathroom.

"Sure, whatever you want."

As we made our way to the Great Hall, rising panic clawed at my throat as I thought of seeing Quinn there.  Being my best friend, Jade instantly picked up on my dejection, "I can just get something for you, if you want."

"No," I respond, "I can't run away from him all school year. Thank you, though."

It's not realistic, I'll have to see him at some point, might as well rip the band-aid off now.

Setting foot in the Great Hall, something shifts, I know it. I can feel it upon the prickle of the air. A defrosting. Dozens of eyes follow me as I walk, most of the stares rooted from the Slytherin table. It's as though I had just entered a conversation where you knew those people were talking about you, except this time there's 10 times more people and it's therefore 10 times worse. While I continue towards my seat, multiple Slytherins start clapping. Their cheers along with the quidditch team slapping Quinn on the back makes it clear to me; I was missing something, and it didn't seem good.

Taking my place with Jade right by my side, Pansy Parkinson leans in close to me from across the wide, wooden table.

"So, I didn't peg you as the easy type. How were your 2 seconds in heaven with Quinn?" she smirks.

Confused, I quickly become angry as I assume she's mentioning his wandering hands from yesterday.

"What are you talking about?" I demand, frustrated.

"You and Hawthorn?" she exclaims as if it should be obvious to me, "he's telling everyone."

Suddenly it clicks. All the blood rushes to my cheeks as I step up from the table, carrying myself over to Quinn.

Screw caring about not provoking him. Enough was enough.

My arms are crossed as I stand facing his back, his teammates snicker and grin, pointing towards me as to have Quinn look behind him. He turns around, his smile dropping as his eyes suddenly turn blank upon seeing me.

I'm quick, my arm swift as I slap my hand hard against his face, a red silhouette of my fingers immediately stamping his jaw. Shock is the only way I can describe his current expression. Shocked and in pain. Whatever he does next I don't care, it was worth it.

Gasps and whispers and laughs erupt not only from the Slytherin table, but from the whole hall. I wonder how he likes it, being mortified while dozens of people surround you. 

"Fuck. You," I spat at him.

I can hear the outrage and clamor from his teammates following me as I storm off, linking Jade's arm with mine.

My hand is burning from the force of the slap, but oh that felt good.

"Althea! I can't believe you just did that," Jade shrieks, her jaw agape.

"I can't either!" I laugh.

I feel fiery and free and excited all at once.

"Let's go do something soon," I say while my surge of adrenaline is still hot in my veins, "I need a distraction pronto."

"There's a Ravenclaw party coming up?" she suggests, grinning.

"Perfect."

Just what I needed.

A/N: i have very exciting plans for the next two chapters ;))