𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭, ᵐᵃᵗᵗʰᵉᵒ ʳⁱᵈᵈˡᵉ

chapter 4

charlotte sat at the astronomy tower, wedged tightly between mattheo and the towers railing. she didn't know what this meant, if it changed anything or not. all she knew was that he made no move to leave her, and she wasn't about to leave him either. she knew she needed to get to the party, to find her friends, but she couldn't bring herself to get up and leave. they sat in silence for a while before mattheo elbowed her gently. he was quite a bit taller than her, so instead of elbowing her side like he intended, he ended up elbowing her shoulder.
"christ, sorry." he muttered, dropping his arm back to his side.
"it's okay." charlotte replied, feeling the atmosphere turn awkward, "did you need something?"
he looked hesitant for a moment before asking, "what are you doing here, black?"
his use of her last name made her slightly cringe, but she brushed it off.
"i don't know." she replied.
"i think you need to go." he said, in a slightly more aggressive tone of voice.
"hmm," she said, acting like she was thinking about it, "i don't think so."

her response seemed to agitate him, like they usually do, but this time, it felt different. she had a suspicion that he wasn't mad at her words, he was mad at her. the thought was unnerving to charlotte, seeing as she did nothing wrong, but it seemed like mattheo was always mad at her, so she payed little mind to it. a rough movement pulled her from her thoughts, unsettling her. mattheo had lifted himself off the ground, and walked swiftly to the staircase.

"where are you going, riddle?" she called after him, laughing.
"away from you." he said, his tone serious and hurtful.

it wounded charlotte's ego slightly, but she brushed it away for later.

"what's your deal?"charlotte asked, confused.

"nothing." mattheo stated, "see you at the party."
without another word, he left the tower, leaving charlotte alone with her thoughts. with a sigh, she pulled herself up and went down the stairs, walking back to her dorm to get ready. her best friend, pansy, was already in her room when she got there. even though she had a private dorm, pansy came in and out whenever she pleased. with a groan, charlotte threw herself onto her bed.
"what's up with you?" pansy asked curiously.
"fuckin riddle." charlotte said, her words muffled by her pillow.
pansy laughed loudly, "who cares about him! we have to get ready for the party!"

pansy had always loved to party. even back in first year, she would sneak herself and charlotte into whatever parties the third and fourth years were throwing. nodding to herself, charlotte pulled herself off her bed and walked towards her closet. reaching inside, she pulled out a pink sparkly dress, one of her favorites. she pulled it on, and did her makeup. she looked fantastic, and she knew everyone else would agree.
as they entered the slytherin common room, the sound of Style by Taylor Swift flooded charlottes ears. she felt her lips pull into a smile, she loved taylor swift. she laughed as pansy guided her to the dance floor and pushed a red cup into her hand. she looked down into the cup and identified the brownish-red liquid sloshing inside as firewhiskey, something she hasn't drank since third year, when she drank so much she woke up in her friend, theodore nott's bathtub. his dorm mate and her friend, enzo, had found her there the morning after the party, and while they don't tease her about it anymore, it put her off firewhiskey for life. thanking pansy, she took the drink and set it on the counter, for someone else to find. As the night went on and everyone drank more, they stopped dancing around, and some third year suggested spin the bottle, so everyone gathered in a big clump of drunk, giggly kids. Mattheo, at some point charlotte couldn't recall, come down to the party, hanging around theo, enzo, and draco. he joined the circle, sitting as far from charlotte as seemingly possible. anxiety filled her stomach as the bottle spun past her, time and time again. eventually it was mattheos turn, and the pit in her stomach got larger and larger at the prospect of him kissing someone else. the bottle slowed in her direction, and she squeezed her eyes shut in desperation. not me not me not me not me. she thought exasperatedly. she opened her eyes a pinch and looked down at the bottle, which was pointing straight at her. she looked up, noticing everyone's eyes on her. mattheo leaned forward, towards her, and in a split second, pressed his lips to hers. they were soft and warm on top of her cold, chapped lips, but just as soon as it started, it was done.

pansy laughed, "well that looked cozy."
charlotte rolled her eyes, " that's cause we're friends, pans."
"like hell we are." mattheos cold voice joined the conversation.
"shut up." she laughed.
"i'm not kidding, black." he stated, looking at her.
"why the fuck would we be friends?" he asked.

"why wouldn't we?" she asked, wishing she had drank that firewhiskey earlier anyway.
"cause i don't want to be your friend." he said, his voice and face void of any friendly emotion.
"oh." she said, ending the conversation. mattheo nodded once, then turned back to the circle of third and fourth years looking at them. he motioned to the bottle, and the person next to him, Astoria Greengrass, took her turn spinning it. charlotte abruptly got up from the circle, and quickly left her houses common room, opting instead to spend the rest of the party out in the quiet hallway, where the embarrassment of her encounter with mattheo wasn't as severe. the second she stepped out of the portrait door, a warm hand encased her arm, stopping her.

"don't cause a scene, black, people are watching." mattheo urged, glancing through the open door at some nosy girls eying them up, gossiping to the group of boys next to them.
"like i give a shit." charlotte said angrily.
"whatever." mattheo said coldly, turning away from her and slamming the portrait door behind him.

what the fuck? charlotte thought as she put her back to the wall and slid to the ground. she had thought after their time together at the astronomy tower and their conversations in potions, that they were friends, but apparently it all meant nothing to mattheo. charlotte had thought that he had found her interesting, maybe even someone he enjoyed being around, but apparently that was only when they had first met. of course, he wanted nothing to do with her now that she was nothing new.