Annabelle ♡ Regulus Black ♡

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

In the midst of her turmoil, Bel's footsteps reverberated through the room, echoing her inner chaos as she paced back and forth. The ritual had begun the moment she stepped foot back from the Astronomy Tower, a place that held the remnants of an almost-kiss. The weight of her thoughts hung heavily in the air as she questioned her own actions, trying to decipher the inexplicable pull she felt towards Regulus Black.

Ari's voice pierced through her swirling thoughts, "Will you stop pacing and tell me what the hell is wrong?", demanding an explanation for her distress.

Bel halted in her tracks, "Finally," Ari says, her eyes narrowing with concern. "Bel, tell me what happened. Why are you so stressed?"

"I...." Bel open my mouth, but the words get stuck in her throat. "I... I think..." she starts, but the rest of the sentence refuses to come out.

"You what, Bel?" Ari prompts, her patience wearing thin. "Come on, speak."

"I think I was..." Bel began again, her voice barely audible, "I think I was going to kiss Regulus Black."

Silence stretched between them, Ari's eyes widening in shock at the confession. "What?" she breathed, her disbelief apparent.

"Say something," Bel pleaded, desperation tainting her voice.

"You..." Ari started, her voice catching with astonishment, "Yes?"

"Kissed?" she ventures.

"No, I was going to," Bel clarified, her voice barely above a whisper.

"To kiss?" Ari repeated, attempting to process the revelation.

Bel replied, her voice small, the weight of her words heavy in the room.

"Black?" Ari asked incredulously.

"Yes," Bel confirmed, her frustration seeping into her words.

"Regulus Black?" Ari pressed, trying to grasp the reality of the situation.

"Ari, process faster!" Bel snapped impatiently, the urgency of the moment pressing down on her.

"How? When? Why?" Ari fired off questions, her curiosity piqued. "Wait, what about Jos?" she asked, realization dawning. Bel's breath hitched; Ari didn't know. She broke up with Jos.

"I don't know," Bel confessed, her voice trembling with uncertainty, the raw truth finally bubbling to the surface. "It was at the Astronomy Tower. We were talking, and then... I don't know, if he hadn't pulled away, I would have kissed him. And about Jos, I broke up with him after dinner yesterday." The weight of her words hung in the air, a heavy silence settling between them.

Ari's eyes softened, her concern palpable. "Are you okay? Did Jos fight over you talking to other guys again?" she asked, her voice now gentle, inviting Bel to share her hidden turmoil. Annabelle had buried the memory of their last fight until Ari's question, and as the images resurfaced, tears welled up in her eyes, the pain of that moment etched clearly on her face.

Bel sank down onto her bed, her face buried in her hands, trying to hold back the tears threatening to spill. Ari moved over and sat down next to her, her voice filled with concern. "Hey, what happened? Did Jos hurt you? Because if he did, we'll hex him. Come on, don't cry," Ari said, enfolding Bel in her arms, offering the comfort she needed. 

Bel sniffled, wiping away her tears, and started recounting the painful details of the fight to Ari. "After dinner, Jos confronted me about hugging Remus, accusing me of cheating and being overly friendly with other guys. Though I defended that it was just a friendly gesture, Jos grew increasingly angry and possessive, hurling hurtful insults and trying to control who I interacted with. His jealousy and unfounded accusations were too much to take. I ended things for good when he..." Bel's voice quivered, her breath catching in her throat, "when he called me a slut."