Me And The Dark

Chapter 19

Valentina

It was impossible for me to enjoy myself at the party after the altercation with Mattheo Riddle.

The festive atmosphere seemed so far removed from what I was feeling. The laughter and music seemed empty to my ears, as my mind was filled with swirling thoughts.

While the crowd danced and enjoyed themselves, I felt alone and disconnected. Mattheo and I, who had once been inseparable, were now on completely opposite trajectories.

The loss of our friendship weighed heavily on me, and it was clear that we couldn't restore what had been broken.

Taking another drink, I could still feel the effects of the alcohol in my system. The drinks hadn't drowned out my worries, but they had brought a fleeting respite to my battered heart.

So I decided to leave the common room.

The dungeon corridor was quieter. The distant music faded as I moved away from the party. I desperately needed some peace and quiet, a moment of introspection, away from the gaze of others.

I've never been one for showing my weaknesses, and this evening was no different.

Suddenly, a soft echo of my name rang through the cold corridor. "Val?"

I turned round to see Theodore. He was standing there, one hand in his pocket, a packet of cigarettes in the other.

"You're not at the party with Aura?" I asked shyly, wondering why he was there when he was in a relationship.

He gave me a tender smile. "She's a bit drunk, having a blast on the dance floor. I thought I'd let her enjoy it a bit and take a smoke break."

"You were planning to join Riddle, weren't you?" said I, trying to hide my resentment of Mattheo.

Theodore came up to me and put his arm around my shoulder. We started walking towards the exit. "No, actually, I want to spend some time with you. We haven't seen much of each other lately..." he said with a hint of regret in his voice.

I knew he was lying to please me, but I didn't say anything.

I regretted the situation.

Mattheo and I had put Lorenzo and Theodore in a difficult position. It wasn't easy to manage the tensions between us, and I was aware that it was affecting our close friends.

"I know. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I've just been really busy and-"

"Hey, it's okay. I'm not here for you to apologise," he said, smiling at me. He tightened his arm around me, deepening our closeness. I felt his warmth, his understanding, and in that moment, I felt so much better.

We arrived at the courtyard of the Clock Tower. Night had fallen, and a thick veil of cloud unfortunately hid the stars, depriving the sky of its sparkling beauty.

We sat down on one of the benches and Theodore handed me his packet of cigarettes, which had already been opened. I raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised by his gesture. "You know I don't smoke," I said, smirking, the effect of the alcohol making me more relaxed.

He arched an eyebrow in response. "I know, but tonight you seem upset, sometimes it relaxes."

"Weasley's drink already has enough effect," I replied, thinking of the incident of Ben falling victim to Mattheo's wrath. "It was supposed to take my mind off my troubles, and now they're more obvious than ever," I added, speaking freely under the influence of alcohol.

Theo lit a cigarette and raised it to his lips. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No," I replied, crossing my arms to protect myself from any emotion that might come out of my mouth.