Leah Labelle has spent most of her years at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the shadows, always present but never quite noticed. She often felt caught between not being ugly enough to be bullied and not being captivating enough to seiz...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
I watch Mattheo in the embrace of slumber, his dark ebony locks cascading like midnight shadows across his face as he breathes a gentle melody. My eyes trace the tender lines on his skin, attempting to silence the hurricane of thoughts swirling within me.
I had walked into him in the corridor, having headed back toward my dorm to sleep. He had sobered up a bit but was oblivious to my tear-stained eyes and smeared makeup. However, a silent gratitude had enveloped me in that very moment. I ponder the words I would have uttered had he probed deeper.
His hold around me tightens, sending a shiver down my spine. Goosebumps ripple like whispers on my skin, the chill of the room hindering my ability to unwind. Yet, a persistent inner voice challenges me, insisting it's not the room's coldness, but a resistance to meld into Mattheo. I argue with myself, entangled in exhaustion from a relentless night.
I shut my eyes against the throbbing in my temples, attempting to silence the nagging voice that urges me to open them. My surroundings spin, a cacophony invading my mind, echoing a desire to tear away my senses. It feels off. Not quite right.
Because it lacks the resonance I shared with Theodore.
Then, a sudden stillness envelops everything. The world pauses, exhaling a moment that sends tingles down my shoulders. With Theodore, it was akin to finding home—a sanctuary amidst the chaos of life.
Anxiety slams into me, a storm threatening to drown my sense of belonging. The notion that Theodore basically wants to banish me from our friend group looms, a potential wrecking ball to my social life. Strangely, he has been refraining from unveiling my secret, leaving me now trapped in a web of conflicting emotions and confusion.
Turning restlessly, I gaze at the ceiling. Mattheo's warm breath brushes my face, his sleeping form leaning into mine. The pulsing ache in my head intensifies, an ominous force seeking release.
I try to shake the stubborn sensation away, flipping over again to my side.
"Are you okay, baby?" Mattheo mumbles, his eyes squinting in the dimness.
I nod, his hand tenderly reaching for my cheek. All I can think about is Theodore's touch, a stabilizing force that had balanced my universe for a limited moment.
Puzzlement grips me. What the hell is happening to me?
Struggling to refocus on Mattheo, I trace the contours of his face desperately, my eyes darting in search of an anchor that I know I won't find in his eyes.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
