Babysitters

Chapter 11

VERONICA VALDEZ

I looked up at my face in the mirror. My cheeks were slightly more red than usually and I felt really cold. I ran there the moment I was allowed to leave, feeling really overwhelmed. The bathroom was dark-themed and luxurious, but I couldn't care less at the moment.

The whole meeting had been really weird, my dad looked more nervous than me and constantly rubbed my upper arm comfortingly. No one even talked to me there, and I didn't know why my presence was 'required' in the first place. I caught Voldemort glancing at me many times during the hour we spent there, each time with a creepy smile on his white face. It was really nice to see dad again, but I knew it would only make me miss him more when I'd get back home.
Wait, did I say home?
I meant Malfoy's home, not mine.
I hate the place and the fact I have to spend my summer there.
Seriously, I do. Believe me.
Even the thought of participating one of Voldemort's meetings again gave me chills. Bellatrix especially scared the living shit out of me with her behavior. I was sure she had some kind of hidden feelings towards her lord. She clung to his side the whole time and always had this weird smile when she looked at him. The woman was clearly crazy, and I wondered if it was because of the inbreeding that has happened in her family. The thought of people actually marrying their own cousins made me feel sick.

I took a deep breath before opening the door and stepping into the hallway. All the creepy wizards had already left and to be honest, it was a relief.
"Is everything okay?"
I flinched at the voice coming from behind me and turned around, seeing it was just Theo.
"Yeah, yeah. Everything is alright," I muttered and twiddled with my fingers.
Theo raised his eyebrows as he scanned my face. "Are you sure?"
"Mhm," I gave him a fake smile. The way he was looking at me made me want to squirm and go back to the bathroom. He didn't need to know I was feeling anxious and overwhelmed.
I could see that Theo didn't believe me but he didn't say anything either. He offered his arm to me and after a moment of hesitation I took it. It was confusing to think that just a while ago I could have sworn we hated each other, but now we were holding hands.
He led me through a door to another hallway, and this one I recognized. The doors we came in from were just around the corner and I couldn't wait to step out of them again.

I quickly walked through the hallway but just as I was about to turn left and get the doors in my sight, Theo pulled me back by my hand. I turned around and looked up at him with a questioning expression. "What is it?"
His eyes locked with mine without him saying anything. His blue eyes held an emotion I wasn't able to recognize, but I knew it wasn't there before. The more seconds we spent staring in each other eyes, the more flustered I got. I could feel my cheeks blushing and I felt the urge to look away before I'd embarrass myself.
"You're so cute when you're flustered," Theo finally broke the silence with an amused yet soft voice.
"I am not flustered," I protested with my cheeks so bright pink that I could be mistaken for the pink panther.
"You are," Theo smirked. "But you know what's even more adorable?"
I was not going to answer that question, but I did want to hear the answer.
"You trying to pretend you're not," he grinned as I made sure to keep my eyes anywhere but in his face.
"Stop it," I muttered, trying to hide my feelings behind annoyance.
"Mm, but I really love messing with you," he teased. "Look at me, Ver'."
When I didn't move he lifted my chin with his index finger and made me look at him. If he continued to stare me with that smirk I swear I would melt. Melt, until I'd be just a small puddle on the cold stone floor.
Lucky for me, he let my chin go just before. I turned around, my hand still in his, and muttered a quiet "let's go," making his smirk grow even wider.

The way home went in a haze.
Theodore Nott called me cute? And adorable?
Only when I was safe in my room back at the Malfoy's, I allowed myself to jump on the bed and hide my smiling face into my pillow.
There was no denying my crush anymore if Ava saw this. Luckily she didn't, because I'd really get an hour lecture about how he was a bad person and how he does not care about me.
My mind went through every possible reason of why Theo would be acting like this, but it always ended up thinking more about the one I hoped for. That he actually liked me.
But that couldn't be true, could it?

I started taking off my makeup and changed into a pair of sweatpants and sweater, preparing myself mentally for bed. I knew after today's events falling asleep would be hard, if not impossible.
I stepped out of my room, walking towards the bathroom. Every time I stepped into a new hallway I hoped to see Theo, but as expected, I didn't. I brushed my teeth and thought about calling Ava, but since I hadn't really understood myself what had happened, I ditched the idea. How could I explain it to her without getting the lecture I mentioned earlier?
Exactly, there is no way.

My bed felt softer than usual when I finally crawled under the sheets. I was completely ready to go to sleep and forget all these confusing thoughts that were all involving Theo in some way.
My phone vibrated on the nightstand as a sign I got a notification but I was too tired to care. It was probably just Ava. Maybe, just maybe, this summer wouldn't be as bad as I thought it'd be.

Boy, how wrong I was.