D I L E M M A x Mattheo Riddle

arithmancy project

Vivienne Leclair
The weekend went by quickly. But before I knew it, it was Monday again.

"Have you heard from Briar yet?" Alice asks.

"Nope." I respond, turning off the shower and wrapping a towel around myself.

"It's been two whole days." She swings her feet around and hops off the bathroom counter.

"I know. I just want him to be the one to reach out first, you know?" I shrug.

"I don't think Emmett could go an entire weekend without talking to me. Especially after a fight. Briar needs to get his priorities straight." She says, filing her nails.

Alice has never had a serious relationship. I don't think she understands that relationships are not always perfect. I appreciate her advice, but she's not talking from experience, that's for sure.

Even though we haven't even seen each other much since school started, it's nice to have some space from Briar. I think it's important to have time away from each other in a relationship. In my opinion, it makes the time you spend together more meaningful.

I stare at myself in the mirror and take down the clip holding up my hair.

I hear a knock at the door.

"One minute!" I shout, struggling to button my skirt.

I finally get my skirt buttoned and walk to the door with drawn out footsteps. To no one's surprise, Briar is standing in the doorway holding a bouquet of flowers.

Tulips, to be exact.

"I'm sorry for being a jerk at the party." He says.

I take the tulips out of his hands and carefully put them in the vase on my desk. He lets himself in the room, closing the door behind him.

"Hi Briar. How are you? We haven't heard from you since Friday." Alice says, walking out of the bathroom and crossing her arms.

Briar rolls his eyes at her and turns back to me.

"Look, babe, I was so tired from Quidditch that I just spent the weekend chilling with my friends," he sighs, "can you forgive me?"

He strokes my cheek lightly and gives me puppy dog eyes. I pause and look directly at him with a blank expression.

"That would've been fine, Briar, but I was worried the whole weekend. I thought you were going to break up with me or something." I take his hands in mine and bring them up to where my heart is.

"What? No," he scoffs, "I'm sorry you felt that way, I guess I'll tell you next time."

"Next time? There's going to be a next time?" Alice says, raising her eyebrows.

I give her a death stare.

Her head falls to the floor and she scurries over to the door.

"You know what... I was actually just heading out." She nods rapidly and closes the door, exiting our room.

I let go of Briars hands and sit on the edge of my bed. He stands over me, leaning on the bedpost.

"Let me walk you to Arithmancy, alright?" Briar grabs my hand and holds onto my waist, directing me out the door.

-

Briar is holding my hand tightly as we enter through the door to Professor Vector's classroom.

"You know I would never purposely hurt you, Vivienne. I love you." Briar says, pulling me into a hug.