𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐋𝐄𝐒 𝐂𝐑𝐔𝐌𝐁𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 (OC x OC)

[004] Chapter 19 - i love you, i'm sorry

"i loved you first."

Louis

I'm going to the Yule Ball alone. I don't even want to go at all, but Annie forced me into the tux.

Makayla and Annie walk down the stairs to the ballroom and my breathing hitches in my throat.

Makayla is wearing a dark blue dress that falls to her ankles. It's puffy and has a corset top. Dark blue gems deck out her torso while they fade out on the skirt, turning into glitter.

Annie is wearing a yellow dress, reminding me of Beauty and The Beast.

There they are, the two most important girls in my life, looking beautiful as ever. Don't tell Annie I said that.

Grayson takes Makayla's arm and Preston takes Annie's. It's like they have the worst taste in men ever.

Cedric walks in with Cho. I nearly puke.

I sit at a table with Mattheo, who—visibly—seems somewhat upset. I wouldn't be surprised if I looked the same.

Makayla's supposed to be holding my arm. Not that asshole.

Mattheo and I sigh monotonically in unison. Both of the girls we're in love with are on someone else's arm—and we can't do anything about it.

Makayla

I'm dancing with Grayson on the dance floor. I'm, surprisingly, enjoying this. I thought that this would be boring because that's always been who Grayson is: shy, quiet, and boring. Being with him tonight makes me wonder what I have been doing with my life before today.

Who is Cedric Diggory? Why would I like that peabrain? Grayson is a peabrain, too, but at least he's cute. Look at Cedric—why would I like him?

I know I'm just lying to myself to make myself feel better about the breakup, but, hey, you believed me for a second, right?

Later on, Louis pulls me to the side once Grayson goes off to get us drinks. I notice that Draco is talking to Katelyn Scamander, I think he's even—Merlin, he's flirting with her. Gross.

"Makayla, we need to talk," Louis says, sighing. He's clearly irritated. I can't tell if he's upset because I'm distracted or if it's for some other reason.

I finally turn to face him, finally focusing on him. My eyes subconsciously graze over his body before meeting his eyes in one quick motion. I clear my throat before asking, "About?"

Louis is torn between what he's going to say, it being visible on his face. He decides to go with, "I don't think Grayson is a good guy for you..."

I'm completely dumbfounded and caught off guard by that sentence, my eyebrows raising. I laugh awkwardly as I say, "Um—Excuse me?"

"I know Grayson better than anyone, Makayla, you've gotta believe—"

I laugh, cutting him off, "Is this because you're jealous that you don't have a date to the Ball? Because, if that's the case, that's not my—"

"No!" Louis cuts me off, raising his hands to get me to calm down. "Why would I be jealous of you? I truly don't ca—"

He's clearly lying. I don't know why.

"Oh, Merlin, you are jealous of me!" I interrupt him again. "Listen, I'm sorry that I have a date and you don't, but I actually like this date, so could you stop the whole 'hating me' scandal and let me have this one thing?"

"I don't hate you!" he defends himself as the people around start to quiet down to listen to the argument. "And I sure as hell am not jealous of you! I'm jealous of your shitty date, can't you see that?"

I'm quiet and confused. Nothing of what he just said makes sense enough to register in my head. What the hell does he mean that he doesn't hate me? That's his fucking job!

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" I finally ask. His angry expression falters at the realization that I don't understand that everyone around us is listening.

He sighs, rubbing his temple and letting his fingers drift into his hair, running through it. "You don't understand..." he murmurs. "And you never will."

Then he walks off. What just happened?

Grayson walks over, holding a drink in each hand. He smiles awkwardly as I turn to face him, still confused by the encounter with Louis. "Hey... What was that about?"

I clear my throat, "Honestly, I don't know..." My eyes shift to the drinks in his hands, "Do those have booze in them?"

"I saw the Weasley twins pour something into them, so I'm guessing so."

I smile, "Oh, great."

He gives me my cup and I take one long sip until it's empty. Once it is empty, I remove it from my lips, grimacing and shaking my head excessively. That was surely an experience.

"Fire time?" Grayson asks before taking a sip of his own drink. I nod, still grimacing. He chuckles. "You get used to it eventually."

Then, Blaise, Mattheo, and Theo walk over. Mattheo has his jaw dropped, "No way, did you just drink?"

They know I don't typically drink. Everytime we all—Blaise, Draco, Jordyn, Kai, Louis, Mattheo, Pansy, and Theo—hang out, I refuse a drink, along with Louis. So, rightfully so, this is a surprise for them to witness.

"Why was it kind of good—?" I ask, laughing slightly as I wipe my lips.

"It's called alcohol, sweetheart," Blaise teases as he wraps an arm around my neck loosely.

"Get off me," I say almost immediately.

To that, he laughs and replies, "Okay, then."

"What made you change your mind?" Theo asks.

I take a moment to ponder on the question, before saying, "An asshole."