Becoming a Sallow

[Thirteen]

CW: ABUSE. VIOLEINCE.

Tessa Wilkes

Sebastian was unreachable. She couldn't find him anywhere, except in class, in which he would sit at the farthest place away from her and be gone as soon as the class ended. He wouldn't look at her, kept his eyes down at his notes or up at the professor teaching. Even potions had became strained, though they were supposed to work together sometimes, he remained silent, never offering.. anything. Imelda had watched with a smug expression, whereas Walter watched, curious.

He was never in the great hall, the library, or the undercroft. Tessa had even stayed a whole night in the undercroft one night and he hadn't shown up, and Tessa had to deal with the barrage of questioning from Sylvia the next time she'd seen her as well as the side effects from a wide-eye potion.

Anne had rejoined classes, only sitting in on potions and herbology, the rest of her classes were centered around healing, so Tessa only had to avoid her in those two classes, not that Anne tried too hard to say anything to her. She clung to Ominis, who looked happier than Tessa had seen him in.. Well, ever. She'd never seen him look so happy.

She wondered what Sebastian thought of that. If he even noticed it.

After telling him everything that had transpired (minus the part about Solomon), Andrew was just as lost as she was when it came to trying to find Sebastian outside of their normal classes. "Maybe you should just leave him alone, Tessa. I don't like that you're chasing after him."

Tessa sighed and rested her cheek on her arm at the table in the great hall. Andrew didn't understand the whole story, how hurt and lost Sebastian had been the past few years, and why she needed to talk to him, to make sure he was alright. Not to mention... She missed him.

She wanted to cook something. To bake, something to get her racing and jumbled thoughts in order.

"Is Simon coming on Saturday or Sunday this weekend?" Andrew asked, clearly trying to take her mind off of Sebastian but it just made her feel guilty.

Simon. She should be focused on Simon, not Sebastian.

"My parent's haven't told me, so I'll leave tonight just in case." She needed to bring that book and put it back. It had been a blessing her father hadn't discovered it missing yet.

"I'm glad I don't have to worry about you as much on the weekends." Andrew said with a sigh. "But I do still miss our freetime."

She looked at him, saw his expression of.. a childish pout and it made her laugh softly.

"Once Simon is ready to get engaged, there will be no need for me to continue to go there. Once schooling is over, then we'll be wed and... what have you." She said.

Andrew was now looking at her wide-eyed.

"You do not seem nearly as enthusiastic about Simon, Tessa."

"Enthusiasm does not matter here, unfortunately," she gave a sad smile.

"Who's Simon?"

Dammit. She hadn't noticed them leaving the Slytherin table and heading over. She quickly began to stand, but Anne put her hands up in a sign of surrender. "I didn't come to start a fight."

"I'd rather not be seen with you," Tessa said, wincing at the unkind words. "It... would hurt Sebastian more."

"I haven't been able to find him," Ominis said, annoyance in his tone. "We were hoping maybe you could bring him to us."