𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐨𝐲𝐬 | niki

11 | a reminder

As expected, I found Jake outside training for the next Quidditch game with the other players, one of those being Niki himself. I pull Jake to a side, and he looks full of confusion.

"Yes ma'am?"

"Jake, you better know what I'm going to ask you about." I say, giving him my best angry look, but it's hard to be angry at the boy who practically resembles a puppy.

Before Jake could answer, I notice Niki at the side, watching our interaction.

To be honest, I wasn't so mad at Jake at all for uploading the photo of myself and Niki. I mean, I was kind of at first but now... it's grown on me, and I don't really care that other people have seen it.

I kinda just want to bug Jake a bit, and in doing so, annoy Niki at the same time.

"Oh... the photo." He scratches the back of his head. "I mean, it's a cute photo, no?"

"Can't believe you'd do me dirty like that Jake." I scoff in pretend shock, but can't help but let out my laughter. Jake laughs along side me, and pulls out his phone, showing me the picture again.

"I did you guys favours! I mean look, this photo practically depicts specifically how you guys feel about each other." Jake states seriously and I laugh.

"Nooo, you just caught a split second of the scene which isn't a true expression of what reality was like." I explain, proud of my logic.

"You were stood like that for ten whole seconds my friend." He replies monotonously, making me laugh even more, only to notice Niki at the side glaring us down.

When he notices me looking, he flashes his eyebrows up once at me, as if to say, "What are you looking at?" And after that, I draw my attention to anything else but the tall oreo haired boy.

"Are you coming to the party tonight by the way? I mean, you've never come to one but..."

"Since I'm dating Niki you're assuming I'll go?" I reply to Jake and he nods.

"No offence but yes." He chuckles.

"He hasn't told me about it yet but when he does I'll consider it." I shrug, knowing full well I'm going to have to go anyway since it's part of our deal.

"Well, I'll see you there then." Jake waves as I wave back, exiting the Quidditch field.

***

"Nari, dear, please could you collect the textbooks from the Potions classroom?"

"Of course Professor." I reply politely, and begin my journey to retrieve the books.

On my way there, around the corner in a supposed empty hallway, I hear a familiar deep voice. I peep around the corner, and my eyes widen when I find Niki stood there with his hands in his pockets, talking to a girl with Slytherin uniform on.

For some reason, I feel... angry? I suppose?

I forget how I'm feeling and continue to focus on their conversation, it seeming to go on for a minute too long. But when I notice the girl walking away from him after they finish their conversation, I quickly exit the scene so I'm not caught.

***

I feel grateful for it being Sunday, as we don't have any lessons. It made it much easier for me to avoid Niki after seeing him talking to another girl.

I guess I felt guilty at times when I ignored him, but as I walk to the Great Hall for lunch, I see that very same girl again and all feelings of guilt or regret are replaced by anger.

She talks to her friends, giggling and blushing and I hear her say, "Yeah no, he literally told me to come to the party."

"With him!?" One of her friends asks.

"Well, I guess so!" She giggles and my fists - already clenched - tighten.

I immediately don't feel guilty for ignoring him anymore, and instead feel relieved that I've heard all of this. I was in desperate need of a reminder that Niki and I's relationship is in fact fake, and not real. He doesn't actually have feelings for me and I don't for him. I need to remember that.

This is my first time having so much association with a guy, so I'm very inexperienced and need to be careful and not be delusional.

I guess it's just a struggle when we're alone and he continues to flirt with me. I thought we were only supposed to do that in public? To fool everyone, especially Riddle, into thinking that our relationship is real.

What's worse though, is him asking another girl, who's not me, to go to the party with him. What if those girls tell everyone and then people start to question our relationship?

I need to have a word with him at some point, but not right now because if I see him at this moment, I think I might just slap him.

***

My day couldn't have gotten worse, when Headmistress McGonagall summons both Niki and myself to her office. I don't stop to have a chat with him before we go in, and instead ignore his looks of confusion.

"So, Nari and Niki." She starts, looking at the two of us sat on the chairs on the opposite side of her desk. "I've called you here to ask how the tutoring sessions have been going."

My fists relax, after realising that she hasn't called us here because caught us the other day out by the lake, not fulfilling our required tutoring session.

"They've been going great." Niki replies, and I don't dare to look at him. "Nari is an excellent tutor."

"That's wonderful to hear." She smiles, looking at me. "And how has Mr Nishimura been? Has he been behaving?"

My eyes glance towards the boy beside me and he smirks, his elbow resting on the armchair as he covers his mouth with his hand, trying to prevent himself from giggling or something.

His legs are so god damn long, so that when he manspreads, his left knee knocks into mine before I reply. I clear my throat, and move my legs away from his.

"Yes. He's been okay." I answer and she nods.

"Right, well that's good. Let's have this continue until the Christmas exams."

"Will do Professor." I reply with a smile and the two of us exit her office.

I'm about to leave but Niki manages to hold onto my wrist and pull me back. I shake my wrist out of his grip and he looks down at me with a smirk, but my eyes move to anywhere else but his face.

"How are you love? I have spoken to you all day." He says and I swallow.

"Well we haven't really made any public appearances, have we?" I respond and he takes a step closer to me.

"What do you mean?" He asks. "We can't talk in private?"

"Well, I don't think it's appropriate to unless it's for our tutoring session." I respond, looking at anywhere else to avoid seeing his reaction.

"Are you being serious?" He asks sounding very confused and I nod before walking away and as I do, he shouts out, "There's a party tonight. I better see you there Nari!"

I scoff in annoyance.

"You better see that other girl too, huh?" I mutter, knowing full well he wouldn't hear that.