D I L E M M A x Mattheo Riddle

yule ball

                  Vivienne Leclair
Briar's eyes shoot daggers at me as I walk down the Grand Staircase.

"What the fuck are you wearing?" He whisper-shouts at me. I flinch at his remark and take a deep breath. My teeth chatter behind my lips in the bitter cold of the castle.

"What I want to wear," I say sternly. "And don't worry, I got you a tie so we could match." I throw the emerald green tie at him before he can accuse me of anything.

He catches the tie and scoffs. "Why did you change your dress? And without telling me either?" I look around and notice student's eyes begin to fall on us, intently watching our heated conversation.

"I hated the red dress. I told you that."

"I don't care," He moves in closer to my face. "You're wearing Slytherin's color!"

"This isn't a Quidditch game! It doesn't matter what color I wear!" I try to back away from him but he continues moving closer to me.

"It matters when you're dressed in exactly what I told you not to wear!"

"Why do you care so much? It's my dress! I should be allowed to wear what I want to." I attempt to walk away from him, but he grips my shoulder and turns me back around to face him.

With his eyes glowing red, he shoves me against the wall, knocking all the air out of my lungs.

I clutch my body in pain whilst gasps and murmurs arise from the crowd. People gather around us, pointing with shocked looks on their faces.

I slide down the wall and drop to the floor in an attempt to protect myself. Briar pants, his chest rises and falls as he look around at all of his peers with their eyes focused on him. He looks to the left, then to the right, and sprints out of sight and down the hall.

Students are sharing glances of astonishment and disgust as they watch him run away like a coward. I blink rapidly as I try to process what just happened.

Professor Vector spots me and comes rushing over. "What ever has happened here, Vivienne?"

I look around and catch my breath. Professor Vector holds out her hand and I grab onto it, hoisting myself up. "H-He..." I stutter.

Her eyebrows are pinched together and she can't seem to hide the horrified expression on her face. It appears everyone around us sports the same expression as well.

Horrified of Briar's actions.

The students know Briar as the Quidditch star, confident alpha male, and all around good guy, but his previous actions just showed an entirely different side of Briar.

The "New" Briar. The Briar I've gotten to know all too well since the start of the school year. Violent, controlling... impulsive.

"He pushed me..." I'm finally able to mutter out. "Because he didn't like my dress."

Students and professors in the crowd shake their heads in disbelief. I'm sure they're thinking, how could someone like Briar do something so vile?

"I'm very sorry. Are you alright?" Professor Vector asks.

This is my chance.

This is my opportunity to show everyone that Briar is not who he seems.

"I... I will be," I croak, purposely beginning to make tears form in my eyes.

Professor Vectors sympathetic eyes lighten up and she places a hand on my shoulder. "Do you want Miss Pomfrey to make sure you're okay?"

Truthfully, my back is aching. But honestly I want to go to the Ball and have some fun before I have to go through with The Plan.

"No, that's alright. I'm just going to go see my friends if that's okay?" I make sure to give her the saddest eyes, hoping the students around us will notice my demeanor.