A heart beneath the mark

7. Part

Depressed, I stared at the ceiling of my room, unable to stop my mind from wandering. The last few days had been incredibly hard due to the widespread rumors about me. I sincerely hoped the commotion would die down soon so that I could live in peace again. I no longer had the strength to walk through the corridors, past groups of people laughing at me, pretending I didn't care. The truth was, I couldn't take it anymore. For the first time, I felt the urge to leave Hogwarts and go back to my mum. I had managed so well in recent years to make myself invisible that I didn't know how to handle all this sudden, negative attention.

It was Saturday, and I had promised myself not to leave the Ravenclaw Tower unless it was for food or something urgent. On this beautiful, sunny day, I simply couldn't face hearing more lies about me.

I glanced at my alarm clock: 9:24 a.m. I decided to freshen up. I washed my face, applied some moisturizer, brushed my teeth, combed my blonde, shoulder-length hair, and tied it into a bun. I pulled on a pair of black, comfortable trousers from my wardrobe and a loose, red t-shirt my mum had gifted me for my birthday.

Dressed, I headed to the common room to grab a book. I noticed Cho sitting alone on the couch, staring blankly at the stone wall in front of her.

"Is everything okay?" I asked as I walked toward the bookshelf in the corner.

"Yes," she replied. "I'm just thinking about how to get Harry to talk to me again. I mean, he can't ignore me forever, right?"

"He can, but I don't think he will. Still, you can't force him to talk to you. He needs to come to you on his own terms," I said, hoping to offer some clarity.

She responded with a soft "Hmm," which sounded like, "I see your point, but I have my own thoughts." I abandoned my search for the book, walked over, and sat beside her.

We sat in silence for several minutes, neither of us wanting to delve deeper into our personal issues. Yet, we both appreciated the quiet understanding that someone was there, just in case we wanted to talk.

"What are you going to do about the rumors going around about you?" Cho asked suddenly after we had sat together for about half an hour.

I sighed, exhaling deeply, and shrugged. I had no clue how to stop the rumors.

"I suppose I'll just endure it until people stop caring," I replied, my voice uncertain.

"But don't you want to know who started them?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.

I already knew. No one else would go out of their way to attack me like this, except Mattheo Riddle. Confronting him would only give him the satisfaction of winning, and I wasn't about to give him that.

"We both know exactly who started the rumors," I said firmly, meeting her gaze. Cho thought for a moment before understanding dawned on her.

"You think Riddle did it?" she asked, almost surprised.

"No one can tell the great Mattheo Riddle to 'piss off' without consequences," I said sarcastically, turning my eyes back to the stone wall.

After some more small talk, we decided to head to the Great Hall for something to eat. I was starving.

I braced myself for the stares and whispers of the students who clearly didn't realize I knew exactly what they were laughing and gossiping about. And, of course, as soon as we entered the hall, the looks of disgust began. I heard the whispers and the laughter. I kept my eyes on the floor, trying to ignore it as we found seats at the Ravenclaw table. I took some food, but after only three bites, I couldn't take it anymore. I stood up and hurried out of the Great Hall. It wasn't the smartest thing to do if I didn't want to draw attention, but at that moment, I didn't care. I just didn't want to break down in front of them.

I ran through the corridors, tears blurring my vision. Right, left, another left... My heart pounded louder and louder in my chest. Eventually, I slowed down, taking deep, steady breaths to calm myself. After a few seconds, I continued walking aimlessly, not knowing where I was headed.

Then, as I rounded a corner, I spotted Theodore Nott... and Mattheo Riddle.

They were laughing together, oblivious to my presence in the corridor. I took the opportunity to rush past them, turning my head slightly to avoid being recognized. My heart raced as I drew closer and closer to the person responsible for my misery.

Just a few more steps, I told myself, and it would be over. But then, a deep voice stopped me in my tracks.

"Bennett, why so cold today?"

Shit.

I didn't dare look up, but I knew they were both watching me. Panic surged within me, and I bolted, running as fast as I could. Thankfully, there was a girls' bathroom at the end of the corridor. I darted inside, locked myself in one of the stalls, and let my tears flow freely.

I wasn't sure how long I stayed there, but it couldn't have been more than five minutes before I heard the bathroom door creak open. I held my breath, not wanting anyone to find me in this state. Still, I couldn't hold it for long, and little sobs escaped me.

I listened as the footsteps grew closer, stopping right outside my stall. It felt like the person knew exactly where I was.

Did someone see me? The only people in the corridor had been Riddle and Nott. No...

"Come out, Bennett. No one can stand your pitiful sobbing," came the same deep voice I'd heard only moments before.

A shiver ran down my spine. Quietly, I wiped my tears as best as I could and opened the stall door.