~Twisted Loyalties~ Matheo Riddle x OC x Theodore Nott

chapter 11

    Matheo pov

I stormed into the library, my mind still reeling from Theo’s words. You like her. What kind of joke was that? I barely knew Eris. She was just some girl we’d brought in, nothing more. Sure, she was intriguing, and yeah, maybe she had some kind of presence that pulled you in. But to say I liked her? That was ridiculous.

I needed to clear my head.

The quiet of the library helped dull the noise in my mind. I spotted Lydia in her usual corner, buried in a book like always. My sister was the quiet type, more like Theo in that way. But she was sharp, always paying attention even when you thought she wasn’t.

I dropped into the chair across from her, letting out a frustrated sigh. She looked up from her book, raising an eyebrow.

“What’s up with you?” she asked, setting the book aside.

“Nothing,” I muttered, already regretting coming in here. Lydia had a way of digging at things, even when I didn’t want her to.

She gave me a look that said she didn’t believe me for a second. “You’ve got that look on your face.”

“What look?”

“The look you get when something’s bothering you, and you’re pretending it’s not.”

I shot her a glare, but she just waited, her expression calm and patient. Lydia never pushed too hard, but she never let things go either.

“It's just... Theo,” I finally said, leaning back in the chair, staring up at the ceiling. “He’s been talking about Eris. Says I’m ‘interested’ in her.” I scoffed at the word, shaking my head. “I barely know her.”

Lydia gave a small shrug. “Maybe that’s true, but it doesn’t seem like you’re indifferent to her either.”

I frowned, the irritation bubbling up again. “She’s with Theo all the time. He’s the one who likes her. What does it matter to me?”

Lydia tilted her head slightly, studying me. “You’re aggravated,” she said quietly. “Why?”

I huffed, clenching my jaw. “It’s just… I don’t get why he’s so hung up on her already. She’s reckless, unpredictable. It’s like she’s got no sense of self-preservation. She’s going to end up getting hurt, and Theo’s too blind to see it.”

“So you’re annoyed because you think Theo’s making a mistake,” Lydia replied, her tone even.

“Exactly,” I said quickly, glad someone understood. “He’s being stupid. He barely knows her, and yet there he is, practically fawning over her.”

Lydia’s eyes narrowed slightly, and I could tell she was about to dig deeper. “Is it really about Theo, or is it about Eris?”

I felt my frustration spike. “It’s about both. She’s reckless, and he’s being an idiot.”

“But why does it bother you this much?” Lydia asked, leaning forward slightly. “Why does her being with Theo get under your skin?”

“Because it’s… weird,” I said, struggling to find the right words. “She’s new. We’ve barely had time to figure her out, and now suddenly, Theo’s acting like she’s the best thing that’s ever happened.”

“And that bothers you,” Lydia said, watching me closely.

I clenched my fists, feeling the irritation crawling up my spine. “I don’t know what it is, alright? It just… it gets to me. I’ve just met her, and now I’ve got Theo throwing her in my face every other second.”

Lydia’s lips quirked into a knowing smile, but it wasn’t mocking. “You’re not used to not being the one in control of the situation. Maybe that’s why she gets under your skin. She’s not something you can predict, and neither is the way she affects Theo.”

I stared at her, my jaw tight. “I don’t like her, Lydia. I barely know her.”

“I never said you did,” she replied calmly. “But something about her is making you act differently, and that’s what’s getting to you.”

I let out a long breath, running a hand through my hair. “It’s just… annoying, alright? Theo and her are driving me crazy, and I don’t know why.”

Lydia gave me a soft smile, her eyes full of understanding. “You don’t have to figure it all out right now. Just be aware that whatever this is, it’s affecting you more than you want to admit.”

I scoffed, pushing up from my chair. “I’m not some lovesick fool like Theo. I’m not going to get caught up in this mess.”

Lydia shrugged. “Maybe not. But don’t be surprised if it keeps bothering you until you do something about it.”

I glared at her, knowing she was probably right, but not wanting to admit it. “I’ll figure it out,” I muttered, turning away.

As I walked out of the library, her words followed me, echoing in my head. I didn’t know what Eris was to me, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that she was going to keep stirring things up whether I wanted her to or not.