TW: familial abuse and sibling loss towards the end of the chapter.
regulus: come over after practice?
I looked over at James from the passenger side of his car.
"I'm just saying, A, you could have told me." I rolled my eyes, I'd just broken the news that I wasn't with Ev the other night and that I was ninety percent sure he was actually in love with Barty. I'd spent all night tossing and turning over the fact that not only was I lying to my best friend, but I'd dragged them into it too.
"You were so set that I was seeing Ev, it was easier." I replied with a shrug. He winced as he drank his protein shake. "I'm actually begging you to stop drinking anything with protein powder in it. I'll make granola bars tonight."
"Coach says I have to bulk up."
"Hit the gym, eat carbs, that stuff literally makes you gag. It's starting to make me hate protein powder." He chuckled.
"Promise you'll make granola bars?" I nodded.
"Promise you're not mad at me?"
"If Sirius isn't, I'm surely not." He tapped his thumbs on the steering wheel. I knew what was coming. "I'm just happy you're putting yourself out there hermana, it's been so long, you know since-"
"Don't. He is not important." His face sank, he knew better than anyone what happened in school.
"He is also not the reason I don't date, you guys are." I joked. He smiled.
"And mum and dad." I laughed.
"Them too."
"If he's anything like Siri, they'll love him."
"That's the thing, I'm not sure if he is." I shook my head, I was being irrational. "I'm not even sure if he likes me. It's weird." He threw the car in park.
"You're Arabella fucking Fox-Potter, of course he likes you." I laughed again.
me: yeah, any particular reason?
regulus: i'll explain at practice
I showed James my phone. He raised his eyebrows.
"Cryptic." He said, I nodded.
"He tends to be." I climbed out of the car as he picked up the shake. I stuck my hand back in and stole it from him.
"Stop, you're either really bad at making them or you just truly hate them." I took a drink and gagged.
"You're terrible at making them." I told him as I dumped it out. He nodded. I set the cup back in the cup holder.
"Love you!" He yelled after me. I shook my head.
"Love you too!"
...
"If you don't get your shit together by next week I swear to everything I love I will pull you from the fucking competition. You better put some extra time in on the ice. Is that clear?" Minnie scolded us. We both nodded.
"You're getting there, but I won't settle for mediocre." She told us.
"Yes ma'am." Regulus said from beside me. She nodded and moved out of the way, we skated off. She sighed and began to walk off.
"Hey, Min?" I called after her, she turned around. I grabbed the tupperware from my bag, holding both out to her.
"James made the tacos you like, and I baked to excess the other night. Take em. Save yourself a night of take out." I told her. She grabbed them both.
