Vermilion (SCOROSE)

5. Thursday, October 14th, 2022: In which boys confuse me

  "Love can change a person the way a parent can change a baby- awkwardly, and often with a great deal of mess." 

-Lemony Snicket.  

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Thursday, October 13th, 2022, Breakfast, Early. 

You know how I was going to visit Al in Hospital Wing and all? 

Whale, that plan failed and crashed and burnt and exploded into a blinding mushroom cloud. 

I had sneaked around a few beds, practically tip-toeing stealthily like in old black and white cartoons as if that was going to make all 5'7 of me disappear into a different vortex. Spoiler alert: It didn't. In fact, oddly enough, I saw the dreaded Barbie Lydia standing at the side of a bed in which Al, completely calm and stable, laid, laughing and joking around. I couldn't hear what they were talking about, seeing as I was still maybe five or six beds away from them, but I immediately stopped dead in my tracks, choked, and got the hell out of there. 

That brings us to now. Me sitting at my usual spot for breakfast with cousins and friends. Of course, they're talking about random other things, while I feel ridiculous. I thought Al was going to die, that's how dramatic I am, but turns out, he's fine. He's more than fine, he's up and flirting with the girl who I get the feeling hates me. The feeling isn't all too one-sided, I'm quite sure I don't like her very much either. I'm such a git though, holy fiddlesticks. Two nights ago, I broke down in front of Malfoy and let him hug me and talked to him and sobbed and screamed in hysterics like a complete twatfaced githead for legit no reason.

Before I could repeatedly slam my head against the table because I hate myself, Elle poked me with her long, stabby-pokey finger and asked, "Al?"

"Better, much better. In fact, awake and accompanied by...well, company."

She quirked an eyebrow, "Company?"

"Barbie Lydia," I whispered after glancing sideways, left and right, to check the perimeter, even though I wasn't quite sure why I was being so secretive about it. It was just them talking, it's not like she was pregnant with his fifth child, and I caught them arguing about whether it was really his or not. Though, with Hogwarts' current Rumor Mill, I doubt the news would be the only headline of that caliber.  

Elle's face dropped. Damn, she was suddenly so red and her eyes were burning with this random burst of anger. 

"Erm, you alright, Ellie?" I reached out for her hand, but she pulled it back before I could and got up to leave. 

"I have practice now, match tomorrow. I'll see you later." 

She got out of the hall faster than I got out of the Trophy Room after the confusing detention I had last night.

Lily from beside me mumbled more to herself than to me, "Time of the month." 

At around the same time, I caught a glimpse of Laura at the Hufflepuff table with Matthew, her boyfriend, and they seemed to be bickering about something. He looked like he was going on and on about something, and she just opened her mouth again and again, trying to say something, but eventually only folded her arms and rolled her eyes every now and then.

What is up with everyone?!

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