Odds Ever in Our Favour--Writing Games Entry Book

2. ...and the German Inquisition (TA)

"Legilimens!"

A golden jet of light sped towards me and hit me hard in the gut, and instantly I felt my body weaken, my knees buckling and my gut twisting in tight knots. I was vaguely aware of falling, and all I could feel as I writhed on the floor was agonizing pain, tingling through my limbs and eventually shooting towards my head, where the horrendous sensation gathered like agitated storm clouds. And as the torture reached an unbearable point, I felt my mind split open as a series of flashbacks began to vividly display through the large mass of clouds...flashbacks that I never thought the experts would see.

I was ten years old in the first one. It was my birthday, and all of my friends from my old school and my family had gathered around to sing "Happy Birthday"—or rather, "Bonne Fête"--at my birthday part back home. I remembered how I saw everyone beaming at me with pride, having turned another year older, and hopefully another year wiser. I remembered the cake sitting in front of me—a stunning two-layer cake with white icing and a light fluffy vanilla filling, plump and juicy strawberry slices topping the cake. I extinguished the candles with a single breath, everyone applauded enthusiastically, and then everyone was handed a slice of cake on top of a dainty platter.

Later on, as I walked around making conversation with the guests, one of my friends—Lilou, I think her name was--went over to me and tapped me on the shoulder.

"Hey," I greeted her with a wave and smile.

Lilou nodded at my birthday dress—it was a simple white summer tank top dress with sparkling diamonds on the bodice, the skirt reaching just to my knees. "I love your dress. It looks stunning on you."

"Aw, merci Lilou!" I knew that if there was anyone who could give genuine compliments, it was Lilou.

But Lilou wasn't done. The next time she talked, her voice sounded cold.

"It's stunning, and fake, like you," she spat.

"What do you mean?" I was thoroughly confused at her sudden change in tone.

Lilou gave a haughty huff of air, shaking her head exasperatedly. "Honestly, Tamara. Did you really think I only came here just to wish you a happy birthday? No! I just wanted to tell you that there was no point in you planning this extravagant party, inviting all of us when you were going to end up being the star of the show. What made you assume that you could flaunt your newly assumed status as a stuck-up snob? Why bother acting as if we're nothing but pieces of worthless crap? Face it, Tamara. No one likes you for being such a flipping fake."

What the heck was she talking about?

"I...no," I disagreed with a shake of the head. "I would never act like a snob! I would never be a fake! I have never treated anyone like they're inferior!"

"Stop lying, Tamara," Lilou growled. "You're nothing in comparison to everyone else. You're nothing but a cheat and an absolute scoundrel!"

Before I could blink, she had lobbed her piece of cake right into my face, the sticky icing leaving white residues on my cheeks and nose and forehead and even my eyelids, creating white streaks on my carefully styled black braid. I couldn't see anything, but I wasn't completely senseless. Next moment, I felt more pieces of cake slam onto my arms, my legs, every inch of my body which has not been covered yet with icing that my so-called friends could hit, and when that was done they continued laughing at me, their voices creating horrible dissonances that never resonated in my ears.

"Well, then! How do you like that present, Tamara? It's from all of us!" I heard another friend, Francesca, shriek in laughter.

I couldn't fathom the sudden realization, the cold hard truth, that my friends were never my friends in the first place, that they have resented me for the longest time. What happened to the fun times I used to have with them? Those no longer had a meaning. As my friends continued taunting me, I felt the tears sting beneath the icing, my world slowly spiraling out of control, bits of cake dropping from my arms and plopping on the floor in sickly squelches...