Beautifully Different *Marauders Era*

Chapter 4

VALENTINA

"What is her problem?" I asked, looking at Sirius.

She shrugged, putting his arm around my shoulders and kissing my cheek.

I smiled slightly, but frowned when I looked to where Estelle had gone.

"Maybe we should go check on her," James said worriedly.

"No!" I snapped quickly.

Seeing their confused faces, I quickly tried to make what I said better.

"I mean, it's Estelle. She'll come around. She'll be fine."

Looking convinced, Sirius and James nodded slightly, going back to their food. I could see her handprint in the side of both of their faces and couldn't help the surge of anger that went through me as I realized that she had hit them both pretty hard. She was honestly so dumb sometimes.

"Val, what's up?" Sirius asked, giving me a worried look.

I forced on a smile.

"No reason," I said.

Now that I had them, there's no way I was gonna lose them to her again.

*~*~*

I saw Estelle's hurt glances from across the room. I tried to ignore them, but she looking like a puppy dog, and I couldn't help but sigh.

"Estelle won't quit staring," I growled to James.

He looked up to where she was sitting, and I could practically feel him falling under her spell.

I knew I had made a mistake in mentioning her, she had a puppy dog face that could convince anyone.

"I think I'm gonna go sit with her. We have kinda been jerks to her recently," he said, taking pity on her.

Before I could say something, make up something about her to make him stop, he stood up and was already making his way towards her. All Estelle had to do was give him her kicked puppy stare and he was back to her.

"Hey, Estelle," he whispered.

She rolled her eyes.

"What do you want?"

"To apologize," he said quietly.

"What?"

"I'm sorry, Elle, I don't want to lose you. I don't even know why I was ignoring you, I'm sorry."

Estelle looked at him, and for a moment, I saw a flicker of forgiveness. Her entire posture changed and she sudden,y went stiff as a board. I smiled to myself. He hurt her too bad for her to take him back now.

And then she glanced over. I knew she saw my smile, and I also knew that I had just messed up pretty badly. Suddenly she looked up at him, looking entirely honest and forgiving.

"Yeah. Yeah, no, I understand. Sit?" She gestured to the seat next to her.

He grinned, "Thanks, Estelle. Your friend, Valentina, has been keeping us on some sort of leash somehow."

She sent a glare at me.

"Yeah, I figured. She tends to do that to people."

This class couldn't be over soon enough.

*~*~*

James sat with Estelle at dinner. And where James went, Sirius went. That's how I ended up sitting with just Remus and Peter, while the two main ones I had tried to take we're back with her.

Soon enoug, Remus got bored of me and went to join them. Peter, never wanting to be the odd one out, trailed behind him.

I knew it would backfire. Now Estelle, James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter all hated me. I wouldn't be surprised if Lily hated me too.

I sighed. All I had wanted was to finally have something of hers. To maybe be just as good as her for once in the time we've met. It was stupid, but for a few weeks I was better then her. She was flunking her classes because of her need for her friends, that I had. Since I was now the new Estelle in the marauders, I was also very popular. For just a moment, we switched places.

They were the best few moments of my life, really. I was felt important for once. It was a terrible, quite sad way to get what I wanted, but it worked momentarily.

I knew this was no justification for my actions, I doubted Estelle would ever forgive me. I looked over to see her, but she was gone. The marauders were all looking in front of me with slightly frightened looks. I was afraid to look up.

I did anyway.

And I looked right into the eyes of a very mad Estelle Knight.

"Really Valentina? I always knew you were jealous of my friendship with guys, but I didn't know it had gone this far," she said, laughing bitterly.

I stood but I was still a good four inches shorter than her.

"Who wouldn't? You're so perfect and open and funny all the time."

Estelle froze when I called her perfect.

"Valentina Reed," she growled, and I knew I had hit a sensitive spot, "don't you dare call me perfect. Don't you dare even think about saying how much of a 'fairytale' my life was. You don't know me. And after this, you never will."

She turned and walked away. The four boys got up and followed her, sending me a glare.

As the five of them walked away, I glared down at my place, feeling incensed. Not at Estelle, but at myself.

I just lost my best friend.

I had lost her a long time ago, sure, but this felt worse.

I knew she had probably lost her for good.

And that hurt more than any feeling of jealousy I'd ever felt towards the other girl.

*~*~*