The Challenge

Chapter 22

I am just wondering around the castle aimlessly. I have nothing to do. Fred took Val to Hogsmeade for a date. Tom was abducted by his friends to do what ever they do. I don't know what to do. I can't do anything from my list because the next part is meeting James's parents and I have to wait until winter break for that. Three weeks away. 

   Wait, why am I here in the castle, when I could be a Hogsmeade? Stupid, stupid, Sapphire. I shall go to Hogsmeade! 

   I have no one to hang out with. Oh my merlin. Who to hang out with? Not James, Noah, and Justin. I don't know where Scorpius, Rose, Ablus, Hugo, or Lily are. I don't really hang out with Julisa, Kaitlin, and Roxanne. Too girly for me. I don't know how Val can hang out with them. There's Scorpius, but I don't know where he is. Ugh where did all my friends go?! I hang out with Fred a lot.

   O! Look, there's Benjy Burke. 5th year Slytherin. He's really nice actually. He's alone, so let's go talk to him! 

   I catch up with Benjy and smile at him. "Hey, Ben!"

   He smiles at me, "oh. Hey, Sapphire. What's up?"

   I shrug in response, "nothing really. I have no one to hang out with! But then I saw you and thought that I'd hang out with you because you're pretty Cool!"

   Ben laughs, "well, thank you. I don't have anyone to hang out either. All of my friends are busy."

   "Bummer. So, how's it going? We haven't talked since I accidentally hit you with a fire cracker." Fred and I were having an argument about who we should prank and I threw a fire cracker at Fred. But he ducked and it hit Ben instead. Whoopsie!

   "I remember that, you wouldn't stop fussing over me. While Fred was laughing his butt off. Anyways, I'm fine."

   I stare at him, I can read his face like a book. Something's up. "Is someone bothering you? If there is, who? I'll straighten them up."

   "What?" Ben asks, surprised. "No, no one's bothering me."

   "Then why you down? Don't be lyk dat, beh happeh!"

   Ben gives me a weird look, "don't talk like that, ever. Please."

   I laugh, "then, tell mama what's wrong."

   "Nothing's wrong, Sapphire."

   "You lie!" I poke his cheek, "I will not stop until you tell me."

   Ben grabs my hand, "Okay fine! What if you liked someone you're not supposed to like?"

   I smirk at him, "ooooooo, Benny Ben has a crush!"

   Ben glares at me, "Sapphire."

   "Okay, okay. What do you mean by, 'someone you're not supposed to like'?"

   "Just... Someone who you wouldn't like if you were... You know..." Ben says slowly, "a... Yeah."

    I stare at him, confused. "If you were a what?"

   Ben looks at me nervously, "someone who.. Isn't into... Things the way they should."

   "Oh my merlin, Ben. Just say it. I am slow, okay? What the hell does, 'someone who isn't into things the way they should' mean? What do you like dolls? Do you not like quidditch? Do you not like girls?" Ben looks away, "OH MY MERLIN! I'm so stupid!" I face palm myself. "There's nothing wrong with that, Ben."

   "Yeah, I guess. But it's just, the guy I like is... His family wouldn't allow it and he thinks of me just as a friend."

   "And this mystery guy is?" I smile and wiggle my eyebrows. Ben mumbles a name, but all I heard was, 'sckdjfjdmius.' "Ben, speak up."