Who I Really Am (A Remus Lupin Love Story)

Chapter Four

"You're Bria Noble, aren't you?" Lily asks me.
I whisper back really quietly, "Yes." I'm looking down at my hands. Lily's going to hate me now. She's going to call me names. Avoid me. Bully me. Hate me. Our few minutes of friendship are over. It's amazing how much one last name could change everything.
Lily studies me, which makes me feel nervous. She's finding ways to judge me. Any second now it will come.
"I don't think you're horrible, or ugly, or fat like they all say." She says, "I don't get why they say those things. You're really nice, and pretty, and skinny."
I stare at her in shock. "Really?" I whisper.
"Really." She replies, smiling at me. "They're just a bunch of bullies who don't know anything. They just listen to what James says and believe every word. They don't really look at you and see who you really are. They're just jerks."
"Yes, they are." I reply. "Lily?"
"Yes?"
"We're friends now, right? Or are we not? I haven't really had a friend before... Well I have, but when they found out who I was they left." I'm looking at my hand while I say this. I feel like I crossed a line. I shouldn't ask her now! We just met! And how can we be friends? She'll just get made fun of too for being friends with stupid, ugly, fat Noble.
"Of course!" Lily says, nodding.
"But... But they'll make fun of you too! They'll say things about you! They'll wonder why you're hanging out with me!" I protest. I don't want her to be bullied too...
"I don't care! Let them!"
I stare at her in shock. "Really? You don't care?"
"No! I would much rather hang out with you than anyone else. They all say
horrible things about you, and I never say anything back. I never want to. I
wanted to talk to you before I judged you. And I think they should do the same."
I smile. My first real friend, Lily Evans.