lovesick || r. lupin

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Ayla's cheeks flared a bright red as she shuffled over to the last two seats in the dingy classroom; one next to Sirius and the other next to James.

It was selfish, she knew it, but Ayla hoped she'd be able to sit next to James. But with how upset Grace was right then, she wasn't sure if she'd even live long enough to do that.

"You're the second dumbest person I know, you prick," Grace sneered, smacking the blonde, hard.

"Who's the first?"

"Sirius Black," Grace mumbled as she sat down next to him, leaving Ayla in shock. Grace sat next to Sirius? Ayla was going to sit next to James? This had to be a dream.

But it wasn't.

Ayla set her bag down next to her seat, avoiding all eye contact. Grace sat in front of her, Sirius to the girls left, who was leaning away from her and tapping his heel loudly. Peter sat beside Sirius, oblivious to what had happened. James was behind Sirius, cleaning his glasses and Remus was to James' left, who had tired eyes and nails bitten to nubs.

James smelt of pinewood and broom polish, Ayla thought. Pinewood and broom polish, pinewood and broom polish, pinewood and bro-

"Miss Quill, are you even listening?" Professor Slughorn cried, a frown on his face, looking a bit offended.

"Er," Ayla popped her head up and looked to the teacher, "yes, yes, of course!"

Slughorn murmured something under his breath, turning back towards the board.

James nudged Ayla's arm, a crooked grin on his face. It felt like her whole body went numb. "Nice save, but I personally wouldn't act like a deer in headlights the next time he does that," he chuckled softly. The bespectacled boy turned back to Remus, continuing to insist he needed to stop biting his nails.

Ayla felt faint. She wasn't sure she'd last this school year next to him.

-----

"You should have seen it, he smiled at me! It was the closest thing that I could describe as an angel, Grace!"

"Can you stop? You're giving me a migraine," Grace threw her head back and groaned. "Love is overrated, isn't it? Why are you so obsessed with that idiot?"

Ayla furrowed her brows at Grace, who was leaning back in a library chair, feet perched on the edge of the table. "Well," Ayla paused, "there's a lot of reasons. And I'm not obsessed."

"Name three reasons."

"Easy," Ayla spat. She bit the inside of her cheek and patted her legs in thought. "He's really attractive, of course... and he's funny." A pause.

A smirk graced Grace's lips. "That's two. What's the last one? Or are you just going to say he's fit again?" She pulled her legs to the ground and set her elbows on her knees in anticipation.

Ayla paused. She swore she had named three things. Surely she had, she couldn't think of much else to say. "He's nice... to the people wants."

"Wow, how charming," Grace fanned herself, sarcasm oozing from every word.

"It is!" Ayla insisted, raising herself out of her chair, it falling back loudly and slamming against the floor.

An array of hushes were heard as Ayla went to pick up the seat and set it back up. She mumbled apologizes, biting the inside of her cheek, cheeks flushing pink.

"Speak of the devil," Grace sneered, rolling her eyes and kicking Ayla to get her attention. Ayla raised her head, looked to Grace, then the door and seeing a pack of boys walking into the library. James, Sirius, Remus, Peter.

"Oh, look! Grace! Just the person I needed to talk to. How's it been, darling? I'd like to apologize for my actions on the train and all through the years. I was-" Sirius began in a joking tone.

"Leave. Now," Grace stared at the boy coldly. Ayla couldn't read much else on the girls face except for anger.

"Come on! I'm trying to mend things! I don't need any drama this year, no ma'am," Sirius explained, shaking his head side to side.

James was behind Sirius, a small smile cracking. Ayla didn't know where the other two boys had went.

Grace stood from her chair, her hand reaching into her pocket, getting ready to grab her wand. "Me neither. So, leave and stop talking to me."

"Grace," Ayla reached for the dark haired girl, readying herself to pull her back.

"Why are you always on their side?! Just because you're practically in love with James doesn't mean you have to always try to stop me!" Grace spun around and glared at Ayla, fury radiating around her.

Ayla was shocked. She felt paralyzed in fear, embarrassment, everything. Grace had said that in front of James? "S-sorry."

Ayla felt like she couldn't look up, but forced herself to. James had his dark eyebrows raised, a pitifully look for the blonde. Grace had spun around and pointed her wand at Sirius, anger bubbling, ready to explode.

"Wait, what's happening? Oh my gosh, Padfoot!" Peter screeched, running up and pulling him away from Grace. Remus furrowed his brows and looked between the two in confusion.

"I actually was trying to fix things but she doe-"

"We're leaving. Let's go, guys," Peter squeaked, struggling to drag Sirius out of the room and down the hall, looking petrified. James and Remus stayed, James stood, cracking his knuckles and running his hands through his wild hair while Remus walked up to Grace.

"I'm sorry about him. He can be stupid and not know when to stop. But with everything that has happened, I know he actually wants to put an end to all this fighting. Sirius can be a pain but he really cares about the people he likes. I'm hoping one day you might notice that," Remus told her. The scarred boy raised a hand from his pocket, trying to shake Graces. Grace stared at him, warning in her eyes to leave and Remus retreated and left, leaving James there with the two girls.

"Um," James murmured, "I'm sorry about this... It wasn't a joke even though it might have seemed like it. And," a pause, "it's okay," the boy looked to Ayla. "Dont stress about it. It's fine. But... yeah, sorry again. I'll see you guys later maybe."

And that was it. Grace took her bag and left. Ayla sat alone.