Twists of Fate

Chapter 23: Life Begins

Scorp sat alone in the bay window of his new house. The lights were off. The sunlight cast enough of a glow to brighten up the room. His head rested against the wall, a bottle of firewhiskey rested on the floor below. A glass placed readily in his hand. The muggle clock on the wall ticked slowly providing the only source of noise in the room.

People always think that things will turn out okay. Happy ever afters are inevitable. The hardships and unexpected bumps in the road all led to happiness. If you were patient enough they will happen. But how patient did he need to be? He was still completely certain that Rose was who he was meant to be with and by the next sunset that belief would be shattered and deemed unpreparable. Now he had no idea what he was going to do anymore. He'd been so focused getting Rose back and making a future with her that he never planned on it not working out. His father was right. He should have been more cautious. The worst part about it all was seeing the look in Rose's eyes when he told her he loved her. She'd never been good at hiding the truth from him. Every thought and feeling she ever felt was presented clearly in her eyes. It was no different when he told her he loved her.

He took a sip. The firewhiskey scratched his throat. He was still on the same glass he'd been nursing since he got home from Rose's flat. It was warm and lost its keen sense of taste, but he didn't bother refilling. The drink would do nothing to dull his mind from the pain or his insufferable thoughts. That was one of the annoying things about the human brain; they never stopped thinking.

A loud crack erupted down the hall. Scorp didn't move. He'd been expecting Al's arrival since late last night. He continued staring at the honey liquid, swirling it around, until the contents of his glass resembled a whirlpool.

Al poked his head in the room. He was dressed in a pair of fine black dress robes. His dark hair was slicked back and more stylish than usual, but his face was contorted into its usual worrisome state.

"How are you doing?" asked Al hesitantly, his eyes crinkling with concern.

Scorp rolled his head and raised the glass, surveying his best mate. "Does this answer your question?"

Crossing the room he sat across from Scorp. "I take it you're not going then?"

"I can't Al. I won't watch her make the biggest mistake of her life. I can't do it."

He nodded in understanding, clasping his hands firmly in front of him, his elbows placed on his knees. Al waited in earnest all night for a message telling him the wedding was canceled. No such letter ever came. So he woke up that morning and reluctantly got ready for a wedding he did not want to happen. Rose's happiness meant everything to him, but even he could see she was living a lie. He'd watched her closely over the last few weeks. Dissecting every move and word she said. He scrutinized the way she acted and came to the same conclusion, she had that light back. Most people wouldn't even notice it, but Al did. He knew her well enough to notice the subtle change. She was lighter. A lot less uptight and more relaxed. Even a bit more spontaneous. Scorp always brought out the best in her and she him. She made him more courteous and pushed him to be his best. He hated--no loathed--the idea that the light would go out permanently when she said I do. "I can't believe she's going through with this. I never thought she'd actually do it." Albus stood up, determination written all over his face. "I won't let her."

Scorp grabbed Al's robes and yanked him back down. "You can't stop her from making her own choices. If she wants to marry him she will."

"You're actually going to let her go through with this?" Albus shouted in outrage, jumping up again from his seat.

"I'm not letting her do anything. She makes up her mind all her own." Scorp downed the last bit of his drink, puckering his lips in dissatisfaction.

"That's a bunch of bullocks and you know it!" He jabbed his finger harshly into Scorp's chest. "If you told Rose not to go through with the wedding she would do it! She would do anything for you."