The Girl Who Believed

Crushed

Athena's POV

Once the sun has set completely we walked back to the castle for dinner. When we entered the Great Hall I noticed that Sirius was smirking. He looked at Mathew Pitt, who's with him on the team, he's the keeper. His smirk widened and he winked at him.

I sat at my/our usual seat, but Sirius didn't. I looked up at him and saw him smirking at me. What's going on?

"Is everything alright, Siri?" I asked, "Why don't you sit down?"

"Nah, my job is done," he said loudly, "Pay up, Matt."

What job?

"What job?" I asked.

"Snogging you, of course," Matt said as he came up to us with a few galleons in his hands. What?

"W-what? What d-do you mean?" I asked.

"Well, you see, I made a bet with Black here. That he couldn't snog the most boring, awkward, plain girl in Gryffindor before the next Hogsmead trip. But apparently he just did." Matt said, "Damn, couldn't you wait one more day?"

By now, everyone in the hall was focused on us, the ones in the hearing range were able to hear every single word. My eyes were full of tears as I looked at Sirius. I can't believe it.

"Pity, I thought you will last longer since you are such a prude," continued Matt.

"Is it true?" I asked Sirius, my voice cracking.

He nodded.

"B-but w-w-why?" I couldn't hold it any longer, I started crying.

"Come on, now, calm down. No need to cry about it," he said simply, his face was blank, "Look, you understand that it's just a bet right? No hard feelings?"

My tears turned into tears of anger and I glared at him. No hard feelings? Just a bet?

I slapped him in the face so hard that it hurt my hand, but I didn't care. I was too angry. I had so many things in my mind to say, but I just couldn't. My throat was too busy trying to hold back the sobs, that it couldn't get out any words.

I turned around and ran out of the hall in tears. I can already hear students murmuring and someone running after me.

"Athena! Athena, wait up," it was Lily.

I didn't stop but somehow, she caught up to me and stopped me.

"Please. I need to be alone." I managed to croak.

She looked at me and saw my tear-stained face then stormed back to the Great Hall. I continued running until I reached my dorm. I threw myself on my bed and started sobbing loudly.

Lily barged in with anger evident on her face.

"I hexed the low-life! I wish I can hex him again into oblivion!" She said angrily.

 She looked at me and her anger turned into worry. Instead of saying anything she sat beside me and hugged me. I immediately hugged back not knowing how much I needed it until now.

"I can't believe he did that. He said that he really liked me. He was so gentle. Why did he do it? Am I that naive and easy to trick? He's right, though. I am naive. I'm easy and gullible and he used that against me. How could a mere thirteen-year-old be so cruel? How can anyone be so cruel? I have done nothing to him. I gave him my heart and he broke it. He was my crush for so long and when I started falling for him he crushed my heart. I don't deserve this. Or, maybe I do. I'm so awkward and plain, making me a perfect target for pranks and bets," I ranted while crying.

"Athena Royal! Don't you dare say that! You are not plain, you are beautiful. Him doing this shows how much of a scum he is. None of this is your fault, it's his. And believe me, one day he will regret it. I mean I just hexed him, but still. He will regret it even more in the long run. You'll see." Lily said and hugged me again.

I sobbed into her shirt, not believing a word she said, but grateful for her hug anyway. That night, I fell asleep crying and hoping that I never wake up.

Unfortunately, I did. But I stayed the whole day cooped up in my dorm, not wanting to get out. Lily begged me to go down to eat but I refused, so she went and got me food. I didn't eat, though. I just couldn't.

Monday came, but I didn't go to classes. I didn't go to any of my classes for the whole week. Lily brought of my work and held me when I cried.

The next Monday came and I decided that it's enough and that I should go to class and move on. But it was hard. Lily ripped off the blanket from me and demanded that I have to get up. She said that my life shouldn't stop because of a scumbag. She was right.

I showered and got ready to go to breakfast. Lily said I should eat before classes even though I didn't feel like it. She dragged me to the Great Hall. 

Once I entered the Great Hall, almost everyone looked at me. That's what it felt like at least. I started hearing people whispering. Some looked at me with pity, some were giggling, and some were looking at me cautiously as if I was going to snap any minute. The Marauders weren't there. Good.

"Just ignore them," Lily whispered in my ear and dragged me to where her friends were sitting.

I tried to get out of her grip or stop her, but since I haven't been eating, I'm pretty weak. I didn't feel like socializing.

"Lily, what if your friends don't want me to sit with you?" I whispered.

"Nonsense, they've been wanting to meet you the whole week, but I held them back because I knew you didn't want to talk to anyone. Today, though, you will sit with us and become our new friend," she said, then we arrived.

"Good morning, girls!" Lily chirped as she sat down and dragged me down with her.

They all replied then looked at me.

"Hi," I said awkwardly, "I'm Athena."

"Hi, Athena, we're glad that we finally get to meet you," said a blonde girl who sat opposite from Lily.

"Yeah, Lils here, wouldn't let us in," said the brunette next to her.

"Oh, um, sorry about that," I said since I didn't know what to say, "I think she did that, because I didn't feel like meeting anyone. No offense, I  was just sitting there depressed anyway and would've bored you with me."

"Hey, no one is offended, we understand," said the blonde.

"And what's with that you being boring again? I already told you that you're not," said Lily.

I just nodded not wanting to argue.

"She's right you know," said the brunette, "we wanted to talk to you before but you were always studying and we didn't want to disturb you."

"Now we found the bright side of this situation then," said the blonde, and I looked at her in confusion, "we finally get to know you and add a new member to our small group."

I smiled at her. Really smiled, not that awkward smile, but a real smile, because she sounded so sincere.

"I'm Caroline Lightwood, by the way," said the blonde.

"And I'm Angela Lightwood, Angie, for short," said the brunette, "we're cousins."

"Nice meeting you both," I said.

Lily smiled at us and we started eating. I was glad that I made new friends. I hope they stick around though.