Stories of Our Life [Volume 1]

11: "Go Get Your Girl, Scamander"

Newt, Tina, and Leta Lestrange popped back into existence after barely escaping the French Ministry. It was one tiring and adrenaline-pumping incident that the three of them had barely escaped. Newt panted and dropped his case on the floor to catch his breath. Tina stumbled right after him and slumped against a pillar nearby. Leta came in last and fell just a few steps away from Newt.

Newt looked over to Leta and saw her having difficulty catching her breath. He pushed himself upright, grabbed his case, and walked over to her. He placed a hand on her back and whispered, "Here, how about you sit over there?" Leta nodded, still not able to catch her breath, and let Newt lead her to the steps nearby. She dropped down on the steps. Newt sat down beside her, hand still on her back.

"Just breathe, Leta. Breathe," he encouraged her and began breathing in and out slowly as if to show her how to breathe. His friend followed him and mimicked his actions. Her breathing finally calmed down.

All the while, without them knowing, Tina saw all this. Her face was blank and utterly cold as she watched the two. She couldn't help but feel something bubble up inside her as she watched them. Anger, yes, she felt angry. But there was something else. Something she already knew what it was but she wouldn't admit that she felt that way. So, she just stood there, piercing cold eyes directed directly at the two of them. Newt looked up and met her eyes as if he felt them on him. Tina shot him a cold glare before looking away.

An unfamiliar shiver ran down Newt's spine as he met Tina's eyes. Though she was a bit far from where he was, he could see how cold they were towards him. As soon as their eyes met, Tina averted hers away from him. Newt sighed.

What's gotten into her now?

People are so complicated, really. He rubbed Leta's back as she watched Tina walk away from them. She walked out of the room, slamming the door shut behind her with a very angry bang. That left Newt with Leta whose breathing has finally calmed down. Silence enveloped them.

This is really awkward...

"You should go after her," a voice beside him said.

Newt turned his head to look at Leta, but he didn't meet her eyes. She's changed over the years they were apart. She wasn't the same lanky girl back in their Hogwarts days. She was taller and more...feminine, for lack of a better word. And, in addition to that, she's engaged to his brother.

Engaged.

Even after a year of knowing, he's still struggling to accept the fact that his very first love was now engaged to his older, more popular, and more favored brother, Theseus Scamander. He's hurt pretty badly. He still remembers entering the dining room of the Scamander residence, the happiness and energy he felt back in New York still with him, only to find her sitting beside his brother at the dining table. They were also holding hands—if he may add, on top of the table. They were laughing and smiling so lovingly to each other that it hurts.

So bad.

All the happiness and energy he felt back in New York vanished in a blink of an eye. His past had suddenly caught up with him. When all eyes fell upon him, the chatter was gone, and the smiles of his brother and...his future sister-in-law had disappeared as well. He could see the guilt in both of their eyes.

Newt had a hard time sitting in that dinner.

"W-what?" Newt stammered. Go after her? Why?

"Newt," Leta sighed. "You should go after her." Newt only responded with a confused look that Leta knew too well.

When they came to help her back in the French Ministry, Leta saw how Newt and Tina interacted. It was awkward, sure, but she could sense that there was something between them. Something that they hadn't really come to terms yet. She recognized the looks they gave each other, and she saw how they looked at each other whenever the other wasn't looking: with pure adoration and love. She also noted how Tina looked when they came for her: she was disappointed and a bit angry if she could say so herself.