the girl with all of the choices

f o u r

2616 words

october twenty-fourth- entering the tournament and potions

It had been almost two months of somewhat successful classes. I was still excelling in Charms and majorly sucking in Potions, but Divination was fun with Cedric. I absolutely despised going to Charms and Potions because Malfoy was there. He hadn't become any nicer. The thing between Matt and I had fizzled out, and now we were nothing but good friends. 

Cedric was deadset on entering his name into the Goblet of Fire for the Tournament. Yesterday, Dumbledore announced that students would be able to enter starting today during lunch. We all knew that Cedric would put his name in today during lunch.

We were all seated at our table when Cedric came in. He sat in his usual spot next to me, seeming very giddy. After some awkward silence, Matt finally piped up.

"So is today the day?" he asked Ced.

"Yes. I'm really excited."

"Are you sure that you want to do this?" I questioned. Cedric glared at me. "It's just that it's dangerous and you could get hurt!"

He took my shoulders in his hands and looked me in the eyes. "I'll be fine, okay Addie?"

"You have to promise," I said back at him. 

"I promise."

"Okay, now go put your name in!" I stood up and grabbed his arm and playfully pushed him over to the Goblet. He looked back at me, crossed the age line, and dropped his name in. Everyone in the room clapped and he came back and hugged me. He then picked me up and put me on his back for a piggyback ride, and we ran out of the Great Hall. Everyone was giving us weird looks, but I didn't care. 

I was holding tightly on to him because he was weaving dangerously through the crowded hallways. We got to the courtyard and he put me down on the grass. 

"What the hell was that for, Diggory?" I joked with him. 

"Can't I celebrate with my best friend?" he answered. The next thing I knew he was holding me against his chest, his arms around me. I kissed his cheek gently before wrapping my arms around his neck. He picked me up again and put me back down before we could go anywhere. 

Our friends found us while we were hugging. We pulled away from the embrace and saw our friends looking at us suggestively. We looked back at each other and back at the group.

"What..." Cedric hesitantly asked. 

"I told you they'd be cute together," whispered Ainsley to Matt. 

Cedric and I anxiously looked back at each other and back at the group. We immediately burst out laughing at the claim. Our laughing slowed as we realized they were serious. 

"Are you guys serious?" I questioned. They didn't answer but instead looked amongst themselves. "We're just friends. Plus, I'm pretty sure Ced has his eye on someone else."

"Whatever," Cedric deflected.

Before he could say another word, the warning bell rang for our afternoon classes.