Ace's death spread throughout Hogwarts, but only a few people believed it. But it wasn't long before the two gossip queens Abby and Lizzy told me. I gritted my teeth when they did and turned away to the common room statue. It was late evening.
"Were you close to him?" asked Lizzy.
"No," I said. "He was annoying."
"I liked him, just a little," admitted Abby.
Lizzy started to tear up and comfort Abby like she had lost a family member or someone really close to her. I gritted my teeth harder. They were treating it like a joke, like it could happen to anybody, like it was a big prank and that the next day Ace would walk in, his usual blue-haired self laughing and making fun of everyone.
I glared at the window and waited for the sun to go down. Johnson's prefect replacement walked up behind me. It was a girl and she had claimed to me earlier last year that she was Johnson's sister. I could see the likeness. They all screamed like banshees.
"You know," Abby said to me, "You're a teenager now. Why don't you go around trying to find your soul mate or whatever?"
The fact of my impending death was the first thought in my mind. I wouldn't say that, because mostly everyone thought the fact that I was cursed was a big scam. Abby and Lizzy would only make fun of me.
"I'm not interested in guys," I said. When Abby and Lizzy exchanged looks, I said, "And no, I'm not gay. Against my morals or whatever anyway." They hastily began to say that's not what they meant, but I sighed. "I just don't care. Plus there's not anyone who'd take me."
"Don't worry, there are guys who dig nerdy chicks," Lizzy said.
"Oh yeah?" I rolled my eyes, working on some homework Kuso had given me. He had turned 20 that past year.
"Hm. Caim does," Lizzy said. "He's been dropping hints for years!"
"Shut up, okay?" I said, getting annoyed by the increasing giggles from the two girls.
"How about that Tom guy?"
I nearly retched. "Ew," I said. "We're friends, okay?"
"Lucas?"
I rolled my eyes, but my stomach was uneasy. I liked Lucas, a lot better than Tom, but it felt odd to like him, considering the fact he was a Malfoy. And other reasons, but he was really sweet. He was a nice guy and a good friend.
"Well..." Abby said, "can't think of anyone else." Then her eyes brightened. "Hey..." she said, and whispered to Lizzy, who grinned and said, "Sure, I'll see what I can do."
"What are you two up to?" I hissed. They ignored me.
The next day, I saw Tom in the courtyard.
"Hi," I said. He grunted. I frowned. "Communication is not a series of grunts," I said. "I can't understand something that has no coherent meaning." I soothed out my robes. "Let's try again. How are you?"
"One of my classmates died," he said in a strangled voice.
I felt taken aback.
"Yeah, I heard. Everyone's treating in like a joke in Ravenclaw." I hissed. I could tell that Tom wasn't actually saddened that much by Ace's death. There was something else. "You're okay, right?" I said, looking at him in concern. "Is there anything I can do?"
He shook his head. "Have you ever watched someone die before your eyes?"
A memory flashed through my mind. Painful, but vague. I couldn't quite grasp it for a moment before it came into focus. The orphanage's slanting metal roofs, brick walls, and large backyard. Blood all over the ground, the body of a young boy nearby.
"His name was Will," I said.
"Hm?" he said, like he wanted me to go on.
"When I was younger. He was my best friend, in the orphanage. He was a few years older than me, so he was about 7, and some of the bullies there murdered him. One of them was an actual wizarding child like I was, and he got his hands on a wand somehow and killed him. It was really bad. But I don't remember much." I sighed. "Can't say I saw him die very clearly, though. Blood was in my eyes and I was too young to understand. I just remember waking up the next day and thinking he'd come back, but a year passed and Mum adopted me, and I was still waiting for him."
Tom stood there, silent. He was twisting his hands together.
"I'm sorry," I said, "about Ace."
He nodded.
Lucas walked over to us from the courtyard wall. "Hey Asia," he said.
"Hi Lucas," I said. "I think I have to go. Isn't today a Hogsmeade day?"
"Yeah," said Tom.
"Lizzy and Abby told me to meet them there, said they're setting me up on a blind date. I'll fail, I know it. I didn't wanna do it anyway." I sighed. "Wish me luck, okay?" I grinned and trotted off.
The next day I woke up with a strained ankle. I had an okay time, but I was very awkward. The blind date was a tall guy who seemed fairly interested in me. He didn't act like an immature brat so I was grateful, but several people looked at us like we were odd and out of place. I only saw Tom and Lucas a few times. Their faces had an incoherent emotion on it. I couldn't tell if it was envy or if they were holding in laughter.
I lay in bed, grateful for once I was off that day.
Hope you enjoyed! A bit longer but I hope you did like it!
