"Jeez, Scout. When did you last clean your table." I knew that voice. The voice was disapproving, loving, stern and caring at once. I opened my eyes, groaning at the sudden sunlight in my room.
"Mom." I mumbled. "What are you doing here so early?" I pulled the blankets over my head, protecting my flesh from the cruel sun who did no good to cure my night of too-many-butterbeers.
"Scout Penelope, are you hungover? It's three in the afternoon." Yes, my mother. Always loving and understanding.
"I wouldn't say hungover… exactly. More like recovering." I mumbled. Seconds later, my blankets were being pulled from me. I, like a child started to whine and hold onto them tighter.
"Recovering?" she said, still tugging on my blankets. I continued my whining and struggling before she just ripped them away from me. "Darling, I understand-"
"No. No you don't, mom. You never will understand."
"Well, let me try."
"Oh, go plant some flowers. Don't meddle in my life." I groaned. My mother, bless her heart was a wizarding Gardner. She grew, with magic of course, the most rare and prized plants, flowers, and herbs for potions. She was a herbology geek, to say. She won awards, prizes, and honors for her discoveries and caring to plants. My grandmother always said if she raised her kids half as well as she raised her plants, that we wouldn't be were we are today. I assume that meant I wouldn't be hungover on a Tuesday afternoon.
"Fine. Have it that way, dear. I will be in the other room, waiting on you to make an appearance. But, we are late for our fitting." she added and I just sighed. I forgotten that today was the dress fitting for my cousin, Cassandra's wedding. I watched my mother leave as I raced to the bathroom. Throwing my toothpaste I brushed my teeth while attempting to comb through my hair at the same time. It would be my life mission to master the both of them together. It would make life easier for any under-paid, over-worked slacking witch, like myself. Quickly throwing on the first outfit I could find I raced to my living room, grabbing my purse.
"What are all these letters?" I asked, looking at my table. My mother just shrugged.
"I asked that when I woke your pleasant self up this morning." She said, standing up. My mother always looked like she stepped out of some Muggle wife manual, or magazine. She never had a fly hair, her outfits were always perfect and she never gained a pound, at least not that I've noticed. I, however was lucky if a single strand stayed in place, my outfits matched, or if I could look at a cookie without the thought of it going to my ass. We were complete different people. I always felt like such a slob next to her.
"Oh." I said, looking puzzled. Never have I received such a helping of letters. I quickly opened my purse and shoved them all in, I figured I could at least look at them sometime today.
"Come on, Scout. Holland has already arrived, I'm sure. I bet Cassandra is worrying about us. You know, some of us don't drink away pain for months aft-"
"Mom." I warned. She knew the subject was off-limits.
"I am just saying, darling. I just think you are holding ont-"
"Stop!" I said, much louder then I attended it to be. She looked startled for a second, before sighing, and just shaking it off.
"Alright, bumper, let's go." she said quietly as the two of us left for the little shop for the dress fitting. I, of course was completely excited because there is nothing better to do with my time then to spend it with my cousin.
"There you are!" my sister said, pulling me in for a hug before I could protest. She pulled back, looked me over and just sighed. I knew everyone disapproved of coping habits, but it was much easier to be drunk, then hungover, then drunk again. I just couldn't let my mind wander back to what was, and never will be again.
"Scout, glad you are finally here. We weren't sure when you would arrive, so we went ahead with the selection of dresses." My aunt called. I just smiled and nodded. Personally, I could care less. My cousin Cassandra is what I would call a twat, and that isn't just me being harsh at all. If you ever met her, you too would call her a twat. She is selfish, stuck-up, and not pleasant to be around. That being said, most people would rather not be around her, making her selection of bridesmaids for her wedding so slim, she asked me and my sister to be apart of it. My mother thought it was a wonderful idea. It didn't matter what I would rather take all this dress fabric and hang myself from the roof.
"Oh, Cassandra. You look lovely." I knew that voice, and that was the other reason I hated being in this wedding. It belonged to Victorie Weasley, the only friend Cassandra had. I reckon it is because they are identical in personalities. I turned to see my cousin, and Victorie, her maid of honor staring at the mirror. Cassie was wearing a dress that went past her knees, and had beading all across the bottom. Even I had to admit she was beautiful.
"You really do." I spoke up. Both heads turned to look at me. Cassie just beamed with happiness, but it was Tori I noticed. Her nose wrinkled a little, but she smiled at me. It would be an understatement to say Tori and I had bad blood between us. It started when her boyfriend, Teddy Lupin was in his seventh year, and me in my fourth. I accidentally knocked Teddy off his broom with my bludger. Then, because I felt bad, I hung around him a lot. Him and I grew close, but not the close Victorie was convinced of. I did not have feelings for Lupin. But, in our friendship he realized that Tori just brought him down, and he left her. Nobody holds a grudge like Victorie. She swears up and down I ruined her life. I honestly view it as I did Teddy a favor, helping him realize he was involved with a twat.
"Scout, I see you have arrived." Victorie said, looking me over. "You look…" she said, then paused. "how are you?" she asked. But, I knew better. She didn't care. She just basked in the fact that I was miserable.
"Great. Life is fantastic. I am so happy to be at this fitting today. I cleared my whole schedule just to be here." I said, and she just rolled her eyes. She once again began to fuss over Cassandra. I just sat down, and pulled one of those letters out of my purse. I looked it over. I opened it, read it once, twice, then a third time, trying to make sense of it.
Scout,
Let me say you are too beautiful to worry about finding the one now. But, don't let my words stop you. In fact, let them encourage you on your quest. Owl me back if I happen to be upon this quest.
Tyson
"What are you reading?" I looked up to see my sister. She sat down next to me as I handed her the letter.
"I woke up to a stack of letters on my table." I said, she looked at me for a second before biting her lip.
"I didn't expect…" she started.
"Expect what?" I asked, handing her the second letter.
"Scout. I…"
"You what?" I asked, reading yet another letter from a male I never met making a come at me.
"I…"
"Holland…" I started before opening the fourth letter, something about my ad. I didn't have an ad. "What ad?" I asked. "This letter is asking about some ad I have." I said. She just bit her lip again. I had an awful feeling about this.
"Outside. Now." I said, grabbing her arm, ushering us both out of the shop as quick as I could. "Holland, what did you do?" I asked. She just shuffled her feet for a minute.
"I posted an ad." she said, softly.
"An ad?" I repeated. "An ad for what?"
"You." she said, and I wanted to strangle her at that very moment.
"Me?" I repeated her again.
"Oh, Scout. You are destroying yourself!" she said, waving her hands. "He's gone. It's okay to move on. But, you won't. You wallow in booze all the time. I am so worried about you. So, I just posted a little ad. Just a little one, saying you were looking for mister right. I didn't think so many people would want to fill those shoes. Maybe, once they meet you the number will go down." she said, rambling.
"You posted a dating ad for me?" I said, raising my voice. "A dating ad!"
"I figured a few men would respond, and you would go on a date or two, and see that you don't need to wallow anymore."
"Holland." I warned. The urge to strangle her returning. "I don't need a fucking dating ad. I am doing fine."
"Jeez, Scout. You are in denial. He left. He left almost four months ago. And you act like it was yesterday."
"That's my business to handle, Holland!" I said, even louder then before.
"But you aren't handling it. You are avoiding it, and dodging feeling by being drunk all the time." she said, grabbing my arm. "I did this to help, Scout."
"No." I said, pushing her arms off me. "You did it because you have to have all says in everything."
"That is not true!" she said, looking hurt. And yet again, I wanted to strangle her for all this.
"It is true. Why? Holland, why is it such a big deal now to worry about me moving on and seeing someone else. Let me heal!" I pleaded.
"Scout. I didn't want to tell you… He… Tori said."
"Said what?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest, furious as ever.
"He's coming home… He's bringing his fiancée with him."
I couldn't hold it in anymore. I just screamed and lunged for my sister, my hands reaching for her neck.
A/N: Welcome to Boy Wanted. This is my newest creation. The idea and I have been toying with each other for awhile now. I really like the idea, and I hope you stick around to see it all unfold. Sorry for such a short chapter, but they will get longer. I promise.
