Disclaimer: Not mine.
I didn't see Simone until the next day, walking down the hallway. She slid past people almost like I did, unnoticed, head down and her arms wrapped tight around her books. I followed her. She was a Slytherin and I didn't know a thing about her except she was a Zabini but I followed her. Maybe it was because she was the only one who could hear and see me. I was dying for human interaction.
But she wouldn't talk to me.
I saw her glance back occasionally and then she swung her head back around, her hair falling back into her face as she sped up, trying to get away from me.
"Simone," I called out to her, knowing no one else would look around at me. "Simone, please I just want to talk to you."
I know how this must have seemed. Desperate and slightly deranged but that was the way I was feeling right now. I braced myself, running through people just to get to her but just as my fingertips brushed against her arm, she turned quickly into a classroom.
Hesitantly, I followed, floating through the doorway. The door slammed shut behind me suddenly and I spun around, finding Simone glaring at me. "What on earth do you want from me?" she whispered, silently, almost deadly.
"I –" I stammered, startled for a moment. "I just wanted to apologize. You know, for last night."
"For making me look like a fool," she said.
"Well, when you put it that way –"
She glared at me a minute longer before deflating slightly. "It isn't as if I'm not used to it."
I watched as she slowly walked over to a near desk, sitting down on top of it. "Who are you?"
"Er, I'm Fred," I told her, trying to offer up a small smile. "Fred Weasley."
"So you're the twin that, um –" Simone trailed off, kicking her feet slightly before looking up at me through her long bangs.
My smile grew a little. "Yeah, I'm the twin that ummed."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be, I've gotten used to it by now." All lies but whatever. I didn't want her feeling sorry for me.
"If you don't mind me asking," she started, still not looking at me. "Why are you still here? And why are you following me around?"
I shrugged, sticking my hands into my pockets. "You're the only one who hears and sees me."
"But why?"
"I was kind of hoping you'd be able to tell me that."
Simone shrugged, still gazing at me.
"Maybe," I stared, running my hand through my hair. "Maybe you're supposed to help me."
"Help you?"
"You know, like the stories. Help me move on to – well, to wherever."
Simone stared at me with wide eyes before saying, "No."
Wait – what? "I'm fairly sure that's not the way it goes in the stories, uh."
"I can't help you." Simone hopped off the table she had been sitting on. "I can barely help myself."
"What are you –?"
"People already think I'm a freak and I'm not going to add to their opinion by going around talking to some invisible person who, by the way, it would have been nice to know you were invisible before I screamed at you in front of a dozen of people."
"Oh yeah, that would have been a pleasant conversation," I said, sarcastically. "'Hey, how you doin'? Just thought I'd let you know I'm dead and you're the only one who can see me.'"
"You know what, it doesn't even matter." Simone moved to the door. "I'm not going to help you. For all I know, you're just a pathetic excuse my mind came up with to give me some company which means I'm going crazy. I couldn't help you even if I wanted to. I'm just as invisible to this school as you are."
With that and a quick glance in my direction, Simone hurried out the door. Frustrated, I kicked at a desk, my foot going right through it.
There had to be some way I could get her to at least listen to me for more than five minutes. . . . .
"I'm just as invisible to this school as you are."
And why was that? She obviously had some spunk. And she was pretty. Maybe if she didn't hide her face all the time. . . . .
That was it!
Grinning, I rushed out of the room, finding Simone partly down the hallway. She noticed me come up behind her but didn't say anything, wordlessly letting me take her wrist and i marveled in the fact that i was having skin to skin contact with someone. "Simone, I'm going to make you visible again."
A/N: So I know it's been forever. I have been so busy with school and with everything else. I want to apologize for the horribly late update and that this chapter is so short. Stay tuned though. Hopefully, because band is slowing down (thank goodness). So I'll see you next time.
