Chapter 10: Duped

Irisa's POV

There were a lot of people in front of me to get off the train. I looked out the window out of habit. Parents stood ready to grab their kids once they got off the train. But, in the swarm of people…no, it couldn't be…

"Just Stand Up"

"So, Riss, do you have your study guide?" Asked Talia.

"I gave you my copy," I said. Maureen, Lauren, Talia, Whitney, and I were all hanging out in the library trying to get our homework done. Well, I was already done, but I really had no other place to be. Talia just dragged me down. I really hated coming because…

"I know, but I just don't get it. I mean did you really think I would actually read all those pages?" Tal said. Yes, you were supposed to. I wanted to respond, but I didn't. "The pages doesn't even give you answers for the essay part, so I was wondering what your thesis?" I knew where this was going.

"Tal, we're supposed to have different ones," I responded.

"Come on Riss, do you honestly think he checks up on things like that?"

"Yes," I said. I guess you can say I'm a big push over. If you ask me to do something I usually will do it. I never take a step out of bounds no matter how many times I have told myself I should. I don't know if I am brave enough. I suppose that's why I'm not Gryffindor.

Throughout my life, I have never actually had a true friend. Well, until Hugo and I became girlfriend and boyfriend. I think I spend too much time with Hugo only because every friend that I have ever had used me in different ways.

Everybody probably wonders: why? Why do I let people push me around? Why do I do things for other people when I really don't have to? Why do I do it?

To fit in? Possibly. I hate people who judge me for someone I'm not. The only reason I hope for in return is for us to be good friends. It's my theory, though. It works in a way. They're happy, but I'm not, only because they never return the favor. However, I never asked them to, why should I?

Why else do I let them push me around? I have a vulnerable part about me when it comes to other people. I hardly think about myself, because I figured if people see me caring for them, they'll care for me back. Or maybe I just like stressing myself out to keep the friends I have.

"Please, I used to cheat off Hugo in 3rd year," she said. So that's how she beat me on all those hard exams. "So, what's your thesis?"

"Well for one, you have to have the same information as me, so the thesis wouldn't make sense for yours anyway," I said.

"Yeah, I'm using the same ones as you." She was smiling at me like this was ok to cheat off me. I put so much work into it though. She sighed after I didn't respond.

"Forget it." Talia has always came close to failing each year. She never wanted to do any work. She was really the only friend I had in Hufflepuff. I bit my lip. I didn't want her to fail on my account.

I looked at the other girls and they were bent doing their own work, but had stern looks like they were judging me. It was like they were saying: "Wow, not even Irisa won't help a friend out. See if we care if she ever got in trouble and she needed us to bail her out."

"Here," I said pushing my paper towards Tal.

"Thanks!" She said cheerfully and went right to work copying my thesis or rather my entire paper. I would just have to make up a new one. I just hope she knows I won't always be around to help her out. I took out a sheet of parchment and started to write my new essay. However, I didn't get too far, since I slowly drifted off in space.

"Irisa…Irisa?...Irisa?" I looked up at Tal who was calling my name.

"Huh?" I asked.

"Are you all right? Are you angry at me?" Was she really asking me that question? After I spent hours upon hours working on my study guide and working out what to say in my essay only to give it away to someone who was as effortless as a sloth, of course I'd be angry. Part of me wanted to explain to her thick head that the only way to get anywhere in life is to work hard. Another part of me just wanted to help her out as much as possible, so that I wouldn't be friendless again. Not like what happened to my last friend…

"No, I'm just stressed out," I said.

"Yeah, I can see that. Don't worry things will work out fine," she advised. Easy for you to say.

"Right, I think I'm going to get a good night's rest," I replied snapping my book loud by accident.

"Oh, all right. See you in the morning," she said. I gave her a curt nod, got up, and walked away. I needed time to cry. I can be such a crybaby sometimes.