Chapter 13

It had been three weeks since break had ended, and Rose still wasn't talking to Paige. Every time Paige attempted to talk or reason with her, Rose would just glare or make a stinging little quip. And every time Paige felt like crying, once James had found her crying after one of these incidents , and threatened to go yell and shake some sense into his cousin, but thankfully she calmed him down before he did anything rash.

Paige was sitting on her bed finishing up some potions homework, when Rose walked in. Even though they lived together, Paige hadn't seen her much at all these past three weeks. Rose stopped in the doorway when she saw Paige.

"Not with your new best mate, that must be hard considering you two are "Inseparable". Oh wait that was us, before you went and fell in love with my cousin." Rose shot as she sulked over to her bed.

Paige had, had enough though. That's it I'm not putting up with her hurt betrayed act any longer!.

"That's it! Rose I'm SORRY! I don't know what more I can say! But I am done, apologizing and trying to make you listen to me! I know that you hate your cousin and I can certainly see why sometimes! But he is my friend now and I am not going to abandon my friendship with him just because you don't get along with him! So get off your high horse and start being my best friend again!" Rose's glare evaporated, replaced by a hurt expression.

"I can't believe you're choosing him over me." She whispered, as if she had been woken up from dream, and reality was finally hitting her.

Sighing Paige sadly replied, "I'm not choosing anyone. I just don't understand why I can't be friends with both of you?"

Shaking her head Rose acidicly spat, "You don't get it do you? I don't know what went on between you and James over the holidays and I don't want to. I just hope that it's enough for your friendship to last because I won't be there for you when he forgets about you and moves on." With that she walked quietly over to her bed and shut the drapes.

Paige couldn't believe that Rose had taken it that way. She thought that maybe, just maybe Rose would see reason, and get over her life long grudge with James, but she had been sorely mistaken.

Maybe she'll come out to the quidditch match, I know she likes going to those. I just wish I could do something to cheer her up. James thought glumly. Paige had been so depressed lately. It's as if all her personality had drained away.

Sighing he started getting ready for quidditch practice. Clarisse had been pushing practice harder and longer, with the Quidditch Cup match coming up against Slytherin. James wasn't looking forward to meeting his brother out on the pitch, but he wasn't going to take it easy on him either way.

They hadn't spoken since before Holidays, and neither had try very hard either, despite their mother's best efforts.

Walking out onto the pitch, James inhaled deeply, the crisp winter air. It felt good in his lungs, cheering him up slightly at the thought of practicing in perfect weather.

Looking up at the stands James, saw Paige, of all people. What's she doing here? She's barely been able to drag herself out of bed lately. James hopped on his broom and sped towards her.

He came to a screeching halt in front of her. Rewarding him one of her famous eye rolls. "What are you doing here? I thought you would still be bed at this hour. I wish I was." He greeted her, trying to sound cheery instead of worried.

Paige looked at him with her big caramel eyes, and for the first time since break had ended they weren't pools of sadness. Sticking her chin out stubbornly, "Rose and I aren't friends anymore. I tried, I gave her time, and I apologized profusely, but I also wasn't willing to give my friendship with you. Even if you hadn't saved my life, I wouldn't just start shunning you again. And she responded by pretty much saying that she wasn't going to be there for me anymore. So you know what? I 'm done feeling sorry, I am done feeling guilty." Her eye flashed with a fierce determination as she told James, this new acceptance.

He didn't know what to say. And that was a rare. He felt horrible for his cousin and Paige, they had been thicker than thieves, and now they were no longer speaking to each other because of him. But at the same time he wasn't willing to give up Paige either. Stammering he responded, "I'm….I'm sorry Paige, I know how much she meant to you. I…" He didn't know what more to say.

Paige gave him a sad smile, and kindly said "It's not your fault. Rose is just to childish and stubborn to realize that you've matured. Now get out there, before Clarisse goes mental."

"Are you sure?" James couldn't believe that he was willing to tear apart a decade old friendship, his cousin's in fact. But his feeling for Paige ran deeper than friendship, and at the back of his mind he knew it, he just wasn't ready to accept it.

"James, I haven't been this certain about anything else in my life. Trust me, I'm not going anywhere." She flashed him a dazzling smile before shooing him away. Masking her blossoming feelings for him as well.