Chapter 25

Alice sat on her bed with the stuffed rabbit that she had gotten for Christmas the year before pressed tightly against her chest. She had stopped crying not long ago and a trip into the bathroom showed her that her eyes were puffy and red. Now to top it off she had hiccups but at least her tears had stopped.

She had begun to think that her tears had all left her. But then seeing Frank standing there so close to her wanting to hold her, wanting to be allowed to love her had broken her heart once more. She couldn't take it. She loved him and knew that part of her wanted to be with him.

The door opened and she looked up to see Lily standing there. The girl looked different to the way she did lately. Alice thought that her stance lacked the confidence that had taken over her life that year. Yet she wasn't fooled. This was the cause of all her pain and heartbreak.

The red head looked at her but didn't say anything. She went over to her trunk and pulled a book out of it before turning and leaving the room. Watching her Alice wanted to pull all her hair out, wanted to hurt her as much as she had been hurt, but that was too much bother.

Her stomach made a large lurch and she knew that she would need food soon. She had missed breakfast and lunch and she was sure that Lily had just come from dinner. As she sat there though she didn't want to get up. It would mean having to face people and she was drained, sleep wouldn't be long from her now.

The door opened again and she smiled lightly as a plate of sandwiches was waved in front of her. Either side of her the bed went down and she rested her head onto Ginny's shoulder as Amanda passed her an egg sandwich.

"How you feeling babe?"

"Tired."

They nodded and Amanda was stroking her hair.

"How long did you cry for àngel?"

Alice shrugged and sniffed a little as her friends watched her. She picked up a ham and cheese sandwich and took a bite before speaking up.

"He's in love with me."

The two gasps made her laugh a little and she pushed them.

"What? Did you think nobody could be in love with me then?"

"It's not that àngel it's just … did he really say that?"

Alice nodded and smiled lightly just staring into space.

"He didn't mean to I know that. He was telling me how he wishes he'd done more to get Lily off him. He said that he didn't want her he wanted me because he loves me."

A small ironic laugh left her lips as she blinked looking down at the rabbit.

"He was as surprised as I was that he had said it. I don't think that he realised that he loved me until that moment. I felt this fluttering in my stomach and if he had said it at any other time I know I would have thrown my arms around him and kissed him. But no it made me cry because if he can do this to me when he loves me imagine if he hated me."

"He could never hate you babe. Not even if you broke his heart."

"I did though Gin. You should have seen him he told me that I was holding his heart and that I was killing it. And I yelled that he killed mine and I told him that I loved him."

She looked between the two girls. Both wore sad smiles and she lowered her head back onto Ginny's shoulder as she looked at her other friend.

"It hurts so much because I do love him. I mean I thought that I was falling in love with him but I've already fallen. Damn his charm! But that's why it hurts so much because I hate him and I love him and I'm all confused."

"Shh babe you'll get over this."

"But I don't want to get over this. I want Frank."

"In that case àngel you have to forgive him."

"I can't. Not yet. Oh I broke up with him."

The three just sat in silence looking at each other trying to comfort the upset girl but this was something that the other two had no experience with. They didn't know what it was like to be in love with someone and then have their heart broken. As they sat there though both secretly hoped they never would know the pain Alice was feeling.