Chapter Thirty Seven

December 23rd

Lorcan sat outstretched on a dark jade leather sofa within the darkened Slytherin common room, the walls looming with towering shadows as only the shimmering dyed emerald fire lit the room. Lorcan had his hands folded over his flat stomach, his pale eyes focused on the entrance impatiently as he fumbled the buds of his fingertips over the fabric of his Slytherin robes that he had not taken the time to change out of. Mackenzie sat in an armchair to his right, her knees drawn to her body as her charcoal, worn-out ballet flats sat on the floor, her petite feet only encased in the thin fabric of her striped socks. Lorcan attempted to stop his gaze from creeping towards her under the command of his subconscious, his mind often wandering towards her and what she would say if he admitted the way he felt. Tomorrow was the day of the Yule Ball and he longed to invite her.

He shook the thought from his head as the hatchway opened, revealing the curved figure of Tuesday Rue as she strolled towards them with a raise of her eyebrow. Her eyebrow dropped, her amethyst eyes narrowing into slender slits as she realised why they had waited for her. The pair had not stopped bothering her about what her answer had been to the revolting Albus Potter inviting her to the Yule Ball. She refused to tell them, aware that she would be penalised for saying both yes and no.

"Why won't you just tell us?" Mackenzie blurted, her lips pursing together into a pout as Tuesday rolled her shimmering eyes.

"Because," She snapped, ruffling a hand through her short, uneven raven mop of hair that fell about her heart-shaped face, "If I said no to him you will get on my case for leading him on or not taking the advantage to go to the Yule Ball with a champion, even if it is Potter. However, if I said yes to him you will get on my case because he is bloody Albus Potter."

"She has a point there, Kenzie." Lorcan stated, glancing up at his chocolate haired companion who continued to pout in sulking at Tuesday's explanation.

"Still. We are her best friends; we are allowed to poke fun at her all the time," Mackenzie retorted, folding her arms over her developed chest before continuing, "Besides I want to know regardless, as her best friends we deserve to know."

"You will just have to find out on tomorrow evening then won't you?" Tuesday teased, poking out her rose tongue through her pallid, shapely lips, "Anyway, Albus could get many girls. He is attractive– and I know you cannot deny that– and now that he is the Hogwarts Champion girls will be falling at his feet like lost lustful puppies."

"That is a disturbing image." Lorcan muttered with a fake shudder as she rolled her eyes at him.

"Why don't you explain to Mackenzie who exactly you were considering inviting to the Yule Ball, seeing as I already know?" Tuesday smirked, scrambling to her feet before whispering an extra phrase to Lorcan as she trotted passed the sofa, "Have fun."

With that, she vanished into the passageway leading to the female dorms, leaving Lorcan's porcelain features to pinch together in irritation. He exhaled deeply before sitting upright, glancing at Mackenzie whose fair-skinned complexion twisted with puzzlement.

"Why did you tell Tuesday and not me?" She enquired, rising to her feet as if to follow Tuesday, "It is really unfair for us to keep secrets in our little trio."

"Please don't go..." Lorcan murmured, half wishing she had not heard him but he knew she had. She reluctantly obeyed, perching herself next to him on the couch, "Thank you..."

"You're welcome." She muttered curtly, her bottom lip curling out into a pout as her mocha eyes narrowed, focusing on the fire before them.

Lorcan felt his shapely lips involuntarily tug into a soft smile at her impeccable profile, her stunning eyes, her dainty button nose, her full alluring lips all framed by her natural dark chocolate curls that smelt of a heavenly blend of rose and raspberries.

"Are you going to tell me then?" She mumbled, interrupting the gentle, bizarrely comfortable silence that had settled between them.

Lorcan felt his cheeks blush dark scarlet inadvertently as he realised he had been staring at her with wide, affectionate eyes for the past few minutes. He fumbled over his words, twisting his slender fingers over one another nervously as he prayed that she had not noticed. He inhaled and exhaled deeply; attempting to reassure himself that she had not noticed his gawking or else she would have asked him about it.

"Why so nervous?" She piped once more, causing Lorcan to shout profanities within his psyche at his inability to remain calm and collected.

He had to do it, it was now or never and she was clearly already aware that something was going on. He could not continue like this now that she knew he was hiding something from her, something so gargantuan it made his heart skip two beats.

"Well... I wanted to tell you the... The... The truth..." He mumbled, attempting to search for the right words as he felt his heart slam against his ribs so rapidly and violently that he almost worried she would hear it, "I am really... Really sorry about everything that happened with Aiden..."

He swallowed the lump that was formed in his constricting oesophagus before continuing, his eyes unable to meet her perplexed gaze for fear of simply gawking at her impeccably, unearthly beauty.

"B-b-but... I do think... There is a guy out there... For you... Who will treat you far better than Aiden..." He felt his innards twist over themselves, his stomach churning vigorously as he struggled to maintain his train of thought, his psyche screaming out for him to stop and save himself from the possible hurt of rejection, "And I think that guy... Is me."

He caught her glistening eyes widen to the size of dinner plates in his peripheral vision, her jaw literally dropping as she stared in disbelief. He was not sure if this was a good or bad thing, but it made his heart sting with agony, his stomach exploding with butterflies.

"I would really love to have the chance to show you... To show you how good I can be to you," He murmured, attempting to remain calm and hide the chaotic turmoil that was exploding throughout his feeble figure beneath his pallid flesh, "Please let me take you to the Yule Ball... Together... As a couple..."

Mackenzie simply stared at him, opening her mouth to speak but no words came out. As they drifted further and further into silence, the urge Lorcan felt to be sick on himself grew, his heart dropping with each passing second. At last, Mackenzie broke her gaze from him, rising to her feet and leaving the common room without a single word, disappearing into the darkness of the female dormitories.

Lorcan felt as if his heart had stopped in his chest, his innards growing numb as his flesh fell cold. He somehow dragged himself to his feet, stalking back to his dormitory with a sunken expression. He felt as if he wanted to cry his eyes out but not a single tear came as he lay down on his bed within his abandoned dormitory. He could barely feel the world around him, as if his nerves were completely dormant, the faint beat of his heart the only thing reassuring him that he was still alive.

He could not believe it. He had made a complete fool of himself, poured his pitiful heart out there, and she could not muster up a single word. He wanted to be sick.

Suddenly the squeak of an owl broke his mourning, a gorgeous charcoal black owl with a unique red breast perched outside his window, a folded up piece of parchment lodged in its beak. Lorcan recognised it instantaneously, reluctantly moving from his bed to open the window and take the letter from Mackenzie's exceptional owl. It fluttered off as he slammed the window shut, unsure if he truly wished to read the slab of parchment. He was not quite sure if he could handle rejection set out there on a piece of paper.

He knew he would read it though, curiosity eating him up inside as his heart continued to beat faintly as if it were begging him not to touch the parchment. He grasped it in his hands, peeling it open before pursing his lips together, his eyes scanning over the letter as he bit down on his bottom lip, running his teeth over the silver ring pierced through the right in anticipation.

I am really sorry for what I have done. I did not mean to run off like that. I swear it. You just caught me off guard.

His psyche screamed for him to not read any further as he felt his innards twist once more, but he continued nonetheless.

But, I have to tell you the truth. I think I could be the one to care for you as well and I always have. I will see you tomorrow evening, dress nicely, I know I will.