Chapter Three:
Angry Words
Several days later Lily was still upset about James and his kiss. Even Anise didn't know how to help her. Lily was quiet and reserved for months, she suddenly decided to date other guys to determine from them if she and James were meant for each other. If she wasn't so desperate, Lily would have acknowledged that this was the wrong approach, but what did it matter now? She always felt uncomfortable with James. When ever he hugged her his eyes betrayed his emotions, and Lily feared that he would kiss her again. She felt awful, because whenever he was alone she tended to avoid him. Soon Christmas had arrived. Lily had planned on returning home for the holidays to escape James, until Peter Pettigrew asked her to go with him to the Yule Ball. Lily accepted his offer, for she had wanted to enjoy the ball without James getting all romantic, and if Peter went with her, she would be tied to him all night. Peter was beside himself in delight for he practically worshipped her, but unlike James, he kept it to himself.
The afternoon before the ball Peter was walking with Lily beside the lake. He had his arm around her waist. Lily only allowed it to ward off other people who might ask her out. Lily always had a difficult time turning down men. Peter was so pleased to be seen with Lily, his arm around her waist. The attention she was giving him now made him feel special. He was a shy, awkward boy, so he rarely dated. Being publicly affectionate with Lily helped him show girls who had rejected him what they were missing. James was walking to Care of Magical Creatures class when he saw his friend holding Lily, and she looked happy.
"Peter, what are you doing?" he looked and sounded dangerous. Lily turned to him and smiled.
"Er, I am holding Lily." Peter answered, he quivered in fear. Why was James behaving like this. It wasn't his fault that he had gotten the chance to ask Lily out first.
"Well get your filthy arms off of her!" James bellowed.
"Do you have a problem with my date for the ball putting his arms around me? You put your arms around me all the time!" Lily asked glaring at him.
"You're taking Peter to the Yule Ball!" James looked like she had slapped him across the face.
"Yes, I am. Do you have a problem with that?" she exclaimed, inside she was hoping he wouldn't bring up their kiss. Unfortunately he did, but in an offhand sort of way.
"Well how can you date him? It ought to be me! We're best friends, why would you take him?" James looked at Peter in disgust.
" Because he asked me first!!!" Lily flung her arms up in exasperation.
"It's okay Lil, Lily. James can take you to the ball," Peter stammered, looking extremely disappointed, but like he'd rather not get on James' bad side.
"No Peter. You are my date for the ball and that's final. Next time, James, you can just corner me before him, and then I might consider taking you. Well after how you behaved today I might refuse you anyway." As she stormed away from him, Lily shouted. "You aren't the only man you know James. And just because you are gorgeous and many girls would kill to date you, you shouldn't treat Peter like trash. He himself, I must say, is more of a man than you!"
This hit a nerve, and James stormed off to his class. His friends, Remus and Sirius took one look at the fire in his eyes, and ignored him completely, hoping he would eventually cool off. On his way back to the castle, after the bell rang across the grounds, James asked Anise to go to the ball with him. Anise accepted as friends, and hoped Lily wouldn't find out.
.
.
Several days later Lily was still upset about James and his kiss. Even Anise didn't know how to help her. Lily was quiet and reserved for months, she suddenly decided to date other guys to determine from them if she and James were meant for each other. If she wasn't so desperate, Lily would have acknowledged that this was the wrong approach, but what did it matter now? She always felt uncomfortable with James. When ever he hugged her his eyes betrayed his emotions, and Lily feared that he would kiss her again. She felt awful, because whenever he was alone she tended to avoid him. Soon Christmas had arrived. Lily had planned on returning home for the holidays to escape James, until Peter Pettigrew asked her to go with him to the Yule Ball. Lily accepted his offer, for she had wanted to enjoy the ball without James getting all romantic, and if Peter went with her, she would be tied to him all night. Peter was beside himself in delight for he practically worshipped her, but unlike James, he kept it to himself.
The afternoon before the ball Peter was walking with Lily beside the lake. He had his arm around her waist. Lily only allowed it to ward off other people who might ask her out. Lily always had a difficult time turning down men. Peter was so pleased to be seen with Lily, his arm around her waist. The attention she was giving him now made him feel special. He was a shy, awkward boy, so he rarely dated. Being publicly affectionate with Lily helped him show girls who had rejected him what they were missing. James was walking to Care of Magical Creatures class when he saw his friend holding Lily, and she looked happy.
"Peter, what are you doing?" he looked and sounded dangerous. Lily turned to him and smiled.
"Er, I am holding Lily." Peter answered, he quivered in fear. Why was James behaving like this. It wasn't his fault that he had gotten the chance to ask Lily out first.
"Well get your filthy arms off of her!" James bellowed.
"Do you have a problem with my date for the ball putting his arms around me? You put your arms around me all the time!" Lily asked glaring at him.
"You're taking Peter to the Yule Ball!" James looked like she had slapped him across the face.
"Yes, I am. Do you have a problem with that?" she exclaimed, inside she was hoping he wouldn't bring up their kiss. Unfortunately he did, but in an offhand sort of way.
"Well how can you date him? It ought to be me! We're best friends, why would you take him?" James looked at Peter in disgust.
" Because he asked me first!!!" Lily flung her arms up in exasperation.
"It's okay Lil, Lily. James can take you to the ball," Peter stammered, looking extremely disappointed, but like he'd rather not get on James' bad side.
"No Peter. You are my date for the ball and that's final. Next time, James, you can just corner me before him, and then I might consider taking you. Well after how you behaved today I might refuse you anyway." As she stormed away from him, Lily shouted. "You aren't the only man you know James. And just because you are gorgeous and many girls would kill to date you, you shouldn't treat Peter like trash. He himself, I must say, is more of a man than you!"
This hit a nerve, and James stormed off to his class. His friends, Remus and Sirius took one look at the fire in his eyes, and ignored him completely, hoping he would eventually cool off. On his way back to the castle, after the bell rang across the grounds, James asked Anise to go to the ball with him. Anise accepted as friends, and hoped Lily wouldn't find out.
.
.