Chapter Three... 'Feeling Alone'
Oliver thankfully made a speedy recovery and wasn't seriously injured though he was awfully disappointed that he missed the Gryffindor celebrations after the match (in which they blew Slytherin out of the water... or out of the sky, if you want to be technical).
Harry seemed to be the new star in Hogwarts and he began to collect himself quite a fan club, almost big enough to rival that of Oliver's who had oohed and ahhed at him when he'd recovered quickly. Even he had to confess it was quite something to recieve so many 'Get well' cards and chocolates during his short stay in the Infirmary- most from adoring girls (and a couple from team mates).
Oliver was pacing backwards and forwards in the hallway one morning when Luke came walking past.
"Hi Luke," greeted Oliver, looking up from the floor.
"Uh..." grunted Luke as he past him by quickly, without even turning his head.
Oliver watched Luke disappear around a corner before shrugging and continuing his pacing.
* * * * *
It turned out Oliver wasn't the only one to notice Luke's change in behaviour. Michala, Percy and Penelope all commented on it at lunch that day, outside, and all shared stories about their confrontations with him that morning.
"Oh yes," said Michala stuffing a sandwich in her mouth. "He wof kinda diftant an' didnt weally wook at me in claff..." She swallowed. "Maybe he feels sick or something."
"No," said Percy shaking his head. "That's not it. There is definitely something up. I passed him on my way to the dormitories and he looked like he wanted to cry. Head down, feet dragging, slouched over. I asked if anything was wrong but he just shook his head and kept walking."
Oliver tried to concentrate on the conversation but was becoming more and more aware of Percy's hand on Penelope's.
"Well," he said clearing his throat. "If Luke wants to talk about it, he will. I guess he just wants to be left alone. Unlike somebody..." he added under his breath, looking at Penelope.
"Huh?" she looked at him strangely.
"Well it seems you two are getting along pretty well eh?" he retorted, throwing the leftovers of his chicken salad on the garden behind them.
"What do you mean?" she asked, eyes lowering.
"I mean that when were you planning on telling us all that you and Percy were officially a couple?"
"I told you Oliver that I fancied him, I told you that... yesterday."
"Aren't we the fast mover then eh?"
"Oliver!"
"I'm not hungry. Something has made me lose my apetitite. I'm going to go find Luke and see if he's all right. Even a grouch like him would be better company," and with that Oliver stood up and marched away, shoulders tense.
"Oliver!" called Penelope. "Oliver!"
She looked at Percy and then Michala. "What is up with him?" she asked.
"I have no idea," replied Michala. "He has been so moody lately."
"Yeah," added Percy. "Seems like we have two moody ones in the group right now. I hope it's not something we've done."
"I doubt it," said Michala. "I think Luke is just in a bad mood, I'll talk to him later. And Oliver... well I think that one is pretty obvious. Don't you agree?"
Percy shrugged, "I don't know what you mean."
"But Penelope does don't you?" Michala asked, looking at Penelope who was trying her best to fade into the background. It wasn't working.
She also shrugged but didn't say anything else.
* * * * *
Michala caught up with Luke in the library that afternoon when classes were over. The library was somewhere Luke sometimes came to hide, especially when he was feeling down. It took Michala quite some time to find him however, what with searching through the numerous tall shelves and displays of books.
"Luke," she whispered when she spotted him in one of the back corners, browsing through the Q-R section.
He automatically responded to his name and turned around. "Oh," he said and looked back at the shelf.
Michala didn't like giving up though and wandered over next to him. She picked up an interesting looking hard cover and began examining it.
"You know, if something is bothering you, you don't have to hide it," she said casually, flicking through a few pages.
"I know," replied Luke equally as casual.
"And you know, I'm always here for you to talk to," Michala added, putting the book back.
"I know," he replied.
"And you know, sometimes it's better to have things out in the open then bottled up inside."
"I know," he said.
"Oh for crying out loud!" Michala cried, throwing her hands in the air and then covering her mouth for fear that she'd get a detention from the librarian, Madam Pince. "Tell me what is troubling you!"
"See, you're just getting frustrated again," Luke said, beginning to walk away.
"Now you wait a minute boy," Michala grabbed him by the shoulder and forcefully turned him around. He had no other choice but to obey her rather threatening commands.
"Look there's no point in pestering me because there's nothing wrong and I have nothing to say to you," Luke tried to say but Michala covered his mouth with her hand.
"And there's no point in you trying to deny there's nothing wrong because it is so blatantly obvious that there is!"
Luke sighed and looked down at the floor. "All right... so I am kind of mad..." he confessed.
"At me?" Michala asked.
"No."
"At Oliver?"
"No."
"Percy?"
"No."
"Penelope?"
"No."
"Who then?"
"Nobody in particular, me I guess."
"Oh. What did you do to yourself?" she asked. Luke suddenly looked very depressed and upset. Sensing that it was no longer time to be comical or sarcastic, Michala took him gently and sat him down on the floor with her. She reached out and patted him on the back.
"Hey... it's okay," she said reassuringly.
He forced a small smile. "I don't expect you to understand," he began.
"I don't expect to understand. But I can listen and try can't I?" Michala replied.
"Yeah," he said, looking up at her. "It's just that lately... I'm not sure. I have felt pretty left out. You know... lonely, depressed, morbid, moody, you get the point. I'm not even sure why which makes it all the sillier. Maybe I'm just in my teenage years... I'm sure it's normal to get all angry and strange. I've just been so upset, that's all. I mean... yesterday..." he lowered his voice to a whisper. "I cried."
Michala gave a sympathetic smile. "Nothing wrong with that."
"You guys are all fantastic, don't get me wrong but I mean now Percy and Penelope have each other and you and Oliver are always surrounded by heaps of people. But me... well, I'm not exactly Mr. Sociable am I?"
"Not exactly," said Michala. "But you're not exactly Mr. Unpopular either." She wasn't lying. Luke was a great person, always friendly. A little on the serious side but he was loyal and clever and a good musician too. He wasn't bad looking either. His hair was a soft brown colour and his eyes were big and brown and deep. He was well built without being too macho while not too scrawny either. His clothes fitted well and he had good dress sense. As these thoughts raced through Michala's mind, she stopped to wonder. Why didn't Luke have more friends?
"Hmm... well..." Luke drifted off. "Thanks by the way."
"Hmm? For what?" she asked.
"For pressuring me into talking. It does feel a lot better actually. You are one pretty smart girl."
"Oh thanks," Michala could feel herself blushing.
"Well enough of this soppy stuff then eh?" he said, standing up quickly. "It's been nice talking to you Michala. Must do it again sometime."
"Oh, but of course," replied Michala as she watched him exit the library leaving her to think about all that he'd just told her. It was weird that Luke had opened up to her that much but nice. Very nice.
* * * * *
She didn't talk that much to the rest of the group that evening. Michala just watching and occasionally joined in the conversations that revolved around the fire place. For one of the first times in her life, she decided to observe rather than participate. Luke's words had had more of an effect on her than he could possibly know, in more ways than one.
Penelope was sitting in Percy's lap as he was draped lazily over one of the scarlet armchairs. Oliver was sitting crosslegged on the carpet watching the flames crackle and Luke was nowhere to be seen. Michala sat with her back against the base of one of the couches and looked outside the window just listening to everyone's conversation.
"Yeah I heard that Marissa and James are going out," Penelope was stating.
"Yeah, I heard that too. From uhh... Rosemary," somebody else chimed in.
"Hmm... no Rosemary told me that it was Melissa and James."
"Oh really? Wait, that is possible. I did see those two talking outside the Potions room the other night. They looked serious."
"Yeah, that's what Tina told me. Or was it David? Yes, it was David."
"How could you get Tina and David mixed up?"
"Dunno... they both kind of look the same."
"Yeah, I guess they do in a weird way."
"What were you saying about Melissa?"
And so went the conversation. Michala smiled to herself as the night went on. Though her thoughts were still partially with Luke, it was good to know that she had such down-to-earth friends. Just hearing their warm voices made her feel special. Michala vowed never to feel sorry for herself again.
Author's Note: Ooh this is so much fun! I have so many ideas for this story that I had to write a summary for each chapter before I forgot them all! LoL. I hope you're enjoying it as much as me! I haven't actually liked a fic this much since I wrote Three Little Words and that was awhile ago. Maybe it's because this one I am writing a bit of each night when everyone else in the house is asleep and the clock says something ridiculous like... 1.32am. It's planned to be about 14 chapters in length but it depends on how I go with it. *Yawn* Well thanks for the reviews, I better get some sleep for the exams! (;oO -- He's yawning in case you couldn't tell all right? LoL
Oliver thankfully made a speedy recovery and wasn't seriously injured though he was awfully disappointed that he missed the Gryffindor celebrations after the match (in which they blew Slytherin out of the water... or out of the sky, if you want to be technical).
Harry seemed to be the new star in Hogwarts and he began to collect himself quite a fan club, almost big enough to rival that of Oliver's who had oohed and ahhed at him when he'd recovered quickly. Even he had to confess it was quite something to recieve so many 'Get well' cards and chocolates during his short stay in the Infirmary- most from adoring girls (and a couple from team mates).
Oliver was pacing backwards and forwards in the hallway one morning when Luke came walking past.
"Hi Luke," greeted Oliver, looking up from the floor.
"Uh..." grunted Luke as he past him by quickly, without even turning his head.
Oliver watched Luke disappear around a corner before shrugging and continuing his pacing.
* * * * *
It turned out Oliver wasn't the only one to notice Luke's change in behaviour. Michala, Percy and Penelope all commented on it at lunch that day, outside, and all shared stories about their confrontations with him that morning.
"Oh yes," said Michala stuffing a sandwich in her mouth. "He wof kinda diftant an' didnt weally wook at me in claff..." She swallowed. "Maybe he feels sick or something."
"No," said Percy shaking his head. "That's not it. There is definitely something up. I passed him on my way to the dormitories and he looked like he wanted to cry. Head down, feet dragging, slouched over. I asked if anything was wrong but he just shook his head and kept walking."
Oliver tried to concentrate on the conversation but was becoming more and more aware of Percy's hand on Penelope's.
"Well," he said clearing his throat. "If Luke wants to talk about it, he will. I guess he just wants to be left alone. Unlike somebody..." he added under his breath, looking at Penelope.
"Huh?" she looked at him strangely.
"Well it seems you two are getting along pretty well eh?" he retorted, throwing the leftovers of his chicken salad on the garden behind them.
"What do you mean?" she asked, eyes lowering.
"I mean that when were you planning on telling us all that you and Percy were officially a couple?"
"I told you Oliver that I fancied him, I told you that... yesterday."
"Aren't we the fast mover then eh?"
"Oliver!"
"I'm not hungry. Something has made me lose my apetitite. I'm going to go find Luke and see if he's all right. Even a grouch like him would be better company," and with that Oliver stood up and marched away, shoulders tense.
"Oliver!" called Penelope. "Oliver!"
She looked at Percy and then Michala. "What is up with him?" she asked.
"I have no idea," replied Michala. "He has been so moody lately."
"Yeah," added Percy. "Seems like we have two moody ones in the group right now. I hope it's not something we've done."
"I doubt it," said Michala. "I think Luke is just in a bad mood, I'll talk to him later. And Oliver... well I think that one is pretty obvious. Don't you agree?"
Percy shrugged, "I don't know what you mean."
"But Penelope does don't you?" Michala asked, looking at Penelope who was trying her best to fade into the background. It wasn't working.
She also shrugged but didn't say anything else.
* * * * *
Michala caught up with Luke in the library that afternoon when classes were over. The library was somewhere Luke sometimes came to hide, especially when he was feeling down. It took Michala quite some time to find him however, what with searching through the numerous tall shelves and displays of books.
"Luke," she whispered when she spotted him in one of the back corners, browsing through the Q-R section.
He automatically responded to his name and turned around. "Oh," he said and looked back at the shelf.
Michala didn't like giving up though and wandered over next to him. She picked up an interesting looking hard cover and began examining it.
"You know, if something is bothering you, you don't have to hide it," she said casually, flicking through a few pages.
"I know," replied Luke equally as casual.
"And you know, I'm always here for you to talk to," Michala added, putting the book back.
"I know," he replied.
"And you know, sometimes it's better to have things out in the open then bottled up inside."
"I know," he said.
"Oh for crying out loud!" Michala cried, throwing her hands in the air and then covering her mouth for fear that she'd get a detention from the librarian, Madam Pince. "Tell me what is troubling you!"
"See, you're just getting frustrated again," Luke said, beginning to walk away.
"Now you wait a minute boy," Michala grabbed him by the shoulder and forcefully turned him around. He had no other choice but to obey her rather threatening commands.
"Look there's no point in pestering me because there's nothing wrong and I have nothing to say to you," Luke tried to say but Michala covered his mouth with her hand.
"And there's no point in you trying to deny there's nothing wrong because it is so blatantly obvious that there is!"
Luke sighed and looked down at the floor. "All right... so I am kind of mad..." he confessed.
"At me?" Michala asked.
"No."
"At Oliver?"
"No."
"Percy?"
"No."
"Penelope?"
"No."
"Who then?"
"Nobody in particular, me I guess."
"Oh. What did you do to yourself?" she asked. Luke suddenly looked very depressed and upset. Sensing that it was no longer time to be comical or sarcastic, Michala took him gently and sat him down on the floor with her. She reached out and patted him on the back.
"Hey... it's okay," she said reassuringly.
He forced a small smile. "I don't expect you to understand," he began.
"I don't expect to understand. But I can listen and try can't I?" Michala replied.
"Yeah," he said, looking up at her. "It's just that lately... I'm not sure. I have felt pretty left out. You know... lonely, depressed, morbid, moody, you get the point. I'm not even sure why which makes it all the sillier. Maybe I'm just in my teenage years... I'm sure it's normal to get all angry and strange. I've just been so upset, that's all. I mean... yesterday..." he lowered his voice to a whisper. "I cried."
Michala gave a sympathetic smile. "Nothing wrong with that."
"You guys are all fantastic, don't get me wrong but I mean now Percy and Penelope have each other and you and Oliver are always surrounded by heaps of people. But me... well, I'm not exactly Mr. Sociable am I?"
"Not exactly," said Michala. "But you're not exactly Mr. Unpopular either." She wasn't lying. Luke was a great person, always friendly. A little on the serious side but he was loyal and clever and a good musician too. He wasn't bad looking either. His hair was a soft brown colour and his eyes were big and brown and deep. He was well built without being too macho while not too scrawny either. His clothes fitted well and he had good dress sense. As these thoughts raced through Michala's mind, she stopped to wonder. Why didn't Luke have more friends?
"Hmm... well..." Luke drifted off. "Thanks by the way."
"Hmm? For what?" she asked.
"For pressuring me into talking. It does feel a lot better actually. You are one pretty smart girl."
"Oh thanks," Michala could feel herself blushing.
"Well enough of this soppy stuff then eh?" he said, standing up quickly. "It's been nice talking to you Michala. Must do it again sometime."
"Oh, but of course," replied Michala as she watched him exit the library leaving her to think about all that he'd just told her. It was weird that Luke had opened up to her that much but nice. Very nice.
* * * * *
She didn't talk that much to the rest of the group that evening. Michala just watching and occasionally joined in the conversations that revolved around the fire place. For one of the first times in her life, she decided to observe rather than participate. Luke's words had had more of an effect on her than he could possibly know, in more ways than one.
Penelope was sitting in Percy's lap as he was draped lazily over one of the scarlet armchairs. Oliver was sitting crosslegged on the carpet watching the flames crackle and Luke was nowhere to be seen. Michala sat with her back against the base of one of the couches and looked outside the window just listening to everyone's conversation.
"Yeah I heard that Marissa and James are going out," Penelope was stating.
"Yeah, I heard that too. From uhh... Rosemary," somebody else chimed in.
"Hmm... no Rosemary told me that it was Melissa and James."
"Oh really? Wait, that is possible. I did see those two talking outside the Potions room the other night. They looked serious."
"Yeah, that's what Tina told me. Or was it David? Yes, it was David."
"How could you get Tina and David mixed up?"
"Dunno... they both kind of look the same."
"Yeah, I guess they do in a weird way."
"What were you saying about Melissa?"
And so went the conversation. Michala smiled to herself as the night went on. Though her thoughts were still partially with Luke, it was good to know that she had such down-to-earth friends. Just hearing their warm voices made her feel special. Michala vowed never to feel sorry for herself again.
Author's Note: Ooh this is so much fun! I have so many ideas for this story that I had to write a summary for each chapter before I forgot them all! LoL. I hope you're enjoying it as much as me! I haven't actually liked a fic this much since I wrote Three Little Words and that was awhile ago. Maybe it's because this one I am writing a bit of each night when everyone else in the house is asleep and the clock says something ridiculous like... 1.32am. It's planned to be about 14 chapters in length but it depends on how I go with it. *Yawn* Well thanks for the reviews, I better get some sleep for the exams! (;oO -- He's yawning in case you couldn't tell all right? LoL