Chapter Four: Mistakes and Misunderstandings
It was the weekend and Angelina wanted nothing more than to stay in bed as long as she could. For some reason, she just couldn't get enough sleep. She chalked it up to her late meetings with Montague and the stress she had been dealing with when it came to Fred.
"Angelina," Alicia said, "it's almost noon. When do you plan on getting up?"
"Never," was Angelina response as she turned over and pulled the blanket over her head.
Alicia shook her head as she took a seat on Angelina's bed. "You know, Fred has been hanging about the common room all morning. I've talked to him and he won't admit it, but I think he's waiting for you to come down."
Angelina frowned. "And I care. . . why?"
"Why don't you just get up and go see him?" Alicia suggested. "I think it may do you some good."
Angelina sat up, looking at her friend angrily. "He dumped me, remember? And no matter what you may think, I'm not pathetic. I don't need to go crawling back to him."
"What? That's not what I meant and you know it," Alicia said, looking a bit offended. "But the way you are both just sulking around. . . I just thought maybe you guys could work out your problem, whatever it may be."
Angelina sighed at Alicia's words. She hadn't told Alicia exactly why she and Fred had broken up; she had been too embarrassed.
She knew she had let things get out of hand when it came to Fred, but instead of staying and trying to work it out with him, which she could tell Fred wanted her to do, she had gone to see Montague. If only she had been able to tell Fred what was really going on, she had often thought. If only she could make him understand. But, then again, maybe he was right. No, she knew he was right, because no girl would have put up with what he did. So why in the world did she want him back?
Angelina's shoulders slumped over. "Okay, I will get up, but I'm not promising anything when it comes to Fred." That was enough for Alicia, who smiled at her before getting up and going about her business.
After a quick shower, it didn't take Angelina long to get ready. She put on a pair of black jeans and a red long sleeve shirt. It had been a few weeks, so her bruises were fading, but they were still very visible, even against her dark skin. She then made her way downstairs when she spotted Fred sitting by himself in the corner. He sat up straighter when he saw her and gave her a shy smile. It looked awkward on his face, as she had grown used to seeing large, over-the-top grins.
As Angelina walked down the stairs, her head began to ache, and suddenly, for no reason at all, she felt dirty all over. I can't do this, she thought as she tore her eyes away from Fred. She made her way towards the common room door as quickly as she could, her head down.
Fred sat up immediately when he saw start to turn from his direction. He quickly stood and began to follow her, finally catching up with her on the moving staircase. "Angelina!" he called out, but she ignored him and kept on walking down the stairs. "Please hear me out!" he cried as he practically ran down the stairs. "Angelina, please!" he yelled when she, too, picked up her speed. "I'm sorry!" he yelled desperately, panic clear in his voice. Angelina finally paused where she stood and Fred descended towards her before she changed her mind.
"Angel," he said breathlessly as he made his way to her. He slowly made his way in front of her taking a step down as to be eye level with her. "I made a mistake," he told her as she refused to look him. "I'm sorry, from the very core of me, about what happened the other week ago and for pushing you into something you didn't want to do. I'm sorry about accusing you of being with George and for being paranoid. I know you and my brother would never do anything to purposely hurt me." He signed heavily, as if trying to make himself braver. "And most of all, Angel, I'm sorry for giving up on us too soon. It was a mistake." He gently reached under her chin and lifted her downcast face. "Please, tell me you forgive me."
Angelina's bottom lip began to quiver as she reached for Fred's hand under her chin. "No," she said softly. Hearing the word, Fred felt an all too familiar pain invade his chest. Angelina's face was emotionless as she continued to speak, lowering his hand as she did so. "How can I forgive you, when you used me and then threw me away like I was a piece of trash? Like I was worth nothing at all, Fred?"
"I- I was upset, Angelina, but how could I not be when- " He lowered his head and stopped himself before he said anything irreversible. He looked back up at her. "Don't you know you're worth anything I have to go through to be with you? Whatever you need me to do, I will do. You know me, I never meant to hurt you." Angelina just looked at him. "You're my Angel and I love you."
Concern filled Angelina's eyes at his words. What should she do? What should she say? But before she even had a chance to debate it all in her head, she heard herself saying, "I forgive you, Weasley." Fred looked honestly surprised at her words, but he didn't waste one moment before he slowly leaned in and gave Angelina a small kiss. Angelina took an unsteady breath as she put her arms around his neck and embraced him tightly.
Fred felt selfish for being a little disappointed. He was hoping that she would tell him that she loved him, but he was happy enough that she forgave him and for right now, that was the most important thing.
Their hug soon came to an end and they parted company and went their separate ways. Fred happily went to go tell his good news to George, while Angelina went to go get something to eat in the Great Hall. As she eat alone, she couldn't help smiling. Despite both her and Fred's faults, they were back together, and there was a relief in that that Angelina could not deny.
Angelina was leaving the Great Hall when she decided to walk about the grounds for a little while to take in the lovely day. Then, for the second time in her life, she was yanked into the dark hall. Not surprised by it, she immediately asked, "What is it, David?" thinking maybe he had an update for her since the last time they met, but there was only silence after her question. When her eyes finally adjusted to the darkness, she realized it was not Montague who stood before her, but Fred Weasley.
"David?" he finally spoke, his brow furrowed in anger. "You don't mean Montague, do you?" Angelina was completely caught off guard and could do nothing but stand there with her mouth open. "I got you something," Fred had continued, not waiting for an answer.
Whatever was going on, at this point, Fred didn't care. She has her secrets, he thought. But she loves me, I know it, so let her keep them. All Fred knew was that he had Angelina back, and though they weren't apart for very long, it felt like eternity to him and he didn't want to go through that again. So he decided he was going to suck it up and take whatever she threw at him, because he knew he didn't deserve her.
"Really?" She smiled in relief that he didn't push the subject.
"I noticed that you've had that same necklace since second year." He pulled out a necklace box. "I thought it was about time you had a new one to wear." He opened the box to reveal a gold, heart-shaped locket. Inside was already a picture of him and Angelina.
"That's so sweet," she told him as she admired the picture they had taken during the Yule Ball.
"Let me put it on you," he suggested before reaching out for the necklace that was already around her neck. He had seen this necklace around her neck a thousand times before, but he had never actually looked at it. He hated to admit it, but it was by far more beautiful then the one he had bought her.
The chain was silver and there was a round, flat black jewel that hung from it. Strange as it was, it seem to shine even more in the darkness. He then noticed two snakes within the round jewel; one was green and the other was silver. The snakes' tails were intertwined and their bodies seem to push out from each other, their heads coming together to form a heart. "Wait. Stop," Angelina said, but it was too late, he had already seen the Slytherin like jewel.
He turned it over and found an inscription on the back that glowed in green letters. "To my Capulet?" he read, before looking into Angelina's eyes. "What's a Capulet?"
Angelina remembered back to the summer after her and Montague's first year. She remembered how good it felt to be with her friend and not have to think about what others around them thought. At home, she wasn't a Gryffindor and he wasn't a Slytherin; they were just twelve-year olds, growing up in the Wizarding world. One day, Montague gave her a 'just because' gift, but it was his words that she could never seem to forget after reading the inscription. "Let's just hope we don't end up like them."
"Angelina," Fred spoke again before she gave him back her attention.
"It comes from a story called Romeo and Juliet by a Muggle named Shakespeare," Angelina said. "The story is about a couple of kids that come from rival families. . . rival houses. They overcame many obstacles to be with each other." She took a deep breath. "Their names were Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet."
Fred shook his head in understanding. "Montague and Capulet? So this couple, they loved each other." It was more a statement than a question, but Angelina didn't understand that he wasn't asking whether or not Romeo and Juliet loved each other. He was asking her if she was the Juliet to David's Romeo.
"Yes," she answered, not realizing she was putting the final nail in Fred's coffin.
"Fine," he said bitterly, his brow once again furrowed. He thought he could handle anything she threw at him, but he couldn't, not when he thought she just admitted she loved someone else. It all makes sense now, he thought as he put his present back in his pocket. "I think I finally understand, so don't worry about me anymore, okay, Angelina? Because I won't be your obstacle anymore." He turned around and walked off. "So you can go ahead and have your fairy tale ending."
"What?" She didn't understand his words at first. "Fred, wait, you don't understand. It's not a fairy tale-" But it was too late. She had lost him in the crowd going to lunch.
"It's a tragedy."
To Be Continued. . .
