Chapter 7: Over Me!

"But how can we win Hermione?" Maria asked, "I mean you and I are the only ones who know how to play. We have three people that can't play and even if they could they probably wouldn't be a great asset to our team. I mean look at their team. They have five boys, all athletes that are in perfect shape. They all play sports and I am sure that they all have heard of volleyball. We are all losing for sure, and we are going to have to go through with the dare."

"Would you let it go?" Lavender snapped, "You are trying to make Tom look like a bad guy when he's not. He hasn't even said anything about a dare and you are already assuming that he will. You really shouldn't assume."

"I'm not assuming I know he will and I know what he will do he does this every year."

"Well maybe he wont this year, maybe this year will be different," Lavender said softly looking over at Tom.

Maria laughed a bit and said, "Boy he really did a number on you. I mean I know what he does to girls but you've spend like five minutes with him and you already think that he's madly in love with you and will change his way all because of you. Oh brother, he did choose the right girl. I got to give him credit."

"Shut up," Lavender said, "You didn't see the way he looked at me or the way he held my hand, even if it was for a second, so shut up."

"Okay whatever," Maria said, "You're not my favorite subject to talk about anyways, I just want to win this game."

"Girls," Ron said, "I don't mean to interrupt your very entertaining argument but we have to win, I mean I'm the only guy on this team, I am never going to live this down, I mean they will start making fun of me. It would look great if we won so let's do it."

"We can't win," Maria said, "Even if they suck all of them know how to play, and we can't teach you guys in ten minutes."

"You know you may not be right about that," Hermione said, "Draco and Blaise, don't know how to play either. So maybe something can be worked out. You three," Hermione said pointing to Ron, Lavender, and Parvati, "come with me, we'll be right back Maria."

"What kind of school do you guys go to?" Maria asked, but Hermione followed by Parvati, Lavender and Ron were gone. Maria shook her head. She looked at Hermione; this was obviously not the same Hermione. She had changed. Maria could tell. She changed every summer of course but this time something was really different. Hermione had broken tradition this time, something that the two of them had vowed never to do. She smiled though. Hermione was still her best friend in the world, she couldn't deny that, they had been through too much together, they had kept no secrets, and they trusted each other. They were friends until the end.

She saw everyone talking. She wanted to go over there be part of the conversation, but something told her she shouldn't, so she didn't. Something told her that this did not include her, so she stood there alone, looking at them. She saw Tom once again put his arm around Lavender. She saw Lavender then move closer to him. Maria shook her head and smiled, there was Tom's first victim for the summer. He would get Lavender in bed by next week no doubt. Tom always did this, every summer, and she was sure he did this during the school year too. Tom knew that he could do it so he did, and he never gave up. Maria never thought he should, because she could never remember there being a girl that Tom couldn't get, she could never remember a heart he hadn't broken. She looked down, as her eyes filled with tears. She didn't understand herself there hadn't been a time yet when she thought of that day and didn't cry. Why was she crying after all these years had passed?

Then she looked at Rob, and smiled. He was the only other boy that she had ever loved and that had gone horribly wrong too. He had broken up with her too. Her eyes filled with tears even more and she decided to walk away from them, to make sure that no one could see her. She did not want Tom or Rob or anyone else to see her cry. She had never understood her love life. She was a very gorgeous girl, and yet she could never keep a boyfriend for too long. She couldn't understand why, and then during the summer was a whole different story. Her boyfriend Jack had broken up with her two weeks ago, he had said that he just wanted a break because he was going to Italy for the summer, but Maria wasn't stupid, she knew the real reason why he wanted to break up. She was jinxed and everyone knew it. Some people didn't believe it after all Tom and Rob were fine, however they had both broken up with her, so maybe that was the difference. Maria however believed it. She tried not to think about it though; however it was hard not to think about it during the summer when Rob and Tom were always here.

"Hey."

"Hey," Maria smiled at the cute boy that walked up to her. He was wearing nothing but swim shorts and was gorgeous. He was tall lean and perfectly fit. He had brown hair and gorgeous brown eyes. He smiled at her, and she smiled at him.

"My name's Danny," he said and he held out his hand to her.

She shook his hand and said, "My name's Maria."

"Beautiful name," Danny said.

"Thanks, I like yours too," Maria said smiling. He looked at her and said, "So how are you?"

"I'm good, you?"

"I'm better now."

Maria smiled again, and said, "You're not from around here are you?"

"No I'm not," Danny said, "I'm from Connecticut, United States."

"Wow!" Maria said, "You here for the summer?"

"Yeah, I have family here so, I came to visit them."

"Good, well how do you like England so far?"

"Oh, I love it! It's beautiful … the people are nicer, and the sites are amazing."

"I'm glad, you like it."

"Yeah, so are you here by yourself?"

"No, I'm here with some friends, you?"

"Well, I will be if I don't get going, but I had to stop to talk to you."

Maria smiled again and giggled a bit, "I'm glad you did."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Good I'm glad," Danny said, "I mean I thought I was waking a fool of myself, but I mean as soon as I saw you, I was like, wow."

"I'm flattered."

"Good," Danny said.

"Danny!" a boy yelled and waived Danny to go there, "Come on we're leaving soon."

"Yeah, one sec," Danny yelled back and then turned to Maria.

"You better get going then huh?" Maria asked.

"Yeah, I should, but uh- do you want to come with us?" Danny asked, "We're just going to get something to eat."

"I would but, I'm with friends."

"Then how about another night?"

"I don't know, I mean I hardly even know you."

"Well how about you get to know me, Saturday night?"

She smiled at him, "I don't know."

"Come on," Danny said, "I mean I came all the way from America and I mean do you really want me to go back there and tell my friends that the first girl I asked out turned me down?" Maria smiled, "I mean I will never live that down. And when am I going to get the opportunity to go out with the most gorgeous girl in the world?"

"Well…" Maria said, "You don't have a girlfriend back home do you?"

"No," Danny said, "I promise, I am single."

"Well then …" Maria said but was interrupted by Tom, who screamed her name and ran up to her. He reached her quickly and said, "Are you coming?"

"Yeah, in a second," Maria said.

"Okay," Tom said, "Who's this?"

"I'm Danny," the boy said, "and who are you?"

"I'm Tom," Tom said and put his arm around Maria's waist and Danny asked, "Maria's boyfriend?"

"No!" Maria said and pushed Tom's hand off her waist.

"Why do you want to know?" Tom asked, "Are you asking her out?"

"Yes," Danny said, "Do I need your permission?"

"No!" Tom said.

"Good, then stay out of it." Danny said, "I was asking Maria."

"No," Tom said, "I meant no, she isn't interested."

"What?" Danny asked.

"Excuse me?" Maria said, "You don't answer for me."

"You are way too good for him," Tom said.

"Tom stay out of this," Maria said.

"Maria, you're too good for him," Tom said again.

"Well who am I good enough for Tom? I obviously wasn't good enough for you, so maybe I'm good enough for him," Maria said and Tom looked away and said nothing. She then turned to Danny, "Danny if you still want to go out with me on Saturday I would love to."

"Yeah, definitely," Danny said smiling again.

"Good then how about we meet Saturday at eight at Antonio's. I'm sure your cousin will know it." Maria said.

"Great, I'll see you Saturday," Danny said, he gave Maria a hug and left.

"What is your problem?" Maria asked.

"You shouldn't have gone out with him," Tom said, "Why do you keep wasting your time with idiots?"

"He is not an idiot," Maria said.

"You are gorgeous, smart, funny, amazing, any guy would be lucky to have you," Tom said.

"Not any guy," Maria said, "Not you or Robbie."

"Maria, you know why I broke up with you," Tom said.

"Oh yeah because you went to a different school, because it's not like we see each other every summer and talk to each other every week anyways, I see how hard it would have been to keep a relationship," Maria said sarcastically and started walking away. He ran up to her, caught her by her arm and said, "Do you want to get back together?"

"No," Maria said, "Are you kidding me?"

"No," Tom said, "If you want to get back together we will."

"Are you out of your mind?" Maria screamed, "This is not how relationships work. You can't just ask do you want to get back together to end a fight Tom. I mean it has to be wanted by both people and it has to happen naturally, and nothing about this is natural." She had tears coming out of her eyes and Tom grabbed her and kissed her deeply. She pushed him away and said, "Stop it. Let's go back now and act normal, I don't want them to think we had a fight." She wiped her tears and Tom said, "We're not done here Maria."

"Yes, we are." Maria said.

"No, we're not."

"You know what Tom, you ended our relationship when it was at its peak, we were doing so great, I mean were just little kids, but still, we were great. And then out of the blue you end it, and I showed no tears, I showed no pain, I held back my heartbreak, and I got over it. There is still some resentment there yes, but it's over, I know it is, so just as you ended our relationship I am ending this fight, so accept it, same as I did," Maria said.

"No!" Tom said.

"There's no, no to it, Tom."

"Yes, there is a no to it. You sit there and tell me that I ended it but you ended it as well. You didn't fight for it Maria, and that is exactly what I am doing now, I am saying we have to work things out, now! Maybe that's what you should have told me; maybe if you truly wanted it, you should have fought harder for it. Have you thought that maybe you didn't want our relationship either."

"Didn't want it either? Tom for three months I cried in my pillow every night, how can you tell me that I didn't want it? Every boyfriend I had I kept comparing to you, I couldn't have a real boyfriend that I truly cared about until high school, and you're telling me I didn't care about it? Tom that was the hardest thing I've ever had to do."

"I'm sorry." Tom said.

"Don't be," Maria said, "I don't need you to feel sorry for me, I am over it, but I'm saying please Tom let me get on with my life, let me just be happy, because it was hard for me getting over you, and every time that I think you might have feelings for me, I get excited for a minute and hurt again, deeply hurt, so please, just let me be happy, even if it is with an idiot for just one day."

"I'm sorry," Tom said, "But tell me Maria are you truly over me?"

"Yes," Maria said, "I am over you."

"Okay, I'm sorry." Tom said, he moved closer to her and gave her a hug. Her sweet smelling perfume filled his nostrils and said, "You smell good."

She smiled, "Thanks."

"You know," Tom said, "I have yet to meet a better smelling girl."

"What about Lavender?" Maria said joking now.

"Oh please," Tom said.

"So how many days you think?" Maria asked.

"Three," Tom said.

"What does Robbie think?"

"Five."

"I think a week."

"A Week?" Tom said, "you're losing babe, I swear I'm gonna get this girl in bed tonight."

"That confident huh?"

"Yep," Tom said, "With this one." Maria smiled and Tom said, "So are we good?"

"Yeah," Maria said, "I'm sorry I freaked out."

"It's all right," Tom said, "I mean I know how when you get a taste of me and Rob you can't get enough."

"Oh please," Maria said, "I think I was more upset about Rob anyways."

"Okay," Tom said, "Try and cover it up."

Maria laughed, "I love that smile, I've told you that before, I never want to see you frown."

"Finally," Draco said, as he saw Maria and Tom approach them, "Come on I am ready to play some v-ball."

'I thought you didn't know how to play," Maria said.

"Oh we all learned," Ron said, "We learn quickly."

"Okay let's play," Maria said. She let go of Tom's hand and smiled at him. He smiled at her and said, "So you really are over me?"

"Yeah, I am," she responded.

"Okay," Tom said, "I'm sorry I kissed you, I don't know what I was trying to do."

"It's okay, I mean it wasn't bad, you were a great kisser, and I guess you've gotten better," Maria said.

"And you as well," Tom said.

"Tom?" Maria asked, "You're over me too right?"

"Yeah," Tom said, "I am. And I wish you all the luck with Danny."

"Thanks," Maria said.

"Okay you guys," Hermione said, "Let's play!"

Author's Notes

Okay so sorry for taking forever to update but here is chapter 7 I hope you guys all enjoy! And thank you so Much to all who reviewed:

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