chapter nine

Lily was crying. She hadn't gone to class after her encounter with James and his new girlfriend; she had climbed back up the stairs, waiting until she was safely behind a locked door before falling onto her four-poster and letting the tears fall.
Lilly's crying began to get more wild and her cheeks grew wetter. She sobbed into her pillow, asking herself what she had done to deserve this.
Pretty soon Lily's sobs quieted and she found herself being pulled down into a fitful sleep.

"Lily?" the voice was calling from outside the door. It was one of her roomate, Elizabeth.
She remained silent, staring up at the top of her bed. Silent tears had started to pour back down her cheeks.
"Lils?" the voice came again. Lily didn't make a sound. She heard Liz sigh on the other side of the door. "I'm coming in." she announced. Lily blinked but did not look away from the ceiling.
She heard a tiny click of the lock giving way and then a slight creak as her friend opened the door.
Elizabeth walked in and shut the door behind her. Then she walked over to Lily's four-poster and sat down on the side of the bed.
Without saying anything she began stroking Lily's hair; Lily continued to cry.
She turned her head to look at Elizabeth.
After minute, Lily finally spoke.
"He has a new girlfriend," she stated, her monotonous tone ringing out through the almost empty room.
"I know," Liz answered. She didn't elaborate.

They sat in silence for a long while more before either said anything.
"Lily, I hate to say this, but he is allowed to move on," Liz said, cautiously. She paused. "I mean, you did." She added, a little quieter.
Lily flipped onto her side so she was facing Elizabeth.
"I know," she said, trying to smile. "It's just, I don't know. The way he was with her. It was like he was totally throwing it in my face. It just hurt. You know?"
Liz nodded. "I know."
Lily wiped the tears from under her eyes and sniffed a few times. Liz reached over to the side table and handed her a handful of tissues.
"Thanks, Liza," Lily smiled, taking them. She blew her nose loudly.
Liz giggled a little.
"Shut up!" Lily yelled at her, grinning all the while.
"No wonder you two broke up, God!" Elizabeth joked. Lily hit her.
They grew silent again. Then Lily turned onto the other side and Liz lay down next to her. She put her arm around Lily's waist the way they had so many times before and rubbed her shoulder.

They lay on the bed like this for a while until Lily spoke again, right before they fell asleep.
"I guess I just miss him..."

Lily awoke several hours later and rolled over to find the other side of the bed empty, save short note written on a small piece of parchment. She rubbed her eyes and picked up the note.

Lils,
I woke up and saw you were still asleep so I decided to let you rest by yourself. We went to dinner at 5.30, if you wake up in time and want to come we'll be there for a while.
Hope you feel better after your nap!

Love, Lizzy

Lily put down the note and looked out the window. The sky was dark and she could hear the faint sound of rain as it hammered against the thick stone walls. She pulled her jumper tighter around her body and looked at the clock.

7.00; the girls must be finished with dinner by now. She got up and changed out of her school clothes and into a pair of sweatpants.
Feeling much more comfortable she applied a little under-eye cover-up to tone down the redness under her eyes.

Then she bravely descended the stairs to the common room where she had left her bookbag earlier that day. As she reached the bottom of the stairs, she heard angry voices echoing up. The voices got louder as she moved further down the steps towards the common room. She stopped near the bottom of the stairs as she recognized the boy's voice as James'. She started to turn and go back up to her room but something made her pause and listen.

"Yeah well, I never even liked you! God, don't you know I'm still in love with Lily!" he screamed, his voice rising to Lily's ears and lodging in her brain.
There was a long pause while Lily waited to hear Tracey's response to the last comment.
A second later, Lily heard muffled sobs coming from the bottom of the stairs and James' voice soften as he spoke again.
"C'mon, Trace. Don't cry," he was saying.
"Don't touch me!" Lily heard Tracey cry out and their voices moved closer towards where she was now sitting on the stairs.
"Trace, you know I didn't mean it." Lily's stomach dropped down to her knees when she heard this. He's lying...oh God please tell me he's just saying that..please. Lily prayed silently.
"Get away from me James Potter!" Lily had no time to moved before she heard loud footsteps racing towards the bottom of the stairs and right towards her hiding place. Tracey stopped as she reached where Lily was now standing, her hand over her mouth.
"Tracey!" James called after. "TRACEY! COME BAC-" he stopped midsentence as he saw Lily standing there awkwardly next to Tracey.
Tracye looked back and forth between the two, who were staring at each other.
Her gaze stopped on Lily. "You're awful!" she spat at Lily before continuing up the stairs to her bedroom.
Lily sighed and slumped to the floor.
"Oh, God," she sighed as James walked towards her. She looked at him sadly. "What have we done?"