"I can't go! Not today!" I shouted, just as my mum was turning away.
She sighed, turning to face me. "Why? What's wrong with today?" she questioned.
"I promised Blaise we'd—er—spend the day together. See a movie and do what guys do. Yeah—you see, um…Chanel and him just broke up, and I gotta be there for him. He's heartbroken—you know, since Chanel left him for no good reason, and you're not falling for this, are you?"
Mum had her hands on her hips, shaking her head. "Draco, Blaise never had a girlfriend—you would've told me," she said.
Ooh, she's good. Really good…it's going to take a lot to fool her. "Well, Chanel and Blaise were never a couple, but Blaise has liked her ever since I could remember. He'd talk about her day and night, write her secret love letters, and had about ten pictures of her. Then one day he told me he was finally going to confess his love for her, but that's where things went wrong--"
"Is it just me, or is this really twisted? It doesn't sound like Blaise at all," mum interrupted.
I scowled. "Anyways," I went on, "He told her he loved her and she just exploded with laughter, and told him it wouldn't even happen if he were the last boy on earth. Blaise is really, really heartbroken."
Mum smiled. "Nice try, Draco, but you told me just last week that Blaise was crushing on some girl named Adrienne," she said, obviously thinking she'd busted me.
"Exactly, and she told Blaise he was beneath her," I told mum coolly.
"But you said that was Chanel," Mum pointed out.
"Did I? Uh—that darn Draco! I meant Adrienne," I said, pretending to be very upset with myself.
"Draco, you and Blaise can spend a different day together. Besides, if he's as heartbroken as you say he is, you should go school shopping together and get his mind off of Adrienne," Mum told me.
Okay, time for plan B—pretend to be sick. If mum thinks I'm sick, I won't be able to go school shopping today with Blaise. (And, by the way, Blaise isn't heartbroken; he never really told Adrienne that he loved her) Now, to do plan B. I put my hand over my stomach and moaned. "Mum—I don't even feel well today. My throat is really sore and--" I doubled over gagging. "I—I think I'm going to be sick!"
"Draco! Stop that right now! You're not sick—now go upstairs and get ready—go on!" Mum barked, clearly not happy with me.
"But mum! I promised Blaise a movie today—not shopping! Shopping is for girls," I complained.
"You can see a movie tomorrow, Draco! Blaise will understand, especially since you didn't really promise him anything, because he's not really heartbroken. I'm not that gullible, Draco."
All right, now I have no choice but to go upstairs and get ready. I guess mum will feel really bad herself once I'm gone forever…once I've turned to dust…and am dead—really dead…
Anyways, I went back to my 'ANGRY' room, and changed my outfit, since I was still wearing the clothes I wore yesterday. Then, without a mirror to help me, I combed the tangles out of my hair.
"Hurry up, Draco! We don't have all day!" Mum fussed, holding a bowl of floo powder in my face.
I took a handful and stepped into the fireplace. "Diagon Alley!" I screamed, and not long after that I found myself in a small fireplace at a shop in Diagon Alley.
I slowly stood up, wondering how long it would be until I burst into flames. I walked towards the door of the shop. It was a bright and sunny day outside and the only reason I wasn't dead already was because of the tinted windows. I took a deep sigh, stepping outside under the large shadowed area next to the shop. I was okay—still alive, anyway. As long as I'm in a shadowed area, I won't dust. That's my conclusion, anyway. I looked ahead at the path of the shadowed area; it looked as if it lead to the exact coffee shop I told Blaise to meet me. I smiled as I strolled towards it. This was too easy.
"I'd like a fresh cup of black coffee, please," I said as I leaned against the wooden countertop once inside the welcoming Crimson Lights.
The plump woman behind the counter sighed loudly, quickly turning around and filling an average sized coffee cup to the top and carelessly pushing it my way. I grinned, grabbing the hot and surprisingly addictive liquid like a wild animal. If I had any advice to young teenagers out in the world, it would be to not try coffee until you're older. I had my first cup at the age of 5, and at 10 I was addicted for life. Now all I think about is coffee. Coffee…coffee…coffee…I am a fool for coffee…mmm…coffee…
"Como estas, Draco?" a concerned male voice suddenly boomed into my ear.
I immediately snapped out of it and looked at the Hispanic teenager standing next to me—the one and only Blaise Zabini.
"Sorry Blasie—I was in Coffee World, and didn't notice you come in," I replied wondering what como estas could mean in English.
My Spanish friend nodded and ordered his cup of coffee so we could find a seat. "You could've found a table for us once you got your coffee, mate. You didn't have to wait for me," he said as we sat down in a torn-up booth that wasn't usually used unless all the tables were taken.
"Really, Blaise, I would've, but do I need to explain once more that I kinda drifted into Coffee World without meaning to?" I questioned as he wiped the crumbs from his seat.
"It's okay, Draco, but next time try not to drift off because no tengo gusto de esta table, all right?"
"Whatever!" I replied, sometimes getting the feeling that Blaise did this to annoy me.
He always says that he tries not to speak Spanish around me since I don't understand it, but this is one of those times that I believe he could have finished that sentence in English.
Frustrated, I lifted my coffee cup to finally take a drink. I took a large sip and didn't taste anything. Refusing to panic, I came to the conclusion that I drank it too fast. This time I took a smaller sip and swished the liquid around in my mouth before swallowing. Nothing. Absolutely no taste at all. A chill ran down my spine as I put the cup down. "B—Blaise—buddy, just out of curiosity, can you taste your coffee?" I asked still trying my best to not panic.
Blaise gave me a look as if to say 'Are you crazy?'
"Why wouldn't I be able to?" he questioned, looking right at me.
"I—I dunno--" I told him, feeling quite foolish to even mention it to him.
He shrugged. "Perhaps sugar would help," he suggested after a few silent moments.
Now, I normally don't put anything else in my coffee for flavor, but hey, when you're on the verge of panicking, what CAN you do? I grabbed a few packets and dumped them in my cup before quickly taking another drink. Still, nothing. No taste at all. I took a deep sigh and decided to buy a type of food to eat. Perhaps, I simply got a bad cup of coffee, and it wasn't me at all. Hopefully, it wasn't me, anyway. I searched my pockets for enough gold for a danish or perhaps some coffee cake…maybe an onion bulb, even.
"Blaise, I'm gonna get myself something to eat—mum didn't feed me, so I'm starving. You want something? It's on me," I said.
My friend thought for a moment. "Get me…lets see…I'd like on of their hard-shelled tacos," he told me.
I nodded, half-walking, half-running up to the counter. The same plump woman came up to me. "What?" she grunted rather rudely.
I rolled my eyes. This lady needs to either get an attitude adjustment or quit. "I would like a coffee cake and a hard-shelled taco—everything on it," I told her in a much nicer tone than what she had used on me.
She growled at me, stomping over to the food counter to gather together what I'd ordered. I leaned against the countertop and began to tap my fingers to a very annoying beat as she slowly made my order. Finally, I made my way back to the torn-up booth. "Sorry for the wait. That lady up at the counter really has an attitude today. She's so slow, too!" I explained as I handed Blaise his taco.
"No problemo, mate, I understand," he smiled, taking a large bite into his taco and looking back up at me.
Slowly, I picked up a small portion of my cake and put it into my mouth, dreading the results. I waited a moment and then chewed the cake, sadly swallowing what felt like an old piece of gum that had lost its flavor. I sighed. What was wrong with me? Why couldn't I taste anything anymore? WHY? I thought as quick as I could for a reasonable solution, but came up with nothing at all.
I looked at Blaise for a few moments as he ate his taco happily. At least he still had his taste buds. He also had blood. Sweet, sweet blood…something I could taste just fine…I licked my lips…wait! No, no, no! I could never eat my best friend! Yeah, he annoys me all the time with all his Spanish, but he's still my friend. Oh, but the blood…that sweet metallic taste…that taste every vamp craves…
"Draco, are you sure you're fine?" I heard Blaise ask after a few more moments.
I didn't respond. Instead, I ducked under the table and came up on the opposite seat, right next to a very uneasy and panicked Blaise Zabini. "D—Draco—basta, por favor, basta! What you're doing—or going to do, which appears to be starting a fight or attacking me, por favor don't, okay? We're amigos, remember?" he said.
I nodded—if amigos meant something good, then we were definitely amigos. "I'm sorry, Blaise," I finally said.
I was just about to put on my game face when something—or rather someone—grabbed my waist and forced me onto the floor. A terrible pain ran through my entire body, and the last thing I remember was feeling as though I'd been struck by lightning and run over by a truck at the same time…