Chapter 3: The Third Note

"Hailey!" Lily cried out as she was nearing the end of the chapter of the book she was reading. "I'm nearly done with this chapter and you're still in there! Get your ass out here and get yourself dressed! Jenny and Katie are waiting downstairs!"

"Ok, ok… I'm done, I'm done." She quickly dried her hair with a drying spell and grabbed her robes and hurriedly dressed herself. "You can wait downstairs, Lils. I'll be there in a minute, I promise!"

Lily gave her friend an annoyed look and grabbed her things. "Be fast!"

The four friends were walking their way to the Great hall when they saw Derek hopping his way to them. "Hello again, Ms. Lily, but a young man wanted me to give this to you. He said he hopes you'll like it—and the other flowers to come." He gave each of them a friendly smile before dashing his way away from them, afraid to be interrogated. Holding the tulip in her right hand, she gently dropped her bag and searched for the other two notes she received in the past two days.

She put her transfiguration book on the floor and reached for the notes. She read the first one and included the third one with it.

The distance between us was quite far, but the figure of you and him holding hands was a clear sight. (1)

From where I was standing, both of you were having a good time… (2)
Holding hands…

Walking with comfortable silence…
Knowing nothing about a man hurting—watching with tears drowning his eyes. (3)

After reading the notes together, Lily was temporarily speechless. Her heart was literally pounding painfully against her chest. Not knowing the reason why, but she felt his pain.

"Oh! My! Gosh!" Katie said.

Hailey, equally taken aback, said "I second that!"

"I would kill to have someone like me that way!" Katie added.

"Lily?" Jenny asked, eyeing her friend closely. "Are you all right?"

"Who is he?" Lily asked, her voice startling her friends as they heard the pain in her question.

"We don't know, Lils…" Jenny said, comforting her friend. "But I think we're going to find out soon."

"Do you think he was truly hurt or was he just saying?" Lily asked, slowly standing up.

"Nobody knows for sure, Lils. Only he knows."

Her heart still heavy with the painful revelation of the man, Lily smiled at Jenny, silently thanking her for her sensitivity. "Let's go. We wouldn't want to miss breakfast."