17 Sunday

Noelle sat at their table in Hogsmeade, sipping at her butterbeer. Brooke sat across from her asking about her day with Queenie.

"What was she like? Did she really read your mind? Do you know how to read minds now?"

The room was bright and warm from all the witches and wizards who filled it, as well as the hearth in the far corner. Behind the bar, a large woman slid drinks across the counter to the patrons and served up meals as they were ordered, a smile on her face for each person.

Noelle laughed and set her mug down, wiping her face with the back of her sleeve. "One question at a time okay? Besides, I don't want the others to know yet what's going on."

"Why not?" Brooke looked confused. "It's so cool."

"Well, you might think so. And I might think so. But others?" She stared down at the foam in her mug, remembering what Queenie said the day before.

Brooke still looked like she wanted to argue but Paul and Kade chose that moment to join them with their own drinks. Brooke looked at her briefly as the boys finished their current conversation. "I still want to hear about this later missy."

Noelle nodded. "Of course."

Kade looked over at Noelle slyly. "What are we talking about?"

Noelle raised an eyebrow. "Girl stuff. Why?"

Kade smirked and looked knowingly at Paul. "It wouldn't happen to be about Azraeyn would it? I heard that you two are exchanging letters."

Noelle felt a blush creep into her cheeks. Had Azraeyn himself told him that? How embarrassing. Though, it was true that they'd shared several more letters since Friday, just asking deep, probing questions about one another in an epic "getting to know you" type manner. In fact, Noelle was really enjoying not only the open honesty they both had, but this means of communicating with paper and ink, while they could easily see each other face-to-face at school to talk.

Brooke's eyes widened. "Wait, what?"

Noelle avoided meeting anyones' eyes. "It's nothing really guys. He just wanted to talk and so we've been talking. Nothing more to it."

"It sounds like more than that to me!" Brooke said indignantly. "Why is this the first I'm hearing of this?"

Noelle looked at her apologetically. "I was planning on telling you."

Paul shook his head. "Wait, I thought you were dating Robert?"

Noelle sighed and held her head in her hands "I know, I know. It just isn't working out." She paused and picked up her mug again. "Who am I kidding? It was never gonna work even from the beginning."

Paul took a swig from his own mug. "Then what are you going to do?"

Noelle looked up and saw that the three of them were all looking at her. Her skin grew hot. "I don't know. Even if nothing happens with Azraeyn, I think I should break up with him. It isn't fair to either of us to keep it up when it isn't going anywhere."

Brooke nodded. "Best to do it sooner rather than later. Honestly, I think you'd be happier. Anytime you tell me anything about the kid it's been about how you're arguing or how he's recently annoyed you."

Noelle smiled weakly. "Unfortunate but true. Anyways Kade," he perked up to listen, "it's been going good. I really enjoy talking to him and it's a breath of fresh air to talk to a guy who is honest and fun and not just looking to impress me."

"Like that guy who spilled his drink on himself while trying to flirt last week?" Brooke laughed and Kade repeated the sentence, joining in.

"Spilled his drink on himself… I remember that. Oh my gosh."

Noelle took a drink, smiling. "Exactly." The week before at dinner, a Hufflepuff boy had come up to Noelle, trying to talk her up, more likely that it was a dare or a prank, but either way, he'd embarrassed himself by turning too quickly and spilling his soda down the front of his white shirt, and on several students all around him. Noelle, Brooke, Kade, and Paul had all been left feeling akward and uncomfortable, unsure what to do. Luckily, they'd been saved any action as the boy quickly excused himself to go get something to clean up the spill, and they all had just finished dinner. They quickly left after the fact.

Noelle waited for their laughter to die down before speaking again. "Anyways, it may go somewhere, it may not, but I don't want any of you to talk to him or mention this in the meantime, okay?" She looked at each of them in turn, staring the longest at Kade. "I'm talking about you in particular Kade. I know how bad you are at keeping secrets when you're excited."

Kade laughed awkwardly, smiling back. "I'll try."

Noelle sat back in her seat, letting the conversation turn to other things. She glanced around the room and her eyes caught the object of their original conversation staring back at her. Azraeyn smiled and gave her a wave and Noelle quickly returned the gesture and then turned back to her own group, praying she'd look very interested in whatever they were saying.

Noelle sealed the letter, working by candlelight as the other girls slept in their beds nearby. She turned it over and, in quill, wrote Robert's name and address in black ink. Returning her quill to the inkwell, she reached out to Thoth, planning to hand over the letter.

The owl reached its neck out to take it but she pulled it back. Thoth tilted his head in confusion.

Noelle sighed and put the letter in the drawer in her bedside table. "Maybe I'll work up the courage tomorrow."