Chapter 9
James POV
"SHIT!" I yell punching the bed. "I'm so stupid!" I fall onto the bed and bury my head in her pillow. This smells just like her. I sigh. Dumb. Dumb. Dumb. Stupid. Dumb. Why would you do that? Why? She already said how she felt about the whole thing. I just keep messing it up. First I kiss her. Then I say Jenna. Then I kiss her again. The whole thing was this huge mess and now she knows about Jenna and she certainly didn't find out the way I wanted her to.
"James?"
It's Louis.
"Go away!" I bury my head under her pillow. Not that it will stop them from finding me, but it's a nice thought.
"James, mate," says Fred. "What are you doing?"
"Hiding." My voice is muffled by the pillows.
"That's not what I meant."
He and Lou sit down on the bed.
After a few moments of silence Louis says: "She told us what happened."
"Go figure." I sit up. "I'm an idiot. She already told me not to because it's been three years and all this other shit and... fuck."
"You aren't an idiot," says Fred punching my arm lightly. "You love her that's all."
I sigh. "Yeah I know... It's starting to become a problem."
"You went through this before you can do it again," says Louis.
"I don't want to!" I whine.
"James come on mate. Suck it up," says Fred. "I know you miss being with her. She'll come around eventually."
I shake my head. "I don't know. I think I hurt her too much. Plus she found out I had a girlfriend while I was gone which made all of this even more lovely."
"You had a girlfriend while you were gone?" asks Louis, he sounds very surprised.
"Well, yeah. Did you think I'd really go three years without… you know."
"Well yeah, kind of. I mean you were pretty into Rena, James. Like thinking about proposing, into her," he answers.
"Don't remind me," I groan. The whole proposing and marriage thing was just one of the many reasons I left that she doesn't need to know about. It would just hurt her even though it didn't have anything to do with her at all.
"Well I think we need to," says Fred. "You seem to have forgotten."
"Trust me, I didn't forget," I say with a sigh. I fall back onto the bed, my legs dangling off the side. "Rena's just as much as a puzzle to be as before. She's practically the same as before in some ways, but in others it's like she's a completely different person. I don't really know what to do or how to act around the other person."
"I think you're overthinking this a bit James. She's not any different," answers Louis. "Well, except her hair and clothes maybe," he adds on as an afterthought.
"I like her short hair though," inserts Fred.
Louis nods in agreement. "It does look pretty when it's short."
"I miss her long hair," I whine.
"Oh get over yourself," Louis rolls his eyes. "You need to grow up and sort out what you're doing James or she's going to find someone else. There's been plenty, but she turned them all down. I'm assuming she was holding out for you which I really don't think she should have done since you're being quite the prat."
"Ouch," I mumble, then I backtrack. Wait there's been plenty? "What do you mean there's been plenty?" I ask angrily as I sit up.
"There's been guys James. Did you think she'd really go three years without… you know?" he asks as he mocks me.
"Well no, but I kind of hoped she did."
Louis sighs. "You're such a hypocrite."
I cross my arms. So what if I'm a hypocrite? There'd be one girl and as far as I can tell she's had 'plenty.' I said as much to the boys and it didn't really go over well.
The boys and I talked for a little while longer, but since not even I could make heads or tails of how I was feeling they eventually gave up and left, leaving me alone to my thoughts.
SPOV
The next week is filled with preparations for Christmas. It's crazy. Everyone is running around like chickens with their heads cut off. Which is a nice distraction from everything that happened the week before.
However, I still haven't found a present for James. It's the day before Christmas Eve and I still haven't gotten him anything. Which is exactly what I thought would happen.
I pull on my jacket and apparate to Diagon Alley. I wander around looking at the various shops before I decide to get him some tickets to one of my matches, some candy, and... something. This was all so difficult. I thought that once you broke up you didn't have to get them presents anymore?
I walk swiftly through the alley looking for somewhere to get candy and something else I can get him. I find a candy store easily and walk inside. I buy a couple small bags of candy and put them in my pockets. One for James and some for later. Eventually I end up at WWW. I'll just get him so prank stuff I guess.
I knew it was going to come back to bite me in the arse, but I bought him fireworks, fake wands, and few other things I thought he'd like before I apparated to the Wood's house. I had looked for George, but I guess he wasn't working today or was in the stock room. I guess I should've checked, I think to myself as I walk up the path and knock on the door. Wes opens it.
"Hey Happy Christmas!" he says letting me inside.
"You too." I give him a quick hug. "Where's coach?"
"Follow me!" He leads me into the sitting room.
"Hey Serena!" Oliver says, looking up from the Prophet. It's weird to hear him call me by my first name. It's usually 'Parker this Parker that'. "Happy Christmas."
"You too Coach."
Wes offers me a seat. I take off my jacket before sitting down.
"What do you need?" asks Oliver, setting his newspaper down on the table in front of him.
"I can't just stop by to see my teammate and coach?" I ask, pretending to be offended.
"I suppose, but I'm guessing you're not here for a visit."
"I would love to visit, but there's so much going on," I sigh. "So many people to shop for."
Wes laughs. "That's what you get for being with James. He's got quite the family."
"I'm not with James," I state. "We're just friends."
"Yeah okay," he smiles. He's lucky he's cute or I might have smacked him.
I shake my head. "Speaking of James," I start. "I was wondering if I could have a couple tickets to one of the matches for the guys."
"So you are here because you need something!" laughs Oliver. "Obviously you can have some, I mean you're on the team."
"Er right. Well, I only need three."
"I'll get you six, that way they can go twice."
"Okay," I shrug. They could go twice. With my luck I would suck both times.
"I won't be able to get them for a couple days. I'll bring them up for the party."
"Thank you!"
We talk for a few more minutes about when our next practice is. Soon, I'm waving goodbye and giving Wes a hug before apparating back home.
I walk out of my room, sliding my boots on as I go.
"James!" I yell, slipping on my second boot. "I'm going to the store!"
"Can I come?" he asks running down the hall.
I turn around to see him yanking a shirt over his head. "Help please?" He has it stuck on his arms and his head.
I stand there for a second, debating on just leaving before I step forward and grab the bottom of the shirt. I yank it down roughly, not really caring if it hurts him.
"Thank you," he flips his hair. I guess it didn't. "Can I go?"
"If you get dressed and are out here in three minutes!" I yell as he sprints down the hall. I should've given him a smaller time limit. "I don't even know why you would want to go," I say walking around the kitchen. "There's no point. It's no fun." I grab my list off the counter and slip it into my pocket. "Lets go!"
James comes skipping into the kitchen. "All set!" he says happily. He takes my hand and pulls me out the door.
"Can we get these?" asks James holding up yet another box of cookies.
"James," I huff, putting them back. "I already got you three other types of cookies. Not to mention two bags of crisps." I'm totally aggravated at this point. I will never take him grocery shopping EVER again.
"Fine," he pouts.
I push the cart quickly away from the junk food and head over to the fruits and vegetables.
"Can you grab me some carrots and tomatoes James?"
He nods and runs off to get them. Finally. I'm alone.
"Merlin I hope he doesn't break anything," I say to myself grabbing a bag of apples and some bananas.
I walk around grabbing various foods we need (and some we don't) when I run into someone.
"Oof!"
"I'm so sorry! Oh Merlin sorry!" I moan, I quickly walk around my cart to help the man I ran into.
He laughs and waves his hand. "It's quite alright!" He stands up easily and picks up his basket which his items had for the most part stayed in. I pick up a couple cans of soup and slide them into his basket.
"Here, I'm sorry!" I shake my head. "Merlin I'm such a klutz!"
He laughs. "I don't think I've ever heard anyone say Merlin anything before. Why do you say that?"
"Oh uh," I laugh awkwardly. "One of my younger cousins like to say instead of 'oh God' or whatever. I guess it caught on." I sigh in relief.
He smiles. "Interesting." He sticks out his hand. "Well my name is Max, whats yours?"
"Serena," I reply easily, shaking his hand.
"That's a very pretty name." He smiles at me again.
"Thank you." I blush slightly.
"Serena I got the-" James stops next to me. "Oh hello." He puts the items in our cart. "Who're you?" He asks rather rudely.
"James this is Max the man I almost ran over with our cart," I answer. James this is Max the really attractive man I almost ran over with our cart.
"Are you Serena's boyfriend?" asks Max.
I start to say no, but James cuts me off.
"Yep!" he says fake smiling as he throws an arm around me.
I frown and glare up at him.
Max smiles. "Well it was nice to meet you both." He gives a little wave before walking off.
I push James arm off my shoulder. "You are not my boyfriend."
He shrugs. "I know that, but he doesn't."
"You are so frustrating," I exclaim grabbing our cart and heading to the front thinking how I'd like to run James over with this cart. Or a car.
While I had been waiting for James I had gotten everything we needed and was heading back towards where I had left him before I ran into Max. Literally.
"Don't tell me you liked that guy!" he whisper yells.
"Maybe! Now we'll never know!" I pout.
"He looks like a git if you ask me."
"Well, I didn't ask you so shut up!" I retort, getting angry again.
"Make me!"
"James I swear I will take all the junk food in this cart and put it back!"
He doesn't answer.
"Oh thank Merlin you actually stopped talking."
I leave James to unload the groceries (as punishment for being an ass) and apparate to Louis and Katherine's. "Louis? Are you here?" I yell.
He comes quickly down the stairs. "Hey what's up?"
"Where's Kat and Lia?" I ask.
"With Mandi and Fred."
I nod. "Well to answer your question I was wondering what I should get James."
"You haven't gotten him anything yet?" he asks as we walk into the kitchen.
"I have. I got him candy, pranking things, and something I can't tell you." I take one of the cookies he offers me and sit down at the table.
He sits down across from me before responding. "Why can't you tell me the last one?"
"I just can't."
"Fine. Um." He takes a bite of his cookie. "Get him... some quidditch thing."
"Like what?"
"Er, I dunno he doesn't exactly play quidditch anymore does he? Hmm maybe something else..."
I sigh. "I honestly can not think of a single thing. I don't even know if he likes the same things he used to or what."
"He does for the most part." Louis brushes crumbs off of his hands. "He's just changed a bit that's all."
"A bit?" I mutter. "He plays the guitar and sings now, did you know?"
He laughs. "He what?"
"He can play the guitar. And he sings." I sigh. "I could get him music or picks or something."
Louis nods. "Yeah okay. Do that."
I sigh, not exactly satisfied with the idea, but it'll do. "Alright, I guess I should go. I have a lot more wrapping and buying to do."
"Yeah okay. Promise me something though."
"What am I promising exactly?" I ask curiously.
"That you will come and talk to me and Freddie, after everything is calm, about you and James." He crosses his arms and gives me a very stubborn look. No way am I getting out of this.
"Alright fine. I promise." I stand up, knowing I can worm my way out of it. "I have to go now though."
"Bye!" He gives me a quick hug.
"Bye Lou."
AN: I hope you liked it! Review please? xx