Chapter Thirteen

"That settles it." Crystal exclaimed as she sat up from her bed.

I turned to her as I held an open book in my lap, it was just another way of spending a rainy afternoon.

Sitting straight up, she held the folded letter I had handed over to her minutes ago. "Listen, I'll read this out loud and tell me if you don't notice something."

I rolled my eyes as I returned back to my book, "Seriously, I've read the letter three times before I ever handed it to you. What could I have missed?"

"Just listen."

I closed the book before paying attention to her.

'Okay… so maybe we're not innocent but we are definitely angelic. I wouldn't corrupt you… I'm really not that mean, you know. I could try but only half-heartedly, just so I can kind of live up to my reputation but then I would give up and if you have actually picked anything up I'll dump ya… just kidding.

I got an answer… I will completely ignore it now.

Well, you could try to find out who I am by those answers. I find myself to be a really unique person. So your friend wants to know who am I? Well two of my friends actually want to know who you are too. They are itching to find out so they can tease both of us… they don't particularly like seeing only one side of things.

My friends told me that you obviously need a list of all the things I will never do because being happily engage is on the top five. You see you can be my soul mate… my everything… but I would have to have at least thirty years of thinking before I actually pop the question.

Guys have a superficial manner of thinking? I didn't know that and I'm a guy… I have never, ever in my entire life looked at a girl and gone "I want to date her" before actually getting to know her… NEVER… did I convince you for a sec? Yes? No? Well, I almost fooled myself. And you know, not giving me an answer for that question is completely and totally unfair.

So you think your best friends' boyfriend is attractive? Ha… that is very interesting. What's the name of your friend? Maybe I know her boyfriend… heck… maybe then I'll know who you are and mock you from afar or something… just kidding (the mocking thing). Your parents are ignoring your existence… from my view you should embrace it but my opinion is biased on my life so ignore it.

Well I could be interested in you or I could just hate your guts and am just wondering if there is something that could make you redeem yourself… I have no idea which (yes, I am teasing you.) My friends also want to say hi and that you should start reading between the lines… I dunno why they said that though. Anyway… 'til next time.'

It must have been two minutes later that she had finally rested the letter in her lap; normally such letter wouldn't take long to read but she was taking her lovely time with this one. Though it is apparent that she had caught something that I didn't.

"Before anything, how many friends of yours have a boyfriend? Or are you specifically speaking about Remus?"

I nodded, better signaling instead of putting it into words.

She squealed, a broad smile splattered on her face. I was quite dumbfounded by her reaction. "You're happy about that?"

"It's nice to know that you find him attractive."

I blinked, I wasn't exactly sure how to respond to that. "So, what exactly have you found out about the letter?"

"You've been paranoid about it, you should know." she stated simply.

"I'm not paranoid… but you're speaking about Sirius, correct?" I asked, as I edge myself to the edge of the bed to get closer to her.

"I'm leaning toward him, but not sure enough to claim its him." she said, handing me the letter but before I could take it she quickly pulled it away from my reach. "Let me see all the letters he has written to you."

Without saying a word, I quickly made my way toward the trunk at the end of my bed. Pulling out a small box containing the letters, I returned back to my seat before handling over the box to her.

"Cute, you're saving them in a nice-looking box." she said with a grin.

I scoffed, "Go on, check!"

Ten minutes later, if not earlier, I dropped the fifth letter down on my lap. Crystal, who has been quiet for the last minute stared at me with a smirk.

"It's him…" I uttered, still taking in the news that Crystal had told me minutes

ago.

The answer has been in front of me all this time, well, in the parchment at least. I've been right to think it was him but… I've been in denial, I must have or I was either too daft to even notice it. If it weren't for Crystal who had informed me of the other facts concerning him, then I wouldn't have known.

"He has even written that his friends told you to read in between the lines. Seriously, how many guys who are popular have these characteristics? James is obviously out of the picture and that only leave Sirius." She said, closing the box the letters were in.

I didn't know whether I should laugh out loud at this or something but my feeling at the moment is indescribable. "I…so its Sirius?"

Crystal sighed, "I've read you the hints and really, how many good-looking guys out there have those characteristics?" she asked, referring to the letters.

"Perhaps it not hi-"

"C'mon!" she exclaimed, "Remember a couple of days ago when Remus found out about the letter?"

"Which leads me to say that he knows the other person if he's calmed about it, right?"

"Yes!"

"So its Sirius, would he know its me?" I asked, "What if Remus had already told him its me?!" I panicked.

She chuckled, "No, I doubt it… unless he does…"

"That isn't helping, you know."

"I'm sure he hasn't, which means you'll have the upper-hand at the moment."

I grinned at this, an idea suddenly forming. "What if I casually mentioned how nice he looked in Transfiguration?"

"So you want to tease him?"

"Sure, why not. It won't hurt him, no one will know, he'll be able to keep his bad boy image intact." I stated with a huge grin. I was becoming entirely amused of the possibility.

"Don't mention the class because if you do, he'll narrow the girls in that class and your cover will be blown."

"Haven't thought about that one," I said, falling back into my bed. "To make it more personal, I'll mention something about himself without mentioning his name. So that way… he won't be annoyed by me mentioning Sirius."

"There you have it; now that my work is finish here. I'll see you at dinner." I heard her say.

I quickly sat up, "You're spending way too much time with that boy, people might start thinking of something." I said, not entirely looking at her knowing full well that I'll be receiving a glare.

"Let them think what they will, but my business and is none other than my own… and perhaps him." she said, before she had closed the door after herself.

I smiled, now all I needed to do was write him a reply. Something I'm really looking forward in doing.

I sometimes wonder what I did wrong in my past life. Honestly, I must have done something. Did I knock somebody out? Did I kill somebody? Did I bury them alive? I know I did something.

"Oh, Paddy Paddy," taunted James. "You are in for a surprise!"

"Why?" I turned to Remus. "Of all people… why him?"

"'Cause it would take Peter about two seconds before he cracked and I had to tell someone," he shrugged.

"You could've told me!" I replied.

"Where's the fun in that?" asked Peter.

"Why are you, of all people, defending them?" I asked incredulously.

"Simple," he said. "For once, I'm not the only one that doesn't know."

"Great," I muttered.

"Anyway, Sirius," said Remus. "Here's your letter."

As I took the letter something occurred to me. "How do you know her? And why does she keep giving you the letters? I mean, she isn't supposed to know who I am."

"She doesn't give me the letters... I got it from McGonagall's classroom," replied Remus.

"But how–"

"Oh, come on, Padfoot... we're not that blind!" said James. "Now read! Lord knows I've been dying for this one."

"You read it didn't you?" I asked looking at the letter for any marks of vandalism. "Oh, yes you did," I said noticing a stain on the paper. "And you were eating a chocolate frog when you did too."

Remus slapped him upside the head as James smiled sheepishly.

"So, really," I continued. "There is no point in me reading it aloud, is there?"

"What about me?" squeaked Peter.

Bloody rat.

"Fine."

"Fine," echoed James in a mocking tone, I glared at him.

Really, I find you to be quite interesting. Personally, I would not have minded being "slightly" corrupted. Just wishful thinking, I suppose.

"Remus, we have to tell him who it is! Please, I beg you! I want to see him cry!" pleaded James with puppy eyes and all.

"No," answered Remus unfazed by James' behavior.

Yes, I'm bound to know who you are BUT I'll have to say you looked quite nice in class.

My reaction must have been exactly what they expected because they had started pointing and laughing way before I finished the sentence.

"Who told her?" I asked as calmly as I could.

"You did," matter-of-factly stated Remus and James in unison.

"I did?" I asked raising an eyebrow. "I don't even know who she is."

"Oh you know who it is," said James.

"But you just won't admit it," supplied Remus.

"I couldn't have possibly told her who I am," I said shaking my head.

"But you did."

I rolled my eyes. "Sure."

If someone suggests you to cut your hair, ignore them, but if they insist, don't have it rudely as James does. As to answer to your other question, my friend might already know or not. I have to say that I'm sorry that your two other friends don't and won't know who I am. Well, to be honest, I'm not really sorry. I'm entirely amused. I'm having a fantastic day, really! Even with the gloomy weather we're having at the moment. Oh… lightning…

"Great… she's describing the weather," I looked out the window. "Which means… she wrote it…?" I waited for the flash. "Today…"

"You are so smart mate," said James.

I flashed him a smile, "Why thank you."

I suppose I will need that list after all. I'll need to know what you will and will not do, I'm sure it'll come in handy. I'm sure any girl will need it if they were to be with you. Can you imagine? The poor girl might be expecting that ring only to have it thirty years later. I will certainly not like to be in her shoes. Or I might… depends on the guy, y'know? Perhaps he has something or does that'll make him worth keeping. Such thoughts, haha.

"Sarcasm is a foreign language for this girl, isn't it?" asked Peter chuckling.

We all looked at him. "Wasn't being sarcastic."

His smile fell. "Well, it's hard to tell sometimes."

You're just a guy; the average typical guy that has the same thoughts as others unless you happened to play for the other team, if you know what I mean. So, I suppose it's expected from you but is it necessary to take advantage of it? Just 'cause guys are known to be superficial it doesn't necessarily mean that you need to play up that stereotype. Oh well, that's your unique you, I suppose.

"Oh, yes he is," said three voices simultaneously.

"By the way, Sirius," said Peter. "I got you a date with Margaret from Ravenclaw."

James and Remus desperately tried to choke down their laughter but to no avail.

"Margaret?" I repeated. "Margaret Smith, is it?"

"Yeah," he said with a hint of a smile.

"Margaret Smith," I said again. "Margaret Smith from Ravenclaw…. Are you out of your bloody mind?"

At this point James and Remus could barely stand up.

"Of all the people I interviewed she was the only one that said yes," said Peter shrugging.

I rolled my eyes.

What's so interesting about finding my best friend's boyfriend appealing? He's nice to look at but that's about it. I don't know him well enough and I wouldn't even dream of "stealing him" away from her. No, I won't be revealing her name to you. That'll be a mistake on my part if I did–

"Wait a second," I said as my light bulb turned on. "What do you mean people?"

"Well, I interviewed guys too, you know," Peter replied with a determinedly straight face, the others were not as modest. "Just in case."

"Just in case," I muttered. "Just in case…. Now I'm going to have dudes trying to seduce me by touching my bum… bloody stupid rat."

Remus and James were beyond understanding. Every time one of them tried to make some sort of smart ass comment it would take a little pointing and they would both burst out laughing all over again… bloody girlies.

Well, it's lovely to hear that you might find me interesting or that you might hate my guts, even when you're kidding. It's good to hear that I'm in limbo. Haha. So now your friends are helping you write the letter? My, everyone is involved in this, aren't they? Now that gives me a reason to really protect my identity.

"If you consider incessant laughter, critique, and ridicule help, then yes, they most certainly are," I said sardonically. The others were still too busy laughing to care.

Have a wonderful day/night, love.

"She said love?" said Peter raising an eyebrow. "Well, there mate, seems like you're improving."

James and Remus looked at me and immediately knew that it wasn't exactly what I wanted.

A/N: Happy Thanksgiving! Anyway... hope you enjoyed and as always don't forget to review. And no, my next update won't be a Christmas gift or something I'll try to make it in the next two/three weeks since my classes for the semester end on the 7th.