Chapter 17

Getting back to James's place was a blur. I was still feeling phantom touches all over my body and could hardly process the overwhelming feelings rushing though me let alone the world around me. Something was mentioned about a celebration party. Of course James would be hosting seeing as he was the newest member to the team. Something was explained to me about how the new guy always throws the party simply due to the fact that it had happened to everyone else and no one liked to break tradition. Because we were staying at James's we were by default invited. I honestly don't think James would have cared if we had gone to someone else's house he was over the moon with excitement from their win. Apparently they were undefeated in the league so far. An amazing turn around from the previous year where they had finished dead last only winning one match and by a default. So in order to prevent that from happening again the managers and coaches let go of some of the older players and replaced them with young fresh faces. One by one the new boys were scouted, hired, and brought on to the team. James being the last. So far their efforts seemed to be paying off. The team was winning, ticket sales were up, and was more popular then ever. Partially due to the number of fit players.

I made my way back to the room I was sharing with Rose and Ryan. Ryan was currently sitting directly in front of the floor length merrier curling her long strawberry blond hair into loose ringlets. Rose was rummaging though her side of the closet desperately looking for something. Apparently this was a party that you had to get dressed up for. I guess being under the same roof as famous Quidditch players brought out the girly instincts in all of us.

"Riley where have you been?" Ryan asked when she caught site of my reflection in the mirror. I shrugged my shoulders

"Walking"

I had gone down and walked aimlessly on the beach when we first got back. James's apartment looks right over the ocean. Lucky for me. I went down there to clear my head and try and figure out how I was going to get though the next few days without slipping up or acting like a complete arse in front of anyone. I didn't want to ruin anything between Al and I. The fact that I have feelings for him shouldn't change anything between us. But just incase I needed a game plan. And I needed to hide it from Rose. Who Merlin knows can figure out how you feel by simply looking at you. Bitch.

"You still have the face paint on." Rose said with a frown pausing her rummaging for a moment to take notice.

I reached up and ran my index finger along my check. It came back streaked with blue.

"So I do." I got up off the bed, went into the bathroom, and locked the door.

Looking at my reflection in the mirror I could see I looked like a wreck. The paint on my face had started to smear and had rubbed off in a few places, my hair was a windswept knot of tangles, and due to the wind my eyes had watered causing my mascara to run. No wonder I had been given so many weird looks as I waked. I really needed to put this all behind me. Nothing had changed. Al and I could still be friends. It had only been a few hours and already I was resorting to having mental conversations with myself while I stared into a mirror. I needed to pull myself together and stop being a brain dead zombie. I had fancied plenty of people I the past and been completely normal. Why should this be any different? Shaking my head to clear my thoughts I walked over to the shower and turned it on. As I pulled my sweater over my head I resolved to put everything behind me when I got out of the shower. Easier said then done.

The next few hours flew by. By the time I got out of the shower I had gotten over my shock and was back to my normal self. I let Ryan curl my hair and do my make up. While I was in the shower Rose had found an outfit for me to wear that consisted of dark skinny jeans, a white top that cinched around the waste and then was loose and flowy around the bottom,(it twirled out around me when I spun and I would never admit to anyone that I found absolutely awesome) and a pair of metallic silver flats. According to Ryan I looked classy hot, whatever that means. The three of us had emerged from our room about an hour after the party had started to find the apartment packed with people. James told us he had made the entire apartment sound proof. When we were in our room I never even had the slightest clue that a raging party was going on right on the other side of the door. I thought we were about to walk out into a dud of a party. How wrong I was. There were more famous people there then I have ever met in my life, and that's saying something considering I'm best friends with Rose Weasley. I recognized a few of them but most of them were popular in the States and were relatively unknown in England. Ryan on the other hand knew everyone. It was like a dream come true. She spent the first hour completely star struck and squeezing my wrist and whispering into my ear their name and what team/ position they played for. About an hour in James stole her away from me claiming he wanted to introduce her to someone. With the biggest smile I had ever seen her have she disappeared into the crowd following James.

Unfortunately this left me alone in a crowd of people that I didn't know. Standing on the side along the wall I felt awkward and alone. Never before had I been left like this. Even when I went to Room of Requirement parties I always managed to find someone to talk to. But here the shear number of new faces was overwhelming. I needed time to myself. After rummaging around in the kitchen and finding a can of soda I made my way outside onto the balcony. As soon as the sliding glass door was shut behind me the sounds of the party disappeared instantly. Besides the silencing charm James had placed a heating charm on the balcony. Something I loved. Without it I would have only been able to remain outside for a few minutes. James's apartment was on the 10th floor. I was above the sounds of the people walking along the boardwalk below. Although who would be out on a walk in December in the middle of the night as beyond me. The only sounds I could hear were the distant sounds of the waves crashing on the shore. With the ocean stretched out in front of me all I could see was darkness going on for what seemed like forever. The feeling of being tiny and small overwhelmed me. All of my problems seemed so insignificant as I stared out into the void of darkness.

Suddenly the silence around me was broken as someone slid open the sliding door. I turned around to see who was joining me. Rose stumbled out, clearly intoxicated.

"Why are you out here all by lonesome?" Rose asked as she sat down in the chair next to me.

"Just got a little overwhelmed." I told her as I turned my chair to face hers.

Rose had straitened her long red hair but clearly she had gotten over heated and she had put it up into a messy bun on the top of her head. Her face was also flushed, the tips of her ears turning red as well.

"To many people you don't know?"

I nodded my head.

Rose sighed and looked out into the darkness.

"What's wrong Rose?" I asked. Normally she was never this quiet when she had been drinking.

"Nothing." She said quickly.

"Really Rose? I've known you for seven years and you honestly think I can't tell when something is bothering you."

"I hate that you know me so well. It's unfair."

"And you think that you don't know me? I mean you know my every move even before I make it or know myself." I cringed internally. I hope I hadn't given myself away. For to long Rose had been pestering me about it for weeks and I had blown her off. Sometimes I hate that she's always right.

Thankfully Rose didn't pick up on anything. Lucky for me. If she was sober she would have been all over it.

"It's Scorpius."

"What about him? Are you having problems?" I asked prepared to send an angry letter to him telling him off for hurting one of my best friends.

Rose shook her head. Her bun twisting from side to side almost falling out.

"It's nothing like that." She paused as if trying to find the words. "I just miss him. We haven't been apart this long since getting together. I didn't expect to feel this much being away from him."

I smiled.

"I know it sucks Rose. But missing him is a good thing. It means you do care for him. If you didn't miss him you might have a problem on your hands."

"I know. I don't like it though. And it takes forever for owls to get back and forth so we haven't be able to talk much."

I nodded my head. Sometimes it took weeks for letters from Ryan to get to me depending on the weather.

Suddenly Rose smiled her mood changing instantly.

"So have you seen Ryan?"

"Not since James drug her off to introduce her to someone. Why?"

"She met a boy." Rose informed me.

I'm guessing she expected me to be shocked. But this was Ryan she was talking about. She was gorgeous, loved sports, and felt more comfortable around boys then girls. Of course she had found a boy.

I rolled my eyes.

"Surprise surprise. Who is he?"

"Robb Zigler."

"What!"

"I know!" Rose squealed. "She's so lucky."

Robb Zigler was an up and coming in Quidditch. He was originally from Ireland ( the reason I knew who he was) but got recruited to come play a few months before James did. He was young, gorgeous, and ridiculously talented. Not to mention a complete gentleman. Somehow the fame hadn't gone to his head. He was more comfortable spending the night in then going out and partying. He also had kept his dating life very private and didn't go around dating model after model. Ryan would be the girl he would be interested in. It's going to be a sad day for his fangirls if the two of them ever become official.

"If the two of them get together they would have the most beautiful babies." Rose sighed.

I laughed at her.

"Just being a tad unrealistic there Rosie? They haven't known each other for more then two hours let alone fancy one another and here you are talking about their future children."

Rose glared at me.

"I can't help it if I'm a romantic. Besides I have a knack for these things and I see the two of them together."

I laughed again.

"What are you psychic?"

"The fact that I dropped divination says otherwise but I would like to consider myself one."

"Whatever you say Rose. Whatever you say."

The two of us continued laughing and joking around on the balcony for what seemed like hours. It was nice to talk to her without some mention of Al coming up, which it seemed to a lot these days.

"I have to pee." Rose said suddenly as she stood up. "I'll be back though don't go anywhere."

"I wouldn't dream of it."

Rose quickly walked over to the sliding door and made her way inside. And once again I was alone.

I busied myself by staring out at the ocean, or what I could see of it, waiting for Rose to return.

Suddenly something flying under the beams of the streetlights below caught my eye. It was heading towards me. As it got closer I realized it was an owl. It flew up and landed on the banister in front of me. James had been getting owls all night congratulating him on the win. I simply assumed it was for him.

The owl hooted softly as I gently removed the letter from its leg. I almost dropped it when I saw my name written on the outside of it in Morgans bubbly hand writing. I quickly opened it. I told her not to send me anything because it may not get to me before I got back to school.

Dear Riley.

Happy Christmas bitch. I know you told me not to write to you but I figured if I sent this now it would get to you eventually. I just got home from school by the way so this better fucking get there before you come home. Have fun Rye. Don't do anything I wouldn't do. Also what a better time to talk me up to Al then when Claire isn't around? I'm a genius I know. I hope you have a fabulous time.

Love you to pieces,

Morgan

I felt my stomach drop. In my panic about Rose finding out that I fancied Al I completely forgot about Morgans feelings for him. Well shit. This just got even more complicated.

Hello Readers,

Thank you so much for taking time to read my story! It means so much to me how many of you have favored and are following it. You guys rock! I wanted to get this out before I went on break and strangely had less time then when I'm in school. I'm not to sure about this chapter. Let me know your thoughts! I love the reviews you guys leave. They help me get a better sense of the story and where you guys think it's going. I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday and a happy new year :)