ugh apologies for the long wait AGAIN. i'm in my final semester of college as well as writing two other books-one of which has a deadline for certain submissions, so i've been like crazy busy. but i'm going to try and focus on this and Tavern Challenge for the next couple weeks, just for you guys! :)

enjoy!

Ch 10

"Ugh, son of a betch, it is so cold," Hanna pouts from beside me. She cuddles against my arm, rubbing her cheek against my shoulder.

I roll my eyes and lead her up the stairs and to our seats.

It's the first Quidditch match of the year: Hufflepuff versus Slytherin. To say I'm excited would be an understatement. This is the first time that I get to see Alison play in a match and I'm basically shaking with anxiety.

I haven't talked to her since the bathroom moment on her birthday. It's only Tuesday, so it hasn't been too many days, but I still feel kind of strange. She's texted me a few times to ask about homework help, but other than that she's acting completely normal.

I wonder if she's thought anything about the fact that we… kissed. Not just once, but twice. I shiver with pleasure when I remember the feeling of her lips against mine. Thankfully it's cold outside and Hanna doesn't notice my daydreaming.

I still can't shake the feeling of her lips on mine. Sure, the first kiss was super awkward, but what else is new. I just can't get over the fact that she didn't pull away immediately.

But part of me is a little worried. What if she only did that because she felt vulnerable? My soaring spirit starts to falter when I think about that small detail that she was really emotional and probably wasn't fully aware of what was happening.

After all, she was talking about being lonely and not having anyone there for her. Maybe that's all I was to her: a shoulder for her to cry on.

I sigh as Hanna and I reach our seats that Toby saved for us. Somehow he managed to score us front-row seats, and I'm not complaining. Quidditch matches, like dinnertime, is one of the times that we have to sit with our houses. Crimson and gold surrounds me, and, even though I'm still a little bummed about Alison, I do feel at home among my peers. I snuggle in between Toby and Hanna, causing them both to chuckle.

"Hey," Toby says, and does his cute smile without any teeth. Things would be so much easier if I could just like Toby—or any boy, really. Why does it have to be Alison?

My question is answered almost immediately as the players fly out of the locker room. My eyes immediately fall on her, golden hair blowing in the wind. I can see her breath in front of her because it's so chilly. I notice that it's steady, almost like she isn't too nervous. Cece hovers beside her, and they look like they're quietly discussing some kind of strategy. She uses her hands to gesture a few things and Alison nods to show that she's following.

Toby nudges my ribs with his elbow and gives me a questioning look. I shrug and pretend I don't know what he's talking about, but I know that he saw me staring intently at Alison.

I watch as she stretches her arms over her head and leans back over her broom. Her movements earn numerous catcalls from the Slytherin stands. I try to ignore the burning feeling of jealousy that stirs in my heart.

I hear Mona's shrill squeals of encouragement cut through the air, and Alison raises a hand in recognition to her. She blows her friends a kiss and my legs start to shake. I wish that she could be blowing that kiss to me.

Ugh, she's so cool.

But seeing this Alison kind of bothers me, to be honest. This isn't her, or at least not the one I know. This is the side of her that puts on a show and pretends to be a bitch. I can already tell by her posture and the way she's clenching her jaw. All of the air around her screams with superiority and class, and intimidating waves resonate from her body.

Garrett flies around the circle of players—a half circle of Slytherin connected to a half circle of Hufflepuff. He explains the rules to them, but he isn't wearing a microphone so none of us in the crowd can hear him.

When he thinks he's explained them enough, he releases the snitch and the bludgers, and holds on to the quaffle. He waits a few moments and then tosses it up in a 'tip-off' fashion; the chasers immediately go at it.

Lucas (A/N: he's a beater on Hufflepuff's team, in case anyone forgot) backs up a little and twirls his bat around in his hand, ready to direct a bludger towards the other team.

The quaffle falls into Hufflepuff's possession first, but not for long. Noel Kahn swings his bat at a bludger and it nails their chaser right in the stomach, causing them to drop the ball.

Alison swoops under the wounded player and gracefully catches the quaffle. She weaves her way through Hufflepuff's chasers and around the bludgers that the beaters have hit towards her. Seemingly unchallenged, she fakes the keeper out and scores ten points for her team as the quaffle goes through the middle hoop.

She steadies herself on her broom and prepares for the counterattack. Cece flies by her and claps her on the back, but Alison ignores all of the cheers. She narrows her eyes and begins to fly backwards, keeping her eye on the chaser who's holding the quaffle.

I feel Toby lean down close to my ear. His warm breath grazes my cheek.

"Watching a little intently, aren't you," he whispers, but it's not a question. I'm grateful that he's careful enough to make sure Hanna doesn't overhear. I look at him, eyes wide, because I know I've been caught. He smiles at me and shrugs, and I instantly relax. At least he's not judging me…

Maybe I can talk to Toby about liking Alison. He doesn't seem too bothered that it's her that I actually am crushing on, not some random guy.

A few hours go by, and Slytherin is up 150-30. Alison has scored eleven of the fifteen times, and assisted another two. Not that I'm paying that much attention to her.

A rush of excitement rumbles through the pitch as Jenna Marshall, the seeker from Slytherin, closes in on the snitch. All of the players on the field pause and watch as she reaches out and locks her fingers around the evasive golden ball. The Slytherin stands erupt with cheers and screams, deafening all of us around them.

On the field, Alison fist pumps and high fives the other chaser, whose name I don't know. Cece circles around and stops beside Alison, giving her a side hug.

I know there isn't like an MVP or anything for these games, but I would totally give it to Alison if there was.

I stand in a daze, staring straight at her. She smiles genuinely and it makes me smile. I wish she would look over here so that I could wave to her and say congrats or something, but she doesn't.

"Emily," Hanna says from my left. "What are you staring at?"

"Not what," Toby interjects, "but whom."

Horror rushes through my body and I widen my eyes at him. So much for him keeping it a secret.

"Okay, fine," Hanna brushes him off, "then who?"

Beads of sweat start to form on my forehead despite how cold it is outside, and my hands start to get clammy.

"Emily?" Toby waves his hand in front of my face.

My mouth goes dry as soon as I open my mouth to respond. The frigid, dry air around us just makes it worse.

"Come on, you can tell us," Hanna assures me, placing a cold hand on my arm. "Promise. We won't tell anyone."

"I—" I try, but can't bring myself to say it.

"Well can we guess?" Toby asks.

I furrow my eyebrows; I guess he didn't know exactly who I was staring at when he commented on it before.

"S-sure," I stammer. I try to swallow a few times before my throat finally lets me. After taking one last glance on the field, my demeanor noticeably deflates when I see that Alison isn't there anymore.

"So, is it Lucas?" Hanna asks, wiggling her eyebrows. I give her a weird look and shake my head. Why would she even ask that?

"Noel Kahn," Toby says firmly as if he knows that he's right.

I shake my head again.

"Didn't you say you grew up next door to Garrett or something?" Hanna asks. "Do you have some sort of crush on him?"

"Hell no," I stop her before she can continue.

"Oh my gosh," Hanna's eyes widen in realization. She looks up at Toby, who seems to have realized at the same time.

"It's Alison," he says with even more certainty than he had with Noel. My heart flutters as I wait for their reactions.

"I should've known," he shakes his head, but he's smiling. "You two are always so adorable in Potions class."

"What? How come I've never noticed the flirtations?" Hanna demands. She smacks me on the arm. "How come you didn't tell me?"

I open my mouth to speak, but can't find words.

"I should've known," Toby repeats. He looks out over the field and scans it slowly, probably looking for her.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me," Hanna continues. She glares at me and pouts. "I'm trustworthy!"

"And I can't believe you're upset about the fact that I didn't tell you, and not about the fact that it's Alison," I admit.

Hanna rolls her eyes and laughs. "Who cares? You can't help who you like."

Toby nods from beside her.

"So have you guys gone on like a date?" Hanna pries. She grabs my arm so that I can't escape. I look at Toby to save me, but he seems just as interested. I groan and break down.

"Okay, first of all," I say, "we're not like 'together' or whatever. I don't even think that she likes me like that."

I trail off as my mind drifts back to our kiss in the bathroom.

"But?" Toby notices.

"But," I sigh, "we've kissed."

"What?" Hanna squeals. She digs her nails into my arm, and they somehow slice through the winter coat I'm wearing.

"It was an accident!" I assure her. I try to retract her claws from my skin, but she has a death grip on me.

"Are you sure?" she asks.

"Well, the first one was," I blurt.

Hanna drops her hands by her side and gawks at me with her mouth wide open. Toby has a similar expression.

"And the second?" he finally breaks the silence.

"I kissed her," I mumble.

Hanna squeals again and I swear I'm going to need hearing aids before I turn twenty if this keeps happening. Toby just looks impressed and happy for me.

"So are you going to tell Spencer and Aria?"

"I don't know, Han," I answer honestly. "I mean, I didn't even really want to tell you guys."

They both look at each other and shrug, not offended in the slightest.

"Well what are we waiting for?" Hanna asks suddenly. "Let's go find Emily's lover!"

I sigh as Toby laughs, and Hanna grabs onto my hand to drag me down the stairs of the bleachers in search of Alison. My hand flails behind me as I attempt to grab ahold of Toby, but his hand finds mine with ease.

"Oh my god, there she is," Hanna announces, and I'm not sure if she could have been any louder, even if she had a megaphone or something. I slap her, but I don't think she got the hint.

Sure enough, her voice causes Alison to pause the conversation she was having and look over in our direction. She looks at Hanna strangely and her face pales when she sees me. Hanna waves frantically at her and beckons Alison to come over to us.

She sucks her lips in, looks back at the person she was having a conversation with, and just walks away while they're midsentence.

"Hey," she greets as she approaches us. She crosses her arms over her chest and looks everywhere except for me.

"You were incredible out there," Hanna gushes. "Wasn't she, Emily?"

"Go away, Hanna," I hiss through gritted teeth.

"Fine, fine," she sings, "I can see where I'm not wanted! Come along, Toby."

She hooks her arm around Toby's and skips off, her hair bounding behind her and her coat billowing in the wind.

"What the hell was that?" Alison eyes me suspiciously.

"I don't know, she's crazy," I say quickly, but I don't think that she believes me. She stares in the direction that Hanna flounced off in.

"Right."

"So, uh, hi," I say awkwardly. I swallow and wait for her to look back at me. She does eventually, but it's very reluctant.

"Hey," she responds. The tone of her voice catches me off guard; she almost sounds annoyed.

"Ali!" Cece waves from the distance. "Are you coming? Celebration in the common room!"

Alison opens her mouth to speak, but I'm surprised when she addresses me instead of Cece.

"Am I?"

"Huh?" I furrow my eyebrows. Why is she asking me?

"Am I going with them?" she asks in a slow and condescending manner. I blink a few times; she narrows her eyes and lowers her chin a little, as if expecting a specific answer.

"I mean, yeah. Go celebrate," I say in an encouraging way. The way that she bristles from my response makes me think that she doesn't take it that way.

Alison takes a deep breath and raises her head back up. She rolls her eyes and clenches her jaw; I can see her temple twitching. Not only that, but I can almost feel the anger radiating off of her.

Did I say something wrong?

Without another word, she turns her heel and stalks off. I gape after her, confused about what just happened.

well that's awkward. emily is so clueless haahah. new chapter will be up later today! let me know what you guys thought :) also let me know if you have any suggestions for the story! i love hearing what you would like to happen and seeing how i can incorporate your ideas into what i'm writing