CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

DISCOVERIES

"What the hell are you doing?" I turn to the voice and see Rikki standing there, hands on hips, "You're snogging someone! And you didn't tell me!" Caleb and I jump apart as if we have been burned. I feel the blood rush to my face and I look at the floor. I laugh nervously.

"I ,um ... sorry? But if it helps nobody knows ... well, except Mel."

"What?" Says Caleb. I turn to answer him when Rikki interrupts.

"You told Mel before me?" I sigh.

"No. She guessed." I tell them both.

"Oh." Says Rikki, and shrugs. She's always been cool like that, "Now, the important stuff." She says and marches over to Caleb.

"My name's Rikki. And you are ...?" She sticks out her hand. Caleb looks confused.

"Er... Caleb."

"Well Caleb, listen close. That there is my best friend. You break her heart ... I break your face, got it?"

"Yes ma'am." Laughs Caleb and I laugh with him. Rikki smirks and hides her smile, trying to appear threatening.

"Ok. So I'm going to take my best friend and spend some time with her. No doubt you'll see her later. Bye Caleb." She says and drags me down the hall. Feeling confident, I blow a kiss to Caleb over my shoulder and he winks. My heart melts.

When we are up in the dorm I tell Rikki everything. How Caleb is Al's best friend, how we have to keep everything a secret, the party, Mel finding out. Everything up until this point.

"Woah." Says Rikki, her mouth hanging open, "What are you gonna do?"

"Nothing. I mean, I don't have to do anything, right? Only you and Mel know and I'm assuming you won't tell anyone. Nobody needs to know." Rikki raises and eyebrow.

"That plan is stupid on so many levels, Lils. You're not stupid, you know that you will have to tell everyone eventually. And if you don't? Don't you think there'll come a time that you both need more. You'll get sick of sneaking around and keeping secrets. Caleb's a gorgeous guy, girls will be flirting with him left, right and centre. You'll get jealous, want to tell everyone he's yours."

"I know, I know." I sigh, my head in my hands, "But-"

"And" Interrupts Rikki, "Don't forget about that bitch Hailey Frockler. If she finds out it'll be in the paper before you can say "Bugger Off Hailey Fucking Frockler"." I laugh then sigh again.

"You're right, of course. But not yet. I'm not telling anyone yet."

"It'll only get worse the longer you wait y'know. But it's your choice, I won't tell anyone." I hug her and we sit in silence for a while. I wonder what Caleb's doing. Rikki sighs dramatically.

"Fine. Leave me."

"What?"

"You want to go see Caleb. I get it, go." I grin and get up, "You're the best y'know that?"

"Yeah, I know" She laughs as I walk out the door.

I'm halfway down the stairs when I realise that I have no idea where Caleb is. He's most likely in the Slytherin dorm and I can't go there, obviously. So I wander into the Great Hall to grab some lunch. It's full because most of the school are only just awake and this is breakfast to them. I sit down at the Gryffindor table and sip on my Pumpkin Juice. I'm not really hungry. Just then Roxie rushes in Freddie running in behind her. The whole hall goes silent but they don't notice.#

"I said leave me alone Fred." Roxie screams, turning round to face him.

"No Roxie. This isn't fair on me! I just want to know what's wrong with you. We use to spend loads of time together, now I hardly ever see you. You ignore me, we don't play pranks anymore, you're never around. Now I-" He shouts, looking the most serious and upset I have ever seen him.

"Shut up Fred! I don't want the whole damn school knowing my business. Just. Fuck. Off. I don't need you."

"Yes you do. We need each other. We're twins Roxie, that's how it works. You've always loved it, having someone there all the time."

"No, Freddie, You've always loved it. I love you more than myself, you know that. But I want to be my own person and now I've found a way to do that. You and the others, you all have your own identities. You and James are "The Troublemakers", Rose is "The Smart One", Albus is "The Golden One". Who the hell am I? I'm "Fred's Twin". I want to be a person not just some shadow of you." She says, deathly calm. Then she runs out the hall.

"Roxie, wait!" Shouts Fred and speeds after her, tears in his eyes. What the hell was that all about? I look down the table and see Dom and Rose both wearing confused looks on their faces but none of us make a move to follow them. Just then someone taps me on the shoulder. It's Sara Becket.

"Um, Hi Lily." She mumbles.

"Hey Sara. What's up?" I ask her.

"I know it's not really my place but I thought you might want to know. Um, one of your cousins is crying in the bathroom."

"Which one is it?" I wonder aloud, concerned.

"I -um- sorry I'm bad with names. The -the Perfect One." Molly? Why was Molly crying in the bathroom?

"Thanks bathroom is it?"

"The one on the other side of the school. First floor, next to the empty charms room."

"I'll go see what's wrong. Thanks for telling me." I smile at her gratefully.

"Bye." She says as I rush off. When I get to the bathroom it appears to be empty. Then I hear soft sobbing from the stall at the far end.

"Molly? Is that you?" She doesn't answer but the door swings open. She's sitting cross-legged on the floor, tears streaming from her big blue eyes, her glasses lying on the ground. The smell of vomit wafts up my nose and I have to hold my breath to stop from puking. I look at the scene around me and try to fit it in with all the weird things I've noticed recently - Molly looking extra stressed, tired, crying, puking - and I have an unwanted thought.

"Molly ... You haven't been, um, making yourself sick have you? Because if you're stressed we can-" I'm cut off by her bitter laugh. It's so filled with misery that I feel like bursting into tears.

"Making myself sick? I wish! Oh, Merlin, I wish that was the case." She spits. Apparently, not angry at me but just in general.

"Then what is the case? What's wrong Molly?" She looks me straight in the eyes and takes a deep breath. She's trying to be strong but her eyes fill with fresh tears and her voice breaks.

"I'm pregnant."

Oh DRAMA! What did everyone think? Too Predictable? Surprising? And what do you think is wrong with Roxie? Comment with any ideas, suggestions, predictions etc. Love you all xxx