Someone, slap me. Hard. Right across the face. Come on, do it.
I deserve it.
Okay, groveling time:
Ohmigod, I'm sooo sorry! I just...completely forgot! With school, and other stories, and just...life. I forgot. I'm sorry. Forgive me? Please? I'm soorry!
And, just to make up for my severe lack of organizational skills, I'm going to post this, and then try to update Running From the Truth as fast as I can.
Which, according to the little boxy thingy, will be in eight days, because that's how long they're taking to validate...
Okay. I'm really sorry.
But chapter three's here now, isn't it? Yes, it is. Be happy!
YAY!
This chapter goes to joellatti07, for bieng the most awesome person ever and actually creating a WORD just for my stories.
Now, THAT is just amazing. A word. Just for my stories!
HOW COOL IS THAT?! Exactly.
Anyway, this author's note is longer than it should be (sorry!), so I'm ending it now.
Disclaimer: I am not blonde. This means that I am neither Jo, nor Taylor Swift, who wrote the song used in this chapter ("White Horse").
Okay, let’s rewind and review. That’s what Lily’s always telling me to do.
Rewind and Review List
- Aria and Black started going out
- Aria loved Black (because she was suffering temporary brain damage)
- Black cheated on Aria with three different girls
- Aria’s heart was broken; she wasn’t herself for weeks
- Aria is now totally pissed at Black. Which is completely understandable. You would do it too!
- So pissed, in fact, that she just exploded at him for absolutely no reason whatsoever.
- Lily thinks that Black still likes Aria
- Aria is confused.
- Oh, and a crazy, deranged, severely challenged mass-murderer by the name of Voldemort is out to kill everyone and take over the wizarding world as we know it.
Just thought I should throw that little snag in.
Wow, my life is really, really pitiful. I’m going to need some serious therapy after all this is over.
I sighed and leaned my head against my bed frame, wiping my cheeks and eyes. Here’s what I didn’t want to do: Go to the Great Hall, have to face Black, James, and Lily, and deal with a whole bunch of awkwardness, which I really hate. I just wanted…some time to myself, so I could think, so I could cry in peace, without any overly concerned red-heads all up in my arse. Not that I don’t love Lily, I love the girl to death. I just want some alone time.
I grabbed my guitar and climbed out of the portrait hole. Yes, I play the guitar, and yes, I know that it is a muggle instrument. I have it on account of the fact that I am a muggle-born, which immediately puts me on the hit-list of about a fourth of the school’s student population as well as the crazy, deranged, severely challenged mass-murderer mentioned above.
Wanna know what this face is? This is my ‘so not caring’ face.
I fought the urge to break down again as I slipped into a passageway that would take me straight into the grounds, something that Black had shown me so we could avoid people back when we were going out. Soon, I was sitting in an extremely secluded area, with trees all around, creating a nice, cool, airy place for me.
I strummed my guitar a little, playing the notes of a song I loved. The notes flowed more freely as I remembered the music, a muggle song that…well, basically was the story of my life. I sang along to it, my voice wavering slightly, tears streaming down my face as I remembered the pain behind the words.
“I’m not your princess, this ain’t a fairy tale, I’m not the one you sweep off her feet, lead her up the stairwell, this ain’t Hollywood; this is a small town. I was a dreamer before you went and let me down. Now it’s too late for you and your white horse to catch me now.”
I bowed my head and cried for real now, shoulders heaving, my teardrops falling on my guitar. I set it to the side and curled up in a little ball, holding myself together. I didn’t want to think right now, didn’t want to feel…
(NOT ARIA’S POV)
Sirius put his hands to his head and pulled at his hair as he watched Aria’s lithe figure sprint away from him. Her words echoed in his ears, repeating themselves mercilessly over and over in his head.
“Merlin, I am such a dick.” He groaned, sliding down onto the floor. He hung his head in his hands, staring down at the floor.
“Are you-oh, hey.” A girl stood in front of him. As soon as he had looked up, her concerned expression had morphed into a flirtatious smile.
“Hello.” Sirius said quietly, getting up.
“Are you looking for someone?” She asked, twirling a piece of her hair between her fingers. She bit her lip in a ‘seductive’ way. As soon as she did that, Sirius’ mind suddenly flashed to Aria, who bit her lip in the most delicious way, even when she wasn’t trying.
“Yeah, but she’s not here. Bye.” Sirius turned around and almost ran out of the corridor, surprised at himself for not staying. Usually he would take up a girl on their offer and get a good snog out of it. But, it was weird…when he thought about it, the image was immediately repellent to him. His mind, like it was acting on its own, replaced the girl with Aria instead…and he didn’t mind that image at all. In fact, he craved it, craved Aria’s smiles, her laughs, her kisses…
“Oh, no.” Sirius stopped suddenly, eyes wide. “Oh, no…no, no, no. I like her…” He breathed. He realized that it was true, he did like her.
Great. He was falling for the girl that he had cheated on in his sixth year with three other girls. Yes, three.
Oh, the irony.
“Shitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshit.” He cursed fluently under his breath as he sped down the corridor. As he ran, he pulled the Map out of his pocket and scanned it quickly, not bothering to look through the names in the Great Hall. He knew Aria, and as much as she loved eating, she would want to be alone right now.
“Malfoy and Narcissa, in the broom closet on the fifth floor, ew, Snivellus in the library, Amos Diggory out flying on the pitch…where is she?” Sirius muttered under his breath. Then, he saw her name, Aria Monroe, moving across the grounds to a secluded area of trees, and his heart jumped. He broke into a run, tucking the map away as he went.
As he got closer to the trees, he heard an odd sound…it was music, but unlike anything he had heard before. It was rich and calming at the same time. He slowed and hid in a clump of trees, inching forward slightly to see who and what it was.
Then he saw her. Aria, looking exhausted and angry and miserable and gorgeous, all at the same time, sitting with a muggle contraption. She was…plucking the strings, it seemed, and pinching them at the same time, on a long stick that stuck out at an odd angle. This plucking, and her fingers, which moved with easy grace over the long handle part of the instrument, was creating the music. The song she was toying with was slowly growing, expanding, turning into a composition.
Sirius had never seen anything so beautiful in his life.
And then she opened her mouth and started to sing.
***
(STILL NOT ARIA’S POV. HER BRAIN ISN’T A VERY SAFE PLACE TO BE AT THE MOMENT)
“PRONGS!” Sirius burst into the portrait hole, making everyone look up at him in surprise. He ignored them and made an immediate beeline to James and Lily, who were doing homework together. Sirius watched, amazed, as Lily giggled at something James said.
Yes, Lily Evans giggled at something James Potter said. Like a girl. Even when she vowed that she would never make such a girly and repulsive noise in her life.
Although, in her favor, her giggle was quite cute. Nothing like the shrill, high-pitched shrieks of laughter the other fangirls used when James, Sirius, or Remus said something completely and totally normal, like ‘Hey Padfoot, pass the rolls, will you?’ And Lily was laughing at something funny that James said, unlike the other girls.
So Sirius forgave her for breaking her vow and giggling.
But he was still shocked.
“Prongs, mate, I need to talk to you…now.” Sirius panted, coming up behind them.
“What’s wrong?” James had an uncanny ability to know exactly when something wasn’t right. He was awesome at reading people, another reason why he was really the best friend anyone could have.
“Aria. She’s, er…crying and stuff.” Sirius said uncomfortably.
“What did you do this time, Sirius?” Lily asked exasperatedly.
“Nothing!” The other two gave him disbelieving looks. “Really, nothing. I just told her to wait up, and then she exploded at me!”
“What did she say?” Lily asked.
“Um…stuff. And then she ran away and I followed her and then she was singing…Never mind. It would be better if I could just show you.” Sirius rambled. He then grabbed James’ arm, who in turn grabbed onto Lily’s hand, and proceeded to tow the two of them out of the portrait hole. He led them to the Room of Requirement, and paced in front of it, thinking hard. James and Lily stood there, looking quite dumbfounded by their friend’s behavior. Sirius was always so cool and collected…he had never been this frantic before.
“He must really like her.” James muttered to Lily as they watched Sirius pace with an intense look of concentration on his face. He looked like he was trying to lay an egg the size of a quaffle.
“I know…wow!” Lily gasped, amazed as a door suddenly popped into existence. “What is this place?” She asked, stepping in and looking around.
“Welcome to the Room of Requirement, Lily Marie Evans.” James said formally, adding a sweeping bow for effect.
Lily laughed and rolled her eyes at him. “But how come I’ve never seen this place before?”
“It changes to the wishes of the person that needs to use it.” James explained.
“Yes, yes, it’s amazing, now can we please get back to business here?” Sirius asked, standing over a stone basin.
“A pensieve!” Lily gasped. “Wow, I’ve never seen one of these before!”
“Dumbledore has one in his office.” James said as Sirius dropped a silvery memory into the liquid.
“Come on.” He said, and the three of them dove into Sirius’ memory.
***
“Oh, my god.” Lily was the first to break the silence after they clambered out of the pensieve.
“I know…doesn’t she have an amazing voice?” Sirius asked, sounding slightly like an indulgent, gloating grandmother.
“I can’t believe she sang a song about you, mate.” James shook his head.
“That was about me?” Sirius looked pleased.
“Yes, but that’s not a good thing.” Lily said.
“But she sang a song about me!” He grinned happily.
“Did you pay attention to the lyrics at all?” Lily asked, exasperated.
“Er, no…I was too busy listening to her voice, and, you know, watching her play and stuff.”
Lily repeated the lyrics back to him and Sirius’ expression went from cocky/slightly ashamed to hurt/sad.
“How do you remember stuff like that?” James asked wonderingly.
“I just do.” Lily said impatiently, still waiting for Sirius’ response.
“Oh, Merlin.” He finally said. “She sang a sad, depressed song about me. And her sad, depressed feelings.” He slid down the wall, putting his face in his hands. “What do I do?”
“Well, first, we’re going to find Aria and make her feel better.” James helped Sirius up. “On second thought, me and Lily will go and make her feel better. You stay here.”
“No.”Sirius shook his head stubbornly. “I’m coming.”
“But, Pads, you see, we’re going there to make her feel better. Seeing you will make her feel worse. No offense.” James added quickly.
Sirius sighed. “It’s true. But I want to come.”
“Fine.” Lily cut in before James could argue. “Can we go now? I have a best friend in distress.”
***
(ARIA’S POV AGAIN)
“Aria?” I heard my favorite voice say. I could hardly believe it…how did he find me?
“Alex!” I looked up to see my favorite person in the whole world standing in front of me.
“Ari, why are you crying?” He asked, his dark eyebrows scrunching into a worried line over his dark eyes. His black hair looked windswept, but it was nothing like James’ mess. I guessed he had just come from practice or something. I smiled when he used my favorite nickname.
“Black.” I said, tears leaking out from the corners of my eyes and my smile dissapearing.
“Again? That dickhead!” Alex sat down next to me and I climbed into his lap. He held me while I cried into his blue Quidditch robes.
“Hey Ari.” He said after a little while. I was still bawling my eyes out.
“What?” I sniffled.
“Look! I see a dancing blast-ended screwt wearing a tutu and a bow on its head!” He said excitedly.
“WHERE?!” I asked, pretending to fall for it. He pointed at the sky. Indeed, there was a cloud shaped very suspiciously like a blast-ended screwt wearing a tut and a bow on its head.
We burst out laughing.
“Only you could see something as bizarre as that.” I chuckled.
“Of course. It’s all part of the ‘insane’ package.” He waved his hand dismissively, like this was obvious.
“Yep. Must have been buy one get one free. I’m even more insane than you are.” I hugged him. “I missed you, Ali.” Only I could get away with calling him a girl’s name. We were even though, because he called me by a guy’s name.
“Me too, Ari.” He hugged me back for a while, then asked tentatively, “So, what did the arsehole do this time?”
“Actually, it was my fault.”I sighed. “He only asked me to wait up for him, but I freaked out at the kid. Completely lost my cool, started yelling and screaming and crying. Then I came here, played my guitar, and sang a little. Always makes me feel better.”
“Whoa.”
“I know.”
“Did he-“
“Alex, can we talk about something else? How are the ‘rents?” I changed the subject.
“Fine.”
“Alicia?”
“She showed her first sign of magic this week!” He said excitedly.
“Really?! What did she do? How come I don’t know this?!”
“I thought you knew. She blew up the dog.” He chortled.
“WHAT?! Which one?”
“Scooter. He’s fine, though. He just blew up like a balloon.” He laughed again.
“What does she have against Scooter?” I asked, miffed.
“Nothing. It was an accident.”
“Haha. That must have looked really funny.”
“Yeah, I’m trying to imagine it, but, little, harmless Scooter, being blown up to five times his size?”
We both chuckled a little.
“HEY, LOOK! I see a blown-up Scooter!” I yelled, pointing at the sky.
“WHERE? WHERE?!” Alex craned his neck up. I pointed to a round cloud with a little ‘head’ and ‘tail’, and we burst out laughing.
“I just remembered how much I love spending time with you, Ari.” Alex said after we were done laughing.
“I know.” I sighed. “Come visit me more often. I miss you.” I pouted. I hugged him, hard.
“Aria?” I heard a voice say. “Are you- oh, who’s this?”
“Speak of the devil.” I muttered, letting go of Alex and turning around to look at Black – or, more appropriately, the devil incarnate. I like my little nicknames. See, Black’s ‘devil incarnate’ (he used to be ‘boy I am totally in love with’ but I changed that), Lily’s ‘crazy, fiery redhead girl’, James is ‘hopeless romantic with crazy hair’, Remus is ‘nice guy with the insane rabbit’, and Peter is ‘weirdo’. Yeah, yeah, so maybe I wasn’t as original for Peter, but, frankly, he doesn’t deserve any more than three seconds of thought.
“What’s going on?” He demanded, looking between me and Alex.
“Spending some time with Alex dearest.” I said to his left ear, refusing to look at his face.
“What are you doing here?” Alex snarled.
“Looking for Aria.” He growled back.
“You stay away from my-“
“PADFOOT! Wait up! Oh, hey Alex!” James said, grinning widely at him.
“James, my man!” Alex got up, effectively sliding me off of his lap and onto the ground, and went over to shoulder-bop James. Since they were neighbors, the two were quite good friends.
“And Lily.” He said, giving her a friendly hug. Lily smiled at Alex as she hugged him back. He was like a brother from another mother to her. Haha! That rhymes! Brother from another mother!
“How come everyone but me somehow knows Aria’s new boyfriend?” Black demanded, looking murderous. James, Lily and Alex looked so surprised; they forgot to answer him and instead just stared at Black in blank shock.
“Boyfriend?” I asked incredulously. “He’s my twin brother, you twat.”
You know what I think you should do now? I think you should review.
Reviews = Happy author
Yep. It's true. It's been proven. 
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