“She’ll be five minutes” said Hailey Jones, Abi’s best friend, as I was kept outside of the Hufflepuff common room waiting as Abi was not quite ready yet. I yawned, it was only 9.30 and I was wondering why Abi had wanted to meet up with me so early especially as I’d had virtually no sleep last night thanks to Lily and Melissa. I felt somewhat self-conscious standing outside of the Hufflepuff common room by myself as various students made their way in and out of the room whilst I just stood there looking like a lemon
I thought I’d made myself look presentable for my meeting arrangement with Abi; jeans, my one designer t-shirts and squeaky clean blue trainers added with my gelled up hair, spot free face and plucked eyebrows I was looking pretty dapper to say the least. Not that I’m big headed or anything but I don’t see a problem with knowing when you’re looking good and I was looking good
“Hey ready to go” came a voice from behind me and I turned around to see Abi behind me grinning, my eyes nearly popped out of my eye sockets as she looked absolutely beautiful; her usual long brown hair was tied back in a bun; she hadn’t overdone it on the makeup and though what she was wearing was quite basic, a white t-shirt covered with a black cardigan and a pair of jeans, she really looked amazing and like me I guess she knew it
“Yeah of course” I said bringing myself back down to earth “Just one question; why are we meeting up so early” I asked her as we began strolling towards the great hall which would eventually lead us out of the school grounds
“I’m an early morning kind of girl” Abi explained as we reached the bottom of the staircase “Plus; I figured the earlier we got up we could still get breakfast at that amazing café in Hogsmeade”
Oh my god
I’d forgotten about Breakfast
I hadn’t even noticed all though once Abi had mentioned it I did begin to feel very hungry; she seemed very relaxed in my company considering the somewhat public humiliation that she’d been subjected too at the hands of Lily the previous night. The walk into Hogsmeade was lovely; I’d always known Abi and I had a similar sense of humour and we had quite a lot in common – only I hadn’t realised just how much. She, like me, had a younger brother in the first year; her dream job was to write for the Daily Prophet in some way; her position of choice in Quidditch was a chaser and (most importantly) she was just as obsessed with food as I was
“Oh thank merlin” said Abi was we reached the café she’d been speaking about for the past forty minutes (yes it took us that long to walk here) “They do breakfasts until eleven; trust me Ollie this will be the most gorgeous food you will have ever had”. She grabbed me by the hand and pulled me into the café, I’d never so much as stepped foot in the place in my life but it seemed very nice if not a bit pink and girly for my liking. Abi seemed to come in here a lot, she knew the waitress on first name terms and ordered her ‘usual’ recommending that I did the same.
“I’m glad we got to do this” said Abi as we waited for our food to come “I kept building up to ask you over the past few years and just never got around to it”
“Why not” I asked amused “It’s not like I’m a three headed dog or something; I don’t bite and I wouldn’t have said no. You’re a mate”
Oh crap
I just told her we were mates
Lily said that to me once, it’s soul crushing when your crush tells you that. Abi didn’t seem too bothered but I did see a momentary hurt look spread across her face but it quickly vanished and Abi soon returned to her bubbly self
“Yeah well I was nervous” she continued “People used to tell me that you only bothered talking to me because you felt sorry for me”
“Which people” I said getting angry “I’ll sort them out; I talk to you because you’re a good laugh and we have a lot in common”
“I know that now” said Abi “But two years ago, I believed it was true. Not because you were ever mean to me because you weren’t; but just because you were a lot cooler than I was”
Me?
Cool?
I physically laughed leaving Abi looking a bit confused and annoyed. After I managed to compose myself I took her by the hand
“Sorry about that” I said “It’s just, I’m not nor have ever been cool or widely regarded as being cool”
“Oh come on you are” said Abi “You’re really popular”
“I am not cool” I repeated “Guess where I was on the night of that massive Halloween party that the seventh years through last year” Abi shrugged “I spent the night in the library with Hugo and Ryan making contingency plans for if there was ever an apocalypse and we were the last guys left on planet earth”
Now it was Abi’s turn to laugh out loud and my turn to go red in the face. Our meals soon arrived and it turned out that Abi was not wrong about this place; this was easily one of the most delicious things I’ve ever eaten in my whole life. Abi looked at me with a smile as I ate
“Come up for air” she commented “Anyone would think that you hadn’t been fed in a whole month”
“Sorry” I said wiping my mouth with a napkin “But that was just so delicious, I can’t believe that I’ve never known that this place exists”
“Well now you know don’t you” grinned Abi “Only don’t go telling everybody, I quite like that only me and my little group know about it”
“Oh am I part of it” I asked as we got up and paid the bill
“Part of what” she asked as I put her coat on for her
“Your little gang” I replied, holding the door open for her
“Only if you wanna be” she said as we began walking the now busy streets of Hogsmeade “There is a lot of talk and analysis about James Potter’s six pack”
“Maybe that place can be just our little secret then” I said “Oh and by the way, I’ve seen James Potter naked once. He aint all that”
“Ollie, he’s sex on legs” Abi exclaimed shouting it a bit too loudly and going red as various on-lookers gave her weird stares “And anyway how have you seen him naked”
“I spend quite a lot of my summer with Hugo’s family” I replied “James thought it would be a good idea to go skinny dipping one night; needless to say his parents were very impressed. I think Molly and Lucy were scarred for life”
Abi laughed “You’re so funny” she said “You know Ollie, what Lily said last night it is true you know”
“I know” I said taking her hand. She blushed
“I have fancied you for years” she said “It wasn’t like love at first sight or anything like that, it’s just gradually I realised I was falling for you. You’re so kind and sweet Ollie, you’re the nicest guy I’ve ever met and I don’t care if everyone knows it – I fancy you like mad” she finished her sentence by shouting.
Louis and Freddie were passing at the time; both wolf whistled and shouted “Get in there Ollie” before getting a smack around the head from Dominique
I laughed and feeling a warm sensation in my stomach I leaned in for a kiss that she seemed very happy to return
Write a Review Escaping the Friend Zone: Our Time Now
Printer Friendly Version
