As much as Alice had missed Calla these past few months, she was grateful to have distanced herself if it meant avoiding Calla's stubborn need to cling to false hope. Studying for her OWLs was difficult enough without having to console the Hufflepuff on an already decided and discussed fate. Draining her glass, Alice placed it carelessly on a passing tray and quickly grabbed another one. This was a conversation she couldn't do sober.

"There isn't anything for you to do that'll fix this. I appreciate you for trying to help, I know you're only trying to find a solution. There isn't one. This is it for me, Calla." Alice began, almost pleading for her friend to finally hear her. If they couldn't come to an agreement now, then they likely never would again. "I want to be your friend. I want to spend time in the green house with you and wherever else you might wish to go. But I can't do that if all you're going to do is hold this against me at every meeting. It's been hard enough accepting and resigning myself to leaving school, to forgetting my dream."

"I'm barely hanging on, Calla, and I don't need someone to find a hidden way for me to stay. There isn't one. I spent all of fourth year bloody looking for a different answer. I need friends that'll still be just that - my friend." She was rambling now, her usually filtered thoughts completely relaxed with her intoxication.

"Please, either accept that this has to be it for me and be my friend or walk away. Those are the only options to choose from now."

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