December 10, 1892 - Hogwarts Room of Requirement @This party

Lester Hatchitt

It had been one year since Sisse had had her first kiss. One year since she realized her feelings for Lester. And one year since she had lost him as a friend. Oh, they still spoke, but it was nothing like it had been before the kiss. Perhaps it wouldn't have bothered Sisse so much if things hadn't gotten so awkward, but they had. Now Lester could barely stand to even look at her let alone speak to her. Was she really that much of an embarassment? She wished she could just put it past her, move on, but, well... she liked Lester in a way she hadn't felt for anyone before. Not Cam or Ned. A way that was unique to Lester. And, now she only had a few more months before he was no longer at school. She didn't mind if he didn't want anything further from her but she just wanted her old friend back.

Around her students laughed and talked, trading stories, dancing and joking. Pretending the end of term didn't mean tests. Sisse was trying to enjoy it but she kept thinking of last year, of Alice, and Mr. Higgs, and of Lester. So, rather unwisely, she drank more of the brandy she had been offered, trying to keep up with the conversation. But the more brandy she drank the more her eyes drifted to Lester and the more she dwelled on the past.

Finally, fed up with herself and with him, Sisse finished her glass excused herself from the group she had been speaking with and marched toward Lester. She was filled with purpose and even a bit of anger. But she would not waste the last term she had with her friend.

Thankfully Lester's own conversation had ended when Sisse drew near and she found him by himself on the edge of the room. Without any preamble (she'd quite certainly lose her nerve if she resorted to civility and niceties) Sisse launched into a speech she'd have considered mortifying in any normal state. "This ends now." She declared, hands fisted on her hips, giving him her most stern look. "I get that you regret kissing me, but do you really have to ruin our friendship too?" Merlin's beard why were her eyes getting watery? She hated that she tended to cry when she was really angry. But hopefully Lester wouldn't notice the sheen on her eyes in the lighting of the room.

The following 1 user Likes Sisse Thompsett's post:1 user Likes Sisse Thompsett's post
   Sloane Bixby

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Thank you Bee <3 Your magic has made Sisse bloom

Last year at this party, Lester had gotten far too drunk, and the next day had been a parade of torments. This year he was determined to be just tipsy. He could be responsible; he was usually responsible. Last year he'd just gotten ahead of himself.

He was successful at keeping himself at a steady buzz, just a little wobbly, which was more than he could say for many of the other students in attendance. He felt weird being here when he was less drunk than so many people, but was sticking to the edges of the party and nursing his brandy. He'd just about made up his mind that someone ought to keep an eye on Sisse tonight when she came up to him and started talking.

Lester had a wary smile on his face, and then she started talking, and it fell away and all he could do was stare at her with wide eyes. "What?" he said, when it seemed like she was done — he'd never kissed her!

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The following 2 users Like Lester Hatchitt's post:2 users Like Lester Hatchitt's post
   Sisse Thompsett, Sloane Bixby

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set by Fallin!

"Don't you pretend you don't remember." Sisse had had a year of him pretending nothing had happened and she wasn't going to deal with it a second longer. "We both know what happened." She added fiercely, "I don't mind if you want to put it behind us, but please," Merlin's beard her voice was wavering and her mind was spinning even as the words continued to tumble almost unthought from her lips, "Stop ruining our friendship too."

  

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Thank you Bee <3 Your magic has made Sisse bloom

She was going to cry. Lester could see that she was going to cry, and before thinking, he put his hands on her shoulders to steady her. "Sisse," he said, "I don't remember that night. I've thought you were upset with me ever since, but I don't remember it." He'd had his first kiss, and he didn't even remember it. If he wasn't so busy trying to keep her from crying, he would have felt pretty shit about that.

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set by Fallin!

She would not cry! She refused. Valiantly Sisse widened her moistened eyes, her fists tightening until she could feel the nails tugging in to the soft flesh of her palm. She had determined to return their friendship to normally but she didn't want it because of his pity.

His hands on her shoulders reminded her of the tenderness he'd treated her with that fateful night. And then horror dawned on her as she heard his words, eyes widening further. She wanted to reach up and brush the tear she felt quivering on her lashes but she was too scared to move his arms away from her. It was silly, but she felt she could not continue without that particular kindness.

"No." The words whispered out of her in horror. "Not mad." She shook her head vehemently. And then she flushed as she realized the truth was already spilling past her lips. "Waiting for you." How foolish she had been. He'd never say anything. But.... her mind was rolling through questions faster than she could think them all her focus on Lester's face.

She should never have said anything at all. She should have known better than to think it had meant anything. And yet she hadn't. She shouldn't have even let him kiss her back in that corridor. Anger at herself was sharp and painful and the first angry tear slid off her lashes and on to her cheek.

  

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Thank you Bee <3 Your magic has made Sisse bloom

Lester bit his lip. He felt, more than anything, guilty. He'd felt guilty about Sisse for ages, but he had never known why. He'd just had a vague sense that he'd done something wrong. Now he knew that he'd done something wrong - he never should have kissed her when he was drunk.

He never should have kissed her at all, but of course he'd wanted to kiss her for a while.

"I'm so sorry," Lester blurted.

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The following 1 user Likes Lester Hatchitt's post:1 user Likes Lester Hatchitt's post
   Sloane Bixby

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set by Fallin!

She should have left it at that, accepted his apology and allowed the whole incident to become a youthful memory, an antidote to be told after she was married with kids of her own. But Sisse didn't do that. Instead as carefully as she could, Sisse rubbed the tear from her cheek, hoping he wouldn't move his hand at the movement. Then, watery eyes focused on Lester, she asked, "Sorry you don't remember, or sorry you kissed me?" For it seemed an awfully important difference to know.

  

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Thank you Bee <3 Your magic has made Sisse bloom

Why did she have to ask? Lester took a step back, and his expression was blatantly flustered. "Both?" he blurted out, and winced as soon as he did. That wasn't an answer she'd like.

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set by Fallin!

That hurt. It stabbed at her, the last hope she'd had that it hadn't all been a mistake, that her first kiss had been a complete and utter disaster. She knew she hadn't guarded her face well enough not to let the pain show for half a second before she could compose herself again.

With admirable decorum given the circumstances and how he backed away like she smelled, Sisse smoothed her features took a step away as well and gave a curt nod. "I understand." The words jammed untruthfully as they brusquely left her lips. She felt like she was presenting herself maturely in this at least. Now all she had to do was step away and hide her mortification, the stinging at her eyes, until she could at the very least make it to an empty corridor.

  

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Thank you Bee <3 Your magic has made Sisse bloom

Lester frowned at her, but he couldn't come up with anything to make it better in this moment. "I'll — I'll talk to you again soon," he attempted. And maybe he would.

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set by Fallin!

And that was it. The straw that broke the camel's back. He acted as if they had just talked about studying for a class or where Splash was. Sisse wanted to say something more, but instead she spun away tears already welling up in her eyes. Any idea she might have had of him making some sort of romantic gesture like a gentleman in one of her stories fading away in stinging pain. She didn't care anymore. She turned on her heel and rushed out of the room, ignoring any curious glances her way. All she wanted was for this awful night to be over.

  

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Thank you Bee <3 Your magic has made Sisse bloom