Bright
-CHAPITRE UN-
She caught my eye. She was sitting on the highest branch of a tree at the crack of dawn. Her eyes were closed and while she faced the wind slowly blowing through her pitch-black hair away. She was swinging her legs to the rhythm of this odd lullaby she sang. It sounded … French? What a bizarre thing to remember, but it’s still so vivid in my mind.
I remember shouting, ‘’ What are you doing up there?’’
She slowly opened her eyes, looking bothered as she gazed down at me. ‘’What do you need, Black?’’
I giggled. ‘’Nothing, just thought you needed company.’’
To that she replied, ‘’If I did in fact need company, I wouldn’t be looking for yours. We both know your reputation isn’t all lies.’’
I watched her jumped off the branch effortlessly and walked towards me, her brown eyes locked on mine.
‘’Can I get your name at least?’’
She turned halfway towards the doors to get inside the castle. ‘’I think it’s best if you don’t. ‘’
And she continued her path as if nothing happened.
As crazy as it sounds, I think this is the moment I became obsessed with her. The way she walked nonchalantly, her woody perfume hitting my nostrils the moment she came at my height. The very fact she did not want to know me - the man-whore of the school- was alluring me. This didn’t happen every day. I had this feeling you get when your parent tells you to not touch a vase, it makes you want to do it even more than before. She was the notion of a forbidden fruit, and I wanted to take a bite.
For multiple days after our meeting, I kept seeing her figure here and there. Everywhere I looked she would be there somehow. Is this what we call fate?
One morning, I woke up in an alarmed state. My hair stuck to my forehead, my eyes wide open like I had just seen a ghost. My breathing was irregular and heavy. I tried going back to sleep to forget about the nightmare, but the image of my mom beating my brother and I kept replaying in my mind. I had to get out. I was suffocating.
I stumbled out of bed, frantically putting on a shirt and coat and headed outside to clear my head. The sun was not out yet, making the lake and forest look eerie. I ran until I was at the edge of the Great Lake, taking a deep breath as I listened to the soft waves hitting the coast—music to my ears. The fresh cold air calmed my burning lungs. It felt liberating to be so little facing this grand nature.
I then whispered to myself. “Ugh, you have to keep your control Sirius, it can’t go on like this.’’
Hearing soft footsteps behind me, I jerked my head to see who was coming in my direction I focused on the girl that has been consuming my thoughts daily. My face must have shown my shock. ‘’ Don’t look so surprised, this isn’t the first time we run into each other.’’
With a soft smile on her pale lips, she laughed. What a melodious sound. I replied with a giggle in my voice. ‘’ I’m in shock that you are talking to my poor self.’’
Her dark eyes stared into mine as if they were trying to reach my soul and discover my darkest secrets or biggest fantasies. ‘’ I couldn’t help but hear your question… So, tell me Black, what exactly is keeping you awake at this time?’’
Hypnotized. I was hypnotized by the specks of gold I saw in her eyes. They were pushing me to tell her everything, like I was welcomed. I softly replied, ‘’ I woke up with this nightmare again… I felt like my sheets were suffocating me. Nothing like getting outside when there’s no one out there to make me feel whole again. Am I right?’’
Looking at her, I could see her face directed towards the lake. ‘’ I get that… When everything becomes too much I come outside. It’s a comforting feeling that gets a hold of you when you look at bigger things, like nature. It makes you and your incessant worries seem so little,’’ she whispered back to me with a content look.
A short silence fell between the two of us. Not the awkward kind, but the one you share with someone you connect with. The one that makes you feel like the world paused. The one that makes you think everything will be alright if you stay there.
Deciding to break the silence, I ask the very question that’s been itching at me all week. ‘’ May I get your name since we’re now lake view buddies?’’
As soon as I finished my sentence, I closed my eyes out of embarrassment. What were you even thinking, this doesn’t even make sense…What is wrong with you Black?
Cutting me from my inner monologue, she replied, ‘’I guess you can call me Mallory.’’
Slowly retreating she said, ‘’I’ll see you later buddy’’ with a little laugh.
I closed my eyes again to stitch the memory of her laughs in my head, the notes constantly replaying. I stood before the lake for what felt like hours until I saw light peeking out over the horizon, as if welcoming me to another day. This was the sign that I was waiting for to get back inside. I followed the cobbled path half-heartedly as I walked back to Hogwarts. I didn’t want this moment of quietude to stop just yet.
I was sitting at the Gryffindor’s table at the great hall ducking my head to hide the pillow marks on my face. James and Remus thought it was a hilarious idea to wake me up 10 minutes before classes. I scarfed down 2 slices of bread, got up from the bench to run to divination class. That was until I saw her from the corner of my eye. Sitting at the Ravenclaw table, she was radiant, like the sun was producing a halo surrounding her head. She was looking directly at me with the smallest smirk on her lips—they seemed more pink than last time. I only realized I was blocking the way when James patted my shoulder and made me wake up from this reverie.
I spent the day thinking about how breathtaking she was at that very moment. It made me feel like I was the male character in these muggles movies that Remus had shown me. It felt as if it were just the two of us staring into each other as if we could reach the others heart. She made me feel weak in the knees, but I felt so much more complete by her side. Was I crazy? She made me want to pour my soul into our discussion so she could understand me like no one else. I wanted to kiss her lips until I couldn’t breathe because I knew I would never get enough. I felt funny inside. Thinking back, it made me giggle at odd times too. I think this was the day it hit me. She was it.
