WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU PUMPKINS , james potter

━ twenty-one. putting the "end" in friendship

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE:
- putting the "end" in friendship -
1977

JAMES HAD NO RIGHT YELLING AT MADELINE like that. Just thinking about their last conversation together made Madeline twist and shake in anger. She said nothing but the truth— truth he apparently couldn't handle. She didn't know why he was the one ignoring her. Madeline was supposed to be the angry one! She kept replaying the conversation in her head over and over, and seeing his stupid angry face. He didn't have to pull the no friend's card, they both knew she didn't talk to many people. And he didn't have to storm off so dramatically or tell her to shut up or get so defensive about Lily when she was clearly right!

     "Madeline," whispered Lily, "hey, Madeline, you okay?" Madeline sighed, ignoring Lily. She wasn't in the mood to talk. She just wanted to get this stupid class over with so she could get to that stupid prefect's meeting and then never have to see James Potter's annoying, crybaby face again.

They'd been avoiding each other the whole week. Well, James was avoiding her. Madeline figured he would need a couple days to himself before he came to his senses to see how wrong he (and how right she) was. But when Madeline approached him one afternoon asking to see if he would attend this week's meeting, he ignored her. Like a straight up, eyes right through her, Did you hear something, Remus?, casually strutting away kind of ignore, like Madeline was in the wrong!

James Stupid Potter was so irritating!

He refused to work with her in Potions and barely glanced at her during quidditch practice (even if she sat down to take a ten minute break they both knew she didn't need). Him not talking to her was even more annoying than him always talking to her. James could be such a child sometimes.

But fine! If he wanted to play the silent game, Madeline could play the silent game. Not only was she going to play the silent game, but she was going to win so she could shove it in Potter's stupid, dummy face and show him that he had one thousand and ten percent not gotten to her. Madeline could be a child too if she wanted.

"Madeline." Madeline immediately jerked away from a soft touch on her shoulder. "Sorry!" Lily quickly drew back her hand. "Just... class is over and you uh, you seem a little distracted."

Madeline huffed heavily from her nose, peeved. Why couldn't people just leave her alone? "I'm fine, it's whatever."

"Oh, okay..." Lily walked silently besides Madeline, keeping a short distance away. She hesitated as they left Herbology before quietly speaking again. "Are you sure you're okay, Madeline?"

     "Just... Potter can be such a idiotic, childish twat who can't constructive criticism. Like seriously, who does he think he is just strutting around like he owns the world," grumbled Madeline. "Have you ever noticed the way he drags his feet? It's so annoying. And his stupid laugh— who laughs like that? HA!" cried Madeline, "That's so dumb, it can't be real. HA! What an idiot."

     "Oh—"

     "I don't know how you do it, Lily, I really don't. I've only known him for a couple months, but you've had to deal with him for years— years!" Madeline suddenly stopped, fully turning to a wide-eyed Lily. "Isn't Potter such an idiot?!"

     "So I'm assuming the two of you aren't getting along right now—?"

     Madeline scoffed, almost laughing. "He is such a jerk!"