black | sirius black

A Soul Sucking Experience

Jayce looked at Regulus in confusion.

"Excuse me?" She raised an eyebrow, turning her body to face Regulus completely.

"Nevermind," Regulus muttered, attempting to brush past her.

However, Jayce halted him by pulling him back by his arm. She felt a sudden surge of frustration with everything happening around her.

"No. Tell me," Jayce demanded, crossing her arms.

"It's nothing," Regulus replied, avoiding eye contact.

"No, you said you saw me and your brother last night," Jayce said, her voice turning icy. "Why does it matter to you who I hang out with?"

Regulus was taken aback by Jayce's uncharacteristically forceful demeanor. She was usually laid back and relaxed.

Jayce, too, was surprised by her own words. She would never usually speak in such a tone to someone she held dearly. But, her bottled-up emotions were getting the best of her—doubts about the Malfoys, anger towards Evan, stress about being the captain, and more.

She couldn't keep it all in any longer.

"Jayce, I—" Regulus began.

"Shut it, Regulus," Jayce scoffed. "I'm so sick of everyone telling me what to do and what to believe in." She fumed at him.

"That's not what I was trying to say. I wasn't trying to control you; I just wanted to warn you about my—about Sirius," Regulus pleaded.

"No need for that," Jayce scorned. "I think I'm old enough to decide for myself who to be with."

Before Regulus could say anything else, Jayce walked away and into the girls' dormitory.

"What a day," she muttered bitterly as she opened the door to her dorm, her eyes landing on Pandora, who was fast asleep as usual.

Reclining on her bed, Jayce glanced up at the ceiling. The realization of her abrupt rudeness toward Regulus began to sink in, prompting a commitment to apologize to him tomorrow. As for Evan, she acknowledged that he would inevitably learn about her change in perspective. She resolved to talk to him as soon as possible, recognizing that her body needed rest for now.

The following day, Jayce found herself on her way to Defense Against the Dark Arts, accompanied by her close friend Marlene.

Marlene, always perceptive, remarked on Jayce's seemingly lively demeanor. "You look lively," she observed.

"Don't I always?" Jayce replied with an eye roll.

"Not today," Marlene teased. "You looked like you haven't slept for days."

"I was out with Black the night before," Jayce shared, prompting a gasp from Marlene.

"Oh my God, so the rumors are true?" Marlene whispered.

"What rumors?" Jayce inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"That you and Sirius have a special relationship going on," Marlene revealed.

"Where did you get that from?" Jayce laughed.

"I don't know how it started, but everyone knows about it. I didn't bring it up because I thought the rumors were fake."

"They are fake," Jayce reassured her. "The night before, I was with Black because he said he'd teach me how to ride a motorcycle."

"Now that sounds more like you," Marlene chuckled, adjusting a strand of hair behind her ear. "Though, I didn't know you fancied Muggle machines."

"It was a magic motorcycle. The one that could fly," Jayce grinned.