No Pain, No Glory | Tomarry

7: Beats of her heart go unnoticed

Tom doesn't mind Burga.

Except for these times when she contradicts him. And the girl does it a lot. Somehow she manages to get to him more often than not. That's why he chose her as a friend after all.

He would never become friends with a housemate who would just be a cowardly follower. He has Abraxas, Nott and Avery for that.

Speaking of said girl, she has been staring at her lap and then up again. This pattern has been thoroughly repeated for ten minutes now.

They are sitting near the fireplace inside their common room, reading texts over. To be honest, he is doing his part of the work. Her imagination seems to be traveling elsewhere.

He makes up his mind and decides, more out of curiosity, if not actual concern, to point out the situation.

"If you don't feel like reading,"He starts, eyes not exactly forgiving, "then close the book and make a ten minute break to clear your head."

She places both hands on the sides of her own armchair. They are laying there, loose, careless. "No. I'm fine."

"Burga."

"I'm fine, really."

"Are you, now? It doesn't look like you are."

She groans, rather un-lady like. "Fine. I'll tell you, but don't yell at me or insult me or call me names-"

He leaves the book on a side table and turns his head to look at the girl with the always impeccable curled black hair. "Why would I call you names? Does it have to do with me?"

"No. It's more, like..." She bites off one of her nails, the one of the left pinky finger, even though he has repeatedly told her not to do it, "...it involves my parents."

"Alright." He says, trying to ease her out of her shell. "Go on."

"You know, of course, that I'm betrothed to my cousin, Orion."

"At this point, the whole school knows, but go ahead."

"And that I don't exactly appreciate him as a person. I mean, he's pleasant, in general, but he doesn't love me and neither do I."

"Yes, you might have complained about it a million times before." He mutters, tone unmistakably sarcastic.

This time she glares at him, looking directly at his face. "What did I say about mocking me?"

"Do excuse me. It comes naturally."

He receives an eye roll as an answer.

"Anyway..." She adds, "the thing is, I'm in love with someone else."

He purses his mouth. The matter seems insignificant and easily brushed off to him. "You have fallen in love before and they all lasted a few months."

"No, it's not like that..." Shyness takes control of his favorite Black again. He isn't used to see her like this. "It's serious."

"Serious?"

"Uh huh."

"Alright, who is it? Do I know him?"

She mumbles something under her breath. "Notahe..."

He sneers, getting a bit impatient."What have I told you about mumbling? It's very annoying. Just spit it out."

She gets a glimpse of his eyes, before looking down at her skirt again. "It's not a 'he'."

Okay. That he didn't expect.

He swallows, trying to pick up his last remaining braincells that haven't exploded after hearing something so... so unlike her. "Not a he...?"

"No." She whispers.