𝖍𝖊𝖒𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖙𝖊 | ʙ.ᴡᴇᴀꜱʟᴇʏ

chapter eighteen .

tigers eye .

✧

"JACOB, I THINK YOU SHOULD GO WITH YOUR SISTER, spend some time with her before she goes back to Egypt." Matilda's aunt gently placed down her fork and spoon and clasped her hands together, her usual wide grin plastered on her face. "How about that?"

Matilda slowly lifted her fork to her lips, glancing between her aunt and brother nervously. Jacob violently stabbed the spaghetti in his bowl, rattling it, and turned his eyes to the elder woman. He looked somewhat bored despite his harsh action. Matilda, however, could sense the small amount of wavering tension thickening in the air as the seconds dragged on.

"I'm good, thanks," Jacob spat back sarcastically. He turned his eyes back down to his food and began to stab the sauce-covered pasta again.

"Come on, Jacob," their aunt tried again. Matilda placed her hand over the woman's and offered her a smile.

"It's okay. We're probably going to be sitting for hours, so there's to fuss," Matilda spoke. She turned to Jacob. "If anything you might like happens, I'll be sure to tell you about it."

Jacob gave her a half-thankful hum. Matilda frowned, recoiling from the both of them.

The tension had fizzled down once more, but it was only stagnant for now, and there was sure to be another opportunity for it all to blow up again. It was a waiting game that Matilda didn't want to stick around for.

"Thanks for dinner," Matilda spoke. She pushed her chair from the table and collected her bowl and cutlery. "I'm just going to go shower."

"Alright," their aunt smiled. "But you promised you'd come do this crochet with me, remember?" She gestured to the lounge where a wicker basket sat on the table, filled with various wools. "I have so much to tell you, too."

Matilda hummed and nodded. She scurried to place her bowl in the sink, feeling a moment of guilt for doing so, then moved as quickly as possible to her room.

✧

"MATILDA! BILL DIDN'T MENTION YOU WERE COMING."

Molly Weasley turned her head to her eldest son, lifting an eyebrow. Bill shot her a sheepish look, then hastily averted his gaze to Matilda. The curly-haired woman also raised an eyebrow at Bill, and he turned his eyes to the floor, hiding his embarrassment.

"I'm starting to think doesn't mention anything about me," Matilda spoke, adding a teasing edge to her words and turning her gaze back to Molly. She suddenly realised she had no idea where her and the woman stood after Bill said they'd 'broken up'. "It's good to see you again, Molly."

Matilda had to find out somehow, right?

And she did when all Molly gave was a closed-mouth smile and a few hasty nods. Molly chose to move out of the stairway, then, and shuffled in the tight space between the rows of seats. Bill watched her and Matilda, letting out a sigh.

"I'm sorry, Tilda. I didn't know she would be like this," Bill muttered.

"It's alright. Honest." Matilda waved Bill's worry away, pushing up her glasses. "I should probably sit down somewhere, you know. Stop blocking people and that."