boundless (Amit Thakkar x OC)

Wandering (or, pride and vulnerability)

Needless to say, Emilia had no idea how to process Amit's reaction. Thankfully, she didn't feel too mortified; besides, they would see each other in Astronomy class tomorrow.

In an attempt to keep from agonizing over the unfortunate confession, Emilia huddled in a corner of the library and distracted herself with comfort books all day.

Finishing her last chapter and heaving a sigh, Emilia scooped up her books and walked to the front desk, just behind a boy returning his own books. As he turned to leave, Emilia recognized him a second too late, leaving her no time to hide: Amit had already noticed her.

Clearly neither one had been prepared to see the other yet. Oblivious, the librarian snatched Emilia's books with an impatient grumble.

"...See you in class?" Emilia wagered.

Amit nodded before seeming to catch himself. He coughed into his arm and swept away, pressing a hand against his forehead as though checking his temperature.

Emilia burst into Astronomy fifteen minutes ahead of anyone. Her nerves had been frazzled after her awkward encounter with Amit, and she watched the door for him, fiddling endlessly with her hair.

Professor Shah, silent as usual, placed a hand on Emilia's. "Please, Miss Valent. I cannot watch you tear your hair out."

Emilia folded her hands tightly. "I'm sorry, Professor. But... do... you know where Amit is?"

"Oh, yes, I meant to tell you. You'll need to join another group for now, Mister Thakkar wrote in sick this morning."

The professor's words frittered in Emilia's ears and dropped into her stomach, a sinking feeling resonating throughout her whole body.

Getting up to join Garreth and Leander felt to Emilia like walking through a dense fog. The two greeted her warmly, but her mind was so abuzz with confusion she barely mustered a smile.

He wrote in sick this morning? He seemed fine this afternoon...

Forcing herself to push her doubts away, Emilia told herself it was no big deal as the class walked up towards the observation deck.

Maybe he really isn't feeling well, she rationalized, adjusting her telescope. After all, why would he willingly miss Astronomy class...?

Her mind went silent as constellation Centaurus glittered into view.

Emilia stepped back. That sinking feeling returned, but as her mind jumped to conclusion after conclusion, the feeling began to heat with an anger she had not felt before.

Centaurus. His favorite constellation. Out and about just fine earlier, but he'd rather fake sick than talk to me. And on top of lying to Shah in writing, he'd lie to me, to my face.

He's avoiding me.

Never had someone so dear to Emilia betrayed her trust like this. It made her feel hopelessly naive, a trait she resented in others and berated herself constantly for now exhibiting. Every time Emilia thought of Amit or was in close proximity to him, her mind would lock in anger and her face would shrivel into a scowl.

It was actually beginning to get pretty tiresome since they had Potions, Beasts, and Astronomy together, and were even deskmates in History of Magic. All the scowling she was doing recently was beginning to wear her face muscles out.

But she refused to push down her emotions this time: he had plenty of opportunities to speak to her that he consistently chose not to take, and she saw no reason to try and speak to him, since he was so keen on avoiding her.