1962 ── lily evans

SIX

SIX

"WHERE DO you think you're off to, young lady?"

Lennon's mother rushed through the kitchen, wrapping an apron around her slender waist before tying it in a tight knot behind her back. The younger brunette stopped momentarily to respond, grabbing an apple from the fruit bowl on the table and taking a generous bite from it.

"I'm just grabbing some lunch with friends," she mumbled through a mouthful of the crunchy fruit. She grabbed a jacket from where it was hanging, slipping it over her petite frame.

"Friends? I thought you only had Lily," her mother teased, grabbing hold of a cloth as she began to thoroughly dry the dishes that lay untouched in the sink, still soaking from being washed earlier.

Lennon allowed the corners of her mouth to turn up into a small smile. Her mother rarely joked around with her, and it was a refreshing change, her mind usually occupied on other things, like chores or dinner plans. Lennon's mother lived every second in advance, always looking to the future. Lennon often wondered if that's why there was a void between them, one that stopped them from being close like many other girls her age were with their mothers.

"Hilarious, mum." She rolled her eyes playfully as she grabbed a pair of keys from where they sat on the kitchen table. "I'll be back later, okay?"

Lennon's mother turned to face her, a faint smile on her lips as she wiped her hands haphazardly with a nearby dishrag.

"Be careful, okay, Len. I love you. Say hi to Lily for me," she said softly before turning back to the dishes without another word.

A little smile played on Lennon's lips as she passed through the doorway, tossing the keys into the pocket of her oversized jacket that dwarfed her figure. She passed her usual turning - Lily's house - with a lack of enthusiasm, her feet trailing along the ground without her best friend there to lift her spirits.

Within the past few weeks, Lily and James had began 'courting', and he seemed to have replaced Lennon's importance in her best friend's life. She could count the number of times on one hand that she'd seen the vibrant ginger since they day they'd met the tall, bespectacled boy.

Instead, she had resorted to spending time with Remus and Sirius, who seemed to always be together anyway. They didn't mind Lennon invading their company, and rather, they encouraged it, enjoying the fresh input into their conversations that she offered. Peter would join them on occasion, but he would usually find some girl or other that would take up the majority of his time.

Walking by herself was boring, she had decided. The boys had informed her of their usual hangout, a dingy coffee shop a half hour's walk from her house, and she'd realised that there was a certain brightness lost without her best friend by her side. She hadn't realised before how much she depended on Lily's company, and without it, she found herself feeling lost. 

A ding! sounded as she entered through the doorway, and considering how small the shop was, she located the boys straight away. They sat in a corner, chatting quietly to one another, as if the content of their conversation was entirely a secret. As Lennon approached, Remus glanced up and caught her eye. Offering her a polite grin, he straightened up, waving her over. That seemed to signify the end of their conversation.

"Hey, guys. Peter away today?" She asked, sliding into a worn-looking wooden seat beside Remus.

"Yeah. Shagging what's-her-name-" Sirius started, cutting himself off as he looked across the table to Remus, as if silently asking him to fill in the name he'd been uninterested in learning for himself.

On cue, Remus responded obediently, speaking over the brim of his coffee mug: "Mary. Pretty bird we knew from school."

Lennon rolled her eyes, scanning Sirius' face for any signs of amusement. She hated the way she spoke about women, as if they were desirable only for their looks, and the boys knew it - it was yet another easy way for them to irritate her. She'd almost come to get used to it, knowing they'd only stop when she no longer seemed to care.

"Anyways, you still not got a hold of Lily?" Remus asked, twisting his body slightly to face the brunette in the seat beside him.

"Not really, no. Your mate's gone and stolen her, innit?" She frowned to herself, her head falling limply against her hand as she propped herself up, elbow on the table for support.

The boys exchanged a look, chuckling at Lennon's frustration. In all fairness, they understood her annoyance - the idea of losing a best friend to a budding romance was not unfamiliar to them, as James, one of their closest friends, was spending the majority of his time with Lily, the eye-catching ginger who had previously spent her time with Lennon.

"Sorry, Len. You want a consolation coffee? On us," Sirius suggested, pulling a battered leather wallet from the deep pockets of his overcoat.

"You're alright. You save your money for another girl," she teased, and the boys shared a look across the table as Sirius dropped his wallet back inside the depths of his pocket.

"Oi, you know I'm not like that, Len." Sirius brushed his fingers through his messy hair, looking over at the younger girl who cocked an eyebrow in confusion at his statement. "I don't need money to win over any girls. Right, Remus?"

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, mate," Remus responded cheekily, sipping at his coffee as Sirius' eyes widened with feigned distress.

Lennon chuckled as the two boys bickered back and forth. She enjoyed their company, especially when they were in good moods like this, where they teased and taunted each other over silly things, providing easy entertainment to distract her from the hole Lily had left in her heart. 

She wasn't sure if meeting them was a blessing or not - on one hand, she had made what seemed like close friends, men she was sure she could trust and rely on. On the other hand, meeting them had resulted in the momentary loss of her best friend, all because of James, whose charming remarks and boyish good looks had Lily swooning like a schoolgirl.

Pushing the thought from her mind, she switched back onto the boys' conversation. They appeared to be discussing a rally of sorts, but she was unable to tell, having tuned in too late.

Remus' cup sat empty on the table, and he looked over at Sirius expectantly. The brunette boy glanced down at his mug, having almost forgotten about the lukewarm liquid in front of him. Grasping his own mug in his hand, he downed the coffee in one, pulling a face that masked utter disgust.

"That shit tastes horrible half-cold," Sirius groaned, procuring a laugh from the two that sat across from him. "You two ready to hit the streets? This place is getting boring, don't you think?"

Without a word of spoken agreement, the three stood from the table, grabbing their jackets that hung limply from over the chairs they had previously sat upon. They made a beeline for the door, and raced out onto the streets, laughing and joking in the cool Summer air. Lennon pushed any thoughts of Lily and James from her head. She was sure that she would be able to have a good time without them.