VIBRANCE || FRED WEASLEY [1]

[09]: BATTER UP

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CHAPTER NINE;
[ BATTER UP ]
[VIBRANCE || FRED WEASLEY]

      "ARDEN, YOU LOOK LIKE YOU'RE ABOUT TO VOMIT ALL OVER THE TOAST."

Arden let out a loud groan as her head fell into the empty bowl that sat before her. It clattered against the table, the silverware that was placed just to the side of it sliding across the surface as her hair cascaded like a curtain around her head. Just in front of her, she could hear her brother and his friends snickering, finding Arden's collateral nerves the upmost of amusing.

It was officially the day of scheduled tryouts for the Ravenclaw Quidditch team. Despite having practiced for hours on end and knowing well enough that she herself was capable of making the team, Arden could not shake the sinking possibility of being rejected. It was set in stone that Jason was going to be a beater—it was a matter of would Arden or Logan be his accomplice this upcoming year?

She felt a hand fall upon her back. Arden did not make a motive to jerk away from Thea's comforting touch. She surely needed such a thing. "You'll be fine," the Hufflepuff claimed, her fingers rubbing circular motions into Arden's tense skin. "I'm sure you're more than capable of being a Beater."

Sunny, from across the table, agreed just as Arden pulled her face out of the bowl. Her forehead was lined with a thin line of sweat, her eyebrows furrowed and lips curled into frown. "You've been training with Cedric," Sunny interfered, "That boy is the most skilled player here—besides Wood, of course—so I'm sure whatever you learnt from him will pay off."

Arden did not take his words to heart, but she nodded anyways. Confusion was etched upon her face, though, when she took notice of how calm and collected Sunny was compared to herself. "And you?" She jeered, "You look like you've got the Chaser's position in the palm of your hand."

Sunny grinned. That same cocky, prideful grin. "Because I do." He answered, taking a bite of toast spread with strawberry jam. "Honestly, Arden, have more faith in yourself. We always get what we want."

Arden frowned but nodded. We always get what we want.

Minutes passed, but for Arden, it seemed as if those minutes were hours. The clock sitting upon the stone wall at the end of the Great Hall moved with absolutely no speed, and she found herself dreading the day more and more every time the hand struck another minute. Her eyes remained solely on the white ticking device, and they did not move until she felt a sudden presence fall behind her seated figure.

Arden watched as a lean, pale skinned boy stretched his arm across the table towards Jason. The Ravenclaw grinned at this and stood up before taking the boy's hand with a cheer. "Hey, man!" Jason exclaimed, a wide and broad smile now stretched across his usually tense features. "You ready for tryouts?"