Going Soft | JAMES SIRIUS POTTER HP NEXT GENERATION

xiv || the james potter we know

James couldn't remember a time where he felt as happy as he did now. Annabelle was going to be spending Christmas with him, and nothing could crush his mood.

Except for some shit friends by the names of Charlie and Noah.

They both sat down on either side of James at the Great Hall.

"Hey mate," Charlie greeted.

James lifted a hand in a wave.

"Can we ask you a question?" Noah asked.

"You just did," James replied, and snickered as Noah rolled his eyes.

"Come on, you know what we mean." Charlie replied.

"Okay, go on."

"Did you ask Annabella to spend Christmas break with you?" Charlie asked him, getting straight to it.

James furrowed his brow. "Yeah? Is there a problem with that?"

"Well no, but why? It seems like you're settling down, and that's not the James Potter we know." Noah spoke up.

James felt his face grow hot in anger. "And who's the James Potter you know? What's he like? Because I'm pretty sure I know who I am and want to be."

"Mate, the James we know is one who gets all the girls, and doesn't really linger or care too much about any." Charlie told him.

"Well clearly that's not me." James said firmly.

"What are you on about? Is Annabella making you soft? I don't see why she's worth it!" Charlie exclaimed.

"Bloody hell would you just shut up? Enough with the calling me soft. I'm tired of it! If I want to spend my time with Bella that's my choice and you don't have a bloody say in it! Shit friend you are." He snarled stood up from the table, storming out the door.

Once he left the doors of the Great Hall, he rested his back against the wall outside of it in the empty corridor, breathing heavily from being angered.

"Maybe they're right," he muttered to himself.

A soft voice said his name.

"James? Maybe who's right?" Annabella questioned lightly. "Are you alright? I saw you storm out and I wanted to make sure you were alright."

"I'm fine, no thanks to you." James snapped.

Annabella flinched. "I'm sorry, what?"

"All the bloody teasing, it's all your fault!" He exclaimed.

"What teasing? And how's it my fault?" Annabella questioned, a bit of anger seeping into her voice from being accused of something that wasn't her fault.

"Charlie and Noah. All they go on about is how I'm pathetic for spending time with you. And I'm starting to agree with them! It's not like me!"

"Well I don't see how it's my fault for how you choose and want to spend your time." She said, crossing her arms.

"Well maybe I don't want to." He sneered. "Ever think of that?"

"What the bloody hell do you mean by that?" She questioned incredulously.

"Maybe I don't want to waste my time with you!" He yelled.

Annabella flinched again. "James, I came out here to see if you were okay. I don't know what you're dealing with right now, but you don't need to take it out on me for Merlin's sake." She said shaking her head, clearly hurt as she turned around to walk back into the Great Hall.

James realized how badly he messed up. "Wait, Annabella! I didn't mean—"

"Save it James!" She interrupted. "Maybe we can talk again when you cool down and stop acting like a right prick."

James sighed as she disappeared through the doors of the Great Hall, and he sat down on the ground, holding his head with his hands when he heard footsteps again. He looked up, expecting to see Bella, but instead looking into Grant's face.

"I'm going to ask gently. What the bloody hell did you do? You're pathetic, stand up." He demanded.

James reluctantly got to his feet. "I'm just so sick of Charlie and Noah's teasing." He defended.

"And you have the right to be. But there's a way to go about it, and it's not treating Bella like shit for caring about you. Who gives a damn what Charlie and Noah think, if they can't separate you from the reputation you have, when it's really not at all accurate. If they can't see that you're more than the player everyone thinks you are, don't you think that they should be the ones you push away? And not Bella, who sees you as more than that?" Grant scolded.

James looked down at his feet. "I was just so mad, I couldn't help it. I didn't mean to hurt her, Merlin I'm an idiot."

"You are. But don't tell me that, tell her that."

"Maybe she'd be better off without me."

"Is that you talking, or Charlie and Noah?" Grant asked. "You'd be a fool if you let Bella go."

James frowned. "You make it sound like we're together. It's not that big of a deal."

Grant rolled his eyes. "God you're thick. Shut up. You invited her to yours for bloody Christmas. You're definitely not just friends. You need to find her, and you need to apologize. Otherwise, you're no different than Charlie and Noah." He said, and turned around, walking away.

James sighed, mad at himself. He needed to stop letting Charlie and Noah get to him. He needed to push the right people out of his life. And it wasn't Annabella.

~~~
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sorry it took me a while to update, i was at a summer camp with no service !