Written In the Stars | s.b |

FORTY

"She's just... driving me nuts," Meeka exclaimed with a huff.

Sirius and her were outside walking along the Black Lakes shore as she ranted about Ariah. Meeka kicked a clump of dirt into the water. Sirius watched as it created ripples in the water until it was pulled under by what he thought was a tentacle.

"She's just making sure you're okay," Sirius said, not really understanding why Meeka was irritated at her best friend for constantly checking in on her.

"Well I'm fine!" Meeka exclaimed.

"Y'know she can feel your emotions," Sirius pointed out. "She knows that you're not. And she could just travel through your mind but she wants you to talk about it and work through it. She's just being a good friend."

Meeka rolled her eyes. "Well it's annoying! An-and she's always talking about Frank! Like you go months without even mentioning him and all of a sudden he's all she talks about!"

It clicked then, in Sirius' head as to why Meeka was so upset with Ariah.

"Are you sure you're not just jealous?" Sirius asked.

"Jealous?! Of Ariah!?" Meeka asked, chuckling slightly. "I don't fancy Frank!"

"Not because of Frank, per se" Sirius said. "But... because she's.... well.... she's dating someone. And... and she's happy and that upsets you..?"

"Why would it upset me that my best friend is happy?!" Meeka asked. "I'm happy for her — I'm happy, she's happy, of course."

"Well you can be happy that she's happy, but that doesn't take away the jealousy," Sirius explained, stopping and staring at the water. "I know I'm jealous. I'm jealous of James and Remus and Ariah and Peter, even...."

"Remus and Ariah — they have the most caring father ever who would do anything for them and... and Ariah has.... y'know.... him.. an-and even though their mother is gone.... she was still.... spectacular and kind and....." Sirius sighed, his shoulders heavy as they slumped. "And James has his mum and dad who—who are the most amazing people I have ever met and they spoil him with love and gifts and... and everything I never got.... and Peter has his grandparents and.... and I—I have... a mumster who takes glee in watching me in pain....."

Sirius shook his head, biting down on his lower lip. "I'm just saying... if.... if I were going through something.... and they were who I was surrounded with all the time.... I could understand resenting any of them.... for being happy while I wasn't...."

"And.... and do you?" Meeka asked.

Sirius shrugged. "Sometimes.... but then I remember who all I have — you guys."

"Well, I don't think that's the case here," Meeka said, continuing to walk. "She's just riding my arse and it's driving me nuts — and! She invited me to the quidditch party even though I didn't make the team! Like she's rubbing it in my face...."

"Or she invited you because she didn't want you to feel left out," Sirius pointed out.

Meeka glared at him for a second, before grumbling and staring at the dirt. "You're just too far up her arse to see my side."

Sirius sighed, looking up to the sky as she continued on. Shaking his head and rolling his eyes, he caught up to Meeka to enjoy the rest of their break in silence.

"So how is it that no one has ever gotten caught for one of these parties?" Ariah asked. She stepped on top of a log, holding tight onto Frank's hand as she jumped down. "This breaks like, every rule... and you're a prefect..."

"The prefects and head boys and girls all make a pact with the quidditch captains — sometimes it works out that the head boy or girl is the captain but, even prefects enjoy drinking and playing quidditch in the forest," he said, a twinkle in his eyes.

"Frank Longbottom," Ariah said. "Am I rubbing off on you?"

He chuckled richly, throwing his arm over her shoulder. "Maybe a little," he whispered, his voice slightly seductive and his mouth close to her ear, sending chills down her spine and a tingle in her stomach.

Ariah peered up at Frank, staring into his honey brown eyes. The way he was looking at her made her want nothing more than to close the gap between the two of them and disappear into the forest. To hell with the quidditch party!

"Longbottom!!"

Archer appeared out of the woods, already tipsy with a bottle of Beetle Berry Whiskey in his hands.

Frank cleared his throat, looking to his friend. "Archie — party hasn't even started yet, mate."

"Because I haven't showed up," Archer said with a wink. "C'mon it's not fun unless everyone is hammered."

"So you're telling me that everyone on the team gets sloshed the night before a game?" Ariah asked. "I think I'll take a light buzz and no hangover for my first match."

"Buzz kill," Archer said. "You two are a match made in heaven — speaking of matches made in heaven... is Meeka coming?"

Ariah nodded. "Like I said, she's been in a mood but she agreed to come so." She shrugged. "Shoot your shot."

"Fuck yeah!" he shouted, running further into the forest.

Frank smiled, chuckling as he walked behind his friend. He stopped, looking behind at Ariah and holding his hand out. Ariah smiled, intertwining her hand with his. She expected him to lead her to the place of the party, but he pulled her close to his body, crashing his lips on hers and stealing the breath from her lungs. She instinctively tangled her fingers in his hair as one of his hands gripped her butt while the other ran up her side, stopping below her breast, her shirt lifted up in his hand. His cold hand on her bare skin sent chills over her body and she couldn't help herself from wanting more.

Ariah jumped up, wrapping her legs around his torso while tugging slightly on his hair. He let out a low moan causing Ariah to smirk against his lips. He gripped her tighter, turning her around to lean them both against a tree. He moved both of his hands to her arms, moving along her skin until they reached his hands at his hair. They intertwined their hands together before he pushed further against her and moved their hands above her head. Frank began kissing her jaw line before moving his lips down to her neck, a small moan leaving her lips and prompting a smirk on Frank's.

A light shined the couples way, blinding Ariah — both due to the light and the embarrassment.

"Oh bloody hell!" Remus shouted. "You couldn't even get further off the trail?"

"Seriously scarred," James said. "Like, for life."

Ariah sighed in agitation, incredibly glad it was just the boys but incredibly agitated that they had to interrupt it. She brought her legs back down to the ground and her arms to her side. Frank hid his face in Ariah's neck, not making any move to face the boys. His hands still rested above Ariah's head.

"Looks like we've been caught," Ariah said with a smirk. She ducked under Frank's arms to face the boys. In the proper lighting of their wands, she could see Sirius looking anywhere but her direction. "Are you coming love?"

"In a minute," he said in a low tone so only Ariah could hear. She chuckled, feeling proud of herself.

"Alrighty," she whispered, right next to his ear like he had done earlier. She turned to the boys, smiling largely. "Let's get shit-faced!"

A/N yoooo! Updated on track! Also this is part 1 of the party. I wrote it all as one chapter and it was like 3000 words so... I broke it in half for update purposes. (Now I have a week to write another chapter!)

Next chapter is a doozy I really like it tho. Super dramatic and teeny.

I'm also afraid my writing sounds too American and gen-z-ish but I'm trying hard to make it time and place accurate to the timeline and setting. It's hard since I'm a teenager born and raised in America.... whatever 😂😜

Anyway enjoy the next few updates it's very teenager-drama-ish bc they're 14 so why not