𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐂𝐊𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐄 chapter sixteen; You May Think You're Winning, But . . . " They aren't chess pieces for you to play with, Sal, they're people. "
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ALRIGHT, SALEM KNEW she shouldn't have asked it. This was very important for the events that followed the question (and its answer) but, really, Salem was well aware she shouldn't have fed Sirius any mixed signals.
She was just morbidly curious. She had to know why someone would want to kiss her, and specifically why the boy who laughed at the idea of fancying her had attempted it.
"Can I ask you something?" Salem shattered the silence in the common room, making Sirius glance up from his book briefly, "Sirius."
"Yes, yes, you've got my full attention," He sighed, closing the pages, "Ask away."
"Why do you like me?"
Sirius' brows furrowed.
"It's just, it's very hard to believe," The redhead explained, "I mean, you. . . you didn't. Ever. At all. But now. . ?"
"Now I'm not a daft kid."
"That's up for debate."
"I just mean I can see how. . . great you are," Sirius smiled, "You're brilliant, brave, gorgeous. You're kind, even though you don't want to be, and you're probably the toughest person I've ever met."
Salem also knew she shouldn't have done what she did, but there were too many contributing factors. The first was simple; Sirius Black was her first-ever crush and here he was, confessing his feelings for her. The second; Salem had never heard someone say such nice, genuine things to her before.
The third was the selfish one. The one that screamed Salem Gerard, that followed her trend; If she kissed Sirius Black, everything would be forgotten. Dottie would understand not telling James, as this would shatter a friendship, Sirius wouldn't have any want for her to confess it either, and Lily would heal knowing Salem's intentions were not James Potter.
There should've been another one. The one that screamed butterflies and blushing, the reason everyone had. Salem should've fancied Sirius back. Liked him the way he liked her. But she didn't. It wasn't her heart telling her to lean over their homework and kiss him, it was her head. Because this was the way out of the mess.
Or, that's what she thought.
"What'd you do that for?"
"I don't know," Salem admitted quietly, sitting back into comfort— close, but not too close.
"Oh," Sirius nodded, clearing his throat, "Alright."
The boy shuffled, opening up his book, and continuing to read. Or, that's what it looked like, because in reality, Sirius Black was freaking the hell out.
