A Man Has Horns // Sebastian Sallow

Chapter 18 - A Second*

The next day came and so did the classes. It was a regular day, the only thing having had changing being that more and more students would point at me and whisper between themselves. 

I didn't see Sebastian, I didn't see Imelda. Today's electives were vastly different from one another. 

But the end of the day came and I was making down the stairs to go to the lake.

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"Hey!" Garreth straightened from leaning on one of the pillars in the hall of the Great Entrance as he saw me come down the last steps. 

"Hello," I gave him a smile and came to him. I stood and looked up at him as he stood still and looked back. 

"Well?" I finally asked.

"Right of course," he woke up from looking into my eyes. "Let's go," he says and opened the door for me as always.

We walk in silence for a long time, it being not as particularly comfortable as it had before. There was a sense that we both were lost for words to say to each other. 

"I noticed you didn't make it to potions yesterday," Garreth finally said. 

"Oh yes. How did brewing the Draught of Living Death work out?" I escaped the question. 

"Lilith," Garreth stopped. 

We had made it to the Hogwarts valley and were reaching the edge of the water of the lake running down into the Feldcroft region.

"I want to respect your privacy but I also want to ask what happened yesterday. You knocked the wind out of Alwin Herts, our Prefect. He said you were incredibly upset," Garreth kept talking. "And that Sallow was running after you. After he petrified Alwin that is."

"What are you asking me Garreth?" I sensed he was trying to get at something.

He rubbed his face roughly with his hands as if trying to wake himself up. 

"Nothing, I'm just being pathetic," he turned and resumed walking to the lake. 

"Garreth, wait," I went after him. 

I knew I was being unfair and I just kept finding new things to hide from him. He didn't deserve it but I didn't know how I could ever tell him even half of what was actually going on.

"I was upset yesterday, you're right," I started to try to explain myself. 

Garreth stopped and faced me. 

"And I was upset at Sebastian. We are friends and but we have been arguing a lot this year. We had an argument before the duel and then another one afterwards. I was increasingly frustrated at him and I just wanted to get away from it all. Apparently he went after me understanding he had made a mistake," I retold the story to Garreth, leaving out everything.

It was our first date. It would be strange if I just told him absolutely everything. 

"You both are just friends?" he finally asks shyly, not being able to keep eye contact with me after that question. 

"I don't even know if we are friends as of right now," I replied. "There are some issues between me and Sebastian. That much is true," I added, trying to assure him whilst again saying the least amount possible. 

I liked Garreth but I was becoming increasingly more aware that he knew nothing about me and that I was unable to change that.

"Ok. I'm sorry for prying," Garreth finally answered. 

We resumed walking and finally made it to the lake. The sun was low and it danced on the water with orange and red streaks. It was beautiful and we stood and looked at the mirror like water.