It's Not Like Me To Say Sorry

[Sapphire Michaels]

Sapphire had been avoiding Oliver since that day out by the lake. She'd been avoiding Alkander, too, but not as actively. It had been four days. She still couldn't look the Hufflepuff in the eye. She had made sure to be where she knew he wasn't, flat-out ignoring him if she couldn't avoid him.

She was miserable. She had been pouting terribly since the incident and she had done her best to hide it, but today... well, she had blown through the last of her suckers and the candy she'd bought during Brightstone Weekend. She had no music to take her mind off her troubles. She had been sulking around the school for a few hours now, doing her best to avoid people.

All she had left was a candy cane in her pocket. But she wouldn't eat it. She ran her fingers over it slowly, her heart hurting. It was for his own good, she knew that. That didn't mean she was happy about it. She knew she was no good for people, and it would kill her if she hurt him again. Intentionally or not.

Sapph wore a pair of dark jeans, an oversized black hoodie, and her combat boots. She had the hood pulled up and her hands shoved in the hoodie's pockets. Her raven hair acted like a second hood, hiding her face from view. She had been staring sullenly at her feet as she walked, so she knew when it happened that there was nothing there to trip her up.

Still, out of nowhere, Sapph tripped on her own feet and went sprawling on the stone floor with a dull thud, the candy cane skittering out of her pocket and under a portrait across the hall. She groaned softly before leaning her forehead against the cool stone. If she had known where she was she would've gotten up immediately and hurried on her way. Or she wouldn't have come this way at all.

Sapph pushed herself up, sitting back on her feet. She rubbed her nose with a finger, looking absolutely miserable. She didn't notice the candy cane was missing right away, not until she reached into her pocket to look for it. Her head snapped up, her eyes wide with panic. She started to look for it frantically.

 

[Oliver Foy]

Oliver had spent the past few days feeling rather unlike himself. Usually the boy always sported a goofy smile on his face and was followed around by a constant state of blue sky. Now he wore an empty expression. The Hufflepuff roamed the castle's many corridors only to get from class to class, checking the necessary things of his list. Hogwarts wasn't as adventuresome and incredible without the Slytherin girl around and Oliver felt off. He'd tried finding her the day after the lake incident had occurred, but not a trace of the raven headed student could be found.

He'd eventually given up. Sapphire obviously didn't want to see him again, and Oliver's mind was blank as he exited the Hufflepuff common room and strode through the mostly quiet corridor. The boy had sent her a candy cane, trying to slip back into good graces and have her see him again, but the gesture was apparently unappreciated. She'd still been avoiding him, and Oliver bit his lip as the thought reappeared in his mind, causing him to stare sadly at the ground as he walked.

The boy's head was somewhere else when he almost stumbled over a figure in the floor. His eyes widened in suprise and he forced a leg out behind him to keep upright. Gazing downwards he saw what appeared to be a girl searching for something, candy sprinkled around her on the stones. Oliver made a choking sound as he spotted the girl's face beneath her hood as she looked up. "Sapphire." He half muttered half exclaimed, standing there dumbly. The Hufflepuff felt his heart speed up slighty, feeling both nervous and happy at seeing her for the first time in what felt like weeks.

 

[Sapphire Michaels]

Sapph let out a startled cry as someone nearly tripped over her. "Hey!" She whined, surprised enough to sound normal. A thought struck her then, and she panicked a bit again. "If you stepped on my candy cane I swear I'll-!" Her ranting was cut short by the sound of her name.

Her head swiveled back towards the student, eyes wide. "Oliver," she breathed, a half smile on her face. Seeing him was not good for her resolve. She quickly looked away, noticing her candy cane in the process. She snatched it quickly, knowing the longer she was here the less likely she was to stick to her plan.

She hopped up, stuffing the candy cane and her hands back into her pockets. She turned quickly on her heel, praying that Hufflepuff hadn't realized she had panicked over the thought of losing his candy cane. She started to hurry off the other way, doing her very best to look aloof.

 

[Oliver Foy]

Before catching the girl's face that hid beneath her hood, Oliver heard her speak out as he nearly tripped over her. The Hufflepuff was distracted with catching himself to decipher that it was his candy cane he'd sent being discussed, but after rocking back to his feet he realized he knew her voice.

The boy smiled back at Sapphire as he saw the half smile appear on her face, and he instantly felt a little more like himself at hearing her speak his name. Maybe, just maybe she wasn't angry with him. She could've been simply busy with exams, he hoped for a moment, but then the Slytherin snatched a piece of candy of the ground and went to leave.

Oliver almost winced at seeing her quickly turn away from him and start off. He knew it was a dumb idea, but the Hufflepuff couldn't just let her walk away. Not without at least trying. "Please, wait up." He rushed through the words as he spoke them, and sped up his footsteps in order to catch up with her. "I know you probably don't like me anymore, but..." He began, but Oliver was unable to finish the statement, lost at what to say.

 

[Sapphire Michaels]

Sapph winced as Oliver asked her to wait up. She needed to get rid of him, and fast, or else- her train of thought was interrupted, however, when Oliver said the stupidest thing she'd heard all year.

Sapph stopped dead in her tracks and looked at him, astonished. "You're a bloody idiot," She shoved him a little. She could sort of see how he could think like that, but it still made her mad.

"Don't like you? Why on Earth do you think I'm not talking to you?" She glared at the Hufflepuff for a split second before groaning in frustration. "Just, never mind." Sapph turned and tried to leave again.

 

[Oliver Foy]

Oliver bit his lip at Sapphire's words and kept himself from wincing at her little shove, still holding onto the belief that she was disgusted with him. The Hufflepuff could see quite plainly she was mad, and he looked away to hide the upset look on his face. He almost wished he could storm off, just run away and forget all this.

He dared to glance back at the Slytherin, a strangely hopefuly yet anxious expression in his bright eyes. Oliver met her glare with confusion, unable to speak for a moment. Once she turned to leave again, he sighed, standing there before working up the courage to follow after her. "Sapphire. I'm sorry you saw me like that.. I-I get why you're avoiding me, I do, but I was hoping you'd give me another chance.... I haven't had a friend like you, and I don't want to lose that." The boy spilled, struggling to keep his voice sounding strong.

 

[Sapphire Michaels]

Sapphire shut her eyes, her wavering resolve crumbling. Was this really the best thing for him? He wasn't very good at hiding his feelings, or she was just really good at reading them. She slowed.

"Oliver, I'm not mad at you," She spoke softer than she meant to, but she couldn't help it. "But you saw what happened. There's a reason I've never had any friends. You were scared." Her voice broke a little as she said it. "Because of me. I thought I could do better, but I cant. I'm not going to watch you get hurt because I like being with you."

She crossed her arms over her chest and started off again. "Go find some other bright bubbly kid," A hint of sadness crept into her voice. "You're better off without me."