20

                                    

                                          
Mature content ahead. 
                          
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Theodore had apparated himself away that night. He didn't wish to cause any harm upon Isla — that he knew would come from the blond finding him without any clothes on in her room. 
                          
He never understood why Malfoy would go to the grave extent to convince Isla to accompany him to the ball — only to leave her alone behind. It never clocked his mind once why he'd do that. 
                          
Why his best friend would disturb someone he claimed to hate so viciously. Not that it bothered him — not in the slightest. Theo knew where he and Isla stood, that he'd never tangle himself with the other girl that seemed to bother her anymore.
                          
Even if she indeed never told him to stop seeing her — he did it anyway. He couldn't possibly stand the shame it caused to play with another person as he did. He toyed with that girl for his own pleasure and to earn a reaction from the girl he really wished to feel as she shook beneath him. 
                          
Theodore wasn't a bad guy — far from it, but being in a constant battle of owning up to his feelings and being in a loop of neverending denial, made him questionable. 
                          
Especially to Isla. She didn't understand much herself. She'd never done this before — she didn't know how to set boundaries and restrain from things that weren't proper. All she could do was to explore her way ahead and do the best she knew how. 
                          
''I don't think that's a good idea,'' Isla beamed, shaking her head at her friends resting on the couch across from hers, ''I need to study anyways—'' 
                          
''Oh, come on!'' Leo called out for her, making a grimace at her stiff answer, ''It's one day. One day of no studying, no problems—'' He held his talk, peering around for a swift look, ''And no Ava, it doesn't get better than that, does it?''
                          
Mila scoffed, shouldering the boy to the side as she shot him a glare, ''That's your sister, Leo.'' 
                          
''And it's mean—'' Isla filled in, pushing her lips together not to be too obvious that she too found amusement in his comment, ''Don't be mean.'' 
                          
''Who's mean?'' 
                          
Isla froze, slightly by the dark, husky voice growling behind her before she felt the eased pressure of two hands, gripping her shoulders, her eyes flickered, staring down at the popping veins embedded into his skin. 
                          
''Me, apparently,'' Leo sighed, rolling his eyes as Mila studied the boy behind Isla cautiously. 
                          
''Hi, you,'' Theodore mumbled close to her ear as shivers spread down her spine due to the vibrating voice. 
                          
Her neck arched, looking up at him fully as his hands tensed around her shoulders, ''Hi, you,'' She smiled, ''What gives us the honors?'' 
                          
Theodore merely smirked at the question, letting go of her as he strode around the couch, flopping down next to her instead. His arms settled along with the backrest of the sofa and his legs held wide. 
                          
''So, we're skipping—'' Leo rose again, a hopeful glint in the corner of his eyes as he nodded towards Theodore, ''We're skipping class tomorrow. Mila found this lake not far from here and what's better to end the summer with, if not—''
                          
''I said that I have to study,'' Isla crossed her arms, feeling the warmth of Theodore's arm, resting behind her neck as his piercing stare burnt into her side, ''I have a test, and I have detention.'' 
                          
''I don't care,'' Leo grinned, tilting his head to Mila, ''If miss Ravenclaw is going, so are you, and that only leaves Nott over here.'' 
                          
Isla's spine stretched at the statement, including Theodore's name. She wasn't expecting Leo to invite him.