Okay so what V had said had really really bothered Serena. BUT WHY.

This was the question that Lisa had been wondering ALL stinking day as she walked around the school in between classes. She couldn’t infer a specific reason why or how save for Evan’s theory.

Serena liked Daniel.

The thought of it made her unusually upset. She liked both Daniel and Serena but together? She wasn’t so sure.. What would be even worse though was if it would be Serena and Jasper or Serena and Stewie because then they’d be hanging out without her. Wait. Scratch that! She’d also be jealous if Daniel and Serena hung out without her.....

Wahhhh! She hated this aging thing because emotions like this weren’t fun.

So the only place where she could distract herself easily was the Arcade Area. Now... what should she play?

First day of school and Serena already needed a break. Last night was rough. It helped a little to talk to V, but she found herself honestly missing her mum, which was the oddest thing on earth. Anyway, it didn't help her mood. She's already startled a few first years and might have made one cry. So she decided to remove herself from the entire Hogwarts population.

Well, tried. There was always someone lurking around. As it was when she stepped into the arcade room and found it occupied by one pretty girl. The one she's been avoiding since last night's feast.

Was it too late to walk out without being noticed? Probably. Besides, she wasn't a coward.

"Hi," she greeted, adopting a small smile and locking up her feelings. This felt awkward.

Maybe she’d play a classic like Wizards Chess but then again that wasn’t exactly a fun game to play by yourself….So maybe exploding snap would be it.. who was the first year that played it again at her house table?

Hmmm…..

She was brought back to reality when she heard that simple greeting and she turned to glance to find her friend standing next to her. A bright smile was immediately painted on her face. “Serena!” Lisa really wanted to hug her but didn’t know if Serena had caught a cold or was under the weather or just didn’t want to be hugged by her…. yesterday was so weird and she blamed V and Alfie for it.

“I WAS SO WORRIED ABOUT YOU! Everything okay?” she asked before motioning to the games behind her.

“Wanna play?”

Her tummy did flips and her palms turned cold and sweaty. Lisa's concern, though, made her feel cared about in a way. Was Serena okay? Physically, yes. Her mind was a huge knot she couldn't figure out, but after talking with V last night, Serena knew what she had to do. Even if she dreaded it. It was better to come out with the truth and stop trying to avoid Lisa.

"I needed some fresh air," she said, not entirely lying. Removing herself from the situation had been a better route for her rather than crying in front of her peers.

Glancing around the room, Serena almost invited the idea of playing games and forgetting about her goal. Her mind buzzed with last nights conversation and she knew if she didn't do it right now, then it'd take her another long term to have the courage again.

"Actually, I...I wanted to talk to you about something," she said, her heart hammering away in her chest. "Want to sit down somewhere?"

Needed some fresh air?

The answer made her tummy do somersaults too. Flip flops and more. So Serena had been avoiding them. How she wished she had made the cake like Maya had recommended.

“Oh. Okay,” she said. It’s all she could say really at this point in time. And then her eyebrows raised at Serena’s next words. Talk to her about something? Ermmm was this the part where Serena asked her to back off Daniel or Jasper? Well mostly Jasper because Daniel and her weren’t a thing.. like that.. anyway…

“Sure… Let’s sit down over there,” she pointed to an area that was more private than other areas. As she made their way over there, she wondered what Serena was going to say. Good or bad or news…. Lisa took a seat with concern written across her face. “Whats up?”

Serena’s hands had gone from clammy cold to icy in a matter of seconds. For some reason she couldn’t fathom why she was so nervous. This was Lisa, her best friend. She could tell her anything. But that was it. This was ABOUT Lisa. About Serena liking her more than just a best friend.

During the summer Serena tried to convince herself that she was confusing her feelings. That she wasn’t into her best friend. And the more she did, the worse she felt. She had more than just-friends feelings.

She could tell Lisa was concerned, and that ate her up. Lisa shouldn’t worry about her. She’d simply have to get back up no matter what happens today.

The redhead followed and sat down across from Lisa. How does one even begin a conversation like this? “ I don’t even know how to start,” she said, voicing her thoughts and being fully honest. Her heart sped up, she might run out of air.

She was going to pass out! Oh, Merlin.

Just rip off the bandaid, Dos Santos. Just do it!

“I like you.” She shut her eyes, bracing herself. “I like you more than just a friend, Lisa.”

Serena sat across from her and silence soon fell. Lisa bit her lip as she glanced at the redhead and then down at her own shoes... She didn’t know why SHE felt so nervous about whatever her friend was going to share. Was she going to confess her feelings for Daniel as everyone suspected? Or were her and Jasper secretly DATING!?!!? All of those ran through her mind as she explored every possibility. Her stomach alternated between flipping and knotting tighter and tighter. To stop herself from fidgeting, she crossed her legs and then slipped her fingertips underneath her legs which only made all of her internal flipping sensations tighter.

I like you.

OH? Well. She was about to reply with a cheery almost Jasper Botros’ esque care free smile that she liked her back until the next words piled on afterwards.

Those words paired with the prior simple three words, full of meaning, hit her and broke the tension like a single droplet of water escaping the faucet and hitting the pool of water below, causing ripples throughout the pool. Tension waved away. Numbness filled in.

She blinked thrice in a row quickly as she replayed the scene.

WHAT?

She.. She had calculated every outcome within her mind. How had she miscalculated? There was an forty percent chance that Serena would have told her that she liked someone else, a thirty percent chance that Serena liked Jasper, a twenty percent chance that Serena liked Daniel, the five percent chance that was unknown, and the five percent chance... that it was she whom Serena had feelings for. Sure, she had thought it through before but the fact that Serena was confirming it here and bravely laying all of her cards on the table shocked her. But... but it had been a low probability. It couldn’t be accurate, right?

Moments replayed in her mind of the two of them together over the past three years. When did it start? Where were the signs? What did she miss? And then the sudden feeling of dread that if she didn’t return said feelings for her friend, then she was leading her on. But it explained the behavior at the feast, the behavior that she saw the first time she told her friend that she liked Jasper.

But did she share said feelings? She didn’t know. You see... Lisa genuinely cared for Serena. There were times when she got her the best out of her friends- even better than Stewie - which was rare. They had this unspoken agreement and complimented each other in looks and intelligence. They were equals. True equals.... but... Liking Serena as more than a friend? She hadn’t considered that.

She had an even stronger admiration for her best friend after this confession. Here was Serena spelling everything out and showing her... her heart while Lisa couldn’t face her own feelings. Her stomach began to flip flop again. She crossed her ankles. “I.. Oh...Th-” she began before she paused. What were words? No amount of words strung together could aptly explain what she was trying to describe. She couldn’t even will them out of her lips. “Thanks.” It was a struggle to get that out. She glanced over to her friend. Heart heart dropped. Lisa wasn’t a good person to like... She didn’t feel it because she didn’t know what she wanted and... if people like Serena - good people liked her- then she would continuously just hurt them... .And that pained her.

“Why?”

The question was almost as quiet as a whisper.

Sometime during the silence Serena slowly opened her eyes. Seeing Lisa there, not responding, the gears in her head turning, Serena wondered if confessing her true feelings had been a bad idea. As frightening as it had been, it didn't feel wrong. That weight off the shoulders people talk so much about after doing something they've been stalling on, wasn't true. A new kind of pressure built. She felt exposed. Vulnerable. Her feelings were out there, floating in the air between them.

When Lisa finally said something, Serena's heart skipped and then sunk just as quickly. Thanks. For what? Is this how confessing your crush turned out? Were they supposed to thank you? Where was a book on crushes when you needed one?

"You're...welcome?" she replied. Instantly she thought that was a stupid reply. They were both stumped for the first time. See, Serena and Lisa were a team to be rivaled. They were always on the same wavelength. They were masterminds who build off one another. They were elite. So why did it feel like there was more than just thin air between them? A chasm echoing in silence and with no bridge in sight.

Then Lisa asked that question, and even though the list was extensive, words got stuck in Serena's throat. She had to force herself to speak. "Why?" she repeated. "I don't know why. My feelings chose you." Serena has been around love and affection and all that couple stuff her entire life. She just didn't know how it all worked out. All she knows is that when Poppy had highjacked the school play and Lisa had been in trouble, Serena could have fled to safety, but instead she chose to stay and knock out the evil witch. Afterwards Lisa had hugged her so, so tight. That was the first time Serena felt butterflies in her stomach. Ever since, that little zoo came alive whenever Lisa was present.

It was hard to put herself in other people's shoes most of the times because Serena's brain was logically wired. Feelings and emotions was something she struggled with, but seeing Lisa like this, Serena didn't have to try and guess what she was feeling. Not when she could read her face. "I'm not asking for anything in return. I just thought...I just..." What? What did she think would come out of this? "I just wanted to be honest with you."

She was having a chemical reaction akin to Daniel’s from the other day. The tips of her ears (while less pointy than his) were painted blush red and matched her cheeks when she blushed at Serena’s question. She smiled when Serena told her that her feelings chose her. Her feelings for Serena were stronger than any of her friends because she saved her. Going through a life threatening situation and back was something that only brought you closer. She’d always be her hero.

Lisa was rendered speechless by this confession. She usually always had a comment, a comeback, some type of witty phrase, or just something to say but... for the first time EVER, she was silent. And she felt EMOTIONS of WEIRDNESS. That she didn’t like.

“No... I know... I appreciate you telling me. It’s brave... I don’t think I could ever do that,” she sighed. Seriously the admittance of feelings to someone you admired so much was so cool and so strong which she would have not expected anything less of her. And Lisa, well, she hadn’t even told Jasper how she felt even after telling Serena about her feelings for him. She had hoped the gifts, the extra attention was enough... but perhaps.. she ought to just give it a last go to see if there was anything there and move on? Lisa didn’t want to play second fiddle to Valentina or any of the fifth year Gryffindor girls...

Realization hit her when she wondered if that was how Serena felt and that was why she disliked Jasper so much.

Oh Merlin... Her heart ached. Her emotions were so confusing and she thought the best thing to do next was to be honest. Even if she was wavering...

“I.. Serena you are my best friend, my equal in intelligence, and are so much cooler at Quidditch than I. I love you but not in the same way you like me... I’m sorry if I led you on... but I don’t feel the same about you. I.. I’m sorry. I still want you as my best friend cause we make the best team.” The two of them were really a formidable duo.

She was really tempted to tell her that she wasn’t dating Daniel but now didn’t seem like the appropriate time.

Brave?

Lisa considered this brave? Serena certainly didn't feel like it. She felt upset even though she was holding herself together pretty well. She'd done most of the crying last night with V. Which, thinking back on it was embarrassing but she truly appreciated V a lot.

"I think you're capable if you tried," she said. Yes, she was encouraging Lisa to go for...*SIGH*...JASPER. Ugh. Gag. Serena could be mean. Incredibly mean, but this was Lisa and despite unrequited feelings, she wanted to see her happy. And if that meant with that confident-head-full-of-curls, then...*GAG*...be it.

This next part chipped at her icy heart. Serena kept reminding herself that she confessed because she wanted to be honest. She didn't expect anything out of it...even if she had the smallest of hopes. "I am cooler at Quidditch," she said, managing a weak smile in hopes of disguising the tears that betrayed her eyes. Leaky eyes were the worst! She wiped them off and attempted a better smile. "Don't worry, you never led me on. I hid my feelings well." TOO well. Serena was good at that.

Taking in a deep breath, she squared her shoulders, returning to her usual Dos-Santos posture. She wanted to pretend everything was okay so Lisa wouldn't worry. "I'd like us to keep being best friends, too. I..." No more CRYING. UGH. "I was...afraid this would tear us apart." It was the main reason she kept it to herself for so long.

No matter what situation they faced. Healer Poppy. The school play. Pesky vines. Football. Breaking into a restricted area of the castle. Serena always believed in her. Was that what love was? ;_; believing in the ones you loved? Her stomach did flip flops, not entirely sure the feeling that she was experiencing at this precise moment. She smiled softly, grateful for the support and confidence boost. “Thanks… oh and I’m not dating Daniel by the way. I don’t know why V thought so.”

Lisa noticed the leaky eyes but viewed them as sparkly eyes at first because Serena smiled. What she didn’t notice was how strong her friend was being and she was actually tearing up. Lisa nodded, slightly relieved, that she hadn’t led her friend on.

The next comment made her heart pang. Afraid confessing was going to tear them apart? She nodded, understanding her fear. She related to that. So much so. “It won’t! You’ll have to try harder to get rid of me y’know?” she teased before holding her arms out for a hug. “Hug?”

Was it time to hug it out?

It struck Serena at a rotten time just how much she cared about Lisa. Usually she'd hurt those that hurt her, and she'd make sure to hurt them twice as much. She was incapable of that when it came to Lisa, and she was okay with that.

Lisa's next comment confused Serena for a split second. Soooo she wasn't dating Daniel. Interesting. She kind of assumed so because Lisa's eyes didn't go all hearts and sparkles. Yet...the way she reacted to V and Daniel's interaction...How come Lisa never showed jealousy when Jasper interacted with other girls? Hmm. Was Lisa in denial?

Was third year the year of crushes running rampage and hearts being broken? Next thing you'd know Jasper would crush on her and V would crush on Alfie. EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW. NOOOOOOOOOOOO. Just thinking about that made Serena shudder.

Then just because she couldn't help it and because she was already hurting, might as well squeeze some lime onto that wound, Serena asked, "Why are you so concerned about V and Daniel?" She was hoping for an honest and legit answer, but if Lisa didn't want to explain, that was fine too.

Although that question hung in the air, Serena managed a weak smile. She moved forward and hugged Lisa tightly. "I wouldn't ever want to." Get rid of her that is. In some way Lisa was helping her understand her own feelings.

Lisa normally lived for drama on the stage. However, drama in the very being was different. And their third year seemed like it was going to be a rollercoaster of emotions, puberty, and whatever Hogwarts threw their way. Hopefully no more vines or crazy Healers who loved bread a little tooo much.

Honestly…She didn’t know why she was so concerned about V and Daniel. “I guess I’m just surprised by it all and I don’t understand it,” she explained. “I guess that’s why I’m so focused on it because it doesn’t make sense to me…” And things needed to make sense.

Her smile grew bigger as Serena squeezed her a little tighter. “Good. Me either…” After a few moments, she pulled herself out of the hug. “Wanna play a game? Your choice?”

Lisa was such a Ravenclaw and it was showing. Serena found it endearing. "Your Ravenclaw is showing," she teased lightly. She decided to drop the subject there. IF Lisa did have hidden feelings for Daniel she wasn't aware of yet, that wasn't Serena's place.

That hug felt nice. The hurt was still present, but she didn't feel an incoming sense of doom anymore. Her hands returned to normal temperature, her mind wasn't racing anymore. It was quiet. That was nice.

"I'd like to, but I have to go get ready for training," she said, which wasn't a lie. Serena still had her family training to upkeep during her time at Hogwarts. She also needed some time to herself. "Another time, yeah?"