And it's all fun and games,
'Til somebody falls in love,
But you've already bought a ticket
And there's no turning back now.
-Carousel

Teresa

There are lots of idiots in this world.

I have the misfortune to be in a house with most of them. Lucky me.

'Resa! Wake up!' was my normal morning greeting from either the bed next to me (Ella) or the doorway (Regulus).

Today it was Regulus.

'What do you want?' I mumbled.

'To see your beautiful face. What do you want?' Regulus replied.

I stretched and yawned. 'I just woke up and I have bed hair. I want to know how you manage to get up the enchanted staircases and then I want you to go away.'

'Your hair looks lovely.' Regulus walked into the room and sat on my feet as I grumbled in protest. 'And it's a secret. My brother, idiotic as he is, knows a few secrets- and I'm not going away. It's almost breakfast time, Tess.'

'Don't call me Tess.' I poked my nose out under the covers and almost ducked underneath them again. Regulus, the idiot, had his hair already brushed and was dressed perfectly in his robes. And then there was me, in my pyjamas with messed up hair and bags under my hair. 'You know it annoys me, Reg.'

'That's why I do it,' Regulus replied matter-of-factly. 'At least you're more awake now. I'm not being late to breakfast because of you.'

'Great,' I mumbled. 'I'm so happy for you.'

'Tess.' Regulus used his 'warning tone'- the voice he always used to warn me he was getting pissed off.

When I mentioned it to Ella, she looked at me weirdly and said that she didn't notice Regulus' tone of voice unless she was really bored.

Which made me feel incredibly embarrassed and awkward because, let's face it, I only notice that about Regulus because I really like him.

He likes me too, which was the only thing preventing me from throwing myself off the Astronomy Tower when Kaya, another Slytherin, spread the rumour I liked Regulus.

Great! I bet you're thinking. Regulus likes Teresa and Teresa likes Regulus. Perfect. Happily ever after, right?

Ha ha ha.

Wrong.

There are several things preventing me from admitting my feelings to Regulus.

1) It's such a cliché. Slytherin Prince and Princess. I'm enough of a fail already.

2) It's just puppy love to Regulus. He likes me because it's expected- because in his opinion, Teresa Claire is someone who is able to meet his parents expectations and who isn't absolutely horrible.

3) My big secret. I'm not a pure-blood. If his parents knew, they'd never let him near me again- assuming, of course, that Regulus would want to.

No matter what I feel or what I think. Regulus isn't mine and he never will be, even if he wanted it of his own free will and not because of his parents expectations.

'I'm getting out of bed,' I grunted, rolling onto the floor. 'Umph! How long do I have, Regulus?'

'Ten minutes,' he replied, watching with amusement as I peeled my face from the carpet.

Jerk.

'Why didn't you tell me?' I squawked, rushing for the bathroom door.

'I'm not your personal alarm clock!' Regulus said, leaning back against the wall as I started to close the door.

'Yes. Yes, you are.' For a second, I didn't close the door. What would happen if right here, right now, I told Regulus my secret.

What would happen if I just said Regulus, I'm a half-blood? Would he accept it... Or not?

'Eight minutes,' Regulus reminded.

'Wake me up earlier tommorow, please!'

****

'You look tired,' Ella remarked as I picked at my breakfast.

'Thanks, Ella. That really makes me feel great.' I said sourly, buttering my toast and knowing full well I wouldn't eat it.

'We can't all be Black and tell you you look perfect all the time,' Ella replied cheerfully. 'Thank God, or you'd be even more big-headed than James Potter.'

We turned at the same time to look at the Gryfindorr table, where James was trying his thousandth attempt to get Lily Evans to go out with him.

'If I became like that, I would shoot myself.' I said, nibbling bacon.

'Well, luckily enough, you asking out Black once would be enough. You'd be dating him if you could ditch your stupid reasons why you wouldn't- you like him, he likes you.' Ella glared at me. In this, Ella was on Regulus' side- I hadn't even told Ella about my not-so-pure heritage. Although she was sweet and kind and wouldn't tell anyone, I didn't want to tell anyone, in case it somehow got around. (I'm paranoid okay?)

Ella said I was 'afraid of commitment'. Maybe I was... After my mother and father, I wanted any excuse to stay single.

'Please, drop the whole Regulus thing,' I sighed.

'What about me?' Regulus slid onto the bench next to me, his hip bumping against mine as he did so.

Goosebumps flared up all over my body, and I tried not to shiver.

'Nothing,' I mumbled, my face heating up. 'I mean, uh-'

'I'm trying to get her to admit she likes you,' Ella announced.

My face burned and I avoided eye contact with Regulus- and the entire Slytherin table, who were now staring at our little trio with open curiosity.

'Oh.' There was a slight pause.

'Ella,' I hissed.

'Teresa,' Ella said loftily.

'What do we have as our first lesson?' I asked hastily, still refusing to look at Regulus.

'Transfiguration,' Ella replied, starting a conversation with the girl next to her.

I kept my eyes on my food, my blush still lingering on my cheeks as I wished I hadn't said anything to Ella at all about Regulus Black.

But as I eventually peeked at him, he had a small smile on his face and was looking at me with something like hope in his eyes.

My stomach did cartwheels as I looked away, but one thought repeated itself in my head.

Have I made a mistake?

A/N- like this is going really fast sorry

thanks to @sighstiles for the beautiful cover, she's amazing and wonderful

hope you enjoyed, it will slow down more I just wanted you to get a feel for Regulus and Teresa's relationship early on (chapter 2 LOL)

what do you think?

aesthetic by me

x Jade