Chapter Four

Ediline’s POV

Meet me at the library after class. 

You know the muggle book that we like? That shelf.

-Erika

Ediline stared at the note, confused. Why would her sister want to talk to her? Couldn’t she just put it into the note? She didn’t know what to expect, what kind of topic would Erika want to talk about? Why would she want to talk in such a specific place? She knew exactly what book Erika was talking about, that muggle story about an abused girl who could move objects with just her eye power. That book, since it was a muggle book, was at the very back of the library. 

Due to some part of her personality, Ediline had a tendency to overthink almost all the time. Now, too, she overthought her thoughts all throughout Transfiguration, the last class of the day. 

Maybe she wanted to tell me something about the book? Or maybe she wants to tell me something that’s related to Charms? They were learning levitation in Charms, after all. Maybe she wants to tell me something about our parents? Maybe… she had said “our favourite book’’, so it had something to do with the list of books we wrote down about? Maybe it was something about how they’d grown apart? Maybe…

She was forced to return to reality after she realised that Cedric was looking seemingly worried for her. Maya too was watching her expression.

“Is anything wrong?” Cedric asked.

Ediline loved how she could tell him anything, and he’d not say something that pissed her off, but instead offered helpful advice. But in this case, she felt like there was really nothing to discuss.

“No, it’s fine.”

The bell rang, and she packed up her bag. 

“I’m going to the library. See you at dinner.”

“Take care.” Maya smiled.

Cedric and Maya didn’t question her, but just nodded and headed off to the dorms.

 Ediline reached that shelf in the library at precisely 4:31 pm on that day. She saw her sister there, sitting on a table for two. Ediline joined her sister and said,

“Hi!”

“Hi Edi. How are you?”

“I’m fine. You?”

“Fine.”

“What did you want to talk about?”

“…”

“?”

“I want to ask for your help.”

“Counselling?”

“Kinda…”

“Ok, what’s it about?”

“I feel jealous when a certain guy stares at another girl.”

“Ooh… boy problems.”

Erika blushed softly from Ediline’s smirk.

“Who?”

“The boy or the girl?”

“If you’re okay with it… both?”

“Err… I’m a bit too shy to tell you the boy’s name,” Erika blushed again, “but the girl’s name is a certain Ediline Malcolm.”

“Me?!!”

Erika grinned at her twin sister’s reaction. “Yes you.”

“That means the boy is… George?”

“No- wait, what?!! How do you know?”

“He stares at me so much it’s kinda annoying.”

“Do you like him?” Erika asked, sounding worried.

“Nooooo.” Ediline shook her head fiercely. “No way! I told you, he’s annoying.”

Erika sighed in relief, before asking, “Who do you like?”

“…”

“Come on, you can tell me.”

Ediline stayed silent, so Erika tried to get the answer out of her in another way. “Does Maya know? I’ll ask her if you don’t tell me.”

“She doesn’t.” 

“What about Cedric?”

“No.” 

Ediline waited to see if her twin would drop the subject, but Erika looked determined to get the answer. “Fine. I’ll tell you. I like… Cedric.”

“What? I can’t hear you!” Erika said, singsongingly. 

“I said Cedric.”

“Oooooooooooh! Ithinkyoutwowillworkoutyouknow!

“What?”

“I said, I think you two will work out!”

Ediline blushed furiously. “He doesn’t like me.”

“What makes you think so?”

“He asked me how he can gain confidence so he can ask a girl out. That’s when I knew I liked him.” 

When Ediline saw that her sister looked confused, she elaborated on her answer. “I just got kinda jealous, you know? So then I noticed that, and I just thought, like, oh. I think I’m in love.”

Suddenly, Cedric walked in on the conversation. “Edi, are you ready to go?”

“Just a bit-” Ediline started to say, but Erika cut her off.

“Yup, we’re done here!”

She pushed Ediline towards Cedric, saying “See you!”

Cedric’s POV

“That’s when I knew I liked him.”

Cedric froze, just behind the bookshelf where Ediline and Erika were at.

“I just got kinda jealous, you know?” Ediline continued. “So then I noticed that, and I just thought, like, oh. I think I’m in love.”

Cedric didn’t think he could stand hearing about her crush, so he just walked in on their conversation. It wasn’t so polite, but he really didn’t want to know who Ediline liked. He might just murder the guy, which would not go well.

“Edi, are you ready to go?” 

“Just a bit m-” Ediline started to say, but Erika cut her off.

“Yup, we’re done here!”

She pushed Ediline towards Cedric, saying “See you!”

As Cedric walked out of the library, all he could think about was who Ediline liked. The only thing that comforted him was Ediline saying, “You know Erika likes George? But he likes me… I don’t like him, so…”

That was all Cedric needed to hear. George wouldn’t have a chance with Ediline now, and he wasn’t the one who Ediline liked.