Cold

“Be sure to write us, will you?” ma mère nearly pleaded, holding my face.

“Of course, Maman."

Mon père cut in, grabbing my luggage, “And just because you’re going to an English school doesn’t mean you should slack off on your French. I expect you to be just as fluent when I see you next, all right?”

“Papa, it’s not like I’ll forget my first language that easily. I’ll even write to you en français to prove it.”

He ruffled my hair and kissed the top of my head saying, “That’s my girl,” before heading off with a portion of my luggage to put on board. The rest would be carry-on.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more discomforted young man in my life,” Maman commented casually, eyeing a strikingly blonde boy by the next train car. She wasn’t lying, either. He wore an all-black suit with a rather blank look on his face despite the commotion around him. A woman I assumed to be his mother was speaking rather lowly and I could tell he was unsettled by what she had to say as two lines appeared near his gently frowning mouth. His eyes focused on the ground and blinked several times in what almost seemed like dread. He looked as if he was feeling many different things and not a single one of them positive. The more I studied him, the more I yearned to know what exactly he was hearing that inspired such an indecipherable expression. Suddenly, his gaze shot upward, unfortunately meeting mine dead-on. Despite the distance I was from him, his icy blue eyes shocked me and I couldn’t seem to look away. I blushed deeply as his unhappy expression turned into a small smirk and a wink in my direction. I instantly cast my eyes to the ground. Damn him, whoever he was.

“I recognize his face,” my mother said wistfully.

I turned to her, shocked, “Were you staring at him that whole time?”

She gave me a look and I blushed even more, “When my daughter is looking at a boy as intently as you just were for that one there, I’m sure to be watching. Especially when it ends with the boy giving as sexy of a look as he did.”

“Oh, god, ma." I was mortified, “And that look wasn’t sexy, he was just being friendly.”

“I believe I’ve been around long enough to know when a boy has his mind on something more than a box of chocolates and a candlelit dinner, but whatever,” she teased, nudging me, “He’s a handsome man, I’ll give you that. A little scary, but handsome all the same.”

“Mother, stop!” I pleaded, embarrassed enough for one day.

“I’m just saying, you better come back this holiday and still be a virgin.” My eyes only widened in response. “But then again, if I were your age I wouldn’t be able to keep my hands off that.”

“I might be sick,” I half-joked, quite literally disturbed by her words.

“He’s looking again.” She was grinning like a schoolgirl.

If I felt sick before, I surely was ill now. I dared to turn my head to see if she was being truthful and sure enough, those cold eyes were indeed locked on me. Once again unable to look away, I bit my lip nervously. He appeared to find it arousing as his eyebrow raised slightly and he quickly licked his bottom lip.

“Oh, I can’t look any longer,” Maman dramatized, “Just don’t let him get you pregnant.”

At that, I spun quickly and playfully slapped her arm. Just then my father had returned, informing me that I was set to go, but not before asking “What’s that all about?”

I rolled my eyes lightheartedly, “Just Maman being painfully awkward.”

“Do I even want to know?”

“No, but I’m sure she’ll fill you right in as soon as my back is turned,” I laughed. The train whistled and students were called aboard. After saying a proper goodbye to my parents, I stole a glance back where the boy was and found he had disappeared. My heart sunk a bit in disappointment but I knew just then that he was going to cause me trouble this school year if I saw him again.

And I had an oddly sick feeling that I would. At that, I took a deep breath and boarded the Hogwarts Express.