Secrets & Slytherins

Chapter 9: Warmth

Grace strolled down the corridor, her heart thumping loudly in her chest. Her mind was stuck on the conversation she had had with Ryan last night.

"It's a good thing no one knows."

"If you told someone, you'd regret it."

"Keep that pretty little mouth shut."

"I'd hate to have to cut out your tongue."

The words echoed around in her head, pounding on her skull as a new burden pushed itself to the front of her mind.

Grace had told Noah all about how Ryan treated her. Why did she have to confess to him? Why couldn't she have kept her mouth shut like Ryan demanded? All hell was going to break loose, just like they had said.

Ryan would find out.

All at once, she found it hard to breathe, her chest rapidly rising and falling. Her cheeks flushed and she ran a hand across her forehead, wiping off the invisible beads of sweat she swore were lining up.

Ryan would find out.

Her stomach turned to knots. Grace was certain she was going to throw up right there in the corridor. She stopped in her tracks, turning her body every which way to try to orient herself, searching for the direction to the closest lavatory.

Ryan would find out.

Tears pooled in Grace's eyes, blurring her vision. She suspected that the students passing by were looking at her like she was going crazy, but who could blame them? Grace swiped the tears out of her eyes, cascading her cheeks with the dampness of her salty sorrows. She sloppily pushed her hair away from her face, clearing her view, and her eyes fell onto Noah.

"Woah, woah, woah," he started, hurrying over to her, his face etched with concern. His brows were pinched together in worry. "Grace, what's wrong?"

"He's going to find out!" she yelled, tiny streams pouring from her eyes. "He's going to find out." The words spilled from her mouth faster than the tears raced down her face. "He's going to find out. He's going to find out. He's-"

"Stop, stop, shhh..." Noah trailed off, trying to soothe Grace. "Take a deep breath. Come on. Let's go somewhere private." He reached for her hand, but she snatched it away, clutching it close to her chest.

"No, no, no. He'll see!" Grace shouted, shaking her head wildly. Her eyes flickered all around the corridor, scanning the faces. "I can't talk to you."

"Grace, he's not here. I just left the Slytherin common room. He's sitting on the couch with some friends. I promise, you're safe."

She finally locked her eyes onto Noah's, the slightest wave of calmness washing over her. Grace allowed the boy to take her hand and he gently led her into the library, not slowing his pace until they reached the back corner of the room, nestled safely behind rows and rows of bookshelves, concealed from anyone's sight.

Noah pulled out a chair from the small table next to them and guided Grace carefully down to sit in it. Noticing how nervous she looked gazing up at him, he quickly grabbed a chair of his own, sitting down across from her. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he took her hands in his.

"Now tell me what's going on," Noah started, his eyes gentle. "But don't get worked up this time. It's just us." He tenderly stroked his thumbs along her knuckles. "It's just you and me."

Grace took a shaky, deep breath, still attempting to settle her mind. The past few minutes had been drastically overwhelming, taking a toll on her. The day had just begun, yet exhaustion and weakness threateningly loomed over her.

"I'm just afraid, Noah," she said simply, the words catching slightly in her throat.

"Afraid of what? What did he say to you, Grace?" he pushed.

"He pretty much said that I'd be punished if I ever told somebody about what he does to me. I know that he says that kind of stuff all the time and it seems ridiculous that I'm this scared...that I'm this weak." She stopped to stare down at her hands. "But this time it just felt so real. I know he's not joking around anymore."

"I'm sorry, Grace, but you're not weak. Merlin, you're so strong for putting up with all of this. He hurts you. He's a monster." Noah shifted his gaze back and forth between her eyes. "But now you don't have to go through this alone. You don't have to sit in silence, desperately wishing that you could let this secret slip. I'm so glad you told me, Grace."

A smile tugged at the end of Grace's mouth. Noah truly was making her feel better.

"You're going to get through this. We're going to get through this," Noah finished, the words bringing ease to her soul. "Together."

In that moment, Grace felt secure. She felt whole. There, alone, in the corner of the library, where nobody could reach her, not even Ryan, she felt safe.

It was hard to remember that there was another world just yards beyond them.

It was hard to remember that even though Grace sometimes struggled to talk, other people didn't.

In fact, people loved to talk, to gossip, to spread rumors like wildfire. But no matter who you were, you could still get burned.

Surely the boy that witnessed something that day wanted to watch the fire in his friend's eyes light up.

That must have been why he had gone up to him, saying, "Why is it that I just saw your girlfriend holding hands with a boy and scurrying off to the empty library?"

Grace was too occupied now, drifting off into the warm and welcoming embrace of peace and companionship with Noah, to even be worried about her surroundings.

How could she know, anyway?

How could she know that Ryan was standing in the doorway of the library?

How could she know that Ryan had heard their conversation?

How could she know that Ryan found out?