[CHAPTER 26]

───🦋･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.🦋───

───🦋･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.🦋───

TITLE : "DO YOU CARE?"

MATTHEO NOTICED IMMEDIATELY.

SHE wasn't at breakfast. She wasn't in her usual spot in the common room.

She was avoiding him now.

And he couldn't even blame her.

But that didn't mean he was just going to sit back and do nothing.

He tried to focus in class, but his mind kept drifting back to her. Her voice, the way she had snapped at him, the way she had looked at him like she didn't even recognize him anymore.

He felt sick.

When lunch came around, he spotted Lorenzo  sitting at the Slytherin table, chatting with Pansy and Daphne .

Mattheo hesitated for only a second before striding over.

Lorenzo  saw him coming and tensed immediately, his expression hardening.

"What do you want?" Lorenzo  asked coldly.

Mattheo ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. "I just—I need to talk to her."

Lorenzo  scoffed. "Yeah? Well, maybe you should've thought about that before you ignored her for weeks."

"I know I messed up," Mattheo admitted, his voice quieter now. "I just—I don't know how to fix it."

Pansy raised an eyebrow. "You talk to her, Riddle. You apologize and actually mean it this time."

"I do mean it," Mattheo said, his jaw clenching.

"Then prove it," Daphne  chimed in. "Because, trust me, Ellie isn't going to believe anything you say right now."

Mattheo exhaled heavily. "Where is she?"

Lorenzo  leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms. "Not telling you."

Mattheo's patience snapped. "For Merlin's sake, Lorenzo , I'm trying—"

"Trying?" Lorenzo's voice rose slightly. "Now you're trying? Where was all this effort before?"

Mattheo clenched his fists. "I thought ignoring her was the right thing to do."

"Yeah, well, congratulations," Lorenzo  said sarcastically. "You succeeded in making her miserable."

Mattheo inhaled deeply, steadying himself. He turned to Pansy and Daphne  instead. "Please. Just tell me where she is."

Pansy exchanged a glance with Daphne  before sighing. "Library. Third floor."

Mattheo nodded, murmuring a quick "thanks" before heading off.

Lorenzo's voice stopped him.

"Hey, Riddle."

Mattheo turned.

Lorenzo 's expression was unreadable, but his voice was firm.

"If you hurt her again," he said, his tone low and serious, "I won't forgive you."

Mattheo swallowed hard.

Because he believed him.

And, truth be told, Mattheo wasn't sure he'd forgive himself either.

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Ellie was curled up in a chair in the farthest corner of the library, her knees pulled up to her chest, a book open on her lap.

Not that she was reading.

Her mind was elsewhere.

So, when she heard footsteps approaching, she barely looked up.

Not until a familiar voice spoke.

"Ellie."

Her spine stiffened.

Her fingers curled tightly around the edges of her book as she slowly lifted her head.

Mattheo stood in front of her, looking slightly out of breath—like he had been searching for her for a while.

She clenched her jaw. "What do you want?"

Mattheo hesitated. Then, he pulled out the chair across from her and sat down.

"I need to talk to you."

Ellie exhaled through her nose, forcing herself to remain calm. "We already talked, Mattheo. I think we made everything very clear."

"No," Mattheo said, shaking his head. "You talked. And I just stood there like an idiot."

Ellie scoffed. "And what? You came here to do it again?"

"No," Mattheo said firmly. "I came here because I need you to know that I was wrong."

Ellie's breath hitched slightly, but she quickly masked it with a cold expression. "Well, congratulations. You figured it out."

Mattheo sighed, running a hand over his face. "Ellie."

She slammed her book shut. "What do you want me to say, Mattheo?" she snapped. "That everything's fine? That I'm not hurt? That I don't care anymore?"

Mattheo's eyes darkened. "Do you care?"

Ellie's throat tightened.

She wanted to say no.

She wanted to tell him that she had moved on. That she was fine.

But the words wouldn't come out.

And Mattheo saw it.

His expression softened. "Ellie..."

"Don't," she whispered, standing up abruptly. "I can't do this right now."

She grabbed her book and turned to leave.

Mattheo shot up, grabbing her wrist again—but this time, his grip was gentler.

"Please," he said, voice low. "Just give me a chance to fix this."

Ellie squeezed her eyes shut. "I don't know if you can."

Mattheo's grip on her wrist loosened.

She pulled away and walked out of the library, leaving Mattheo standing there, feeling more lost than ever.

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