1/2
Although Trish typically understood her best mate’s words, she never had anticipated a move in the direction he was heading. If she was honest with herself, Trish probably had suspicions those three words meant something more this time around. However, she wasn’t allowing herself to think that far into it. He was her best friend, which was all the rationale she needed to back up her belief that he was just preparing her for something else he wasn’t quite willing to say. The way he looked at her as if exasperated she couldn’t read his mind would have warranted a punch in the arm any other day. At this point in time she was completely lost in thought, puzzling over circumstances that could warrant such undertones of complete seriousness. It made her increasingly uncomfortable, particularly after her move closer to him didn’t cause Ed any further peace as far as she could tell. He looked like he was in pain that only increased when she attempted to do what had always been normal for them, and that was further cause for the inner breakdown.
Ed certainly didn’t make her feel any better when he began staring blankly ahead of him. It was almost as if he was purposely avoiding her eye contact at that point, so any chance she had at trying to read his expression was stifled. Then again, the fact she thought she might understand him at all right now was laughable at best. Trish had no clue where her best friend was going with all of this even when he’d already stated plainly what he’d been thinking. She tilted her head in an attempt to see his facial expressions better, but when Ed continued fidgeting and avoiding her gaze, Trish gave up and sat upright once more. Giving his hand a gentle squeeze as if to encourage him to come out with it she waited as patiently as she could. His sigh certainly caught her attention, Trish shifting her eyes back to his as he placed his other hand on her knee.
The words that he reiterated finally sunk in, and they succeeded in causing her heart to race once more. Any sense of calm reserve she had formerly exercised was thrown out the window. Her eyes widened, Trish then realizing he was still looking at her and turning her gaze away from Ed’s to try to collect herself again. Of all the things he could have said, this was the one she wasn’t prepared for. It wasn’t that his words weren’t received well by Trish. To the contrary, she found herself a bit on edge over the fact she hadn’t attempted to tactfully slip out of his room yet. Despite all the boys Trish had ever been with and how far they’d gone, she had never truly felt she loved them, at least not on this level. Sure, she’d heard some of them say those three words before, but she always managed to evade that requirement to say it back. Trish wasn’t the type to say things she didn’t mean, or at least things she didn’t think she meant. That was precisely why it took her a little longer to respond this time.
She wasn’t dealing with some random guy she’d met in Hogsmeade, nor some casual friend she could bear to live without. No, this was Ed, her Ed as she’d always deemed him. That only stood to reason she had to tread carefully at this point. Needless to say, Trish didn’t have the cleanest track record when it came to relationships. He knew that better than any other guy who Trish had been with thus far, and yet Ed still felt this way about her? Trish shifted her eyes back to his, trying to keep herself as calm as possible but truly failing within. “Are you… sure? I mean, how do you know?” She wasn’t only asking for his sake, but hers as well. This truly changed the game up entirely. All this time the two of them had spent convincing everyone else that they were genuinely just best mates, and here they were now.