Revelations. ((Closed.))

[Esmeralda Mendez]

((This post takes place around the middle of September, during the first Hogsmeade vacation))

Ezzie sighed, exhaling nervously. She had no idea what she was going to do. She had all eight of her secret admirer’s love letters crumpled up in her pocket, like they had been for a couple of weeks now. Then there was one quick letter from TJ telling Ezzie to meet him in his new apartment in Hogsmeade during her first Hogsmeade visit. Ezzie didn’t know who she was going to see. She really wasn’t sure whether she was really willing to make this work with TJ anymore. He barely wrote her, and she was really only able to see him around twice a month. She had no idea what he was doing with his time while Ezzie was at school. It was no secret that TJ was the ‘womanizer’ type of guy, so Ezzie honestly wouldn’t be surprised if he was seeing two or three other girls on the side while waiting for Ezzie to return to Hogsmeade to see him. It made her feel so horrible, so dirty coming to see him. She knew it was wrong. The drugs, the smoking, the drinking. And then of course there was that other little affair while the two were in Paris. At the time, her decision to become TJ’s new ‘girl’ was the obvious choice, but now Ezzie was beginning to second guess it. It seemed his presence was doing more harm than good, but Ezzie couldn’t seem to stay away. If she could get up the courage to break up with TJ once and just walk away, then she could find a way to avoid him for a few months until she found a way to finally get over those crazy powers of seduction he had on her.

But Ezzie really didn’t want to break up with him. He really was a really great guy, despite what the media had said about him. In fact, Ezzie didn’t set much store at all to what the media said about anyone, because it tended to be the complete opposite of what was true to begin with. While Ezzie hadn’t exactly made the wisest of choices in the past, she was hardly the irresponsible little harlot (and alleged murder, let’s not forget that little bit) that the media constantly made her out to be. It was for this reason that Ezzie wanted to be with TJ still. Maybe she was under a love spell? TJ could do that, couldn’t he? But that wasn’t possible, because there was no way TJ could have slipped her anything the first time Ezzie felt that rapid nervous feeling in her heart the first time she had met him. That was just his natural charm, as Ezzie had earlier decided. It was because of this charm, Ezzie had decided, that she couldn’t find the strength to end things with him. Well, at least not today anyway. There was a part of her that wanted to make this work, despite the factors they had to overcome. One of them being that her manager had been furious when Ezzie had decided to go for the major image switch out of nowhere, especially without consulting her first. She really didn’t approve of TJ, but Ezzie promised that the allegations about her would stop and she’d try to be good whenever she was with him. This meant no drugs, no booze, and absolutely no more sleepovers. It would be hard, given TJ’s aforementioned talent for persuading Ezzie to do anything for him, but she was sure she’d be able to do it. Ezzie wasn’t going for the ‘Little Miss Pop Sensation’ anymore, but she didn’t want to be the ‘troubled teen’ she’d been labeled as before. She just wanted to be your normal average teenager, no quotes needed. Every normal teenager makes mistakes, and Ezzie wanted to reflect that in her music.

Ezzie entered the carriage to Hogsmeade, the problem still eating at her inside. This secret admirer was such a talented writer, not to mention incredibly romantic. Ezzie rode in the carriage, uncrumpling the most recent of the eight letters. Dear Ezzie, I can’t continue writing to you, not while you’re still wondering who I am. I saw you at the Library the other day Ezzie, asking that Gryffindor fifth year if he was the one writing the letters. Sorry, sweetheart, but I’m afraid that’s not me. I am willing to finally reveal myself to you, just because you are such a wonderful and beautiful person and you’re definitely worth it. Now, I’m extremely nervous in saying this, but I want you to meet me again. I go to your school and we’ve met before, but we haven’t talked recently. I’d like to change that. Meet me at the Three Broomsticks’ front doors at four o’clock during our first Hogsmeade trip of the year. I’d like to thank you for just being the wonderful person you are. I don’t know what this year would have been like had I not had such a wonderful person to write to. Signed, your secret admirer.”

Ezzie’s breath caught. She loved it when people talked to her in such a sweet manner. It sounded stupid, but it really made Ezzie feel special, loved. TJ used to talk to her this way, but lately his letters seemed short and forced, like he just wanted to get her in his apartment to have his way and let it be over with. It was really hurting Ezzie that she seemed to mean nothing to him all of a sudden. Ezzie sighed as she pulled her lavender hood over her head to somewhat hide her face. It was pouring rain outside, and she didn’t feel up to getting sick because of this. Ezzie ran, gladly noticing that the reporters were at a minimal level today. A few jabbed some random questions her way, but it was nothing too big or fabulous. Probably on the lookout for Eden Sweden. She’s been rumored to be staying around here. Ezzie thought with a small smile. She ran through the rain, stopping dead in front of the doors of the Three Broomsticks. Part of her wanted to see who this sweet guy was, but Ezzie decided it was probably safer going with what was familiar to her. Besides, she was practically desperate to see TJ again, to ask him what the hell was his problem lately.

So, with a long sigh, Ezzie walked away from the doors and into TJ’s apartment, which wasn’t too far away. TJ was waiting outside. Even though she was mad at him, Ezzie couldn’t help but run to see him. He opened his arms gratefully, a wide smirk seemingly plastered on his perfect lips. She kissed him and he returned the kiss passionately. After a few moments, his right hand wandered once more, and Ezzie pulled away suddenly. She smacked him hard on the face. He merely chuckled, running a hand carelessly through his hair. Ezzie glared at him. “You’re a real piece of work, you know that? What the hell is your problem?” Ezzie snapped at him, glaring. Realizing they were attracting the attention, TJ pulled her inside the building by the arm, but Ezzie yanked it away. He shrugged and picked her up swiftly, her head hanging upside down as she kicked her feet in the air. She punched his back angrily, demanding to be put down. TJ merely chuckled as he led her up the stairs.

They entered the elevator, where there was a stern looking middle aged man already inside, waiting for his floor. TJ pressed the button for the twelfth floor, and up they went. TJ smiled kindly, greeting the man, who shook his head slowly in disappointment, a “youngsters these days are crazy” kind of look on his face. Once they reached the sixth floor, Ezzie stopped protesting, an exasperated sigh escaping her lips as the old man walked out in a hurry. When the doors opened again, they were finally on the twelfth floor. TJ opened the door to the first room (which had been left unlocked) and plopped her down on a comfy black leather sofa. “You know Ez, you’re really hot when you’re all angry like this. Nevertheless, it would be much appreciated if you stopped fighting it so much. I dunno who you’re trying to fool. You know you’re happy to see me again. Otherwise, you’d be at the Three Broomsticks right now..” TJ said with a mischievous and all-knowing smirk on his face again, making Ezzie’s heart race in nervousness and her blood boil in anger all at the same time. How had he found out about that?

[Esmeralda Mendez]

Ezzie glared at TJ, all at the same time wanting to kiss him again. It was a weird feeling. Wanting to beat him up with a good spell or two all the while wanting to break every promise she’d made to her manager and music producers. She didn’t know which instinct she’d end up following, but at the moment she was trying to stick to being angry at him. It was working…kind of. It should be very easy to be angry with him right now. Obviously, there was something he wasn’t telling her. Had he hired someone to follow her while she was at school? Didn’t he trust her? If anything, it was Ezzie that shouldn’t trust him, the one who had probably slept with the majority of the young celebrities around the entire United Kingdom. But why would he care enough to have her followed if he didn’t even care enough to write more than a two sentence letter to her? What was his problem, anyway? Who did he think he was? Her master or something? Surely not. Perhaps Ezzie should have gone to see her sweet secret admirer instead of going to see TJ. Obviously she had made the wrong choice. Even though Ezzie just wanted to touch him again right now, she had to resist that little urge and just stick to being angry at him. She sighed, blowing a strand of hair away from her face.

TJ smiled and sat down next to her, taking her hands tenderly. She looked down at their hands, with their fingers now intertwined between one another, and her glare faltered a bit. She looked up at him as he leaned closer to her face, as if to kiss her. Ezzie moved one hand and pushed his chest back lightly. “No, TJ. I can’t let you do this to me again.” Ezzie said sternly, swallowing hard. Her mouth had suddenly gone dry. TJ smiled at her and laughed as he spoke his next words. “Do what?” He asked, his eyes teasing. Ezzie glared at him, and slid about an inch away from him. She refused to look at him. There was too much temptation. “Seduce me like that! You know what you do to me, don’t you? You use it to your advantage, too. You think that with another one of those deadly smirks of yours you’re going to charm me to do whatever you please once more. Well I won’t have it. You’re not getting away from this can of worms.” Ezzie said, looking back at him with intense eyes, her voice rising only slightly. She didn’t know why she was telling him this, but nevertheless, the words were spilling out of her mouth without pause. She sighed before continuing. “How did you know about those letters? Did you have someone follow me while at was at school or something? You know how annoying it was getting those stupid short tedious letters from you, my boyfriend when this complete stranger was sending me three page love letters? You seemed like you could care less about me, but what really puzzles me is that in spite of it all, you had someone follow me. You always confused me TJ, but this is unbelievable. I can’t believe you’d do something like this.” Ezzie said softly and quickly, unsure of why there was a tear flooding down her cheek. By the time she had finished talking, there were quite a few salty tears flooding out of her chocolate brown eyes.

TJ moved closer to her and kindly wiped the tears tenderly off her rosy cheeks. She looked up at him, noticing that his eyes were now searching hers. “Ezzie, look at me for a second. It’s not what you think.” He said slowly, pulling her close. He carried her, so she was sitting on his lap. He then whispered in her ear a phrase that sounded oddly familiar to her. “Ezzie, ‘I will cover you with love when next I see you, with caresses, with ecstasy. I want to gorge yu with all the joys of the flesh, so that you faint and die. I want you to be amazed by me, and to confess to yourself that you had never even dreamed of such transports... When you are old, I want you to recall those few hours, I want your dry bones to quiver with joy when you think of them.’ Sound familiar? I do believe it was originally written by a certain man named Gustave Flaubert. He’s one of your favorite writers, isn’t he?” Ezzie looked up at him, astonished. He hadn’t had someone follow her and find out about the secret admirer, he was the secret admirer. Ezzie’s eyes widened.

She nodded slowly, unable to find any words to express how she was feeling or the questions she wanted to ask. How had he managed all of this? How had he known that Flaubert was her one of her favorite writers? He was in Hogsmeade this entire time, he couldn’t have possibly stashed those letters under her pillow or in her trunk where she’d found a few of them. He smiled at her, and for once it wasn’t that famous crooked smirk of his, it was a genuine smile. “And I have a new one for you. It’s by a certain German writer I discovered recently. His name is Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. I feel sorry for the poor guy. You may not know this, but I love poetry, especially romantic ones. So here goes. I can't help loving you more than is good for me; I shall feel all the happier when I see you again. I am always conscious of my nearness to you, your presence never leaves me. In you I have a measure for every woman, for everyone; in your love a measure for all that is to be. Not in the sense that the rest of the world seems obscure tome, on the contrary, your love makes it clear; I see quite clearly what men are like and what they plan, wish, do and enjoy; I don't grudge them what they have, and comparing is a secret joy to me, possessing as I do such an imperishable treasure. You in your household-”

Ezzie had been mesmerized by his talent for reciting the poetry, even if he hadn’t written the words himself. But she had to get just one question out of her system before he continued. “But how? I mean, I found some of those letters under my bed and in my trunk. How’d you get them there?” Ezzie asked, completely confused. TJ’s smirk returned again. “Well you see, I kinda snuck into the girl’s dormitories at Hogwarts while you were in class and put the letters there. Those stairs are a pain in the neck to get by, but I managed it.” He said, his eyes twinkling. Ezzie shook her head, trying to make sense of what he was saying. “But…how? How were you even able to get into the castle undetected? I mean, you don’t go to Hogwarts..” TJ chuckled. “I do now.”

((The love letters TJ recited are excerpts from the poems and love letters of both Gustave Flaubert and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.))