You sat on the edge of the sofa with your arms tightly crossed over your chest, trying to ignore the way Mattheo paced in front of you like a caged beast. His hair fell into his eyes, but he didn't bother to push it back.

“How many times do I have to say it?!” Mattheo’s voice rose. “I don’t care who you date. We broke up. Done. Finished. Ask any guy you want!”

Your stomach tightened because you could hear the contradiction in his tone. He spoke as if it were set in stone, but the bulging vein in his jaw told a different story.

Pansy, sitting beside you, twirled a strand of hair around her finger and smirked. “See? I told you,” she said, tilting her head towards you. “You should’ve just gone with Cedric.”

Before the name had barely had time to hang in the air, Mattheo spun around, his eyes flashing with something much darker than indifference.

“Cedric?!” he snapped, his voice breaking on the name. “Oh, hell no!”

The common room seemed to freeze.

Pansy raised her eyebrows. “What’s the matter, Mattheo? Didn’t you just say she could date anyone?”

He wanted to argue, but saying too much would give him away. However, saying nothing was just as revealing.

“Cedric,” he repeated, slower this time. His eyes flicked towards you. “Out of all the guys in this castle, you picked him?”

You shifted uncomfortably under his stare. “I thought you didn’t care,” you said quietly.

Mattheo stepped closer. “I don’t,” he growled. “Just… not him.”

He was lying... and you both knew it.