third person pov

' times changed '

It was finally starting to feel like winter at Hogwarts even if it was only October with Halloween approaching, an important day.

Rose's all time favorite holiday.

Her and Luna had been off feeding the thestrals, just arriving back. Rose was in fact a wreck, her hair pinned back messily with her wand and a large streak of dirt across her cheek as she ran into the great hall while holding onto Luna's hand.

When they entered the two departed to separate tables. Rose had made a pit stop though, pausing by the Gryffindor table and saluting the trio dramatically-only getting eye rolls in return except from Harry who stood up and saluted her right back.

After shooting him a firm nod, Rose made her way to the Slytherin table, dropping down in between Theo and Whitman. Blaise and Draco were across, both studying her ruffled state.

All conversations ceased at her appearance before Rose slammed her hand down on the table frantically, "Where in Merlin's beard is the food? I haven't had a bite to eat!"

She was too hungry to notice the worried looks all the boys sent her. Although Draco shared the same look of worry, he held amusement as well at the messy state she was in that had to be from 'dramatic' story. Rose was an oddball, he appreciated that about her.

Theo began to open his mouth but was interrupted by Dumbledore's resounding voice from the podium at the front, "Goodevening students! I'm sure your all wondering where your dinner is-"

"I'm starving Dumbles!" Rose shouted, too light headed to realize how silent the entire hall was.

Dumbledore raised his eyebrows at her before continuing, "Yes thank you Miss Black, I shall make quick work of this then! We have a new student joining us, we will do the sorting then continue on with dinner! Pip pip!"

Loud whispers broke out amongst the students, all the boys just shrugging at one another while Rose started to bang her head on the table.

She groaned loudly, "I just want to eat before I fall over"

"Silence!"

Everyone quickly stopped chattering, "Now please give a warm welcome to Mattheo Riddle!"

Rose felt her eyes widen and the immense amount of whispering from before grew in sound as the great doors open-a boy with tight dark curls and a chiseled face walking in beside Mcgongall.

"The dark lord has a son?" Whitman questioned as Mattheo walked through the isle of Gryffindors and Ravenclaws. "Who'd be dumb enough to fuck fucking you-know-who?"

Their group looked curiously at the boy as he sat on the stool, a dead stare across his features as Mcgongall grabbed the sorting hat from Dumbledore. Rose on the other hand couldn't get a view of him from the blurry vision caused by a lack of sleep and food consumed over a fourty eighty hour period.

"Silence! Now!"

A pin could have hit the floor from the silence spreading across the room, all the students not having to guess where Mattheo Riddle would be placed as the hat was put on his head.

Barely a second passed before the hat yelled out, "Slytherin!"

The table full of green began to cheer as usual, but all appeared equally confused as the hat was removed from Mattheo's head.

He stood up with no care at the stares directed at him, beginning to go to the Slytherin table but a seeming as if he planned to exit the great hall. As he started to walk past a certain group, Draco called out to him.

"Oi Riddle! Join us!"

Rose dropped her head back onto the table, only seeing spots at this point as she attempted to swallow her dry throat.

Mattheo took a seat across from her, sitting in between Blaise and Draco. Each of them began to introduce themselves to the Riddle with the exception of Theo who was attempting to cater to Rose who had no idea what happening around her nor did she care.

As she began to repeated bang her head on the wood, Mattheo spoke while staring with a weird look. "Is that girl okay?"

"She's a bit of a weirdo, don't mind her" Whitman said as Theo slipped his hand onto Rose's back comfortingly.

"Now we may eat! Enjoy!"

In a flash, food appeared on the table, Rose's head snapping up so fast that Theo had to keep her steady.

Mattheo took Rose in instantly, she's disheveled, dirt is swiped across her face, she has awfully big eyes, and the bags under those eyes are just as huge.

But he thinks she's perfect.

Beautiful.

For the first time in his life he feels something other than anger, sadness, or emptiness. Looking at her he felt as if his heart stopped, his throat bobbing.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Rose doesn't spare him a single glance as she shakily grabbed some soup-attempting to pour it into the bowl Theo held for her.

Draco saw her shaking hand, going to help her but Rose quickly swatted at him in retaliation.

"I am perfectly fucking capable Malfoy!"

Draco scoffed, "Mattheo, meet our resident Bitch-Rosalie Black"

"Mattheo? Is he sitting with us?" Rose asked distantly, immediately starting to eat her soup.

Can she not see? Mattheo wondered.

Whitman glanced at her with more intense worry, "Ro are you okay? He's right in front of you"

Rose simply nodded her head while holding up a finger, quickly eating her soup as they watched her quietly. None are quite sure where she came from all dirty or why she can't see the boy directly across from her. She had been gone all day with Luna-meaning they had no clue if she had eaten or done anything on the spectrum of healthy.

She finished the bowl so quickly one would think she was a four hundred pound man who had been starved in the wild.

Rose wiped her hands on her robes, speaking before looking up. "Sorry about that, haven't ate much today my vision went a little blurry I'm Rose-"

She stopped herself mid-sentence as she met the gaze of Mattheo. Tom was pretty, but his son-he was stunning.

Whitman nudged her in a attempt to make Rose snap out of it. She quickly cleared her throat, "Rose Black, daughter of mass murder! We have that in common!"

Blaise choked on his goblet of water, the others blinking in disbelief but not at the same time-this was suspected of her.

Although Mattheo only smirked at her bluntness, "It seems we do have that in common, but I believe my fathers a bit worse than your own"

Rose smiled brightly, looking around their table as she pointed her thumb to Mattheo. "I like this one" she paused upon the realization Theo wasn't touching her, looking at him with a scowl.

Theo's lips twitched as he wrapped his arm over her shoulders and pulled her close-leaning down to whisper in her ear. "I was about to baby, don't be such a...pout"

Her chest fluttered at his proximity before she turned her head to him, whispering back. "I thought you liked my attitude?"

Theo fully smirked, both being interrupted by Blaise.

"Oi! Don't scare the new kid off from your sickening behaviors"

Rose's eyes rolled as Theo's head turned, she quickly leaned up to pick his cheek as he began to look Mattheo over with a blank stare.

"What was your name again? I didn't catch it" Theo asked as Rose laid her head on his shoulder with raised eyebrows, "Max? Matthew?"

"Mattheo" Whitman filled in, finding amusement at Theo's behavior.

Mattheo rolled his tongue on the inside of his cheek, "And yours? I didn't quite catch it"

Theo laughed dryly before looking away, he had no plans of introducing himself to the boy.

Blaise spoke up, trying to avoid the sudden tension. "Before these two resume bonding over terrible fathers, I need Rose to explain to us why she hasn't ate in so long that she was unable to see"

"Why don't you tell just why you have dirt on your robes and face instead?" Whitman said with a pang in his chest at Rose tensing against Theo from the topic, but smiling at her nevertheless and wanting her to not feel pressured from Blaise's question.

Her face lit up as she leaned off Theo's shoulder, "Do you know what thestrals are Mattheo?"

Mattheo was surprised at her question directed straight at him, "I do"

She flashed him a smile, "Well to answer your question Whit, I was with Luna feeding them since this morning and we lost track of time. They get quite annoyed when we don't come to visit them and their new babies"

Draco scoffed, hiding his worry. "You're going to get killed hanging around those beast"

Theo and Whitman both let out groans with knowledge of what was to come as Blaise smiled happily-he loved a good argument between the two. Rose slamed her hand down, startling a few people surrounding their group. "You will not call them beast! They are harmless!"

"Oh yeah? Then why are they considered one of the darkest omens in the world?"

"Because cunts like yourself can't handle anything that isn't all pretty and shiny! They are good creatures, only misunderstood!"

Mattheo watched in amusement but also turned curious, who did she see die?

"Oi! I can't even see them! How am I against them because they are not pretty?"

"Be grateful you can't seem them you literal fucking juvenile imbecile!"

Draco leaned over the table, repeating her actions of slamming his hand down. "Call me a imbecile one more time you filthy blood-traitor"

Rose leaned after him, mere inches separating them as she grabbed the knife beside her plate-slamming it in between his ring and middle finger.

He jumped back with a rush of air, her only smirking and whispering with her eyes darting to his lips. "Imbecile"

Fury took over Draco's face as he stared her down. Rose patted his cheek and began to laugh as she sat back down-quickly ceasing the sound when his mouth opened.

She yanked the knife out of the wooden table and pointed it at him, "Say one more fucking word to me and I'll make sure to take off a finger next"

Draco scoffed and closed his mouth, looking over at Theo and Whitman. Theo slowly reached over, carefully unwrapping her fingers from the knife pointing at the blondes face.

Mattheo only had one thought in his brain, Rose Black is crazy.

And it was fucking hot.

Rose narrowed her eyes at glaring Draco, preparing to keep going until Theo shifted his arm over her shoulders-placing a firm hand there. Her mood flipped immeasurably, face relaxing so quickly Blaise laughed.

"Draco tends to push my buttons, hopefully he learned his lesson" Rose said calmly, getting a approving nod from Theo at her not jumping over the table to punch someone.

"You're a literal psychopath Rosie" Draco spat, reaching for more food.

Theo hummed, none of them realizing Snape was walking over to them. "Yeah yeah but she's our psychopath"

"Please wipe the dirt off your cheek it's driving me insane"

Rose looked up at Whitman, "Oh I was planning on getting it but I think I'll leave it there just for you" She gave him a sarcastic smile that instantly dropped after flashing it quickly.

Snape cleared his throat from behind Rose, "Congratulations on joining Slytherin Mister Riddle"

Mattheo glanced up at the professor with a curt nod. After, Snape's eyes curiously ran over each of them before he spoke again with annoyance. "Miss Black"

Rose titled her head backwards with a cheeky smile, "My favorite Professor"

Snape crossed his arms, unimpressed in every way. "Will you please escort Mister Riddle to his dorm? It is a seperate one since he has arrived late"

"Ooo...tell me why" Rose taunted, the professor glaring in return. "Come on Snape say it"

Snape sneered, "Because someone as inadequate as yourself is capable of managing Peeves and I don't believe Mister Riddle will enjoy being taunted by a poltergeist on his first night"

Rose tilted her head forward, whispering to Mattheo loudly. "Peeves-my favorite man and biggest taunter of new kids"

Mattheo watched Snape roll his eyes and toss a key infront of her aggressively, turning on his heels instantly.

Rose picked up the golden key before gasping at Mattheo, "Can you speak parseltounge?"

"Of course"

She jumped up, "Come on! Let's go meet Nyx!"

Mattheo gave her a confused look, "Is Nyx a snake?"

"Yes! She will be overjoyed to be able to speak to anyone besides me or Harry"

"Salazar! Let the boy breathe!" Whitman attempted to pull her down but she doesn't budge, just continues looking at Mattheo expectantly.

Mattheo reluctantly stood up, making her clap like a maniac before climbing under the table-startling all the boys.

"Is she seriously climbing under the fucking table right now?" Draco asked incredulously.

Mattheo couldn't hide his amusement from the girl who suddenly stands up and brushes off her robes while nodding at him. Each the boys gives her a 'what is happening?' stare as she salutes them, "We best be off, no time to waste! Minnie will have my head if she sees me running!"

Before anyone can retort, she latched onto Mattheo's hand and began running throughout the great hall. His eyes widened along with the students of Hogwarts and even the teachers stare with confusion and shock.

When they finally reach the exist, she halted them to a stop. "Sorry, I thought it be more epic if we ran instead of walking"

Mattheo raised his eyebrows at her, "You're a rather odd person, you know what I mean?"

Rose grinned up at him as she pulled him along through the corridor, "I'd be offended if you thought I wasn't" Her eyes casted down at their hands before she quickly pulled away. "Merlin I'm sorry, I haven't been sleeping much. I didn't even realize I was still holding your hand"

Mattheo understood, and oddly enough he didn't want her to feel like he was angry. Instead he simply nudged her shoulder as they stepped onto the descending stairs to the dungeons, "I didn't mind"

Rose examined him over carefully and noticed a few things, he had a large scar going down his left eye and a few on his jaw. She cleared her throat after finishing, "Well you're lucky to be in Slytherin-our stairs don't move like the others"

As they traveled down the long steps, she began to explain more to pass the time. "There's all these moving portrait's that you'll see if you ever go up the moving staircase, theyysorta alive in some way. Some are a bit stuck up though, I enjoyed old portrait at the entrance to Gryffindor tower but she's gone now"

Mattheo looked over as she grasped his arm to pull him from the Bloody Baron zooming by, "The hell was that?"

"Bloody Baron-our house ghost and completely piece of shit" Rose looped their arms excitedly, "After Hogwarts, he fell in love with Helena Ravenclaw-the daughter of the Ravenclaw founder. But the catch is she didn't love him back"

Mattheo sighed heavily at the hyper active girl as they stepped off the steps, landing in a dark and dingy corridor that seemed to never end with deep waters sloshing against the windows lining one side. "I'm guessing you want to tell me the whole story?"

Rose nodded enthusiastically, "Rowena Ravenclaw, the founder, sent Baron to find Helena in Albania. But get this! Helena refused to be with him and so he killed her in a rage!"

Mattheo raised his eyebrows at the unsuspected story, "Really?"

"Yes!" Rose said, suddenly horrified. "Then the Baron stabbed himself with the same knife and died by suicide....I mean I'm all for dark romance and extreme lengths but that is no such thing?! It is only a prime example of the brutality women face from simply saying no to a man!"

Mattheo nodded with a slight shrug, "That is a awful-completely wrong and horrifying"

"I know! And people say we don't need feminism?! Pfttt" Rose rolled her eyes, "What really gets me is the romanticization some students have about it! So many people say they want a possessive love but truthfully women are not something you own and I would never wish to feel that way"

"Speaking from experience?"

Rose laughed dryly, the candles flicking on the walls. "Oh no-never had a boyfriend nor do I want one"

Lies. I want a certain Nott and Malfoy, but I can't exactly trust you with my darkest secret.

Rose switched the topic as the end of the corridor came into view, Salazar Slytherin standing proud inside his portrait. "Want to hear about how Gryffindor's portrait was ruined?"

"Hit me with it"

Rose shot him a grin, "My sperm-donor broke into the castle and ripped her to shreds! A sad day for all! Now they have a narcissistic knight at Gryffindor tower"

Mattheo shook his head at her, "Did you just say sperm-donor?"

"Sure did, he's no father to me. Just simply helped create me"

"I like the way you think"

She chuckled and yanked on his arm to quicken their pace before letting him go as they stood in front of the portrait who stayed silent and stared.

"Pureblood"

The portrait swung open immediately, Mattheo scoffing at the password. "Seriously?"

"Everyone is a loon in this house" Rose rolled her eyes while stepping into the empty common room, "Stupid blood supremacy-makes no sense"

Mattheo didn't say anything, realizing quickly she probably despised the ideology and wouldn't wish to hear his thoughts. They made their way up the boys dormitory, Rose animatedly explaining how and why she roomed with the group of boys he had just met.

As she opened up the dorm door Mattheo had to pause for a second to take the room in, it was large space with each bed and decoration appearing different.

Blaise's bed was the closest to the right side of the door with silky black blankets and a large painting of himself smiling proudly-a gag gift his three friends had went in on in first year for his birthday. He ended up loving it, refusing to take it down.

Theo's was next to his with so many blankets and pillows that it appeared as the most comfortable place on earth, each cover being a form of earthy hues but still radiating a dark look with posters around a record player that was pushed against the window next to where he slept.

Between his bed and Rose's was a conjoined stack of books with records and magazines lazily mixed in, a desk firmly covered in weirdly colored vials against the wall separating them.

Rose's bed on the other hand was simply covered in black silk and much larger than the others, pictures surrounding the head board and too many boots lazily shoved under the bed-peaking out from under. He decided to ignore the metal tray on her trunk, but the awful smell of pot was hard to shrug off.

And then he spotted what he assumed was Draco's beside her own, oddly close by and appearing similar to Rose's but not at the same time. His space had to be the neatest there and what truly stood out was the entirety of the space underneath the mattress holding books neatly stacked-not a square inch free with a oddly looking crystal hung from a chain on the right side of his bed frame.

"He reads a lot, huh?" Mattheo questioned.

Rose shrugged as she peaked by Blaise's bed in search for Nyx, "We all have a crippling addiction except Blaise but he still joins us for book club because we don't like leaving him out of things" She paused and glanced at Mattheo, "Don't tell them I told you that-it'll ruin their images if everyone knew we sit in little circles and chat over the way Anna Karenina's character was misunderstood by readers who wished for a tame woman"

"Anna Karenina?" Mattheo was clueless on the random topic she used for an explain, Rose shrugged him off before muttering curse words at Nyx hiding from her. His gaze fell onto the last bed that appeared messy with the a similar color scheme to Theo's but radiating zero dark hues of sorts. The absurd amount of what he assumed were muggle band posters created a collage with funky looking plants surrounding the bed made him realize just how many had been placed around the room, Whitman's way of 'helping everyone breath better from Rose's smoking habit'.

Rose yelping as Nyx slid out of hiding from under her own bed and playful bit her torn Mattheo from his wandering gaze.

She spoke in parseltounge while bending down the snake, but Mattheo understood every word. "You little cunt!"

"You went missing all day! You deserve it!"

Mattheo couldn't believe his eyes, it was extremely rare for someone not being a decent of Salazar Slytherin to be able to speak parseltounge. But then again, Rose came from two completely different but strong blood lines, the Blacks and Avery's.

She was just one of those rare people who got the gene and luckily so, Nyx was her world-not a pet.

Nyx snapped her jaws at Rose from the girl's palms as the latter took a seat on the edge of her mattress, "Where have you been?!"

Rose covered the snakes head to avoid the subject and waved Mattheo over with a demanding voice, "Come sit with me"

"You're sort of a arse? You know that?"

She smiled as he neared, reaching out and yanking him down. "Oh-I know that Riddle"

Mattheo scoffed with an annoyed smile before Rose uncovered the antsy snake and spoke in parseltounge again, "I have a surprise"

Nyx opened her eyes, looking up at Rose and then Mattheo while curling in a ball. "Your surprise is a pretty boy?"

Mattheo glanced at Rose before they laughed, poor Nyx was likely to have heart palpitations when she realized he understood every word.

Rose nodded at Mattheo, signaling him to speak to Nyx.

"Nice to meet you Nyx, I'm Mattheo"

Nyx's curling in Rose's palms ceased, circling around and shooting her head up at Mattheo. "You understand me"

Rose grabbed onto Mattheo's hand with her free one, jerking slightly at his icy touch colliding with her own as she slid Nyx into his palm.

Nyx moved inches from his space, inspecting his aura and presence-a routine she does to everyone in a five foot radius of Rose.

"He is good in a way, I can sense it"

Mattheo smiled over at Rose, looking back down to Nyx shortly after. "You're a beautiful snake"

"Merlin Mattheo, you're going to make her love you!"

The Black and Riddle spent the next twenty minutes speaking to Nyx until Hermione bursts through the dorm loudly, them both turning to the noise.

"Uh um-Sorry, I didn't know where you went off to Rose and I got worried"

Truthfully, Hermione didn't trust anyone with the last name Riddle and when Rose ran off with him she knew it was necessary to check the situation.

"I wanted Nyx to meet Mattheo" Rose shrugged with a distant voice, "This is Hermione Granger, second brightest witch I know and my favorite kick-arse woman"

Mattheo slightly nodded with a rather monotone voice, "Nice to meet you"

Hermione kept the door slightly ajar as she scanned Mattheo over with a tight-lipped smile, "I see Nyx has found someone else to talk to"

Rose rolled her eyes as she looked down at Nyx happily curling around his arm, "She's such a cunt-liking everyone more than me even when they can't communicate to her"

Hermione laughed while pulling the door fully open again, "I'm going to shower, but out of curiosity who is the first brightest witch you know?"

A knowing smirk spread over Rose's face, "Well myself of course"

"You are insufferable" Hermione giggled, "Sneak out and sleepover with me tonight?"

Rose hummed in agreement and Mattheo waited until the girl left and the door slammed before speaking, "You really think you're the brightest witch of your time?"

Rose shook her head, "No, of course not" He raised his eyebrows in question and she leaned towards him with a whisper, "I know I am"

He smirked wickedly, "Your just full of cheek, aren't you?"

Rose stood up and held out her hand, "You Mattheo Riddle, have no idea"

He smiled and grasped her hand, setting Nyx down on the bed who somehow fell asleep on his arm.

"Let's get you out of here before all the boys come in and riot"

"Riot?"

Rose released his hand and opened the door up with a dramatic gesture to leave, "They are quite protective"

"Seems like it" Mattheo murmured as they stepped on the stairs and Rose pushed him upwards, "That Nott boy, are you with him?"

Rose felt her heart sink, "No-just friends"

Mattheo rolled his eyes, "Friends don't look at friends that way"

"Don't try psychoanalyzing me Riddle-it won't work" Rose taunted as they fell into a synced pace up the steps, "The other boy that was next to me is Whitman Rosier. We live together, moved in when he was thirteen"

"Are you related?"

A random flashback of Whitman's tongue down her throat made her grimace at him assuming just because they lived together meant any family relation, "Gods no! But he is like second or third cousins with Theo and Draco! His family just sucks so he came to live with me" She paused before thinking out loud. "Not like mine is any better for him though"

Rose chuckled but internally died at even slightly being open about her family.

"Ah, who were the other boys? You all seem pretty close"

"Draco is the blonde one, he's insufferable. He was my best friend growing up, now we only deal with each other because our closest friends are the same. Then we have Blaise, he has a good soul and the best personality. He's close as can be with us and we all grew up with him but he wasn't constantly around like the rest so there's a little difference in terms of bonds" Rose pulled his jacket making him avoid a wet spot on the floor as they traveled even further up, "That spot is always wet, just a heads up for the future"

"Being underwater is a odd feeling, but as you were" He gestured her on.

"Well to add on the topic of Theo, him and Whit are definitely my closest friends out of anyone in the whole wide universe. Theo's my personal number one but don't tell Whit-he'll throw a fit over it"

Mattheo pondered over what she was saying, he could tell in the way they all spoke that they'd been in each others life for a long time.

Just as he goes to respond, she yelps loudly. He looks over to find her slung across Theo's shoulder with the three other boys near.

"Hate to interrupt Riddle, but this one has business to handle"

"Theodore Tiberius Nott you put me down this instant!

Theo glanced back at Whitman before responding, "No can do love-it's Queen and Elton night"

Rose groaned loudly, "I forgot and made plans! I have to go cuddle Hermione and smoke cigs out of her ridiculously high window!"

Whitman shook his head as she lifted hers up off Theo's back with a scowl, "Tut tut tut Ro....you know we have cigs waiting for you"

"You both are evil! Evil I tell you!"

"She'll be a lot more cooperative after a smoke" Draco directed to Mattheo, "Come on-I'll take you up to your room"

The two start to walk away with Blaise calling after them, "I'll join! Little Rose is too fiesty for me right now!"

Theo turned on his heels, easily carrying her back down the staircase as students passed with Rose speaking harshly.

"I'll have you know I can walk there myself! I have legs!"

Theo started to whistle, refusing to acknowledge her as they climb down. "What do you think Whit? Queen first?"

Whitman started to whistle with him to cover up Rose scolding them, only nodding in response.

When they are just about to walk into the dorm a group of second year boys pass with stares at the angry girl thrown over Theodore Nott's shoulder-aggressively hitting his back.

Rose lifted her head up as they slid by, "Mind your own fucking business!"

The group of second years took off in a run up the stairs as Whitman and Theo raise their brows at her extremely loud voice.

Whitman pushed open the door, winking at her regardless of her restricted vision from the position Theo had her in-wanting to agitate her further. "You tell em' Ro Ro"

She grumbled in response as they enter the dorm. As soon as Theo set her back on her feet he instantly reached out to keep her from stumbling.

Rose swatted him away, crashing down onto her back in his bed right after. "Do not touch me for the rest of the night!"

Theo shared a unimpressed look with Whitman before leaning against his bed frame with arms crossed, "Oh come on"

Rose scowled at him while kicking off her shoes, not bothering to sit up. "Oh nothing! I want you stay away!"

Theo smirked in a way that made her feel a million things at once, "You don't mean that baby"

Her lips twitched, a dead give way before she smiled fully and covered her face with cold hands-he was going to drive her insane. Theo let out a pleased sound and dropped down ontop of her, inciting a giggle as she attempted to jokingly push him away before giving in.

Whitman watched with a heavy sigh until Rose held her out to him and spoke with a warm look of happiness, "Get in here Whit"

Theo turned his head up to Whitman, "Yeah get in here Whit-maybe we can suffocate her with our bodies"

"Oh no!" Rose said dramatically, "Attack of the six foot men! Someone help!"

Whitman laughed and grasped her hand before letting Rose pull him down with them both, leaning himself up on one elbow while pushing her hair back. "I think you'll be just fine"

Rose's eyes darted between the two staring down at her with matching smirks, "Oh if this is my view-I'll be perfectly fine"