After All These Years

Chapter 69

I pause, even I don't know how to answer that question.

"Why shouldn't I?"

-He answers, his voice neither quiet nor loud.

I look up at him to see his eyes, I need to see his facial expression, try to read him.

Though my jaw is tightly clenched, I'm not mad, or at least I don't think I am.

He doesn't seem to have any emotion in his face.

He just looks tired.

His eyes are heavily bagged, though it seems to be hidden so well, it's only notable if you're close enough.

I don't answer his question.

I can't come up with an answer.

"(Y/N).."

-He says with a quiet sigh, his voice soft and low.

His hand slowly and hesitantly reaches up for my arm.

His touch is soft, gentle as his warm fingers hold my arm.

I miss this.

I miss him.

"Tom.."

-I answer back in the same soft tone, unsure of what he's going to say next.

Now unsure of where to look, I let my eyes fall to his shirt.

It's a black uniform shirt and though it's hard to see it in the dark, I make out a tie clip laying neatly on his tie.

It has his initials engraved in it.

My tie clip.

His Christmas gift.

He still wears it.

I stare at it with a range of different emotions.

I stare at it for far too long.

My hand reaches up to touch it, to make sure I'm seeing this right.

I am.

The smooth cool metal feels familiar as my fingers run over the small detailed initials.

It's not long before I realize it looks as though I'm practically helping myself to his chest.

I quickly stop, my hand curling to a fist, though I keep it where it is.

"(Y/N).."

-He says again.

"Why him?"

I take a deep breath in, now wanting to get away from this conversation.

"You're drunk, Tom."

-I answer back, my voice now louder and blunt.

Uncurling my hand, I straighten it out as I push him with it.

"I'm not."

-He answers, his voice as blunt as mine.

"You are."

-I say, beginning to walk back to the school.

Truth be told, I'm not entirely sure it's true, he could be telling the truth when saying he's not drunk, but I believe he is.

He doesn't follow me inside, but as I get back to my dorm and look out my window, he isn't there.

*TOM RIDDLE POV*

She goes to her dorm.

She leaves me standing in the dark cold, alone with my thoughts, all my oncoming emotions.

Clenching my jaw tightly, I take a short breath before moving.

Putting little thought into where I'm going-

-I make my way back to the school, into Bellatrix's room.

{Lol}

{How are you guys feeling}

{Imagine if I just end the story like this}

{That would be funny}

{Here's a question, What is a strongly disliked pet peeve of yours?}

{I'm a very picky person in general so a lot of things tend to "piss me off", it could be as little as lacking manners or maybe eating or drinking "too" loudly. But I know a big thing for me is common sense}

{How do you start a conversation with a child that's just staring at you while you work}

{I kid you not the other day when I was working at some house with my father, this 5 year old kid was just staring at me for a good hour every now and then and the only thing I thought of at the time was playing rock paper scissors (That lasted two minutes). I would have shown him this magic card trick I know but I didn't have my cards with me}

{I'm not tired}

{I just wanna be with the quiet guys at the bookstore}