Always You [Tom Riddle]

five

Juliette told her friends everything. From the moment they left Hogwarts, to the moment the said each others good night. Pansy was speechles. Blaise was smirking, again. And Draco was smiling like an idiot. Juliette was blushing throughout the story time. She couldn't lie. She was happy too. It was her first time of everything. But certainly not the kiss. But she was also confused and worried. What would she do now?

"I told you it would be nice." Blaise said.

After that, they all went back to their own bedrooms except for Pansy. She wanted to sleep with Juliette tonight. Pansy was tired so she told Juliette that she would be sleeping earlier. Juliette wanted to sleep but she couldn't. Her mind was elsewhere. Her mind was still underneath the big tree.

Maybe she could learn to fall in love with him. But the thought of it makes her uncomfortable. Wasn't it cruel? That you need to learn to fall in love with someone. Then, that means you never really love that someone. You forced yourself to. It felt evil. And she hated it.

On the other hand, it also felt wrong to tell him the truth. It felt like she ruined everything for him.

She knew how to deal with this. Sleep. She decided to join Pansy and sleep beside her. Like Higgs said, she could think of this later. She would deal with this tomorrow.

The morning came. Her body felt heavy. And again, she felt cold. Minutes later, she realized that Pansy's arms and legs were on top of her. She groaned and call for Pansy. But she didn't wake up. Juliette finally pushed Pansy. She groaned when Juliette pushed her. The cold really crept into her skin. Even the blanket couldn't do anything. Pansy always knew whenever Juliette was freezing, so she hold her bestfriend close to her, and they continue their sleep with her holding Juliette.

When Juliette was awake again from her sleep, it was already past lunchtime. She looked for Pansy and found her still tucked under the blanket, eyes closed.

Suddenly, she heard a knock coming from the door. She gathered all her energy to get up from her bed and walked to the door. When Juliette opened the door she found Blaise with a tray of foods on his hands.

"Holy hell, i thought you two were dead." He said.

Juliette laughed low. "You wished. We're just tired."

Blaise handed the tray, "here, Draco and i saved you and Pansy lunch. And Higgs was looking for you."

Right. Juliette enjoyed sleep a little too much that she forgot about Higgs. She needed to sort out what she must do. The thought of him made Juliette tired and worry.

She grabbed the tray from Blaise's hands and say thank you. She woke Pansy and tell her to eat. They had been sleeping for hours with an empty stomach. After finished with lunch, Juliette went outside and look for Higgs. She had no idea why did he was looking for her but she needed to come and see him.

It didn't take long for Juliette to find him. He was already in the common room waiting for her. He smiled when he sees Juliette. She did the same.

"Hey, Blaise said you were looking for me?" Juliette started the conversation now.

"Yes. I was looking for you. I thought you avoided me because of yesterday. I was so scared." He laughed nervously.

Now, Juliette felt really bad. She needed to figure out the way out immediately.

"No. Of course not. Yesterday was a good day. I was just tired and cold, so i slept for hours."

They talked for a while then Juliette excused herself. Again, he leaned closer to place a kiss on her forehead.

She went to the astronomy tower alone. The sun was still shining so it was perfect for her to make her body warm. Nobody came up to the astronomy tower at noon. They always came up at dark, where the moon shines and the stars decorated the night sky.

She sat alone in the middle of the tower. Feeling the warmth of the sun against her bare skin. Juliette knew that she needs to find a solution to her problems fast. She needed to tell Higgs the truth without hurting him, even if it was seems impossible.

"Juliette?"

She knew who it was before she even turned her head.

"Tom?"

He walked closer and finally join her.

"I saw you with Terence yesterday. Congratulations."

Juliette raised an eyebrow. "Congratulations?"

He nodded. "I assumed you're his girlfriend now?"

Juliette chuckled. "No. No i'm not. It's complicated. You wouldn't understand."

"Try me."

Juliette sighed. She hated sharing her feelings with someone who isn't close with her. It made her look weak and vulnerable. Yet she risked it all for him. She didn't think twice and open her mouth at last.

"I think asking him out gave the wrong impression. I knew he was nice. But i didn't like him that way. Last night, he told me that he liked me. And he kissed me. I wanted to tell him the truth so that i won't hurt him but i don't have the heart to broke him when he's so happy at the moment."

Tom fell silent, so did Juliette. Tom struggled to come up with the right words to say.

"I think you should try to give him and your heart a chance." He finally said.

It wasn't much. Anybody could easily said that. But never in a million years Juliette thought that she would have it from the famous Tom Riddle who didn't do dates. He looked serious when he said that.

Maybe he was right. Maybe Juliette should gave Higgs a chance and also her heart a chance of love. Maybe if she tried hard enough, she would easily fall in love with him in the end. But the thought of loving someone terrified her. She didn't know anything about love. Maybe she would get hurt. But who knows if she would be happy? Maybe he wasn't the one. But who knows if she would end up marry him?

Tom was right. She should gave her heart a chance.

Even though the thought of love and falling in love terrified her, she wanted to fall in love, to be in love, and to be loved by someone. She wanted to open her heart and gave it to someone.

So many what if's filled her mind. But then, what if she made the right choice loving Higgs?

♡