Tom Riddle - Downfall

Chapter 6: Herbology

Later, before herbology, Kim and I were talking alone. She wants to talk about Tom and why he sat beside me at the breakfast.
"Did you notice that he sat next to you at breakfast this morning?" she asks.
I nod, and she seems curious about whether or not I think his apology was genuine. She has seen how Tom's behavior changes so suddenly, and it's often hard to predict what he'll do next. Kim's curiosity about Tom has only grown since his apology this morning, and she seems eager to discuss him with me in private.
"Of course I noticed," I roll my eyes. "What about it?"
Kim seems to take my response as the opening she was waiting for. She leans close, and as I already know, she loves gossiping. It's clear that she has something very specific on her mind when it comes to Tom and his apologetic demeanor.
"But did you actually accept his apology? Or did you just let him sit there next to you and then continue eating like nothing happened?"
"Yes, I accepted it. You know, I can't be mad for long." I smile at her."I don't know what to think about him, to be honest. On one hand, you can't deny that he is looking really hot and he has that dominant,attracting look. But also his behavior is ... changing constantly. "
Kim laughs, loving the fact that I seem to have the exact same opinion of Tom that she does. His unpredictable behavior adds to his appeal of being a "bad guy," and it makes him more exciting than the other boys in our class.
"Of course he's hot, Lucia. I mean, look at him..."
She gestures at Tom's lean frame and tall figure.
"And if you've noticed, he seems to be looking your way a lot lately... Do you think maybe he likes you?"
"No, I don't think so. I mean, he has just not a lot of friends. Did you ever see him with a girl?" I shake my head in disbelief
"Also, I'm not interested in something like this."
Kim considers my words for a moment, and then she smiles. She's right. Even though I don't seem interested in Tom, I've never seen him talking to any other girls. And if he really did send me flowers and then apologize to me, he must like me a bit maybe.
"Hmm... But isn't it a little strange that he sent you flowers and then apologized to you? And now he's sitting next to you and staring at you all the time? If you were him, what would you think of that...?"
"Stop it, Kim. It's not like that. " I roll my eyes again and smile at her. "Let's talk about you and Markus. Excited for the party tonight?"
Kim raises an eyebrow and laughs, but she accepts my change of subject and doesn't push the topic of Tom any further.
"Yes, I'm excited for the party tonight!" she says, nodding enthusiastically. "Markus is too... He's been asking me questions about what to wear and stuff. Can you believe it? He wants to make sure he looks perfect for the party..."

She giggles, and I notice that she seems to be glowing with happiness. She's definitely excited about the party tonight.
"Perfect for you." I smile at her."I'm so happy for you, "
Kim's face lights up at my comment, and she beams with excitement. She's really been waiting a long time for Markus to finally take things to the next level, and now it's finally happening.
"Thank you, Lucia. You're always so supportive... He's just... I mean, I love that he's finally asking for my input on how he should look. That's huge... and now it feels like we're..."
She pauses nervously and then continues in a whisper.
"...it's like our romance is going up another level, ya know...?"
"I know what you mean. And it's definitely "

The class ends and we leave in a good mood. We go to our dorm talking about what to wear for the party. We both share an excited and happy mood as I discuss the upcoming party. I'm looking forward to tonight, and Kim seems to be in a great mood as well.
I continue to talk about outfits and my plans for the party, and the hours pass in a flash.
I wear a short dress with some black leggings underneath and some boots. It's just like a little bit naughty but also rocky outfit. I step out and show it to Kim. "What you thinking?"
Kim's eyes sparkle at the sight of my outfit, and she immediately gives her approval.
"It's perfect! The black is so sexy, and it looks great with the black boots. You look amazing, Lucia."
She looks me over from head to toe, admiring every detail of my outfit. She's right, I do look great. My ensemble is edgy but also stylish, and it perfectly reflects my personality. I feel confident and comfortable in my outfit, and I'm ready to face the party tonight!

Kim is meeting Markus before the party in his dorm. So when it's finally time to go to the party I go alone. I'm also already a bit late. The party had already started and I walked through the dark, empty corridor. I have a bad feeling in my gut. So I hurry up a bit. Suddenly, there was a dark figure standing leaned against the wall looking to me. I am startled and wince. "Tom..It's you," I say while breathing heavily.