The Serpent's Eye (A Tom Riddle fanfic)

Chapter Twenty-One: Causal Confessions

"Greatness inspires envy, envy inspires spite, spite spawns lies." -Voldemort

The both of them barely left the Hall before Azalea started speaking, surprising calm. "What was the purpose of this?" Riddle's face had a deceitfully charming smile. "I'm sorry Ms. Rosefield, you're going to have to add some details if you want me to know what you're talking about."
"The rumour about me, you and Malfoy!" Riddle nodded his head as if he only just began to know what she was talking about. "Yes, I heard about that. Quite unfortunate for us to be subjected to such nasty rumours, isn't it?" His face seemed to suggest the opposite. "Look Riddle, I'm not stupid. I know it was someone from your group. If not you yourself."
"No, you're not."
Azalea furrowed my brow in confusion at his response. "What?"

He looked at Azalea in genuine consideration before he said: "You're not stupid, are you?" He phrased it more like a statement than an actual question. "In fact, I rather enjoy our classroom rivalry. You're the only person in this school that can some-what challenge me on an academic standard." Azalea's face contorted into a look of annoyance. "The whole school thinks I kissed you when I was with Malfoy. I don't know where they got either of those ludicrous accusations, but I have a feeling you and your group instigated this whole mess!"
The smile Riddle wore continued to be charming, yet Azalea knew there were cruel intentions laying behind it. "Now, why would I benefit from spreading this rumour, Ms. Rosefield?"

She found herself desperately wanting to retort back, though she couldn't find the right words at moment. "I see this conversation is done," he said after a moment of silence. He walked away from her, in favour of heading back to the Great Hall before he turned around. "I mean what I said about you being a talented witch, Ms. Rosefield. I find it a shame we got off on the wrong foot and I hope it's possible to ... start fresh. See you in class." He resumed his way back to the hall and Azalea stood there, dumbstruck. In his own little way, she imagined that he just complimented her.

Rubbing her temple with her index fingers, she decided not to go back into the hall. It would be way too awkward to look at Riddle again for the rest of the night. Instead, she went to bed, but not before she did something she liked to do all the time in stressful situations. Azalea took out her red-leather diary and started writing her stressful situation away.

Dear Diary,
It seems like Riddle is warming up to me a bit, and I don't think it's a hoax. I mean, everything he said tonight appeared to be true. It's obviously for a different reason than me, but I think he wants to know just as much about me as I want to know about him. Why else would he start such a rumour. It could be to isolate me from the rest of the students here to make sure I have no one else to confide in except him. Too bad for his theoretical plan that I have Ocean and perhaps Malfoy. Though I'm not too sure if I can use him anymore, Riddle may have him on too tight of a string for me to cut. Anyways, I have to think of a way to get close to him quicker or else the Wizarding World gets to go through another one of his reigns.
-Azalea L. Potter