Poison Ivy | T. Riddle ✔

[19] Side Effects

Demelza peeled open her eyes as sunlight had washed over the entire room, announcing the arrival of morning. She turned over and was relieved to find the bed empty beside her even though she had expected to see Tom. The window was open and the curtains swayed in the breeze, indicating that he had left sometime earlier.

She tried to sit up but she was rather sore from all that had happened last night. So she rested her head back, allowing her muscles to relax and then when she felt a bit at ease, she sat up.

Noticing the time, she disentangled herself from the blanket, shakily standing up and made her way towards the bathroom. Pushing the door open, she stepped inside and as she advanced further in she saw that the tub was filled with clean hot water and a dry towel was laid out for her.

She stopped in front of the mirror, brown eyes wide open as she observed her reflection. Her hair were teased into messy ringlets, pale white skin imprinted with lovebites all over, the most prominent of which were displayed on her shoulder and collarbone as a similar pattern followed up to her jawline as well. 

Tearing her eyes away from the mirror, she tentatively placed her foot inside the tub in order to check the water's temperature. Deciding that it was just right, she cautiously lowered herself into the bathtub, letting her body relax in the soothing hot water.

After a considerably long time she finally stepped out of the bathtub, drying herself off with the towel. She chose a dress that covered almost all her skin for she couldn't afford to leave any part of her uncovered, scared lest anyone found out about all that had passed in her room last night.

His scent still hung around her, faded minty cologne mixed with a very faint hint of liquor, drenched completely in her bed sheets. The bitter taste of alcohol and smoke still lingered in her mouth as she dropped back among the blankets, burying herself much deeper in the sheets. She couldn't let anyone see her like that, with such a prominent display of lovebites etched on her skin.

And as her hands clutched at the white sheets, wrapping the fabric closer around her, she couldn't help but replay last night's events over and over in her mind until she could think of nothing else. Just Tom Riddle clouding her senses akin to an intoxicating drug.

Her thoughts had become hazy and she squeezed her eyes shut, trying to force out the dreadful fear that had started to settle at the pit of her stomach again. Each gentle caress, each heated kiss and every word that he had spoken to her hit her back like a storm hitting the already weakened masts of a wrecked ship.

I won't contradict you because this is wrong.

His voice echoed around her, guilt hitting her hard like a whip, and she could almost feel his presence close to her. But deep down she was aware that it was her mind playing tricks on her for why would Riddle come back and at such an hour too?

He wasn't there but his uncanny presence lingered, settling around her akin to the scent that engulfed her. She knew that whatever had passed among the two last might, could never happen again and it would be best if it didn't either.

Because just like she had said, it was wrong. She didn't want to deceive her parent's trust in her, and more specifically she didn't want to go against Perce's warning but with his lips tainting her skin and his hands holding her close she had somehow succumbed to him.

Just like a prey succumbs to the predator at last, tired of being chased and running so fast on its weak legs.

She too had succumbed to Tom Riddle, despite all the words of warning that had echoed in her brain.

And as she lay there with her eyes shut tight, she couldn't drive out the accusations raging in her head, multiple voices blaming her for committing such a sin. The foremost of which was her cousin's imploring tone, beseeching him to stay away from Riddle.