Rose & The Riddle || Tom Riddle Story

Chapter Eight - Red Eyes

Tom hadn't spoken to Rose much since the party and their almost kiss and that was more than a week ago. She wondered if she had done something or said something wrong. Before the party Tom hunted her down at every moment and now it was as if they were mere strangers. She threw herself into her schoolwork, trying to ignore the glares she was getting from other Slytherin girls whenever they passed her in the hallway. However, as much as she tried to forget the feeling of his body pressed up against hers, she couldn't.

Rose had been so confused by Tom and stressed out from school that she had forgotten it was her sixteenth birthday. She didn't feel much like celebrating, as she was too tired.

That night, Rose found herself in the library to get away from the commotion in the common room. Not to mention, she didn't feel comfortable anywhere near Druella. She wasn't sure where the animosity suddenly came from, but she had been a real bitch to Rose lately. She assumed it had something to do with Tom.

Rose looked up from her Divination textbook when she saw her brother walk in with a group of his first year friends. He made eye contact with her, but then quickly looked away and ushered his friends in the opposite direction. Her heart sank into her stomach as she returned to her book.

"There you are," said a familiar voice. Rose looked up and Mary and Isabel were traipsing over to her table with the textbooks. "We have been looking everywhere for you. We thought you said you were going back to the common room."

"It was too noisy in there," said Rose as they took their seats across from her. Mary sighed and stared at Rose.

"What?" Rose asked.

"Are you okay? You shouldn't be holed up here alone on your birthday!"

"I'm fine," denied Rose as she stuck her nose back in her book.

"Cut the shit, Rose," snapped Isabel. Rose looked up and raised her eyebrow at the sudden hostility. "We're your best friends and you've been distant or avoiding us for the past week."

"I haven't been avoiding you," denied Rose. "I've just been busy."

"No one in our year is this busy," said Mary.

"Agreed. I'm a Prefect and I'm not as busy as you claim to be," said Isabel.

Rose didn't answer; she just looked back at her book.

"What happened at Slughorn's party?" asked Mary. "You've hardly talked about it since it happened, and even then you've only given one word answers. Did something happen with Tom?"

Rose sighed and snapped her book shut and stared at her two best friends.

"Nothing happened with Tom," she said. "That's just it."

"What do you mean?" asked Isabel.

"I dunno if it was something I said, or if I did something that offended him, but he hasn't spoken to me since. Other than a casual greeting, it's been nothing."

"Did you kiss him the night of the party?" asked Mary.

Rose remembered the feeling of Tom's cool breath on her lips. Her lip quivered slightly at the memory.

"No," she answered.

"Maybe he was just nervous," defended Isabel.

Rose laughed and shook her head. "He was definitely not nervous about anything."

"Well, forget him then," said Mary. "If Tom Riddle doesn't want to go steady with you then that's his own fault. Anyone would be lucky to have you, Rose."

"I also have no idea why Druella is being particularly nasty to me as of late," said Rose. "Is she mad because Tom asked me to the party and not her?"