Tom Riddle ★

The clock read 2:47 am The apartment door opened with a clumsy click, followed by stumbling footsteps and the echo of laughter muffled in the distance.

Tom sat on the sofa in the dimness of the living room, his elbows on his knees and his jaw clenched. He hadn't gone to sleep. He couldn't.

And when Elizabeth walked in, she understood everything.

A short black dress. So short that when she bent down to take off her heels, the fabric rode up dangerously. She wore dark stockings, a jacket barely draped over her shoulders, and her hair was loose, tousled, and perfumed. Her cheeks were flushed, from the alcohol… or from the night.

"Look who's back," Tom said, without needing to raise his voice. But there was something in his tone that cut through the air.

Elizabeth blinked and looked at him, as if she had just noticed that she was not alone. "Tomi..." he stammered with a crooked smile, clearly affected. "Were you awake?"

-Obviously.

[Silence. Only his strained breathing.]

—I went out with the guys. Didn't you text me?

—No. Because I'm not your boyfriend, right?

[The comment was acidic, almost spat out. Elizabeth frowned.]

—Are you upset?

Tom stood up slowly and walked toward her with measured steps. He stopped less than a meter away. He looked her up and down.

—Annoyed? No. I just... love watching you walk off in that dress, without telling me who you're with, drink until you can't stand your heels, and come back smelling like someone else's perfume at three in the morning.

[Elizabeth looked down, biting her lip. Part of her had done it to provoke him. To see if he cared.]

—I didn't do anything wrong, Tom. I just went out to have fun. Since when do you need to know everything?

He took a step closer. His voice lowered.

—I don't need to know everything. But… you don't know how hard it is for me to see you dress like that for other people. To make them laugh. To let them look at you… as if you were free.

"And I'm not?" she whispered, looking up with a mixture of defiance and doubt.

Tom gritted his teeth. {{user}}