a/n: my toxic trait is coming back to this story every time i hear the right song. i listened to romantic homicide by d4vd for this one <3
April 26th, 1944
"I'm sorry, Lina."
"I know."
"I never meant to hurt you...I know you don't believe me, but-"
"I know, Sam. It's alright. You...you don't have to apologize anymore."
Lina's face felt numb; her heart hurt as she stared back at the auburn-haired boy standing across from her, who was limply clutching a large wooden box in his arms. His eyes were bloodshot. Dark, purple bruises underlined them, suggesting that he'd lost sleep recently. He stared at Lina, swallowing down the lump in his throat uncomfortably.
"You can keep these, you know. I...I don't need them." Samuel gestured to the box. Sweaters and oversized t-shirts of his that Lina had borrowed over the years were stacked neatly within. They smelled like him - like pine and grass and something that smelled distinctly Sam.
Lina had cleaned her room (with the help of Eden) of any trace of Samuel now, a week after she had discovered him kissing Olive Hornby in the halls.
"Okay." He leaned down and dropped the box at his feet suddenly, wiping away a stray tear that had leaked out from the corner of his eye. To his surprise, his hand went to his pocket and fished out a long and skinny velvet-covered box. She recognized the insignia immediately.
"Sam, no-"
"Please...Lina."
"Mum made this for you...I was going to give it to you for our anniversary, but-"
"I cannot-"
"Don't even think of it as a gift from me. Mum slaved away for weeks at this. You know how she gets. She really wanted you to have it, and she loves you. Please." He took her hand in his and closed Lina's fingers over the velvet, leaving the box in her palm.
Lina stared at it, biting her lip. Her fingers slowly opened the top, and her heart began to ache even worse when her eyes fell upon the beautiful pendant tucked inside.
It was a small bronze chain, almost choker-like but not quite, with a round, amber-colored gem placed neatly in the middle. It shimmered in the light.
Sam's mother, a jeweler from London, occasionally made Lina beautiful pieces of handcrafted jewelry. Her bedside table was littered with rings, necklaces, bracelets, and the like. It wasn't out of the ordinary for Sam to present her with a new piece that his mother had made for her (she adored Lina and she adored making jewelry), but she felt terrible accepting one of her gifts now.
"...It's beautiful, but-"
"Here, I'll help you put it on." Sam gently plucked the open box from her hand, lifting the chain from its resting place. He swiftly moved around her and lifted the necklace over her head, quickly fastening its clasp in the back. The pendant rested against the top of her sternum now, and she looked down at it, chewing on her bottom lip again. Sam moved back into her line of vision, picking up the wooden box that was still sitting near his shoes.
"...Will you promise me one thing?"
"What is it?"
It went quiet for a moment. "Will you stay away from Tom Riddle? I...I don't want you around him."
Lina grimaced. "Why?" She asked blankly.
"He's bad news. You know that. I don't understand how you two met or how you know each other now but...I didn't trust him before and I don't now."
