𝓼𝓬𝓻𝓲𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓭 | mattheo riddle

9 | an important rule

I hold the door open for him and he strolls right in, and I notice him looking around as a small smile forms on his face.

"What?"

"Nothing." He shrugs. "Listen." He sighs and turns towards me, sounding very serious now. "I know you're pissed at me."

"You think?" I scoff, even though I'm quite shocked he's noticed.

"If I could go back in time and take back what I said to you I would." He says very quickly all in one breath, as if it's the most difficult thing to say.

"Finding it hard to apologise Riddle?" I laugh, sitting back down on my fluffy rug as I continue to sort through my jewellery.

"Yes, actually." I sense him walking towards me, towering over me as he observes what I'm doing. "I shouldn't have said it."

"Mhm you shouldn't have. Apology accepted I guess." I sigh.

"You guess?" He asks confused and crouches down beside me on the fluffy rug.

"I'm shocked you even came here to attempt to apologise, I didn't know you even knew I was bothered."

"I'm not a demon Camila." He says lowly, and I feel the vibration of his voice against my ear, as well as his warm breath sending a shiver straight through me.

"Are you sure about that one?" I laugh.

He doesn't respond, and instead picks out a necklace from my jewellery and inspects it. I look back at him and noticed he's picked up my gold chain with a small emerald pendant.

He opens the clasp and I'm confused as to what he's about to do, but realise when he pushes my hair to one side, his fingers grazing across the back of my neck.

He brings the necklace around my neck and closes it.

"I like this one." He says and I look back at him and he looks down at it resting on my neck. "It suits you."

"Thank you. It's one of my favourites."

"My gift to you, as your boyfriend." He smirks and I roll my eyes.

"Trust you to gift me one of my own possessions." I laugh.

"Mhm. Appreciate the effort Dobrev." He stands up and takes it upon himself to lay down on my bed, his hands resting at the back of his head as he crosses one foot over the other.

"About the whole fake dating thing." I sigh, standing up and sitting on the bed beside him. "We need rules."

"What do you mean rules?" He asks with a confused expression on his face.

"You know, we're not a real couple, I don't actually like you so..."

"Ouch."

"Well do you like me?" I ask him.

"Yes?" He says as if it's the most obvious thing.

"Haha good joke Riddle. Don't lie now."

"Yeah I lied." He says a bit quieter. "But what do you mean rules?"

"Like there's certain things I don't want us to do." I tell him.

"Like what?"

"I don't want you to kiss me."

"You what!?"

"Or touch me."

He looks absolutely shell shocked at my words that he sits up and looks me dead in the eyes.

"You can't be serious Dobrev. You do get that I have to kiss you and touch you for it to be believable? That's what people in a relationship do. We might as well just tell people we hate each other if you don't want to do that."

"Okay, okay. Fine. I understand your point." I say to him calmly.

"Thank you." He sighs in relief.

"But, there has to be limits. Like I don't want to be making out in public, or being all touchy feely, you get me?"

"Well, I am a touch feely person and no one will take us seriously if I don't. You get me?"

"But like we really don't have to, you could just kiss me on the cheek or if we really have too..." I let out a breath. "A peck on the lips. After that is where I draw the line."

"Oh my goodness." He rubs his face. "Fine fine. I won't do anything you don't want to do. I'm respectful like that."

"Thank you." I smile.

"Well I'd also like to add a rule." He tells me.

"Sure."

"You have to attend all the Slytherin parties with me, and go on dates with me." He says proudly, with a grin on his face.

"No way am I doing that. I'm not attending every single party neither am I going on a date with you. Okay maybe just one, but no more than that." I say to him and he throws a pillow at me. "Hey!"

"My bad, just had to check if you we're real or not, because you're making no sense right now."

"Fine." I throw the pillow back at him. "I'll attend most parties, and go on two dates with you. Deal?"

"Deal." He says.

"Thank you." I say. "But I have one last important rule. We can't tell anyone it's fake."

"Of course not." He agrees. "Otherwise what would be the point?"

"Exactly. Finally something we can agree on."

"Right, I'll see you tomorrow then for our first date."

"Oh god, I'm dreading it."

"It's bad to lie Camila."

He stands up from the bed and stretches, and my eyes can't help but wander as his arm muscles flex and his black compression shirt lifts up slightly, giving a sneak peak of underneath. He notices me looking and chuckles, before heading towards the door. I stand up and follow him.

"I got one more rule for you Dobrev." He says as he opens the door to leave.

"What's that?"

"Try not to fall in love with me."

Before I can answer, he shuts the door and leaves, leaving me stood there baffled. Fall in love with him? Is he crazy?