Not About Angels (A Tom Riddle Story)

Chapter 89

Tom Riddle ran. He grabbed on to the portkey and it transported him elsewhere, out of Arnold Bernard's hands. 

He was panting, already regretting his decision. 

But he reminded himself that he never surrendered, no matter what. She would be safe, for now. 

In any circumstance, Tom Riddle always had a gameplan. 

Even when the opposition has him by the balls. 

He reminded himself once again of his destiny.  

He had full confidence that he could both save her and escape the Minister's claws unscathed. The man had long been an eyesore, and Tom Riddle felt confident that he can bring down a minister of magic. 

He still felt invincible, having climbed up the ranks so rapidly. 

He was young and cocky, and that single fact sealed his fate... 

"Rosier!" He yelled, summoning the other boy.

"Yes?"

Tom Riddle grabbed his arm, and sees the dark mark that he had etched into the arms of his followers. 

"Call the others." He said, as he pressed his want onto Rosier's wrist. 

I will save you, Abi. No matter how many lives it will cost, I will save you...

..................................... 

At Hogwarts, life resumed, though with an unusual emptiness. 

Through Avery, Sam found out that Abigail was reunited with Tom Riddle, and grew increasingly worried.

Cassie grew suspicious that Gabriel was growing further and further from her, that the potion was no longer effective...

To be honest, she was sickened by the act herself. She no longer wanted this chemically induced affection, but she longed for much more. 

Deep down, she still held the fantasy of gaining his true affection. But as the days went on, it seems that even with the potion, he was still running away from her. 

Sam and Avery met in secret, finding secluded corners of the castle, finding each other at the forbidden forest, in empty little coffeeshops at Hogsmeade. 

They touched, but touching wasn't everything. 

More than anything, Avery just wanted to talk to him...

There was so much on his mind, all the time. For Tom Riddle and his friends, he was witnessing and helping in crimes he didn't even want to describe, and it killed him inside.   

But he couldn't let those words escape out of his mouth. He wanted to share his heart, yet he was so, so afraid.  

"Sam..." He said one night, as they sat by the black lake together, side by side. 

"Yeah?"

"What are we?" He asked, surprised that the question came out of his lips in such a vulnerable way. In the past, he was so used to girls asking him the same question, to which he often responded with a nonchalant "I dunno," or sweet nothings he didn't really mean.  

Sam thought about it for a moment, but couldn't answer the question. 

"Boyfriend" was cliche. Lovers? But in some ways, they were more like friends. Very good friends who knew each other's hearts...

But at night, Sam could envision a future with Avery. He dreamt of a future with the boy next to him, but was at the same time, too timid, too afraid, too shy to say it out loud. He reached for Avery's hand, and fell deeper in thought.

At the same time, he felt tremendously blessed. To be here, right now, with him.  

The butterflies in his stomach never really went away. From the first night in the garden to now, those butterflies fluttered on. Whenever he thought about Avery, the corners of his lips subconsciously curled up. 

"It's dark...I can't even see your eyes." Sam muttered.  

So Avery made fireflies. 

They flew around them, faintly illuminating the dark night, flashing lightly against the dark waters of the black lake. 

Sam sat in absolute awe, reaching out to the little dots of light in front of his eyes. 

"Thank you," he said softly. Thank you for the butterflies. 

Avery gently leaned against his shoulder and closed his eyes. 

"I wish we could stay here..." He said. Pinch me.  

"Have you ever been in love?" Sam asked, holding onto him a little tighter. 

"No. not really," Avery said. "But..."

"But what?" Sam asked eagerly. 

"I want to know what it would feel like, you know, like, to really love somebody." 

"I-I don't really know either...but I can guess."

"What are you guessing?" 

"I think that to love someone means that you would always choose them. Even when they're wrong, you would still choose them. When they make mistakes, you forgive them. I think that's what it is." 

"Would you be willing to forgive me?" Avery suddenly asked. 

"Well--depends on what you did." 

"What if I-I lied to you? And that I'm not the person you thought I was..."

"I'd listen to your explanation...I'm always here to listen, Miles. If anything's bothering you, tell me."

"I don't want you to see me differently."  Avery sighed. 

"And...I don't want to lose you." He added, color rising in his cheeks. 

"I'm listening," Sam said, still holding on to him. "I'm always listening." 

"This summer...I did something really shitty. Like...It was really fucked up. And I watched by and did nothing. Now the damage has been done...and I'm still helping them..."

"Are you talking about Tom Riddle?"

"Yes..."

"He's toxic. I've seen him destroy so many people. Miles, if you knew what was good for you, you would stay away from him."

"But he's like a brother to me, you know...he was there for me when I was down. Whenever my parents would fight, he was there...he's my best friend. I can't just leave. All my friends are in this too..fuck...but I'm not like them. I can't do this anymore...But I have to Sam. I'm already in too deep."

Sam grabbed his hand and held it to his chest. "Whatever it is, I'm here, and I'm here to go through it all with you."

Avery pressed a kiss of Sam's collarbone. There was so much he wanted to say, but the words were trapped in his throat. 

They decided to just enjoy this moment, surrounded by the fireflies.