Hide and Seek ● Tom Riddle

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Melanie Benningfield was a typical six-years old girl and there was absolutely nothing extraordinary about her. She was skinny and quite tall for her age. Her front teeth could be a little bit smaller and her light brown hair were almost always braided. She had black glasses on her nose and a lot of scratches on her knees.

Because her parents were divorced and her mother's family was far away - Mrs Benningfield decided to bring her daughter to work. Her principal, Mrs Cole, had allowed that because it was an orphanage after all.

The Wool's Orphanage in London to be specific. Melanie's mother's dream job. She wanted to help and save everyone. Such a shame she wasn't able to save her marriage.

"Children", Mrs Cole started, "This is Mrs Benningfield. She's going to be your new patroness"

"Hello", Mrs Benningfield smiled warmly at them.

"And this is Mrs Benningfield's daughter. Melanie, honey, show yourself", Mrs Cole encouraged the little girl to take a step ahead.

Melanie blushed and smiled at all the children. She noticed that they were all in awe to see a new friend to play with. All except of one. A strange boy with black hair and blant expression. He was standing as far away as possible from the other children.

Perhaps there was something from her mother in her, because she always pitied the lonely and the rejected. Perhaps it was because she was one of them.

"Melanie will be coming here with her mother for few months until the school starts so I hope you're all going to be nice to her and behave yourselves", Mrs Cole added, "Regina, can we speak in private? We need to discuss few things before you start working", she turned around to Mrs Benningfield.

"Of course", Mrs Benningfield nodded her head, "Melanie, dear, go play with your new friends. I'm going to be back soon"

"Alright, mom", Melanie looked down shyly and watched the adults leave the room.

The excited children surrounded her. They were asking a lot of questions.

"How old are you?"

"Do you have any siblings?"

"Why will you be coming here with your mom?"

"Do you really need these glasses?"

Melanie felt a little bit overwhelmed by the attention she was getting. She noticed with the corner of her eye that the strange boy left the room and went upstairs.

"Who is he?", she asked the girl standing nearby.

"Oh, that's Tom", she giggled, "Just ignore him"

"Yeah, he's weird", some boy added, "Don't play with him"

Melanie didn't like the tone of his voice. She ignored all the children and followed the boy upstairs. Her new friends seemed to be quite disappointed.

She walked the corridor and peaked into the every room until she found him. He was sitting on his bed and examining the wall in front of him. She fixed the glasses on her nose and knocked to the door although they were open anyway. He slowly turned around and made a surprised face to see her.

"H-hi", she started, "You're Tom, right?"

"They've told you already?", he asked sadly.

"Told me what?", Melanie leaned on the wall.

"That I'm a weirdo. A freak"

"You are?", she asked in a playful tone and he looked down, "It's okay!", she quickly added, "I like the weirdos! I think I am a little bit of a weirdo myself", she chuckled.

"Really?", Tom looked up with hope in his eyes.

"Mhm", she approached him and extended her hand towards him, "Melanie Benningfield. I am six"

"Tom Riddle. I will be six on December 31th", he shook her hand, "You can sit next to me if you want to"

"Thank you, Tom!", she sat on his bed, "So you were born on the New Year's Eve? You're special then!"

"Is that what you think?"

"Mhm"

"We've told you not to play with him!", they heard from the corridor.

When Melanie stood up to see better who had said that, all the children ran away laughing. Tom blushed and looked down again.

"If you want to be liked, you better don't spend time with me", Tom murmured.

"I don't want to be liked by them", she stated and turned around to face him. She gave him a gentle smile, "They would stop liking me very soon anyway. I don't have many friends"

"That makes two of us", Tom sighed and then thought of testing his new friend, "Want to see something?"

"What?", she asked curiously.

"I can do extraordinary things. Look", he pointed at the chair and it started to burn.

"Woah!", Melanie screamed out of fear and excitement.

Tom smirked and the chair went back to normal.

"How can you do that?!", she asked making wide eyes.

"I don't know. I just can", he shrugged his arms, "That's why they don't like me"

"But that's great!", she admitted, "I wish I could do such things..."

"I can do much more", he told her, "I can show you if you want to, but you have to promise me that you won't tell anyone about my... abilities"

"Of course! Cross my heart!", she nodded her head.

"Melanie", Mrs Benningfield walked into Tom's room with a smile on her face.

"Mom!", her daughter turned around to greet her.

"I'm happy to see that you've already found yourself a friend", Mrs Benningfield stated, "But there are also other children down there who would like to know you better"

Tom looked down again and started to play with his fingers nervously. He didn't want Melanie to go. He liked her.

"I prefer Tom, mom. He's the best", the girl told her mother and Tom couldn't believe his ears. He smiled to himself.

"Alright then", Mrs Benningfield sighed, "The supper will be ready soon, make sure to wash your hands before coming to the dining room, children", she told them and left.

"You really meant that?", Tom asked shyly.

"Yes, I did", Melanie giggled, "Show me once again!", she pleaded.