how it feels to be alive {tom riddle}

six: alone

ALONE

Around twenty minutes passed before Lucia's phone notified her the delivery driver had arrived, and she got up from the bed to meet them at the entrance to the hotel.

She thanked the woman warmly and took the pizzas from the insulation bag, tipping generously.

When she came back to the room, Tom was sitting at the small table beside the kitchenette of the room, his legs crossed at the ankle, reading through her Defence Against the Dark Arts book again.

He looked up as she placed them on the delicate table, the smell filling the room.

"Let me just get a couple of beers." Lucia said as she moved over to her trunk and pulled out a few bottles.

"Didn't drink enough last night?" Tom commented, raising his eyebrows as she placed the glass bottles on the table.

"Today is a new day, Tom Riddle. Besides, you can't have a pizza night without beers, it's just the rules." She informed comedically, "You've still got so much to learn." She patted his head, and he huffed in annoyance.

He didn't like not being one step ahead of everyone. He always liked to be the smartest person in the room.

She laughed at his expression and used her wand to pop off the top of two of the bottles, sliding one across the table to Tom.

He eyed it suspiciously. In his time, people were more likely to drink fine wines and spirits with fancy foods, not cheap beers over a couple of greasy pizzas. Nonetheless, he took a sip anyway, and it wasn't terrible.

They sat eating the pizza and drinking.

The pizza was... different to what Tom had eaten in the past. However, he could see its appeal.

"So, are you still stuck on all that immortality bullshit?" Lucia raised, taking a bite of her slice.

"You really aren't a fan of it, are you?" He smirked, "And I have been researching."

"I just don't get it, Tom. Think about how good your life would be if you just stopped obsessing over death and enjoyed the life you'd been given. You'd probably live past 150 years old and die a peaceful death surrounded by loved ones. Does that really sound like such a bad life?" She pushed, taking her eyes from her food to look at him.

"Surely your observation skills are good enough to know I have none, nor will I ever have 'loved ones'. I would much rather be eternally invincible." He said shortly.

"God now you're really starting to sound like Lord Voldemort, don't start spilling some world domination shit next." She laughed at her joke, and he joined her.

What a crazy idea.

"I'm just saying, the simple life where I get married, have 3 kids and work in an abysmal Ministry job until I drop dead just isn't something I want." He shrugged.

"But Tom, you don't understand. You don't have to live that life." She urged, "You can spend your days travelling, or partying, or falling in love for only a day before moving on. You think I want to be some housewife who makes dinner and kisses my husband when he gets home from work, only to have soporific sex in the evening and fall asleep by 10pm? As if. Your life is what you make of it."

He sighed.

"Let me show you how good your life could be if you just stopped only trying to extend it into a lifetime of misery." Lucia looked deep into his dark eyes.

"And how would you do that?" He shook his head in doubt.

"Just let me open your eyes to how it feels to be alive, Tom. Truly alive and living in every moment as if it's your last." She put her hand on his knee, and he looked at her rather blankly.