unhinged ↠ 𝐭𝐨𝐦 𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐥𝐞

three

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I do wonder, sometimes, if I had said something differently, we would be kissing in a different place

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Kitioma Hadlee

          I reach into my pocket for the third time today.

Alas, my wand still hasn't appeared.

I found out that my wand was gone Saturday night, when I was lounging in the common rooms. Instant panic flew through me, and I could only think of one explanation.

Flying lemurs snuck into my room, drank my secret stash of fire whiskey, and stole my wand.

But then Gabby told me I was being unrealistic and idiotic, saying that it was probably that rat Tom Riddle.

That explanation made more sense.

And so, I had to travel back to the Head Boy's dorms to knock on his door to get my wand back.

Lovely.

I trudge up the stairs. This time, I know where I am going, because Gabriela gave me directions and the password. How she got the password, I have no idea, but it is going to be helpful. Hopefully, I won't get lost.

Hopefully.

The stairs seem to go on for miles. How did Tom even carry me up here? He must be strong...like, extremely strong, as I weigh 115 pounds. Well, I am underweight and skinny, but still, 115 pounds is 115 pounds. Any sane person struggles with that kind of weight.

I snicker as a thought pops into my head. Well, being a Head Boy, he must get lots of attention. Maybe, who knows, he might have loads of practice with carrying girls back to his room. Besides, Tom wasn't exactly ugly, just not really my type, being all creepy and calm except for sarcastic.

My legs ache by the time I get to the hallways leading to the Head Boy's dorms. Two gargoyles stand - seemingly stone silent - but their swords cross in front of me when I try to pass.

"Password," One of them growls.

"Dead Ced 2020," I say slowly, hoping I spoke the weird, meaningless words and numbers clearly. The gargoyles peer at me suspiciously before uncrossing their stone weapons. I step through the passageway and peer at the different doors. One says Head Girl. The other, Head Boy.

I'm about to knock on the dorm door when a slamming of another door startles me.

"Who are you?" A voice sounds out from behind me. I turn around to see a girl with dark, curly hair and bright freckles spilling across her face. She comes from the Head Girl dorm, so I can only assume she is the Head Girl.

"Uh, I'm Kiki." My words fumble over one another and she crinkles her eyebrows in confusion.

"What exactly are you...doing?"

"Oh, uh, Tom has something of mine, I came here to it back get," I pause, my face turning red as I realize what I just said. "Get it back. I came to get it back."

She raises an eyebrow and the door behind me opens. My foot slips out from behind me and I stumble backwards, running into a wall.

A soft wall.

"What the- hey, get the hell off me, this is the second time you've done this!"

A talking wall.

Someone shoves me and I stumble forward, ramming my head into something. "Ow," I groan, and laughter sounds out from the girl.

"Oh my- I'm so sorry for laughing, but..." She trails off, bursting into fits of giggles. She offers her hand and I take it, rubbing my head harshly. "Kiki, was it?"

"Yes," I mutter lowly. Her face is red with tears crinkling on the edges.

"Nice, I'm Izzy, head girl. And you've met Tom," She gestures her head to the boy beside me, who is frowning.

"Yes, she has," He says slowly. "Why are you here?"

"You...well, last night, I think I might have left my wand in your room, and-"

"Ooh, what was going on last night, Tom?" Izzy butts in, and Tom nudges her shoulder, smiling slightly.

Wow, so he does smile.

"Nothing, Iz, literally nothing. This girl kissed me, passed out, and I had to bring her back up here or else I would have gotten into trouble with McGonagall or someone."

"Ok," Izzy says slowly, eyeing the two of us suspiciously. "I'll take it, but I'm watching you two." She disappears down the hallway.

As soon as she's gone, Tom's smile vanishes and he turns to me. "Why would you come up here?And how do you remember the password?"

I back up slowly, a bad feeling coming off from his hostility. "I-I, well, I don't remember the password, a friend gave it to me-"

"That doesn't explain how they let you in! They have to recognize you to let you in!"

"Well I did come here last night," I say weakly.

Tom runs his fingers through his hair. "Here," He throws a wooden stick at my head. I catch it quickly and the familiar feeling of smooth, polished wood between my fingers feels comforting in this hostile moment. "You left it on my floor this morning. Along with this," He tosses me a crumpled piece of paper a little less harshly than when he threw my wand.

I open it. It's the note Sam gave me. "How...this doesn't make any sense, I threw this..."

"What about it?" Tom asks, eyeing the note and my eyes back and forth.

"I don't understand, I threw this away, how is it back in my possession? That makes no...how..." I let out a frustrated sigh.

Tom's eyebrows crinkle in confusion. "You threw it away? But it came back?" I nod. "Let me see it."

I make no move to give it to him. "No! You could do something to it, o-or-"

"Give it to me," His voice is low and demanding, sending dangerous chills down my spine. "Now, Hadlee."

I let out a small squeak and throw the paper at his head. He catches it with no reaction. "Why-"

"Shh," He shushes me, his voice softer, a slight smile on his lips. How did he turn from half demon to angel in a split second...? "Hold on, let me look at this real quick. Sorry for being so rude, by the way."

I blink. What now? Did he say sorry? That...ok then, that is...that's- yes. Ok. Um...yes, alright. That works.

"You ok? You look...confused," I realize his eyes are on mine. I nod quickly.

"Um, just tired, that's all."

"Well, I think I figured it out. Look here, your ex boyfriend put a curse on this note. A dark one, at that. I would say watch your back for a couple of weeks."

I am halfway down the hall when a thought wanders into my head.

How did Tom know about the dark curse?

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