She [Tom Riddle]

twelve

Finally, all the tasks from professor snape were all done. So many tasks, but there was nothing celeste couldn't do.

Tom stayed for a while to have a little conversation with Celeste. He finally closed his notebook. There was another book with a black cover and his full name underneath the notebook he just closed.

"Nice book." She said.

"It's my diary."

Celeste smiled. "You have diary?"

"What? A boy can't have a diary?" He laughed.

"No. It's not that. That's cool, you know. I never thought, someone like you, will have a diary."

"What? Heartless? Yeah. You're not the only one who was surprised. Don't flatter yourself." Tom packed his books then got up from his seat.

Just when he wanted to walk away, Celeste stopped him. "Stop saying that. You're not heartless, at least not to me. I don't care what they say, but to me, you're a great friend."

Tom looked back at Celeste. He sighed then put all his books back at the table. "My mom gave me this, when i was eight. She told me to write all my feelings in this book, to write my life story in this book, so that one day i can read it all again and remember who i am."

Celeste found it a little bit sad. Remember who i am. It was like he could lost himself any second, and people would be okay with that. Because that's just who he was to them. A boy with messed up life.

And this side of Tom, that no one ever discovered before.

The side of Tom where he actually talked about himself, even for just a little bit. Maybe he finally felt like he needed someone to talk to. Maybe he finally let himself be friends with someone. Maybe he finally realized that there was actually someone who cared for him.

"That's interesting. I like it, the fact that your mom gave you that diary, to write dowm all your feelings." Celeste finally said. She was trying to found the right words.

He nodded. "Meet me at the astronomy tower tonight. Don't leave me hanging." Tom said, as he grabbed his books and leave celeste who was still sitting, staring at him. He didn't even gave celeste a chance to say yes or no.

Celeste packed her books. She finally went outside to get a fresh air. She wanted to talk to her two best friend, yet she couldn't find them anywhere. Maybe Cho was busy with Cedric, and Luna may be with Neville.

If that was the case, she didn't want to interrupt. She decided to wander around for a while, at least until a moment before dinner time.

"So, you are his cherry huh?" An unknown dark figure with a long blonde hair approached her. From her robe, Celeste knew instantly that this girl was Slytherin.

"Sorry?"

"You know, you're famous here, Celeste."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Celeste was really confused. She didn't who the girl was.

The girl laughed. She then stared at Celeste from top to toe. "No wonder why they bet for you, you're pretty." The girl scoffed.

Her heart stopped. Bet? Who was she talking about? Celeste has no idea what was this girl talking about. Her mind was a pool of questions.

"Wait what? What bet?"

"Oh you don't know? Us, or to be more spesific the Slytherin boys, they had a bet on who can get you first, and of course, the great Tom Riddle always wins." She said.

She couldn't believe it. The words cut her heart into pieces. After all the time she spend together with Tom. Aftet everything they had been through. She was just a bet to him and his friends.

She felt sick.

Tom suddenly appeared out of nowhere. He grabbed her arms gently.

"Shut it, D. Go away."

The girl left. It was just her and Tom now. "She's Daphne. Don't listen to her. She's mental." He said.

"Is she though?" Her eyes were filled with tears.

"What?"

"Tell me the truth, am i a game to you and your friends?"

"What do you mean? Of course not!" Tom raised his voice. It was like all of the sudden the sweet and caring Tom had long gone.

"Is that the truth?" She finally let the tears streamed down her cheeks.

Tom sighed. He could've manipulate her. But in that moment, his heart ache. He gave up. "She was telling you the truth. But i quit. I didn't play the bet anymore." He finally said.

"Liar." Celeste walked away, yet Tom managed to grabbed her arm.

"Hey, wait, i'm not lying, trust me i-"

"Trust you? After all of this? Never."

She went back crying to her dorm. Her heart ached. She knew after all, being friends with Tom Riddle could never be easy. But she was ready. Hell, she even gave him million of chances to prove himself good. She turned a blind eye everytime he did something unforgiveable. She made up million excuses. She knew he was hard to love, yet she never thought that he would crushed her heart.

By the time Luna and Cho came back from wherever they were, Celeste excused herself to shower. She needed time to calm herself. She didn't want to be questioned now. At dinnertime, Luna and Cho wanted to take Celeste with them, but again, she refused. She told them that she wasn't hungry. They both knew something happened. They didn't want to ask further. Not now at least. They understand that Celeste needed space, so they left her alone.

After her two best friends left for dinner, Celeste went up to the astronomy tower. She needed to think. She wanted answers, and she hated the fact that only Tom could answer her questions. She felt stupid thinking that she might change him into someone better, someone with a heart. But she knew now. She was terribly wrong. Some people not worth saving, and some people couldn't be saved, no matter how hard you tried.

She heard a footstep came closer. She knew it was him. Celeste didn't want company, especially if that company was Tom. "Go away, i want to be alone." She said.

"Well, i was the one who told you to come."

Celeste was furious, she looked straight into his eyes. She decided to leave but Tom got in her way.

"Move." Her voice turned violent.

"No. You're not going anywhere until i tell you everything."

She couldn't stand a sight of him. Yet she couldn't deny that she wanted answers. She needed them. Celeste gave up. She stayed, on one condition, Tom would tell her everything she needed to know and everything she deserved to know about. No more secrets, no more lies, no more betrayals.

Tom agreed, although he knew no forgiveness guaranteed.

But in that moment, he didn't care at all. All he wanted to do was to tell her everything. He wanted to be the one who ease her pain. No matter how crazy that sounded.

~