butterfly effect, tom riddle

13. | past

I downed the punch in one go, feeling like I could kick something. I took deep breaths and closed my eyes, trying to think normally.

What was I to do now? Clearly Tom didn't value friends, so me joining his circle wouldn't make him feel any closer to me-my mission was getting so overwhelmingly difficult. I hadn't considered the obvious fact that Tom was an emotionless sociopath-even though I should have. Changing his mind, steering him away from the dark arts-it would all be so hard, and I just realized.

Just then, my mother's face swam in the dark pools of my imagination-her curly light blonde hair, unimaginably long, the pale freckles scattered across her straight nose, her blue-grey eyes that were the exact copy of mine.

It would be hard, but I had to do it.

"Er-um, Vi...Vivi-Vivienne?" an all-too familiar voice muttered, causing me to open my eyes. I glanced up to see Abraxas Malfoy staring down at me sheepishly, one of Tom's other friends standing behind him.

"It's Viviette, jackass," I snapped, a surge of bitter satisfaction spreading through my veins at the flabbergasted expressions on the two boys' faces.

"That's-that is no way for a proper lady to speak!" Abraxas exclaimed, looking highly affronted.

"Yeah?" I glared up at him, so utterly exhausted and enraged by everything that I truly did not care what anyone thought of me. "Well, I don't give two shits about how a proper lady should speak. A proper gentleman should be treating his date politely, and remembering people's names!"

Abraxas' pearly complexion started turning an unpleasant shade of beetroot red, and he opened his mouth, likely to spew a bunch of insults at me, when the boy behind him stepped forwards and cleared his throat uncomfortably.

"We just wanted to let you know that Tom isn't feeling too well, and went up to his dormitory," he declared, eyeing Abraxas with an uneasy expression.

"Couldn't Tom have come and told me that himself?" I sneered, standing up wrathfully. The boy opened his mouth to speak, but I turned to Abraxas. "Where's Ethelle? I need to find her and Norma."

"We're right here."

I revolved in place to see Ethelle, her face contorted into a worried frown as she took notice of my incandescent expression and Abraxas's deep scarlet face. Next to her was the sandy-haired boy who I'd recommended to her, observing the scene impassively. Behind them, were Norma-her eyes flickering between Abraxas and I curiously-and the dark-haired boy I saw her with, presumably Elliot.

"What's wrong?" Ethelle asked, before narrowing her eyes at Abraxas. "You're not giving her trouble because I dumped you, are you, Abraxas?"

"You-you dumped him?" I asked, my rage evaporating momentarily. "Wow-oh, good for you, Eth!"

"Ethelle told me all about how you insulted Abraxas," Norma piped up, smirking proudly at me. "Good job, Vi."

"You-ugh! I'm leaving!" Abraxas shouted, sending me one final glower before stomping away, his friend following after him awkwardly.

I rolled my eyes at him before turning to my friends, who still looked slightly concerned.

"What's up?" Ethelle questioned. "And where's Tom?"

"Apparently, Tom isn't 'feeling too well'," I said through gritted teeth. "Dear Abraxas here came to tell me that, but he called me Vivienne instead of Viviette, so I called him a jackass, so-"

"You did what?" Ethelle gasped, while Norma laughed openly.

"I called him a jackass," I repeated proudly. "And then he said that I wasn't acting like a proper lady, so I told him that I don't give two shits what a normal lady acts like, and-"

"Okay, enough of the vulgarity," Ethelle cut in, shaking her head disapprovingly at me. "Woah, Vivi-didn't know you had it in you."

"Good job," Norma stated with a large smirk. "That git Abraxas had it coming."

I grinned, my spirits lifting and my fury dissolving within a matter of seconds.

I spent the remainder of the night in the company of my friends, chatting and laughing and almost forgetting my worries-almost. One nagging question tugged at the back of my head:

How can I change Tom Riddle?

A/N: Hey guys! Firstly, I'd like to thank you all for 200+ reads!!! Ahh!!!! I'm so happy. <3 I also would like to thank all of the people who added this story to their reading lists, every notification I get from the readers of this story makes me so happy!!! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and please let me know your thoughts in the comments :)