His (A Tom Riddle Love Story)

Chapter 11

This time I did scream.

I bolted from the bed and out of the room as fast as I could. I could feel my brain buzzing as I dashed across the hall and down the stairs. One of the doors slammed open, revealing a worried looking Tom. He caught me in his arms, and for the first time in a long time, I welcomed his touch.

"Go check her room," I heard Tom order someone as he stroked my hair.

"What happened?" he asked, using his thumb and index finger to clasp my chin and make me look up at him.

"I-I s-s-saw something...on my bed....sh-she was just l-l-laying there! And then she s-s-said my n-name!" I stuttered, trying to explain what I saw.

"Who?" Tom question, his grip on my waist growing tight.

"Myrtle," I whispered, and as soon as those words left my lips, the man that Tom had sent returned.

"There was nothing, sir, her room was empty of anybody or anything," he told Tom.

I immediately looked back at Tom and gripped his biceps.

"I'm not lying! I swear I saw something! I didn't make it up!" I defended, my voice almost becoming hysterical.

Tom, sensing this, pulled me into his chest.

"Shh, I never said you did. But do you think it's a possibility that you thought you saw Myrtle? I know you haven't been able to sleep these past few days-" Tom tried to reason with me but once he uttered those last words, I ripped myself away from his arms.

He tried taking a step towards me but I held my hand out to stop him.

"Please. Don't come any closer!"

A look of pain took flashed in Tom's eyes, his hands clenching into fists.

"You had no problem just a minute ago! Do you only want my touch when you want protection?" Tom seethed, his eyes glowing red.

"I-I was scared. I haven't forgiven you. How can I go into the arms of a man who's killed and does not regret it," I cried, tears burning my eyes. I desperately blinked them away, hoping Tom wouldn't see how much he affected me.

Tom looked away from me angrily, and I knew then he wasn't going to apologize for his action. I began to walk away from him, and I left him there in the hallways, with no words.

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A few days had passed from that day, and here I was seated at my desk, writing to Dumbledore. I wanted to know what was happening, and I knew the only person who would tell me would be Dumbledore.

I sat there wondering how I would mail the letter without Tom noticing and questioning me. I felt a chill run down my spine, and I wondered briefly if I had left the window open. I turned around to be met with a transparent Myrtle Warren.

Before anything could come out of my mouth, she spoke.

"Oh, not this again, Cindria!" she cried out, fixing her glasses.

I trembled as I stood up from my seat and backed away from her.... It.... Whatever it was. I held my head in my hands, hoping when I looked up again, the hallucination would be gone.

"Please go away. Please just go away," I whispered over and over again, slowly sliding down the wall.

"Cindria. You live in a world where there's magic. Heck, you even saw ghosts at Hogwarts," I heard a voice say.

I looked back up again to see the transparent Myrtle looking at herself in the mirror.

"Well, maybe I grew a little bit paler. Nothing for you to scream about," she added nonchalantly. She drifted over to the bed and literally sank into it.

"Ooh! Is this satin?" transparent Myrtle asked, smiling over at me.

"Is it really you Myrtle?" I asked, slowly rising up from the wall.

"Yes, you silly thing. You gave me quite the fright when you got up yelling a few days ago. It was as if your hair was on fire," she remarked, giggling before floating into the air.

"What ...happened to you?" I asked, watching her fly in the air.

"Cindria, I thought you were smarter than this. I died. Then I became a ghost because I have letting go issues. Please keep up," Myrtle huffed.

"Were you always like this? Right after you died?"

"Well, it does take awhile before you can become a ghost. Once I became a ghost, I began haunting Olive Hornby. You should have seen her face when she first saw me! It was like she saw a ghost! Well, I suppose I am a ghost but it was still funny. It got boring after a while, so I finally decided to come and visit you," she replied, her voice becoming cold. "I'm afraid I actually bring terrible news. The truth is I would have visited you a long time ago, but you were so happy. I didn't want to ruin your happiness."

Myrtle drifted to me, this time I didn't move back.

"How could you possibly ruin my happiness? I would have been delighted to see you, even in your ghostly state," I told her sincerely.

Myrtle snorted. "Yes, because your reaction a few days ago was you bursting in happiness."

I blushed at that.

"Well, you did certainly frighten me, but I am still very happy to see you, Myrtle."

"Cindria, I have to tell you something about Tom."

"Oh? Whatever could it be?"

"I think you should sit down for this."

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Thank you for reading!