the devil's redemption [tom r.]

27|| Venomous Kiss.

There's things I wanna say to you

But I'll just let you live

Like if you hold me without hurting me

You'll be the first who ever did

There's things I wanna talk about

But better not to keep

But if you hold me without hurting me

You'll be the first who ever did

~Cinnamon Girl by Lana Del Rey

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ROSALIND TOOK A STEP inside the house, immediately inhaling the all too familiar homey scent of it. She entered the lounge, which was looking much more lively than the last time she saw it. A few pictures in frames where scattered here and there, mostly muggle and unmoving pictures. The wallpapers had been changed, and all in all, everything was just looking a lot more colourful and alive.

She was still trying to register what the man had called her mother, and she was trying to accept all of the changes that had occurred in her absence.

What had happened in the past few months while she was away?

"Oh Rosalind, dear! What an amazing surprise, I was really disappointed when you said you couldn't come in your letter!" Jewel Ambrose stepped into the lounge, looking much more sane than the last time her daughter had seen her.

"Mum! I missed you so much!" Rosalind stepped forward to embrace her mother tightly, leaving Tom lingering in the background awkwardly. The mysterious man smiled at the affectionate mother and daughter, and Tom noticed that he looked completely lovestruck.

"Oh and you brought along a friend, who is that?"

"I'm Tom, Tom Riddle, a friend from school," He explained charmingly, and Jewel immediately welcomed him and stepped forward to hug him warmly.

Tom was slightly taken off guard, and he managed a few awkward pats on the mother's back.

Jewel then glanced at the stranger, and he nodded at her reassuringly, "I think you should meet Robert. I met him at the grocery store a few months ago, I guess we really got along!" Her mother walked to the man's side and smiled brightly at him. Rosalind could tell it was a genuine smile.

Jewel looked happier and her mental health had really gotten better, to the point that Rosalind could tell she wasn't on the verge of insanity anymore.

Rosalind shook Robert's hand hastily and awkwardly, still not used to the idea that she had to accept an -almost- stepfather. She knew anyway, that if it made her mother happy, she would gladly accept it.

Soon enough, they heard a couple of footsteps thudding down the stairs. "Mummy, who's here?"

A tall brunette walked into the lounge, looking almost Rosalind's age. She was incredibly skinny, and Rosalind couldn't deny that the girl was gorgeous. Rosalind refrained the urge to gag at the name the obnoxious girl had just called her mother.

What was worse, however, was the fact that Samantha was walking by the girl's side, seemingly good friends with her.

"Oh, that's Helena, my daughter," Robert introduced with a smile, while Helena eyed Rosalind and -especially- Tom skeptically.