Well, here's Chapter 2. Normally I don't have two written when I post a new story but I do this time. :) I hope you like it and expect an update soon in the next week and a half. I'm in a writing mood as of late. Please enjoy. -Sevy14
Flashback:
I remember it like it was yesterday. It was the middle of a Thursday, during a lull in our business hours. Just after lunch, just before dinner, nobody but me was working. I'm understanding, I allow the girls to go home for the afternoon, I can handle it myself I always said. And I could. The minute the bell on the door 'dinged' I knew something was up. The air felt wrong. Before I could even turn to greet my customer though, my left hand was grabbed, forcefully and I was turned around. Shocked I looked up into the cold, hardened, angry eyes of Tom Riddle. My knees buckled but he caught me, he was always so strong and quick.
"You're married? You said that you had no desire to marry my dear."
"I'm not married Tom."
"The ring on your finger says otherwise."
I didn't know how to respond, wasn't that the point of me wearing the ring. Why is it the only one that understood the point was him? Why did it have to be HIM? "Tom, I'm not married-"
"What did I tell you about lying to me Amberle?"
"N-n-not to…"
"Yes and what are you doing now?"
"I'm not lying. It's your ring."
"…"
"Your. Ring."
"We are not married Amberle. I distinctly remember you denying me that right."
"I-"
"A right which I had and should have taken advantage of."
"Tom. I wear it to keep the men at bay."
"The men…?"
"Yes."
"And are they kept at bay?"
"No. Not really but now they don't try any funny business. Now they just say stuff."
"…"
He let go of my hand after that. He let go of me. I thought my hand would break if he hadn't let go of it a minute later. Then he just stood there looking down at me, while I stood there looking up at him. We stood there for what seemed like an eternity, his arms had fallen to rest on my hips while I just stood there, dumbly, frightened, staring up at him wondering what he was going to do to me. Then the door 'dinged.' Another customer. Once again I was the 'happy' girl in the relationship. The girl that I thought had died when I told him no so long ago.
"Amberle you ok?"
"Yes. Yes Myrian I am fine. Myrian I'd… I'd like to introduce you to my husband Tom." No turning back. Now maybe for sure everyone would leave me alone. Stop saying how they wish they'd met him, seen our wedding, any proof he was real.
"Your-your husband?!"
"Yes. This is him, Tom. He's got a bit of a break between jobs for once it seems, so he came by." Tom was just staring at me, and then it was like a flick of a wand and he turned, smiling extending his hand introducing himself. Always the smooth one. "Hello. I'm sorry we've never met, I'm terribly busy with my work, traveling and such. I'm Tom."
"Myrian. My you've got yourself a keeper here Amberle. A nice handsome young man, with a good paying job I assume. If only my sweet Emily were as lucky."
"Yes well…" Was all that I could get out. How could I ever be happy with Tom? How could anyone, he doesn't possess the word in his vocabulary.
"Well my dear, I must be off, you be good now with your husband. Maybe close up shop just for once, spend some time with him. You're long overdue. It was nice meeting you Tom."
"And you Myrian."
And she was gone. We were alone once again and the room was cold. My arms covered in goosebumps when I took a glance up at him. His face had the weirdest smirk, I was scared and wanted to be alone, away from him. Anywhere but near him. But I knew that wasn't going to happen. He was here for a reason. And I was scared to know why. "Well I need to-"
"Why don't you close the shop for the night dear. We've got ourselves a long talk to have and as your friend Myrian said, we're long overdue."
"Tom I don't think-"
"Close the shop."
And that was that I thought. But I couldn't give up. I've said no before. I can do it again. But somewhere in the back of my head I knew it wouldn't work. I was a unicorn, scared and about to be ambushed. "Tom no. I-"
"Now!"
"I-"
"I will not repeat myself to you Amberle. You said no to me once, do you honestly think I would allow that to happen again."
I knew then that was that. It was over. He was back. I wouldn't ever be alone. Free of him.
I would never be free.
"Well…" What could I do? Nothing. I could do nothing. He had that look in his eyes, daring me to contradict him. To tell him no. I wasn't in Ravenclaw for nothing. "I need to call the girls."
"The girls? You have kids…?"
His eyes became colder as he said this and the room felt like it'd dropped a couple degrees. The unspoken, "without me" was hanging in the air and I knew that's what he thought. That I had been with someone else. I was his. He told me a million times I was his. He told me never to let a man touch me. Never. That was his right. Only his. I was trembling now but I knew Tom. I knew him and I knew what he was thinking. "No, they- They are local girls. They work for me."
"No kids?"
"No kids Tom." Although my glance up at him lasted a mere millisecond I could see a slight smirk at this and he relaxed a little, the room became slightly warmer. "I'll-I'll be a minute."
"Fine." The only answer I received. The girls didn't even ask if something was wrong, the whole town new by now I'm sure. Amberle Castino was married. His name was Tom. And he was here. With her. She'd closed up shop for the day. It had to be Myrian, the gossip. Damn her. Returning to him he had taken a seat by the window, he was watching the people walk by as they looked in at him. Some smiling, some frowning, some expressionless and he just sat there watching them, watch him. "Tea would be fine. You know how I like it."
His request caught me off guard. "What?"
"Tea my dear. I'm sure you were just about to offer me tea."
"We uh… We don't have tea here Tom. Only coffee, water, smoothies, and some juices."
"No tea?"
"No we don't serve tea."
"But you have tea?"
"Wh-what?"
"In your office. You have tea. I'm sure of it."
"I-"
"Why don't you be a dear and go check."
"I-Ok…" He was in one of his moods. The only one really. The, don't-argue-with-me-or-you'll-be-sorry mood. Damn him.
"Oh and dear?"
"Y-yes?"
"Don't forget to make it how I like it."
"I… Yes."
"Good girl." I wasn't a good girl, I didn't want to be his good girl. I just didn't want to get hurt. I prayed that he wasn't feeling violent. When Tom felt violent it was never good. Well, it was never good to be around him anyways but especially when he was violent and I was sure that he hadn't got any better. Only worse. I may live in a muggle town but I know. I know what he's been up to. I get the Quibbler and the Daily Prophet. He's been busy while I've bee happy hiding scared. Until now… "Why don't I have my tea yet dear?"
Shit. "I… Just a second." Shit. "Here."
"Thank you."
"Your we-welcome Tom."
"Sit. We have to talk."
We do? Why? "Alright." I sat. He didn't say anything. Just sat and looked at me. He studied my face, my neck, shoulders, my body, his eyes resting on my fidgeting hands.
"Stop fidgeting!"
"I'm sorry." Merlin I was nervous. I could feel the tremors in my bones. His eyes had stopped their roam of my person and had come to rest on my painfully still hands. Specifically my left hand, more specifically my ring finger.
"So. Your parents died."
"…" What?
"Your parents died? Do you want me to repeat myself all night?"
All night? "All night?"
"Yes. Everyone thinks we're married obviously I'm staying the night."
"Staying the night." I don't want him to stay the night. Anything but that.
"I'm glad you agreed. So your parents died."
"Yes." He'd done his homework.
"You opened up this shop. It did well so you moved here, to a bigger space, now you rent your families home and live above your shop."
Shit. He's really done his homework. "Yes." This isn't good.
"The boys kept giving you problems so you left on a trip."
"Yes." Damn. Damn.
"You took the ring with you."
"Yes." I always had it with me. Even after I said no. Wore it as a necklace.
"When you returned you wore it on your finger instead of your neck."
"Yes." At this moment I've never felt more scared then I do now.
"You told everyone you were married to a business man that traveled to make a living."
"Yes."
"What did you name this man?"
"I… Uh." Bloody hell.
"I said-"
"Tom. I named him Tom."
"Tom…"
"Yes, Tom. The fake man that I made up, I named Tom." Shit. He is going to eat me alive. I deny his wish to wed and then I make up a man I marry and name him Tom. Why did I ever think he wouldn't find out.
"Amberle that's very interesting."
"…" Breathe Amberle.
"I couldn't help but notice…"
Notice what? Why is he standing? What is he doing. "Yes?"
"Your shop's name. Tom's Foolery. What does that mean?"
"Just a… Just a name for a coffeehouse. I thought it was cute. Nice. A good play on words."
"You know Amberle, Tom's Foolery sounds a lot like Tom Riddle."
"I… No." I never thought that.
"No…?"
"Well, I suppose. Now that you've pointed it out… I hadn't thought of that."
"Right."
"…"
"You were easy to find dearest."
"I…" Why would he want to look for me? "Why were you looking for me?" This isn't good. Not good at all.
"I'm tired of everyone staring at us. Let's retire to the back room. Or perhaps even upstairs."
"I'm fine."
"Well I'm not. Move."
"Tom I-"
"Do not disagree with me Amberle do you know how displeased with you I am?"
"…"
"Do you?"
"No…"
"Then I would move."
"I- Well it's almost five. I was going to make supper."
"We'll be fine for a bit."
"I… But I always-"
"We're fine. Now show me your-I mean our home since we're obviously married and I have yet to be in our home."
Shit. "Ok. No problem." Act happy. He's mad. Don't make it worse. Don't make it worse. "This way."
"You live here?"
"Yes." What was that supposed to mean?"
"Don't use that tone with me dearest."
"I didn't- Fine."
"You came up here to get me the tea."
"Yes."
"Make more."
"I-"
"More tea."
"No supper?"
"No supper. Tea."
"Alright." Bloody hell.
"You chose green as your base color."
"Yes."
"Why?"
"My favorite color."
"Is that all?"
"Yes."
"You're sure?"
"Yes…. Why would I not be sure?"
"You're a Ravenclaw."
"Yes."
"I'm Slytherin, we're green, I don't remember you being green."
"Well just because I'm not a Slytherin doesn't mean I can't like green Tom."
"This particular color of green though? Very close if not exact. You're sure you didn't do it for some other reason?"
"No. Here's your tea."
"Thank you. Now we should talk."
"K…"
"…"
"What?" God he's giving me that look.
"I thought I broke you of that habit."
"No."
"Interesting. I'll shall have to break you… Of it again."
"Again?" Again!
"Yes my dear, we're married."
"No we're not."
"Oh yes. Yes we are. You made it so."
"No…I- It was a differet Tom!" Wrong thing to say. He just broke my teacup. Definitely wrong thing to say. "Here, let me get that."
"ENOUGH! I'M TIRED OF THIS CHARADE! GET UP!"
Oh god. Oh god. I'm going to die. He's going to kill me. He's. Going. To. Kill. Me. "What charade Tom?"
"I think you know very well. Now. We're leaving."
"No. Tom-I. No."
"Excuse me?"
"No. I can't just leave. I live here. I. Live. Here. I work here. This is where I belong."
"You belong here?"
"Yes. I love it here. I love the people, the town, everything. I love it here. I love my shop, my home. I'm not leaving."
"You love it here?"
"Yes."
"Really, now that's quite interesting… Well my dear here's a little piece of information for you. Something that is quite useful. Are you ready dear?"
Why is he talking like that, so soft, so… Calm? "Y-y-yes…"
"Good. You do NOT belong here. YOU BELONG WITH ME!"
"…" Merlin no. No I don't. Please no.
"You understand what I'm saying?"
"I…"
"Great. Pack up your stuff dear, we've got to get you packed, settled, and ready for supper at home. I'm assuming you still have a wand."
"Tom I… I…" What could I say. He wasn't going to let me go. "This is my home."
"Yes. And you will be moving to MY home. Now PACK!"
"…" And I did. And that's how I got to this point. How I got to where I am.
And this is it. The end of Chapter 2. Please review and let me know your thoughts on it. Constructive thoughts but I'll take any, I'm not picky, I just want my story to be the best they can in your eyes so if somthing is off, let me know. :) Have a wonderful night. -Sevy14