Chapter 6

Denial Isn't Just a River in Mexico

June 27th, 1998

5:04 PM

"Adalyn, I'm bored!" Isabelle complained, flopping onto Adalyn's no longer neat bed.

Adalyn sighed. "I fail to see how that is my problem."

"If you stopped reading and did something fun than I wouldn't be bored."

"My definition of fun and your definition of fun are quite different."

"I'm hungry too!" Isabelle whined.

"What time is it?" Adalyn asked. She was starting to feel slightly hungry as well.

"Um…5:00," Isabelle answered.

"What is the exact time?"

"It's 5:04!" the blonde cried. "Why does that matter so much to you?"

"Heaven forbid I know the exact time," Adalyn laughed. "Let's go get some food."

"Finally, a good idea!" Isabelle exclaimed as she hopped off the bed.

"I have plenty of good ideas," Adalyn defended. "You just don't understand them."

"Tooshie."

"It's touché."

"Oh," Isabelle pouted as they entered the dining hall. "Look its taco night!"

Adalyn couldn't help but smile. "You and your tacos. I think you have some sort of fetish."

"I do not!" Isabelle exclaimed as she filled her plate with tacos.

"Considering you eat your own weight in tacos," Adalyn pointed out, "I believe you do."

"There is the Adalyn I know and love!" the small blonde exclaimed as they sat down. Isabelle took a huge bite into the taco. "Whash up wiff oo an Riddle?"

"What on Earth did you just say?" Adalyn asked.

Isabelle swallowed. "What's up with you and Riddle?"

Adalyn stiffened. She had managed to avoid Riddle for the about two weeks. It was surprising that he had let her continue to avoid him for so long. They lived in the same orphanage and there was only so many places that she could really hide.

It was daunting to know that Riddle knew about the Mark and what happens when she sees it. Adalyn could picture his face smirking in the background as Ministry officials took her away to Azkaban for being a part of the Death Eaters. Nobody but Dumbledore and Snape knew about her being a double agent. If she was ever taken in, nobody would be there to defend her.

Adalyn snapped herself away from those thoughts. Somehow she knew that Riddle wouldn't turn her in. He was curious, like her. He wanted to know about Adalyn just as much as she wanted to know about him.

Adalyn returned her wandering mind back to Isabelle. "It is a mutual hate/hate relationship."

"Oh no," Isabelle shook her head. "There is something more going on between you two. I can feel it."

Adalyn rolled her eyes. "Whatever helps you sleep at night. We are simply two individuals who are curious about each other's pasts."

"Everyone at Hogwarts – and the Wizarding World in Riddle's case – are 'curious about your pasts'. There is a spark between you two that is going to erupt into a flame very soon."

"That was the most poetic statement I have ever heard you say," Adalyn said.

"Don't get used to it."

"And I will like Riddle when Hell freezes over."

Isabelle replied, "Denial isn't just a river in Mexico, honey." Adalyn choked on her taco. She toppled over from laughter as Isabelle stared at her confused. "What? What is so funny?"

"The Nile River is in Egypt," Adalyn laughed. "The phrase is 'denial isn't just a river in Egypt.'"

Isabelle looked down at the floor sheepishly. "Oh. I didn't exactly pay attention in Muggle School."

"I do not find that surprising at all," Riddle's voice said from behind Adalyn. She slightly tensed up, but relaxed almost immediately. She couldn't let him see she was anxious.

"Hello, Riddle. I haven't seen you in quite some time," Adalyn smiled with false politeness.

"How have you been? Feeling faint at all?" he asked in the same sickening sweet tone.

"No, I am quite fine. Thank you for asking," she replied. "What about you? Feeling at all homicidal?"

"Not that I can remember," Riddle answered.

The two glared at each other for quite some time. The table was total silence except for the sound of breathing. Adalyn stared into Riddle's cold grey eyes. She was usually so good at reading people, but Riddle was the one anomaly. She could not deduce what he was thinking, or if he was lying or telling the truth. It frustrated her.

"You are well guarded, Audet," Riddle whispered as he leaned in closer to her. "What are you hiding?"

"I could ask you the same thing," she whispered back. Adalyn could feel her heart pounding in her chest. Her face was only a few inches away from Riddle's, so close that she could hear his soft breathing. She didn't know anything about this mysterious boy and she did not like not knowing.

"Hello," Isabelle piped up awkwardly, "I'm doing fine. Thanks for asking."

Riddle gave Isabelle a withering glare and left the room, but not without giving Adalyn one last look. After Riddle was out of sight, she let out a deep breath of air.

"The sexual tension during that moment was huge. Like, Leaning Statue of Eiffel huge," Isabelle stated.

Adalyn loved her friend, she really did, but sometimes Isabelle could be so…stupid. "Everything about that previous sentence was wrong. One, it's the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Two, it is the Statue of Liberty. Three, it is the Eiffel Tower. Four, Riddle and I do not have, and never will have, 'sexual tension.' Understood?"

"Whatever you say," Isabelle sang.

"Shut up and eat your taco."

June 27th, 1998

9:35 PM

Adalyn idly made bursts of light spring out from the tip of her wand. She knew that that she should go to bed since the young children loved to wake up early on weekends, but she couldn't fall asleep. Her conversation with Riddle kept replaying in her mind.

"Pull yourself together, Adalyn," she muttered to yourself. "You stared in the face of death, spied for the Order, and survived hours of the Cruciatus Curse. This is nothing."

"Talking to yourself is the first sign of madness."

Adalyn sat up and saw Isabelle leaning in the doorframe. "Said the girl who thought the Nile was in Mexico and it was the 'Leaning Statue of Eiffel.'"

"I was only joking about the last one!" the blonde exclaimed.

"Sure," Adalyn smirked. "Why are you here?"

"All of us older kids are going to watch a movie and we wanted to invite the hermit that lives in this room."

"Tell them I killed the hermit, but I would be happy to join you," she replied sarcastically.

"What has gotten into you?" Isabelle asked. "You were never this closed off, and slightly mean, before." Adalyn looked into Isabelle's wide blue eyes. "What happened to you?"

"War happened, Isabelle," Adalyn said softly. "I saw things during the War. Things that I should have stopped. But I did nothing. I kept my mouth shut and my head down just like the good girl I was supposed to be. I lost my voice. But now I have it back. Now I see all the horrible things in the world and I will fight them with words until that can no longer hurt me."

Isabelle let a tear fall from her eye. "Oh, Adalyn. I don't know what you did during the War, but always remember this: Love can never hurt you."

"It can never hurt you until it is gone," Adalyn whispered as she hid her wand in her boot. She got up and started to leave her room.

"Where are you going?" Isabelle asked.

"You wanted to watch a movie," Adalyn smiled feebly.

"Right," her friend said hesitantly. "Are you okay?"

"Of course I'm okay. I'm the Queen of Okay," the dark haired girl answered. "No, forget that title. That is a rubbish title."

"You are rambling," Isabelle pointed out. "When you are worried, you ramble."

"I am? I didn't even notice," Adalyn laughed. "I guess it is just post-war emotions."

"Okay," Isabelle said, letting the matter drop. She didn't know what caused her friend's sudden mood change, but decided it was best if she just let it go.

"So, what are we watching?" Adalyn asked as she tried to steer the conversation away from any mention of war.

"Clueless."

"Ugh!" Adalyn groaned. "But that movie is so stupid. I can literally fall asleep during it."

"Well, suck it up because that is what we are watching," Isabelle said sternly as they entered the room.

"Look at that!" Jesse exclaimed as they entered the room. "The hermit has emerged from her room."

"The older I get, the more I wish I could be a hermit, Jesse," Adalyn replied.

"I can never tell whether your joking or not," Jesse laughed.

Adalyn suddenly felt a familiar presence behind her. "I believe the proper term would be 'woman'. Good evening, Audet."

"It is a fine evening, isn't it, Riddle?" she answered as she turned around. "I must say that I am mildly impressed."

"Oh? How so?"

"The fact that you acknowledged my presence as a woman. I did not believe you noticed such traits about people."

"You will find that I am far more observant than I appear," Riddle smirked. "Especially to people I have taken an interest in."

"Would someone please explain to me what the hell is going on?" Jesse exclaimed.

"Oh, it's just their way of speaking to each other without being rude," Isabelle explained. "You begin to tune it out after a while."

"That is not wise, Isabelle," Adalyn said.

"You could miss some important information," Riddle added.

"Look at that," Rosalind teased from the doorway, "they have started finishing each other's sentences."

"We are not a couple," Adalyn said firmly.

"Oh, lighten up," Rosalind laughed. Both Adalyn and Riddle sneered at Rosalind. "This movie night is exactly what you two Debbie Downers need."

Adalyn sighed and sat down on the old couch. Riddle took a seat next to her. "What film are we watching and how can we be watching it here?"

"It's a movie called Clueless, which, in my opinion, is completely stupid. Rosalind and Isabelle love it though and Jesse only watches it because Isabelle does," she explained. "And while your alter ego was destroying the Wizarding World, Muggles came out with VHS tapes that you can put into a machine that plays whatever is on the tape."

They sat in silence while the others tried to comprehend how to play the movie. Out of the silence, Riddle asked, "Why do you do that?"

"Do what?" Adalyn asked.

"Act so cynical towards the friends you have known for all your life."

"The same reason as you," Adalyn taunted.

"Which is?"

"To hide."

"What would you have to hide?" he questioned.

"Oh, I have plenty of secrets, but if I told you they wouldn't be secrets anymore."

"Very true," Riddle nodded. "How about you tell me one thing - what was that mark on your arm and why did you faint when you saw it?"

"That is two things," Adalyn pointed out.

"Do not change the subject."

"Why should I tell you?"

"Because it is eating you alive," Riddle whispered much like he had before. "You need to tell someone, anyone. Isabelle would never understand and she may slip up and tell someone. Rosalind and Jesse are Muggles and cannot be told. That leaves me."

"You are the last person I would tell anything to," Adalyn said through gritted teeth.

"Okay!" Rosalind exclaimed. The two wizards immediately turned away from each other. "I got the movie working."

"We should give the girl a prize," Jesse laughed as he sat down on the other end of the couch. "She was stubborn and would not let anyone help."

Isabelle sat down next to Adalyn. Rosalind wedged herself between the couch and Riddle so that she was practically sitting on his lap. Riddle picked his body up and moved it closer to Adalyn. She knew that if he had to choose between the two girls, he would choose her.

The movie started to play. Immediately, Adalyn fell bored at the bad jokes that she had heard at least four times, but somehow Isabelle and Rosalind still found them amusing. She could practically feel Riddle's eyes boring into her side as she tried her hardest to ignore him.

Adalyn started to feel her eyelids grow heavy. She struggled to keep herself awake for the entire movie, but could feel herself losing the tiresome battle with exhaustion. She let the darkness take her into a world of dreams…

June 27th, 1998

10:11 PM

Adalyn awoke from her sleep to find herself lying across someone's lap, but not for long. The person whose lap she had turned into a bed had stood up, causing her to fall to the floor with a thud. The witch looked up in just enough time to see Riddle's fleeting figure exit the room.

Adalyn picked herself up off the floor and followed after Riddle. As she left the room, she heard Isabelle coo, "You even fell asleep on his lap! It was meant to be!"

She ignored her friend's laughter as she followed after Riddle. When she turned down the hallway, he was nowhere in sight. Adalyn stood dumbfounded for a moment before a voice from behind her said, "Enjoy your little nap, Audet?"

"I was until you pushed me onto the floor," she sneered turning to face Riddle.

"You did fall asleep on my lap." Though her eyes were still adjusting to the dark of the corridor, she could practically feel his trademark smirk radiating off his face. Much to her displeasure, Adalyn felt a blush creeping up her neck when she remembered that she had indeed fallen asleep on his laugh. "Still, you did not need to throw me onto the floor. It was uncalled for."

Before she could make a sound, Riddle pinned Adalyn up against the cold wall. "And is this uncalled for as well?"

"What do you want?" she asked. They were so close that she could feel the warmth of his breath drift onto her pale face.

"Answers." Riddle moved his hand down to her left arm. He slowly pulled down the sleeve so the Dark Mark would show. Adalyn turned away quickly, before she could get the slightest glimpse of it. "Oh, you are no fun. Look at it, Audet." Adalyn refused to move her head. "Alright, if you won't look at it, at least tell me what it is."

"You're a smart boy, Riddle," she said breathlessly. "I'm sure you could find out without my help."

"Ah, but I want to know what it means to my favorite housemate," he jeered.

Adalyn glared at him in the dark. She was at his mercy, pinned up against the wall. She three options (a) tell him a lie; (b) deny everything; or (c) tell him the truth. Since she felt like all of those options were rubbish, Adalyn swiftly snapped her knee up. It hit Riddle in the crotch and he keeled over in pain. She knelt down to his level and said, "You, Tom Riddle, are an asshole."

She left the boy hunched over in the hallway. Just as she arrived at her room, she heard laughter. She hesitated for a moment at the door as Riddle's laughter grew louder.

"Oh, Audet, I thought you were supposed to be smart."

"What is that supposed to mean?" she demanded.

"It has taken you almost three months to figure out something most people figure out within a matter of minutes."

Adalyn rushed into her room quickly and locked herself in. She had no idea why Riddle had this effect on her. She had spent months under Voldemort's ruthless command and hadn't even broken a sweat. But with Riddle, he seemed to know exactly what to say to get under her skin and make her insides twist into a knot. Perhaps it was the fact that Voldemort was a monster who looked like a monster, but Riddle was a monster hidden in the form of a teenage boy.

But something was "off" about Riddle. Voldemort was never polite and was never able to hold a proper conversation without subtly reminding you that he could kill you at any moment. With Riddle, he had two sides – the one that Adalyn could find herself in a conversation with and the Riddle that she had just witnessed. He was also very keen to remind her that he and Voldemort were not the same person. Part of it seemed like an act – an act to hide who he actually was. But which part was the act and which was his true personality?

Adalyn collapsed onto her bed. She was no closer to figuring out Riddle now than she was three months ago. Exhaustion overcame her as she drifted into a sleep. She couldn't help but think that her bed wasn't as warm as Riddle's lap.

2/1/16 - So my first day back to school and I already hate my new schedule. Luckily, I have a friend in most of my classes, but that does not always combat the stupidity that I am often surrounded by in public school. On top of that, I have driving lessons and lifeguarding classes to take. And I have my birthday party to plan! Oh well, I'll be able to get through it. I just have to step away from Jessica Jones and actually focus on all my work.

-KC