Chapter 3: Clear Positions
The jealous are troublesome to others, but a torment to themselves - William Penn
A few days passed, the life at Wool's orphanage did not change, did not bend, did not invite joy. Yes, maybe the incident with Dennis yesterday was doing its justice of taking away the boredom, maybe even the incident with Jake the other day, too. And not to mention Matt, and Matt really deserved what happened. But what did it matter? In the end, they got away again, just like Tom did. Tom stared out of the window, he could see the snowman from this angle.
His eyes widened.
Amy Benson and Billy Stubbs walked over to it, suddenly starting to attack it with snowballs, ripping off its carrot nose and twig arms. Tom felt his heart pondering rapidly against his chest, his mouth grew into a thin line, eyes narrowed. He turned away from the window, the door flung open without being touched and he marched out.
"Stop." He growled dangerously low. Too low. Amy and Billy gasped upon seeing the intimidating figure of Tom standing in the distance - there was this significant air of darkness that he carried with himself like a child clinging to a balloon - only that it seemed to be a part of Tom Riddle's body. He was born with it.
His pale face, his dark hair - the contrast of his calm voice but dreadful actions, it all sent them into a flash of shock.
"Told you he's not visiting the doctors anymore!" Amy yelped at Billy. Tom's eyes narrowed at the mention of that name. Doctor. It even caused him shivers. His fists clenched, he inhaled deeply, then stared ahead at Billy to whom he walked closer, ignoring Amy's ridiculous attempts of running in the thick snow where she fell into a couple of times - Tom did not care, he would get her later.
Billy gulped, still moving backwards. He stopped when he felt something solid against his heels, realizing he had been cornered to the small step of the garden shed. Opening his mouth to reason, he found no words, his chest heaved in panic. And then it happened. Tom's narrowed eyes flickered red, a slight grin started to play on his lips, before Billy could even scream, his head shot up to the garden shed's roof - long and dangerously glistening icicles rained down on him.
Tom merely turned around, ignoring the loud cries of pain coming from Billy - or the fact that the latter had been brought to the hospital later - not treated because of his bloody scratches but rather because he has been laying in the painfully cold snow with the icicles dug so deeply into his clothes that he could not get up for an hour after Tom had left the scene quietly.
Dinner was held in silence. Mrs. Cole glanced over to Billy's empty spot, she could not help her gaze that wandered off to Tom after that. There was no proof, as always, nobody saw a thing - nobody said a thing. And Tom's door was locked anyway, he couldn't have simply gotten out of the room as he pleased. Strange. Elizabeth Cole shrugged, sighing softly as she sipped on a bit of water that was exchanged for a sip of whiskey up in her office later that evening. Tom Marvolo Riddle. The boy was not ordinary by any definition of the word - was it right to say he was evil? Evil, such a abnormal term for a child, she couldn't - she didn't want to, another sip of whiskey loosened her senses - she shook her head and leaned back, oblivious to what happened in room 23.
"Say you're sorry." Murmured Tom. His hand clasped around Amy Benson's throat - she tried to pry it off but he was holding her all too easily.
"S-sry" she yelped under tears.
"I did not hear you."
"S-s-So-SoRRY!" She croaked again and Tom watched her sliding down the wall slowly. On almost an instant, her shaky hands went to her neck - she hissed in pain, then gasped: She looked across the room into a mirror, quickly jumped up and ran over to it, observing her skin - bloody and red - as if she had been strangulated with a cord, and that's exactly how she felt. She tried to say something, but not a single tone was audible. Tom watched her smugly as her whole face contorted in silent cries of pain and horror, thick droplets of tears streamed down her round cheeks; she made attempts of getting out of the door but Tom only raised an eyebrow and walked through it, closing it on her very nose. Whatever it was, but Amy Benson was not able to open the door at all, was not able to make the tiniest of yelps, it was as through she had been muted.
The wounds were gone the other day, the memories, however, remained. But nobody ever dared to say a word.
Tom woke up early. He did not, as always, eat anything during breakfast and had not spoken to anyone after school. When he walked back upstairs and glanced out of the window, he had to blink and look closely. The snowman was built up again. Tom frowned, huffing a little. Billy was still in the hospital. Did Amy really think she could make it up to him that way? No. It didn't work like that. If anything, he would make sure to visit her again, for she had dared to touch-
"Oh, what kind of thoughts are so bad that you have to narrow your eyes so much, Marvolo?"
Joelle.
Tom turned around to her, his glare vanished but he picked up his same straight face as usual.
"You're back." He said. "Did you...?"
He pointed out of the window towards the snowman.
"Yes. He looked a little, well, mistreated." Joelle chuckled and Tom pursed his lips, crossing his arms.
"I told them to stop but they didn't listen." He grumbled, then glanced over to her. She seemed different.
"It took you five days to return." Tom then said. Joelle's eyes flashed to him in surprise.
"That's true. Well then, I'll say hi to Elli, I mean, Mrs. Cole." She snickered, starting to turn away.
"You...came here first? To me?" Asked Tom.
Joelle stopped and looked round. "Yes." She smiled, walking off again. Tom sat back down onto his bed, his eyes wandered over to the snowman once more. What a strange girl. And she did not look the same. She seemed tired, worn out somewhat, maybe even thinner since he had last seen her, even though it was highly unlikely that she could have lost so much weight within five days. It was something else. Something was different, Tom did not know what it was.
"Joelle!" Squeaked Amy Benson outside in the corridor. Tom's eyes involuntarily narrowed, he got up from his bed and slowly inched closer to the door, peeping his head out. Amy ran up to Joelle and hugged her tightly, causing Joelle to chuckle.
"Well hello, Amy. How are you feeling today?"
"I'm fine!" Smiled the girl. She wanted to say something, but her eyes caught those of Tom's, and she instantly walked backwards and left Joelle standing alone, much to the latter's surprise. Joelle sighed and lowered down to the ground to bind her shoes when a hand on her shoulder caused her to gasp and whirl around quickly.
"Marvolo! Don't do that." She said sternly and Tom withdrew his hand with a slight frown. Joelle forced a smile the next moment, probably understanding that she sounded a bit too harsh.
"I'm sorry. I was just- you startled me." She said softly and got up from the floor.
"What's going on here-oh, hey!"
"Bryan, hey." Smiled Joelle when she saw him, offering a warm embrace. Tom watched them, his eyes narrowed a slight bit. She hasn't offered a hug to him, then why to Bryan? What made him more special? Tom was about to walk off, but Joelle absentmindedly rested her hand on his shoulder while she talked to Bryan, occasionally tapping up and down when she emphasized something she was speaking of.
"Well, my birthday will be next Friday. Would you like to come to the party then?" Asked Bryan. Tom glanced to Joelle, wondering if she was the kind of person to fall for silly occasions like that. Birthdays.
"Uhh...sure." She said and shrugged with a smile. Tom observed her body language closely, she stepped a little closer to Bryan.
"Cool! We won't be here at the orphanage though, don't want something or someone to ruin the evening..." He grumbled and glanced at Tom, then back at Joelle - who caught this rude indication on an instant. She stepped away from him.
"You know what, Bryan, I recall that I'm already spending some time with somebody else that day. Have fun at your party." She smiled, then turned around and walked off, pulling Tom along - who could not believe it when he glanced back and saw a dumbfounded Bryan standing there with crossed arms. Oh yes.
"So mean." Joelle grumbled. "As if you'd ruin anything." She said to Tom.
"Who are you spending your time with on his birthday then?" He asked.
"Oh. There is this boy, his name is Marvolo, he always asks silly questions even though he knows the answer. Do you know him?"
"Never heard of him." Said Tom with a grin while still staring ahead as they walked downstairs, causing Joelle to laugh loudly at Tom's dry comeback.
The day passed too fast for Tom's liking. He knew that Joelle would have to leave soon, surely she wouldn't stay for more than one or two days. And then anger rose in him. What did he care? Sure, she was someone new, maybe even nice to talk to and she did not treat him as though he was to blame for the things he could do. Then again, she never got a taste of what it was. Silly girl. Did she really think that he was the quiet and kind boy she needed to protect? She would be the same, like everyone else, as soon as she found out.
Just the same.
But playing with her was so much fun.
"Joelle?" Asked Mrs. Cole the next day during breakfast.
"When school is over, could you possibly fetch some medicine for Billy in the apothecary shop?"
"Yes, of course. Just give me the prescri- ah. Thanks." She packed it away along with the money that Mrs. Cole handed over.
"For how long do you still have to go to school?" Asked Eric Whalley as he bit into an apple that Joelle cut for him.
"For some time, dear. I do want to go to university, so I need to learn loads." She said.
Amy chimed in at once with a loud "me too!", even though Tom was certain that she did not even know what a university was. He watched Joelle cutting some more apples, putting the morsels into a bowl to which the kids reached. When Tom reached in, too, it was already empty - causing the others to laugh and grin, but they stopped seeing both Joelle's and Tom's unamused expressions. While Tom still looked flustered, Joelle smiled and handed over a bowl filled with cut apple bits just for him. She snickered softly and got up to put away the dirty dishes as Tom nibbled on his apples, rubbing his cheek at the flavor; he hadn't eaten anything so sweet in a while. After a moment, he glanced around, seeing that Joelle came back wearing her school uniform and his head instantly went over to Bryan, who eyed her up and down just as Tom expected him to.
"I'll be going then!" She called out upstairs to Mrs. Cole, then smiled at the children in the kitchen, waving at them - and they waved back, even Tom slightly raised his hand but quickly lowered it again, his eyes, however, followed Joelle as far as they allowed him to see out of the window and darkness.
He frowned at a thought. She would come back to the orphanage, but it would take longer. Why? Because of Billy. Billy and his stupid medicine that Mrs. Cole told Joelle to get. Ridiculous.
Ridiculous! Tom got up from the table, grumbling something under his breath. Their physical education class would take place in the very back of the orphanage, it was a small old hall that was connected to the rest of the tract, however, they could only enter it from outside. Which, thinking of Tom's plan, was a good circumstance. He put on his shoes and jacket quickly, threw on Joelle's scarf, and walked out of the door, seemingly towards the hall, then took a turn and followed the steps in the snow that he was sure belonged to Joelle.
After a moment he was able to spot her ahead. He was maybe ten steps away from her when she stopped, looking to the left and right to make sure there were no cars, then walked across the street towards school. Tom was about to call out to her, but he pressed his back against a wall when he suddenly saw that somebody got out of a parking car, stormed up to Joelle, gripping her shoulder firmly and whirled her around. It was a man, Tom could not tell how old he was, but Joelle pushed him away fiercely, she yelled something inaudibly that seemed to be effective enough - because whoever it was, he retreated and got into the car again and drove off. He must have been waiting for her.
Joelle stood there for a bit longer and Tom used this opportunity to walk up to her. She almost didn't realize he was standing in front of her, but when she did, her eyes widened.
"Marvolo! What are you-"
"Who was that?" Asked Tom instantly. Joelle glanced at him, then away, shaking her head, glancing to the left and right.
"Nobody. Just-"
"Tell the truth!" Insisted Tom. Joelle frowned now, she looked angered.
"Enough, Marvolo." She said sternly. "You better tell me why you are here. School will start in a bit."
"Mrs. Cole sent me after you to let me get the medicine instead...because Billy will possibly be back before you return from school."
Joelle eyed him up and down suspiciously, but really couldn't see why Tom would be lying.
"And she needs the medicine before I'll be there?" She asked. Tom nodded, watching how Joelle shrugged and roamed around in the pocket of her coat, then handed over the prescription of the pharmacy and the money.
"I can trust you with that, right, Marvolo?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Of course, Joelle." Smiled Tom, which activated Joelle's smile as well. She ruffled through his hair playfully, then turned around to walk off. "See you later then. And be careful! It's still dark!"
"I'm not a baby anymore. See you, Joelle." Said Tom, watching how she vanished into the school, but then glared towards the direction he had seen the car from earlier driving off to. He would find out who it was, sooner or later. Another bitter thought crossed his mind when he looked back at the school, realizing that Bryan and Joelle would see each other a lot more now that she started going to school here, too. At least they wouldn't share the same classes, as proven when he still sat around the table this morning, and of course, he was older than Joelle.
Tom passed by the apothecary. What did he care about Billy, what did he care about his medicine. When he was almost back at the orphanage, another thought crossed his mind. Joelle would probably get in trouble if she returned without the medicine. Rolling his eyes, Tom walked back.
Billy had his medicine later that day.
"Mrs. Cole, where is Joelle?" Asked Amy when it was already 3 p.m. and the kids sat around the table in the dining room.
Mrs. Cole glanced to a clock, then back at Amy.
"She should be here in a bit, dear." Smiled Mrs. Cole, then looked at Tom. "That was very kind of you to do, by the way, Tom. I am sure Billy will find it to be enormously-"
"Don't tell him I got the medicine." Said Tom at once. He did not want Billy to believe he would do him any kind of favor. Then again, the thought of Billy feeling he's special because Joelle brought him the medicine wasn't any the better. Quite in fact, it was almost so insufferable for Tom that he thought of just telling Billy that Mrs. Cole fetched the medicine, should the whining crybaby upstairs ever ask.
The door opened. Joelle walked in and was instantly claimed by Amy and her large arms wrapping around her - they giggled together and moved further ahead. The corner of Tom's mouth twitched when he saw her - but his face darkened upon seeing Bryan. They had probably shared their way back into the orphanage.
Joelle did not even pay much attention to Tom as soon as she was back, her attention went, infuriatingly so, to the oh so poor Billy Stubbs when she heard of what happened.
"Heeeey Billy!" Smiled Joelle. Tom, hiding at the staircase, watched how she entered Billy's open room and sat down on the edge of his bed. She never sat down on his, she preferred his chair. Why did she sit closer to Billy?
"Hey, Joelle!" Squeaked Billy and sat up, a white rabbit in his lap.
"How are you, dear? Are you okay? And ohh, who is that?"
"Yeah I'm fine again." He said softly and patted the rabbit. "Did I introduce you to my friend Pebbles here?"
Pebbles. Tom thought, rubbing his forehead in disbelief. How old was this guy?
"No, you didn't. Oh my god he's so cute. I love his name!" Smiled Joelle, her voice drenched in squeaks.
She loved his name?
"Here, you can hold him if you want." Said Billy, handing over Pebbles into Joelle's lap. She smiled softly and petted the white rabbit, giggling when it nibbled on her finger.
"He's all I've had left when...Mom and Dad..." Started Billy and Joelle turned her face to him, rubbing his shoulder softly.
Tom rolled his eyes. That little crybaby.
"I'm very sorry to hear that, Billy. Take good care of Pebbles. I'm sure he will have a long and happy life." She smiled and put the rabbit back into Billy's lap, even kissing his cheek. Tom blew up his cheeks, but quickly walked off when Joelle got up from Billy's bed.
"Oh, are you going already?" He asked.
"Just downstairs to do my homework." Joelle smiled and picked up her bag. "I'll check after you later. You should sleep a bit."
"Okay. See you later Joelle." Smiled Billy and waved, watching how she vanished through the door, still having a smile on his face that turned into an ugly grimace when somebody else leaned against the doorframe with crossed arms a minute later.
"What a heartbreaking story." Mocked Tom Riddle.
"Are you spying on us?" Glared Billy. "Leave me alone, Tom. I'm not in the mood for your stuff now." He grumbled. Tom just stared at him unshaken but his eyes narrowed the second he heard his name.
"Stay away from her." He suddenly said. Billy snapped his head at Tom.
"What?!"
"You've heard me, Stubbs. Stay away from her. You've got a friend there, don't you." He pointed to Pebbles.
"Why can't I have more friends than that?" Asked Billy, patting through Pebble's fur.
"Because I say so." Said Tom. Billy frowned.
"Are you aware she came here to check on me because of what you did? So actually, you are the reason why she even talks to me. Thanks for that." Billy smirked. Tom just stared at him with a thin mouth and widened eyes, nostrils flaring again. Billy knew what would happen next - but it did not happen. Tom merely turned around and walked off and talked to nobody for the rest of the day.
When the children entered the physical education class the next morning, loud yelps erupted from all around; the children hastily pointed up - and when Mr. Clark, their teacher, had finally made his way through the noises, he saw how Billy Stubbs screamed from the top of his lungs, crashed to his knees upon the view of his dead rabbit bleeding to the ground hung from far up on the rafters.
