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Chapter Three

The Devil Smiles

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Noah

"Yup, every girls dream to wake up to a bunch of half naked guys."

I looked over when I heard the familiar voice. I was at Charlie's house and had completely forgotten that it was now also Tiffany's house. She walked into the kitchen where Charlie, Luke and I were; her voice dripping with sarcasm and face straight like usual.

We were shirtless because we were in Charlie's basement playing basketball.

"Why were you asleep at 7pm, princess?" Luke laughed as Tiffany walked over to the refrigerator and grabbed a water bottle

"Why were you asleep at 7pm, princess?" Luke laughed as Tiffany walked over to the refrigerator and grabbed a water bottle.

"Power nap." she mumbled dryly before taking a seat on the island stool that was one away from the one I was on.

"I'm going to take a shower," Charlie announced before he left the room.

"Change of plans," Luke sighed, speaking as he looked down at his phone. "I have to pick my sister up from softball. I'll catch you guys later." He turned and gave Charlie a bro-hug before grabbing his things and heading out but not before turning to Tiffany and grinning foolishly, "Later, princess."

"Yeah, yeah, charming." she rolled her eyes as she watched him leave.

Tiffany was scrolling through her phone, not seeming very amused.

"Not a very chatty one, are you?" I laughed dryly, looking at her and quirking an eyebrow.

She looked at me, her face free of any expression. She once again looked like she was analyzing me. "I'm sorry, was I disturbing you or something?"

I shook my head lightly, "Not at all, sunshine."

"Princess and sunshine," she noted, nodding her head, "Not what normal people would peg me."

"I wonder why." I grinned. When she continued looking at me but hadn't responded I said, "where'd you move here from, anyways?"

Tiffany took at least a minute before any time she would answer me. When she looked at me like she was analyzing me it wasn't creepy or uncomfortable, it was more interesting wondering about what she was thinking as she tried to read my face. Her lips always remained in a straight line except the odds times she'd grin in amusement. Her eyes looked bored but would light with amusement for the most brief second.

"Why do you want to know?"

My eyebrows raised, "May as well get to know you while you're stuck here, am I right?" I repeated the words she had spoken earlier today. A small grin grew on her lips before she chuckled lightly causing my eyebrows to raise even further because that was an unexpected reaction from her.

"Ah, I see that. Way to hide your surprise when you find out the devil smiles." She looked at me with a small grin, her eyes lit with amusement - something I hadn't seen much of in the very short amount of time I had known her. "I didn't think I was that scary."

"I wouldn't say scary, sunshine." I retorted, sharing the same grin she had. "I was thinking more along the lines of dull."

She gave me a flat look.

She opened her mouth to say something but then stopped and looked down at the counter

She opened her mouth to say something but then stopped and looked down at the counter.

"What is it?"

She looked at me, "What?"

"You were going to say something." I noted, my tone urging her to continue.

She licked her lips, "Curiosity can open a door you don't want to enter, Noah."

I looked at her in confusion, not understanding what she meant. She gave me a small grin when she saw my confused look. She then stood up, grabbed her phone and water bottle and walked out of the kitchen.

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"Hey princess!" Luke exclaimed happily when we walked into our AP physics class to see Tiffany sitting in the seats where we sat.

She looked up at Luke and gave him a tired nod before looking back down to her notebook she was scribbling in.

Luke sat down in the desk behind hers while I took my seat that was beside her. "AP classes, huh?"

She looked at me and gave me the same tired look she gave Luke, "What? Surprised the devil's smart too? Pope Francis said Satan is smart and should not be argued with." She looked back to her paper.

My eyebrows raised, "Not peachy, again?"

"Not interested in holding a conversation with you, actually." She muttered without looking at me. I didn't have the chance to say anything because the teacher walked in and started talking.

At the end of class when we were walking out of the classroom Luke swung his arm around Tiffany's shoulders.

She looked at him, scanned his face and then looked at his arm around her, "Ever heard of personal space?"

Luke grinned and shrugged lightly, "I'm a friendly guy, what can I say princess?"

She narrowed her eyes but continued walking anyways, "I could get you arrested for assault you know."

Luke chuckled, "You wouldn't want to see this hot face behind bars, would you?"

She gave him a flat look, "wouldn't be the first one I've seen so actually, I'd be okay with it."

Luke gave her a confused look, "You been in jail? I don't buy it."

"I never said I have been," she stated bluntly as she took a step away from him, letting his arm hang in the arm before he crossed them over his chest. "and even if that was what I was implying, I wouldn't need you to believe me." She kept her gaze on him for another second before walking away from the two of us.

"She's..."

"Something else." I muttered, finishing his statement as we both watched her walk down the hall.

"Who is?" Jade asked as she appeared by us. She looked to where we were looking and then nodded, "Oh, Tiffany? I like her?"

"Really?" Luke looked at her with his head tilted, not buying it.

Jade laughed, "Why is that surprising?"

"Oh, no, I like her too," Luke said as we all started walking down the hall to get to our next classes. "She's just difficult to talk to you and you're shy with people you don't know. I didn't think you guys would hit it off."

"Actually, we have a class together so we talked. I like her. She honest and funny." Jade smiled and waved us off as she had reached her classroom.

"That's hard to believe." I mumbled under my breath.

"Nah, Tiffany's okay, just really reserved." Luke said. "Jade's right though, she is honest. And funny in a weird, sarcastic and dull way."

I looked at Luke, "What is this? Dub masters or something?"

Luke laughed as he punched my shoulder, "I'll see you later, Noah."

I watched as Luke walked off. Tiffany was intriguing because she was very mysterious and hard to understand which only made me want to figure her out even more. I knew that wouldn't be easy but something pulled me towards her.