5

The book is going to be continued in Tiffany's POV unless written otherwise on the chapter!!!

Chapter Five

What's New With You?

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"How are you doing, sweetie." My dad stood in the doorframe of my room.

I sighed and shut my laptop. "I'm okay, dad."

"What's wrong?" He frowned as he came over and sat on the edge of my bed. "Is it—"

I shook my head and forced a small smile. "Nothing, I'm just not use to being here. Things are a lot different."

"I think that's a good thing, hun." My dad chuckled lightly. "You'll get use to Long Grove. Do you miss Saratoga?"

Flashbacks filled my mind and I winced, shaking my head no. "I don't miss it, there's too much there that would've held me back. I just feel like I... like I ran away from Saratoga."

My dad gave me a sad smile, "you didn't run away, Tiffany. You just had no reason to stay there. Think of it like a chapter ending."

I gave my dad a tight lipped smile. "You're right. Thank you dad." My dad wrapped his arms around me and hugged me. I relaxed into his arms, not really used to hugs like this.

"Family dearest," we both looked over to see Ezra leaning against the door frame with a smirk on his face. "Miss me?"

"So much, son." My dad said sarcastically, grinning as he stood up.

"What are you doing here, Razzi?" I raised my eyebrows as Ezra walked into my room.

"Everyone is going out. I come in place of Charlie who I knew would take the defeat and fail to convince you to come along." Ezra walked into my room and took a seat on the edge of the bed, in front of me.

I narrowed my eyes, "well you should prepare to take the defeat as well because you're doing a poor job persuading me."

"Ah, Tiffy, you know you can't say no to me." He gave me a childish smile. "We're just going to go get food, hit the arcade and bowling. Stupid shit like that."

"Why would I want to come to your ninth birthday bash?" I chuckled, shaking my head. "This friend group continues to amaze me."

"Hey now, I am the newest member next to you so I can not argue. It's unlike what we did in Saratoga but—"

"Let's not talk about Saratoga," I cut him off, looking away from him.

"Tiff—"

"Would you look at that!" I beamed with fake enthusiasm as I stood up. "You have convinced me, Razzi. Let's go bowl." I rolled my eyes as I walked out of the room.

"Tiffany," Ezra caught up to me and grabbed my arm just as I was at the top of the staircase ready to head down. I turned to look at him, a flat look on my face. "Come on. We can talk about it, you know."

"Does it look like I want to talk about it, Ezra?" I narrowed my eyes, looking at my cousin in disbelief.

"I know you don't but you haven't said a word about anything since you found out you'd move to Long Grove. You always talk to me, Tiff. I'm just worried about you and maybe talking will he—"

"Ezra." I cut him off and raised my hand to get him to stop talking. "I don't want to talk about it or about anything for that matter. I am fine and I don't understand why you and dad and Charlie all walk around me like there's shattered glass all around me."

"Maybe it has to do with the fact tha—"

"Ezra, please." I gave him a stern look and practically begged with my eyes. "I'm okay, I promise."

Ezra looked at me with a doubtful and concerned look but nodded anyways. "Meet me downstairs?"

I nodded and gave him a tight lipped smile that he knew wasn't genuine. He looked at me for a moment longer before sighing and walking down the stairs. I watched him descend down the stairs and sighed out in relief when he was gone because I had started to feel like I was suffocating.

Just as I was about to head down the stairs, a voice spoke causing me to abruptly turn. I lost my balance and was about to fall when a strong pair of arms pulled me and caught me.

"Woah there sunshine, you would've dropped your cereal again." I opened my eyes to see Noah holding me, a small grin on his face.

I cleared my throat and pushed myself off him. "Thanks."

"Did the devil just say thank you or do I need to get my ears checked out?" amusement twinkled in his eyes.

I glared at him, "don't get used to it. I would've fallen down the stairs and broken my neck so I owed it."

"You okay?"

"I'm fine." I mumbled, turning around and heading down the stairs. I was getting more agitated with everyone asking me that. "What were you doing upstairs anyways? Isn't everyone down?"

"I was grabbing a charger from Charlie's room." He answered. He sounded like he was holding back from saying more but I was okay with that.

I didn't know if he had heard mine and Ezra's conversation so I kept my pace faster than his in attempts to avoid him asking me questions like usually would.

"Hey Tiff," Jade came over and gave me a small hug.

"Hey. Ezra said we're going bowling or something."

Jade nodded, "Everyone was bored... and hungry. The diner we usually go to has a bowling alley right next door."

The whole group was here. I wasn't excited for this and it was definitely not something I would willing choose to do but it didn't seem like I could get out of it easily.

I carpooled with Jade, Kai, and Joy because I didn't want to be stuck with Ezra or Noah right now. Ezra was my partner in crime and knew me better than anyone else so I usually stuck with him since he knew what to say and what not to say. Thanks to our conversation earlier, I didn't want him to bring something unwanted up again so I avoided carpooling with him.

Noah... well I was just trying to avoid him. After what happened at his house and how he always showed up everywhere, my mind was starting to get clouded and that usually ended badly.

Kai and Joy were busy singing along to stupid songs on the radio, holding hands as Kai drove and occasionally glanced at his girlfriend. They were beyond happy together.

It was adorable in a nauseating way.

We all sat at the diner with a bunch of burgers and fries and milkshakes. Everyone was in their own little conversations talking about soccer and school, movies, the MTV awards and a bunch of other crap.

"So princess," Luke looked at me with that happy look on his face, like usual. He was very loud and was always in a good mood. I was jealous of it although it was annoying at times. "What's new with you?"

I sipped on my milkshake, "Nothing, Luke. What's new with you?"

"Well," He leaned back and smiled, "My sister hit me in the face with a softball. Also, I bought new Adidas Solarboosts because my Ultraboosts were getting old. I also got tickets to the White Sox game - hey, you should come with me. Are you good at math, by the way because I also failed my last test so I need a tutor and—"

"Dude," Leo smacked the side of Luke's head causing him to dramatically yell "ow" and glare at Leo. "She was asking in decency, not because she wanted to hear you rant about stupid bullshit."

I gave Leo a small smile, "Thank you, Leo."

He nodded, grinning, "No worries, princess." He mocked Luke causing me to chuckle.

"Hey! That's my thing!" He muttered as he stole a hand-full of fries from Leo but Leo only rolled his eyes before he continued talking to Charlie about something.

"You are literally a little child, Luke." Ezra said with an amused grin as he ate a fry.

Luke scoffed, "I'm embracing myself, what's your issue?"

"I don't have one, buddy." Ezra replied smugly. "I'm just saying, you're the most childish person I have ever met."

"Am not." Luke grumbled.

"Let the guy live, Razzi." I sighed, leaning my head on Luke's shoulder as he was sitting beside me and I was very bored and tired right now.

Luke looked at me with wide, glowing eyes, "Did princess just defend me? Wow, I will never forget this moment."

"Oh yeah, let your ego boost because Tiff defended you." Ezra scoffed. "Immature."

"What's got you in such a twist, Ezra?" I took my head off Luke's shoulder and narrowed my eyes at Ezra. Ezra was very honest and sometimes brutally honest, he spoke his mind and didn't care about irrelevant people, he did what he wanted and was hardcore, not tolerating anyone he didn't want to tolerate. However, right now he was acting like an actual asshole — ruder than usual.

Ezra shook his head and pushed his chair back, getting up and leaving the table.

I knew he was annoyed with me for "not facing my issues" and was taking it out on everyone else - in this case, mainly Luke.

"What happened to him?" Joy asked, frowning. Everyone at the table was now looking at Luke and I since we were sitting across from him and were the ones who were talking to him.

"I don't know." I grumbled quietly, looking at him watch away while everyone's eyes were on me.

"I'll go talk to him," Charlie stated, standing up.

I shook my head and stood up, "No, I'll go."

"Are you sure?" Charlie looked at me, somewhat concerned but more confused. I nodded and walked away, catching up to Ezra.

"Raz, hold on!" I said loud enough for him to hear as I stepped outside the diner and saw him unlock his car.

"What do you want, Tiff?" He sighed, turning and giving me a bored look.

"What is wrong with you?" I crossed my arms over my chest. "Is this about earlier or something? Luke isn't saying anything to you. You know he's a... loud ass, weird kid, okay? He's just like that all the time — perky and happy. Don't go off on him like that. Why are you being a jerk?"

Ezra started laughing, shaking his head, "Seriously, Tiffany?"

"What is your deal, Ezra?" I looked at him in disbelief, getting fed up and angry now.

"Why are you defending him and talking like you know the kid inside and out when you've been here all of— what, like two weeks? not even." Ezra scoffed and looked away from me, pulling something out of his jacket pocket. He leaned against his car, placing a cigarette in his mouth and lighting it before taking a big puff and exhaling it right in my face.

I glared at my cousin who was acting like a complete jackass. "I'm not defending him, you're just choosing to take your anger out on people who don't deserve it."

Ezra scoffed again, "At least I'm letting my feelings out, unlike you."

"What do you want me to do Ezra?" I sputtered.

Ezra looked at me for a moment. Then he held out the cigarette, offering it to me.

I looked at the cigarette for a long moment before looking at him with a flat look, "No, thank you. Are you going to tell me what's wrong you now or can I go back inside?"

Ezra took another puff from his cigarette before dropping it on the ground and stepping on it, the whole thing going to waste. "Nothing, Tiff. I'm sorry. I don't know what's wrong with me."

"It's hitting you." I sighed as I went over and leaned against his car, standing beside him now.

"What do you mean?"

"Everything that happened — when it happened you were too busy taking care of me so it's hitting you now."

Ezra looked at me. "We should go back in before they start talking shit about the new kids in their friend group."

I laughed and punched his shoulder, pushing myself off the car and walking back in the diner with him.

"There you guys are," Charlie smiled lightly. "Are you guys good?"

Ezra shrugged nonchalantly as if nothing happened, "Dapper."

"Is everything okay?" Luke asked me quietly. I gave him a small smile and nodded.

"So, are we going?" Jade asked, getting everyone's attention.

"Going where?" I mumbled.

"We kind of decided to hit a party instead of bowling." Leo answered, smiling as he was content with the idea.

Charlie looked at me with a concerned look. I glanced away from him just to see Ezra looking at me wide his eyebrows raised in a questioning manner.

"I'm in." I looked between the rest of the group and smiled vastly.

"Great!" Joy smiled brightly. "Let's get going then!"

We were all leaving the diner when my arm was pulled back by Charlie who was standing with Ezra who had his arms crossed over his chest, "you really want to go?"

I yanked my arm away from him and glared at the both of them, "What do you think I'm going to do? Shoot myself up with heroin?" I looked over to see Noah looking at the three of us with concern but he I think he was too far to hear what I said. I rolled my eyes and walked away, catching up to Jade.