When Devils Smile

Nine

"So then she told me-" Issy droned on about someone in her class at university, apparently this girl thought Issy was looking at her boyfriend or whatever and got pissy about it. And now she's telling me the fun little story.

Today we're hanging out at her house, I had nothing better to do and I don't really like being alone so I called Isabel up. Lola is on my lap purring away and I pet her every so often, I've sort of missed her too.

"And I was like, 'I have a boyfriend already so why would I need to look at yours?' And she went completely red."

I raise a brow at that and now I'm completely awake listening to her story, she has a who now. Does she think we're together? I go to question this but Devon walks out of his room looking like a total mess.

It's the afternoon but he's only just woken up, I expect him to have a raging headache after last night.

He stumbles out rubbing his eyes of sleep, his hair points in every direction and his shirt is all crumpled up. I smile at him as his arms drop. And he pauses, then he groans.

"Why is he here?" He questions to Isabel while glaring at me, she shrugs with a smile to her dearest brother.

"Hey, be nice. He's the one who called Val for you last night remember?" Instantly Devon blushes and I smirk.

"Yeah yeah, thanks for that by the way" he addresses me and my smirk drops slightly, then I put on a grin and shrug one shoulder in acknowledgement. Weired out that he actually thanked me because I haven't thanked him once for saving my ass.

"Seriously thanks, I thought you'd just leave me there" he says and then clears his throat. He looks like he really means his thanks, he still has a deep blush on. Maybe his friends always left him every time this happens, every time he wonders off drunk.

"Well, clearly I'm not the monster you so desperately think I am" I say and see Issy look between us, with a strange look on her face.

Devon rubs his neck, "yeah maybe you're not" he shrugs and watches me, I stare at him as he does so with a patient smile. Then Issy clears her throat, still watching between us with squinted eyes. She looks... suspicious, though I don't know why but hell I'm going to find out.

Devon glances at her before clearing his throat, "right, I'm going to get breakfast" he starts to head to the kitchen, "and a boat load of paracetamol to kill this headache." I watch him go and when I turn back I see Issy staring at me.

I smile to her and take her hand in mine and she instantly lightens up, I furrow my brows. Is she annoyed I'm talking to her brother? Having a proper civil chat for once.

"You okay?" I question and she glances behind me in the kitchen before she looks at me again. She pulls a small smile and shakes her head, clearing herself of any lingering thoughts.

"Yeah," she clears her throat, "yeah I am." I nod, I want to question her on what she said earlier but I'm sure she didn't mean it like that. Yeah we've been seeing each other quite a bit latley but I certainly don't like her like that, I'm using her really. To get to Val and Devon yes, but also to distract myself.

No we haven't had sex or anything- if we did I would have rubbed it in Val's face by now. But she's the only company that I can just about tolerate, and she likes hanging with me so...

The next day we hang out again, this time at Issy's cafe that she works at. It's quite empty today, later on I have a shift at the club so I thought why not do something in the morning. Or else I'll end up doing something that I regret.

I sit opposite her and she talks away, she seems to talk a lot. And I listen to her, which I know she likes, appreciates. I don't think her friends listen to her much, mostly because when she talks she can go on for hours. But it helps distract me from myself, and that stupid laptop.