Devil's Eye

Chapter 3

5' 8"-5' 9"

Tartlets covered in beer were even better than without it. Noah managed to shove at least a half of what was left when he noticed Andrea and Scott coming towards him. He shoved a couple more just in case.

"Are you okay? I've just seen..." Andrea said nervously, turning the phone in her hand.

"Eferyfin' is fine," mumbled Noah, still chewing his food.

"Oh my God, Noah! If you don't stop eating all this junk food, your acne will never go away!" she frowned and put her hands on her sides.

"Whatever," Noad didn't seem confused, "I like my acne," he declared, touching the pimples on his sharp jawline.

"Don't be stupid!" Andrea was mad, "God, when does it end?" she said, slowly leaning upon the table and looking at her phone screen again. "I don't know who's doing that and why?!"

"Maybe Noah's crossed someone's path?" suggested Scott, meditatively scratching his chin.

"Are you kidding? It's Noah! He wouldn't hurt a fly!" Andrea disagreed passionately. Noah just exhaled loudly as an answer. He thought that no more than 10 minutes had passed since he snatched the opportunity to stay at the party by means of vicious blackmailing. But Andrea wasn't completely wrong. If we try to forget that Noah sometimes has some clashes due to the gossip and rumors, he never gets into a conflict with anyone. He just doesn't have the motivation to do that. He considered himself to be a patient and loyal person with a soft temper. He couldn't even imagine when and where he could hurt someone. Even by accident. On the other hand, Scott was also kinda right. It was at least weird that Noah had been abused for almost two years without a single reason. Every person would get bored doing that with no motivation. If the person or people had a strong reason, it was a whole different thing. A hidden resentment, for example.

"I don't understand then," Scott shrugged his shoulders.

"Me neither," said Andrea, and they both sighed. Noah continued eating. He had nothing to say. He has thought about it a thousand times. He has tried to find a reason a thousand times. And he has come to the same answer each and every time: he has no idea why it's happening to him.

Suddenly, he felt a lump in his throat again. Well, that was a bad time for that. But he swallowed it with another tartlet. Yeah, you can only wish to establish a good relationship with food and get rid of acne, when every day is so shitty that Noah has the same choice every night: a bucket of ice cream or sleeping pills.

"We won't leave you alone today," Andrea said seriously, "And God help me if someone barks at you again!"

"Everyone who wanted to do it has already done it," Noah said carelessly, "But I endured it all bravely! So don't turn the party into a daycare by babysitting me. It's the first day after the summer break. I bet you haven't said hi to at least half of your friends!" In fact he wanted Andrea and Scott to stay with him. But Noah didn't want to ruin friends' evening because of his long, wearisome problem.

"Are you sure?" Andrea asked, looking into his eyes.

"Of course!"

'Of course not!'

"If something happens, promise to call us immediately!" Andrea demanded, already spotting a person from a drunk crowd who was probably one of her friends, looking for Andrea's attention.

"Or scream," advised Scott, who couldn't refuse his mission of bodyguarding Andrea. Noah couldn't blame him.

"I promise to scream at the top of my lungs!" he said, nodding.

"And promise me to stop puttering around the table and meet someone new!" Andrea demanded again, "How long are you going to be all by yourself? I wish you a handsome, tall, and sexy guy who's going to carry you in his arms! You deserve it!"