Behind Her Smile

Chapter One

Chapter One: Light bulb

Two Years Later....

“On a scale of one to ten, how bad do you think it would be if-“

“At least twenty.”

“Ro! You didn’t even let me f-“

“If I let you finish, I know I will regret it.” Ro replies not even looking up from his textbook.

“Come on, I promise it’s not even that bad. I’ll even give you a share of the profits.” Dex begs as she tries to catch his eye. 

Ro scoffs as he flips a page. “Knowing you, you will give me a penny and tell me to be on my way.”

“Be grateful of that penny!” Dex exclaims. She huffs when he just gives her a raised eyebrow.

“You stole it back claiming finders’ keepers!”

“Well it was shiny.” Dex mutters sheepishly. “At least you get something. Last time I had to get rid of the body.” By body, she meant a mannequin she had accidentally burned when they wanted to do a surprise party for her art teacher. Let’s just say it didn’t go so well.

“It was my bed you dumped it on! It nearly gave me a heart attack.”

Dex chortles, “You have to admit, it was pretty funny. You were cuddling up to it and everything. If I hadn’t woken you up, I was afraid you were going to start kissing it.”

Ro glares at her, cheeks blazing. “Not funny.” Dex laughs pinching his red cheeks, which he swats away.

“Besides all my ideas are great ideas.” She flips her over her shoulder turning her face into a pout. “Please, please, help me!” She even goes on her knees to beg. "PLEASE!"

Ro pushes his glasses up his nose, in what can only be described as exasperation, “You’re not going to give up, are you?”

“Nope.” Dex exclaims popping the p with a childish grin. “So will you help me, my dearest friend Ro?”

Ro takes a long sip of water, watching his friend wait for his answer impatiently, already knowing his answer. He closes his textbook, knowing she will not leave him alone to study as he had hoped. “Well there is no point delaying the inevitable and someone has to make sure you don’t get into too much trouble.” He pauses already know he is going to regret this, “So yes.” He quickly uses his fingers to close his ears.

“Yippee!” Dex fist bumps the air, kissing Ro on the cheek, causing his cheeks to flare up again without his permission. He lowers his hands.

“But I have conditions.”

“First we have to steal the Mona Lisa, buy twenty ducks, dye our hair, and bring our cameras. We should also buy lots and lots and sticky notes-” She pauses in her ramblings and faces Ro, “Conditions?”

Ro blinks and nods. “Yes. I will not leave the car, we will be back before midnight and if you even breathe a word to anyone that I was with you, I will forever deny it.”

Dex sinks back into the chair with her arms crosses. Her bottom lip stuck out showing her displeasure. “Midnight?! That’s not enough time. It’s already 6:30!”

“Dex.” Ro says warningly, “I have a very important test tomorrow and I need to wake up early to be ready for it. In fact, the both of us have to study.” They both knew, Dex wasn't going to study. She never took any class seriously unless it was art class. 

Completely ignoring what Ro had just said, Dex continues, “Hey Ro, want to prank my neighbor?" Ro sighs knowing that everything he had just said, just went to the other ear. “Dex, we’ve been over this. We have the same neighbor, remember. Technically I’m your neighbor as well. So no, I don’t. He’s a nice man, albeit a bit grumpy, but he likes me and I want it to stay that way.”

“Well what if we were masks this time? That way he won’t know it’s us.”

“You already tried that and he yelled at me the next morning to put a leash on you!”

Dex deflates a little. Ro softens his tone, “Hey, if you need something to do. You can be my study buddy. That way we can both be ready for the test tomorrow.” He says offering his textbook.

She stares at it repulsed, as if he had offered a bag of rotting garbage. Then her lips curved into a smile, the type that Ro knew she was planning something. Uh-oh. “I’ve got an idea!” Before Ro could blink, Dex rushes out of his living room, into his room. Ro rubs both side of his head to relieve the headache that is forming. He hears her rummaging in his room, he is just about to go over there, when she comes running out with two socks and scissors. “Don’t run with scis-Oomph!” Dex interrupts him by slamming a sock over his head.

“I’ve got our masks!” She sings.

He tries to glare at her, but the eye holes were cut too small and too up high his head, so he was sure it wasn’t effective. “See! Perfect fit!” Dex giggles.

“Not really.” Ro mutters taking the infernal thing off and flinging at Dex, which she shrieks at. Ro rolls his eyes when she falls back on the couch dramatically.

“Maybe we should skip the masks.” Giggled Dex, as she takes her ‘mask’ off as well. She flings it at Ro, but he ducks, “You think?” he says sarcastically.

“Sheesh, no need to be so sassy with me.” She exclaims, snapping her fingers in a perfect Z formation. Ro eye twitches. She puts her feet on his coffee table and that is the last straw. He grabs her by the collar and throws her out of his apartment, locking the door behind her. He sighs in relief sinking down in the couch to enjoy the silence. 

Until she starts trying to kick his front door down.

Ro sighs before standing up to open the door. He startles Dex mid kick, “Be ready in five minutes or I’m leaving in the car without you to find a different study place since you so graciously decided to taint my home.” And before Dex could open her mouth or force her way in, he shuts the door once more, cutting off any protest.

“Now five minutes of peace and quiet!” He yells loud enough for Dex to hear him outside the door. He could almost imagine her crossing her arms and tapping her foot at him. He holds his breath waiting for her response.

“FINE! JUST WAIT FOR ME, YOU JERK!”

Ro smiles smugly as he sits back down. 

10/21/2017