Chapter 33

Chapter Thirty
Street Speeding and Killing a Bunch of People
Just like I had expected, the group got into a conversation about what happened at the soccer game yesterday not too soon after Noah and I got to my place.
Everyone was gathered in the basement, some of the boys playing video games while Joy and Jade were on Charlie's laptop on the Sephora website.
"Why would we let them get away with practically - sorry to say it like this, guy practically almost killing Tiffany?" Leo sputtered, looking between Noah and I like we were crazy.
Luckily, I had Noah who was doing most of the talking for me. "Look man," Noah sighed. "I'll be straight with you guys. If we do anything to get back at them, they'll only come back with worse. Theoretically, what if they come back and hurt Tiffany again? I don't know about the rest of you but I for one much rather drop the revenge and let them feel like they won if that means Tiffany won't get hurt again."
I ignored the concern Noah had for me when I added, "I'm not the only one who has ended up in the hospital because of them and I don't want to take the chances on another one of us being hurt."
"She's got a point," Jade sighed. "Let's be the bigger people and drop it."
Soon after that, everyone else in the group reluctantly agreed and the topic dropped. I took that as my leave and left to my room.
I was standing in front of my full-length mirror, lifting up Noah's sweatshirt that I was still wearing so I could see the giant and ugly bruise on my abdomen.
I gently pressed my fingers on it which caused me to suck in a breath and wince as pain struck through me.
"Princess?"
Abruptly dropping the sweatshirt down and turning around, I locked eyes with Luke who stood at the doorway of my room with a concerned look on his face.
He slowly walked closer to me, "Are you okay?"
I nodded quickly, face straight as I spoke. "Yeah, I'm okay. Just... it's bruised. It'll heal." I shrugged it off, not wanting to make it a big deal.
Luke sighed and nodded. I could tell he wanted to say more but refrained from doing so, knowing I didn't want to talk about it.
"You don't want to join everyone downstairs?" He asked softly as he watched me take a seat on the bed stool. "Everyone's just hanging, doing their own thing."
I shrugged, "I'm okay. You go have fun with them, though." I smiled softly.
Luke returned the smile as he took a seat on my desk chair, turning so he was facing me. "I much rather hang with you, princess."
I quirked an eyebrow, "Should I be flattered?"
Luke grinned cheekily, "I'd say you're lucky to be in my presence so yes."
Eventually, Luke and I ended up putting some random movie on the tv in my room and sitting on my bed eating dried cranberries.
"I have no idea what the fuck is going on," he mused, staring at the tv with complete confusion.
We both leaned against the headboard, Luke's head on my shoulder.
I popped a cranberry into my mouth, "What did she mean by we never really die?"
Luke scoffed, "I'm more confused about why she spoke in English to Mr.Jang. It's not like he could understand her."
Like and I were watching the movie 'Lucy'. It was very sci-fi and a little confusing because there were so many questions it brought out. Luke and I were intrigued by the moving but confused nonetheless.
I puckered out my lips, "Why did we pick this movie, again?"
Luke laughed, "I have no idea.s It's cool but confusing."
"I feel like the director thought the whole street speeding and killing a bunch of people would be a lot cooler than it really is." I chuckled, shaking my head lightly as I continued watching the movie.
"Wanna-be Fast and Furious," Luke scoffed, laughing.
A knock on the door interrupted our banter. We both looked over to see Noah slowly open the door and step in.
For a slight moment his jaw clenched as he looked between the two of us.
Noah cleared his throat and looked at Luke, "I'm heading home. I just wanted to see if you wanted a ride." I narrowed my eyes as I looked at Noah who seemed to be avoiding my gaze, his face straight and lips in a thin line, no emotion to be detected.
Luke lifted his head off my shoulder and sat up, "Why are you leaving so soon?"
Noah shrugged lightly, "Do you need a ride?"
"Uh... no. Thanks, though." Luke blinked, confused at Noah's oddly dreary attitude.
Noah nodded, gave us a small look before turning and leaving my room.
"What is up with him?" I mumbled, looking at my door. "Why is he being weird? He wasn't like that earlier."
Luke sighed as he leaned back against the headboard while I paused the movie and gave Luke a questioning look. He knew Noah better than anyone, of course he would know why Noah was acting the way he was.
"He's not acting weird. That was Noah." Luke gave me a flat look that told me there wasn't much more to it.
I narrowed my eyes in a questioning manner, "What does that mean?"
Luke blew air out in his cheeks, "That's the Noah we all grew used to. Ever since you came here, Noah's been... well he's been his old self. The Noah you just saw was the Noah that's been around for... over a year now."
"I don't get what you're saying," I said slowly, shaking my head lightly. "I bring out the... the better Noah? What are you saying?"
Luke took a moment to think before answering, "It's hard to explain. Noah... he went through some things and he changed. He wasn't that fun and loud and lively person he used to be. When you got here he starting getting back to his old self - the version of himself that wasn't so closed off and separate from everyone else. I don't know what it was, Tiff, but you bring the best out of him."
I narrowed my eyes, not fully understanding or believing what I was hearing. "That's bullshit. That one person who makes you a better you bullshit only happens in the books."
Luke shrugging, grinning a little. "We all thought Noah was - well, gone in a way. We thought his whole world really did stop but then you came around and he started being the way he used to be. I'm just telling you how it is. Maybe it's not just in the books."
"He went through something that bad?" The words left in a whisper. I wasn't sure I wanted to ask because I knew it wasn't my spot of Luke's spot to tell me. Noah always said things about how he wasn't perfect and gave me many opportunities to ask him about his personal life but I never did because it simply wasn't my business. It still wasn't my business so I didn't want to ask.
Luke again frowned, "It's not my story to tell."
I slowly nodded my head and looked back to the tv screen, grabbing the remote and pressing play.
I knew it wasn't my business and I never wondered what skeletons he had hiding in his closet. I knew everyone had some but I didn't want to know.
Until now.
Now I wanted to know what it was that broke Noah.
However, I knew better than to get involved into that deeper level with someone.
So now, I was going to have to live with the curiosity and what-if questions because I wasn't going to ask Noah what happened.