Chapter 3

J

I awoke to the sound of crunching behind me like rocks breaking on themselves. I must've fallen asleep in the windowsill it was just getting dark out. I turned around and say this red haired guy sitting on my bed looking at me as he ate a bag of what looked like jaw breakers! The notion to inform him of proper dental care was strong but the words mammon yelled at me still stung and I simply turned back to the window and ignored him feeling completely unmotivated.

"would you like one?" I looked over and he was offering me some of his candy; he was really tall, even as I stood I hadn't quite reached his shoulders and I had to strain a little to look up at him from standing so close. I should speak, but already I had made two of them mad at me by doing just that. to took another jawbreaker the size of my fist and bit into it like it were an apple.

"That….doesn't that hurt?" He looked at the candy and shrugged.

"no. it doesn't bother me; I have good teeth I brush a lot." Oh so he does understand dental care…but still….

"If I let my teeth go bad then I can't enjoy all of the delicious foods out there. and missing out on that would be horrible." I reached into the bag and pulled out a smaller jawbreaker it was roughly the size of a golf ball. He smiled and his kind gesture only stung me again…how long before I make him mad too?

"My name is Beelzebub, my room is next door. You can call me Beel if you want, my brothers and friends call me that."

"My name is Jetèa; it is very nice to meet you Beel." Suddenly a pair of arms wrapped themselves around me and I nearly jumped out of my skin.

"Hello Kia, I am so very happy to meet you! My, you are absolutely gorgeous, those hazel eyes and that hair! It is the shade of red wine, my favorite is Succu-Noir; have you tried it? It's very delectable and the way it hits your tongue you will think you have gone to paradise!" I took this to be another one of the brothers he had rose gold hair and pink eyes and a slightly higher voice that sort of make me thing of a songbird. I was immediately uncomfortable by the physical contact he was displaying as he hugged me closer to his body and kept talking he smelled of a very sweet perfume.

"Asmo let her go, she doesn't like it." Beel shook his head and his brother sighed sadly before stroking my face.

"Such a beautiful rose, and with sensitive petals I see. Don't worry one day soon you will desire my touch and I will be here to give you the full extent of my love little rose." He stepped back and sat on my bed leg crossed over the other and for a moment I only stared flustered.

"Unwanted physical contact is not a good way to make a first impression; and the rules clearly state that the harassment of a student to another is strictly prohibited. Any student to blatantly disregards the set guidelines and practices of the Academy are not fit to wear the uniform it represents." Uh-oh, I saw on their faces that I had done it again. The one named Asmo pouted and crossed his other leg before leaning in my direction.

"Are you going to tell? I was only greeting you the only way I know how, I wasn't trying to get frisky scouts honor; however if one day you want that I would be happy to oblige. I am the avatar of lust after all; everyone deserves to feel loved."

"Avatar of…Lust?" Asmo bounded up and motioned to the small table and chair set in my room and motioned for me to sit.

"Yes dear my name is Asmodeus by the way, I am the avatar or in other words the incarnation of lust. Beel over there is Gluttony." Beel waved a hand as he bit into another jawbreaker.

"There are seven of us in total; we all are a representation of what you humans call the seven deadly sins. I personally think that I'm the fun one; I mean who doesn't want to be loved?"

"That is very interesting; so if you are lust and he is gluttony what is Mammon?"

"He is greed; but I wouldn't go asking for any money though, even though he is obsessed with money he is very much in debt and chances are he will steal from you at a moments notice." I had told Mammon that he was searching for something he had no drive or knowledge to gain; I didn't know the extent I had hit the nail on the head, no wonder he was agitated.

"You called me Kia before…"

"Why yes I did, isn't that your name?"

"No…it's Jetèa, Mammon called me that, he says that I'm a know-it-all."

"Oh dear I do apologize! Although the thought that Mammon could come up with such a clever name is well beyond me. I suppose every devil has his day." He smiled and laughed as he offered me a drink but I just continued to look down at the table.

"What else did he say about me?"

"that you were haughty, a snob and a total succubus; he also said that you were too smart for your own good, but as soon as he said that you were pretty I rushed right over."

"He also said that you were about as fun as a wet sandwich."

"A wet sandwich, I've been called a wet blanket and even a towel…but a sandwich?"

"I think it means you don't have people skills, not really sure."

"I thought there were sandwiches…I'm so hungry."

"Well dinner will be soon, in fact you have to get dressed or you are going to be late."

"I don't want to go…I'm not hungry."

"What's the matter?" Do I tell these two what is really bothering me? Can they be trusted? Who else did I have?

"I always make people….uncomfortable; I thought I was helping Mammon by telling him where he needs to improve and how to work on it. but instead he got angry and it got him in trouble with Lucifer."

"Lucifer is always beating on Mammon, not that he doesn't deserve it; we have to treat all the exchange students with the upmost respect and hospitality and I can imagine Mammon was being Boorish. So don't worry your pretty little head about him."

"Why didn't you get mad at me?"

"Why should I? I know the rules, and if you were going to report me you would be doing that now instead of talking to me." Why didn't I report him? What would it do besides mar the schools name and get the rest of them angrier? It was just a hug and he did let go as soon as he saw I was displeased.

"I suppose your right, will Lucifer be there?"

"Of course, we are all gathering at Diavolo's Mansion tonight to welcome the exchange students. Being Diavolo's right hand he has to be there."

"Then I really don't want to go." I cringed and the thought of those piercing red eyes staring at me again make my stomach turn in embarrassment and fear.

"Oh don't be silly; Lucifer may be a stick in the mud but he doesn't bite."

"Well….he has been sort of cold toward me since I corrected his presentation today." Beel choked on his candy.

"You corrected Lucifer? You…corrected Lucifer?" Asmo look astonished.

"Um, yes…then on the way here I called him arrogant and callous and told him I had no intention in becoming companions because he was so frigid." The two of them stared at me for several awkward seconds.

"We should tell them that she fell ill."

"Food poisoning?"

"No because we haven't eaten, maybe the effects of the Devildom air; that could work."

"Is it that bad?"

"It wouldn't be if you hadn't insulted the avatar of pride; Lucifer takes his position very seriously and…other than Satan I can't think of a single soul to dare insult him. And you corrected him; you may have well insulted him twice."

"She's alive so that has to say something." Beel looked in his bag, dissapoited that it was empty.

"That is very true and he picked you to live with us."

"He said that with my attention to detail I could keep an eye on Mammon."

"That explains it! Mammon has been giving Lucifer hell lately with his antics if you are that bold to even critique him then Mammon should be a cakewalk."

"But mammon hates me too; and I have to shadow him for the next month."

"Poor little rose, no wonder you're so sad. Here is some advice from yours truly; if no one in the room wants you, then become the thing everyone desires!"

"You mean lie?"

"No, I mean if no one plans to pay any attention to you then you demand the attention when you walk into the room. If no one finds you interesting be mysterious, capture them with your eyes and draw them to the masterpiece that is you."

"I don't think I can do that." My mother brother and sister could…but I wasn't bequeathed that gene.

"Simply look into my gorgeous eyes darling, and feel the pull of desire…" we waited several seconds of more awkward silence.

"Aren't you feeling the pull of desire?"

"Uhhh….yes?"

"Be serious with me here I'm giving it all I got."

"I'm sorry but I don't feel anything but awkward." Asmo pouted.

"Darn, and I really wanted you in my room tonight…"

"Excuse me?"

"You really need to take claim of the room tonight, make a very valid impression. Look at the end of the day, if you impress Diavolo then Lucifer will back off of you and thus handle Mammon if he steps out of line. He is a scumbag after all."

"And don't think we won't step in as well…when is dinner again, I'm starving."

"Soon which means we must get dressed this is a welcome dinner for the newbies we have to wear our uniforms but it is optional for you tonight, I'm so jealous. I wanted to make every head turn tonight."

"I wonder if they will serve dragon tongue in orange sauce again, that was good!"

"Come Beel we must leave Jetèa to change." Beel left the room and Asmo closed it behind him I'm pretty sure my face depicted that I was not amused by what he was implying and I promptly shoved him out the door.

"I only wanted to pick out what you were going to wear; I bet you would look stunning in black lace and gold chains…"

"Thank you Asmodeus but I know what I will be wearing thank you." I knew just what to wear, My mother packed my bag so I was going to knock them dead.

L

The students began to gather in the ballroom of Dialvolos mansion; it was mandated that the current students wear their uniforms to represent the school and the new students were to dress semi-formal to be set apart and everyone knows who to greet. I checked the clock again, I told my brothers to be here half past seven and it was a quarter to eight! It infuriates me that they could be so careless, if the student council is late it will make Diavolo look bad and Jetèa is with them too. The girl exasperates me to no end and she has only been here a few hours, that in itself is a record. She outright insulted me, yelled at me like I couldn't rip her limbs off where she stood. If her life didn't define the future of this school I would have; but if she dared cause a scene tonight in front of Diavolo I would be tempted to do much worse.

"Isnt this great, they already seem to be mingling wonderfully." The other two humans were here early as required; but where were my damn brothers?"

"Out of the way, coming through the Great Mammon is approaching!" It was about time; out of the middle of the pack Jetèa appeared wearing a knee length sweater dress that hugged her svelte frame around her waist was a belt made of three golden chains and just under the cowl neckline hung a golden rose. Her hair was swept to the side and she walked with the upmost confidence and most importantly a smile.

"Wow she looks great doesn't she Lucifer? I'm glad everyone had packed formalwear; I was beginning to worry that I should have mentioned it but they all look amazing."

"Yes they are all nice." They mingled with one another and she spotted me in the crowd before she smiled and waved. I however did not return the gesture and it seemed to offend her. She had only stated hours ago that she had no intention of forming a companionship with me and that she was going to remember her place. I was going to make sure she remembered those words.

"Look she even waved at you, aren't they so polite to each other this looks like it will be another good year."

"Yes."

"You seem glum friend; is there an issue?"

"None that I can't handle."

"Why didn't you wave to Jetèa, she seemed eager to talk to you."

"I didn't see her wave."

"You've been watching her since she came into the room."

"I was watching Mammon."

"Fine, then you won't mind if I go down and mingle with her then, maybe get a dance in before dinner is served." He went to the dance floor heading her way and I wondered just what would come out of her mouth to insult him first. They talked for several minutes and I stepped closer getting angrier the more they spoke, awaiting his shocked and disrespected reaction. But instead he laughed; and he took her hand and patted it as she smiled. She then adjusted the emblems on his uniform and straitened his tie that got mussed going through the crowd. I heard him thank her and he walked back my way.

"You know I heard talk that she was hypercritical, and I can see how she comes off that way."

"What did she say to you?"

"She thanked me for accepting her and informed me that my uniform was askew. She said; 'A man of great position such as yourself must always look the part and present himself in a reflecting manner. Everyone looks to you and the moment you do not represent the part the tier could fall." I felt my blood boil and moved reprimand her but he grabbed my arm still speaking.

"And get this, then she said: With great power comes great responsibility, and the weight of that responsibility can be debilitating. So understand that I don't say these things to be insulting or critical but because everyone needs help sometimes and either don't realize it or are too afraid to ask for it.' Then she fixed my uniform for me and said 'now be careful going back through I can't be by your side forever.' She is a riot!" he laughed thoroughly at his encounter and smiled in her direction; she saw and curtsied.

"I can see how she comes off so abrasively; she felt the need to explain why she said what she did to me, anyone who is willing to take their criticism to heart will see it as an attack rather than assistance."

"I see that you didn't Diavolo."

"Being in my position you get a lot of criticism and outright insults; it's in the job description, you can't please everybody. But I believe in her case she is trying to help. You saw her answers; she wants to help others be wants to be a part of something, it's what drives her! It's why I needed her here; why I asked you to keep a close eye on her." I didn't share Diavolo's favor for the girl; on the contrary, she may have put on an act in order to win his favor. This would mean that she is even more trouble than I had imagined.

"I still have a feeling about her Diavolo; I do not know what it is, but something is off about her."

"Look at it from this perspective, and I think you will understand this more than you think. She analyzes everything about them so that she can form a summary of that person within just minutes of meeting them and gives a critique of what is at fault and what needs to be done. In my opinion; that sounds like a person that has been failed by others before, like she wants to help them but she doesn't trust them enough to get to know them and allow their character to overrule their faults. She would forgive you for being so arrogant and cold hearted if she knew what you go through."

"Wh-how did…?"

"She also told me that she attacked you and apologized. I told her it wasn't my apology to accept. But I would have loved to have seen the look on your face old friend!" He put a hand on my shoulder and nodded with a knowing smile.

"If she feels she has to be this judgmental to everyone else; how much do you think she berates herself? You have much more in common with her than you know." He left to mingle with more students and I watched on as she tried to talk to Mammon, what could I have in common with a human?