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***

"Hello."

I had just got back home with Gran when my phone buzzed. And it was Stef on the other end. She sounded as though someone had removed all her flesh and handed them over to her on a plate.

"You sound drop dead depressed. What's the matter?" I asked in an amused tone.

"It's a very tragic story," she sniffed, "I'm feeling so empty. Deep down in my pockets."

"Um....Gran and I had just been to the supermarket and we brought a box of tissue papers along with Ferrero Rocher chocolates," I said helpfully.

"Good. I'd need them because I lost ALL the money that I had saved to Josh over a bet!!" wailed Stef.

"Damn Josh!"

"No No Damn me!" she sighed. "It was I who challenged him 'cause I was so sure I'd win but bam! I frickin' lost."

"Alright, what's the story behind your poverty?" I plopping down on the couch resting my head back knowing it's gonna be a long story.

And sure it was.

"Adam and I were at the cafe for a date. Then Devon walked in and sat alone four tables away. A few minutes later Kelly walks in the cafe dressed all provocatively and starts to seduce Devon. Mind you, she was actually looking so damn stunning and sexy that I told Adam that Devon would eventually go nuts for her. But then Josh appears out of nowhere and announces Kelly's not gonna succeed. I placed a bet with him. Adam warned me against it but still I went ahead with it and the rest is history..." Stef blew her nose as she concluded.

"Ohh..." I muttered. "Well...uh, I'm extremely sorry for your loss..."

I didn't know what else to say.

"I know," my friend sniffed. "Kelly was stood at Devon's side and she was bending down so much over him that her cleavage was touching his shoulder but he didn't even look at her and do you know what he told her before leaving? He said something about her remarkable ability to make a guy feel gay. You should have seen the way Kelly was sulking over it."

I burst out laughing hearing that.

"It was actually foolish of me to place such a bet," sighed Stef. "Devon likes you so he will obviously be cold to other girls who hit on him."

Uh-oh. I could see where the conversation was heading and I didn't want to go there.

"It's story time with Jackson now. I'll talk to you later?" I said.

"Oh, yes of course! Which story are you guys reading now?"

"We finished 'Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator ' and now we've just begun with 'BFG' by Roald Dahl again."

"Oh, good good. Have fun, both of ya!"

***

When I got to my neighbors' to read with Jackson, the first person I came across was a smirking Devon. As usual.

I still couldn't believe I had read an entire book with the little boy with Devon being around all the time. It had been a herculean task everyday to say the least considering the fact that Devon didn't leave any stone unturned to be a gruesome troublemaker with his blunt words and snide remarks. I was extremely fed up with him.

"I've something to give you," he said huskily. It was only then I noticed that he was hiding his hands behind him.

"Give me your absence. That will be the most prized possession of the century," I drawled in return.
Devon smiled impishly. "Flowers, " he brought his hands to the front and held out a bouquet of red roses to me.

"Why are you giving these to me?I'm not a flower pot incase you don't know how a flower pot looks like," I said casually.

Devon chuckled. "After we marry, are you gonna talk like that to me in front of our kids?"

"Excuse me?!!" I was shocked to my roots hearing that. What the fuck is he talking?!

""Of course. Haven't you heard of people marrying their high school sweethearts?" he asked, smirking.

"Nope. I've heard of people murdering the pests who troubled them during high school," I smiled sweetly.

Devon smiled mischievously. "Then in that case, you will land in prison and ultimately be hanged. We'll reunite in Hell."

I don't know how I suppressed my anger after hearing that. Kudos to me.

But that day, surprisingly, Devon wasn't around when Jackson and I had settled down for reading. I was so happy and relieved that I could almost dance but my happiness and relief was short lived when, after sometime, Devon walked in the room with another Roald Dahl book in his hand and a lopsided smile on his face.

I noticed the title on the book cover and froze in horror. Esio Trot.

"Hey, Jackson, why don't you ask Eleanor to read out this book to you?" Devon said to the tiny tot.

"No, Jackson," I said hurriedly. "I mean you can read that book when you grow older by a few years?Now is not the right age...." Perhaps.

"How old?" asked the kid.

"Um...Grade 3?" I said.

"Eleanor, why don't you tell him what the story is about?" Devon asked, feigning innocence. I'm not having a good feeling about this.

"Yes. I want to know," said Jackson curiously. "Grade 3 is so far away!"

"I don't quite remember...." I responded lamely.

"Oh, that's all right. I'll tell you what 'Esio Trot' is about. it's a st--"

"No No No, wait!" I interrupted Devon. Knowing how extremely blunt he was, I just couldn't trust him with his words.

"I think I remember something about the story now," I said. " 'Esio Trot' is about a Mr. Hoppy who, well, secretly likes a woman named Mrs. Silver but is extremely shy to let her know about his feelings...."

"Do you know, Jackson, there are people in this world who just can't understand that you like them inspite of you being pretty much vocal about your feelings to them," Devon said, bearing a taunt in his voice.

I felt so annoyed that I could rip my hair off.

"Do you know, Jackson, there are people in this world who just can't understand that you don't like them back inspite of you being pretty much vocal about it to them?" I countered.

"Jackson, lying is very bad. You should never lie when you grow big," said Devon.

"And you are wasting time," I told Devon directly, looking him square in the eye.

This had to be the limit! I seriously couldn't take more than this.

"I can't understand what you both are talking," said the kid in confusion, looking at both Devon and me." Eleanor," he added, turning to me, "Can we read the next chapter of 'BFG'?"

"Why not, sweetheart?" I told him, giving his cute cheeks a pull.

Jackson turned the page and held the book in his two baby hands. He was just about to start reading---

"Hey, wait a sec!" interrupted Devon.

"Now, what!" I gave him an extremely pointed look.

"Sorry for disturbing earlier and now too. Won't happen again," Devon said quietly.