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"How was your sleepover, sugar?" asked Gran brightly when I got home the next morning.

"It was great! Stef and I watched 'Friends' but mostly we chatted till dawn," I smiled. And then we had made sandwiches for breakfast and munched it with a lot of mayonnaise.

It was weird coming back home with the thought that Devon was no longer my neighbor. Technically, he didn't even reside in Crawford Lane now. He lived on the outskirts of the neighborhood. It would sound crazy but somehow the fact that Devon wasn't staying in the vicinity left an unsettling feeling crawling under my skin...

Later in the day, there was a knock on the front door but when I opened it, I found nobody stood outside. I was about to shut the door----

"Eleanor, down here!"

I looked down upon hearing that innocent, cute, cheerful and baby voice and saw little Jackson stood at the doorstep beaming at me.

A big smile spread on my face too. I bent down on my knees as we hugged tight.

" How are you baby?!" I chirped. "So happy to see you on your feet and smiling again!"

"I'm great and happy happy to be back home," the tiny tot replied, still hugging me with his soft small hands.

"When did you come sweetheart? " I asked lovingly once he parted.

"Just a little time back," he responded. "I hated staying in the hospital for so so so long..." he trailed off sadly.

"Don't worry, honey," I said, cheering him up. "We're never gonna go to the hospital ever again. We're not even gonna think about it. We're gonna have lots of fun, do you favorite things and eat your favorite candies, what say?"

The huge smile returned to his face hearing that. I giggled. It felt so amazing to see him happy!

Gran was over the moon seeing the tiny tot. It's a known fact that Gran was a child at heart so when Jackson and she got talking, it couldn't have got any cuter and adorable! We gave the little boy his favorite cupcakes, chocolates and nachos. And the smile on his face and the shine in his eyes touched my heart.

I missed Jackson a lot. It was wonderful to have him around again.

"Eleanor..." the kid muttered doubtfully when Gran wasn't there.

"Yes, tell me," I said fondly.

"Where is Devon...?" he asked, looking at me in apprehension.

The question caught me off guard even though I knew it was coming. My lips parted but no words came out. I didn't know what to tell him. I didn't know how to tell him. I didn't have an explanation for the kid and I realized the predicament was showing well enough for him to understand.

"You're quiet. T-That means something is wrong..." he hiccupped. "I ran upstairs to Devon's room when I got home but he wasn't there. All of his stuff was gone. Did-Did he leave the house forever because he is mad at me for something...? I-I was a good boy in the hospital. I-I took all those bitter medicines without causing any trouble... I didn't cry, I was brave then-then why did he leave..."

"Jackson--Jackson calm down," I hugged him, trying to soothe him. "Devon is waiting for you. We will see him very soon."

***

I was standing in front of the vintage penthouse that was situated right across the woods. With Jackson. We rang the bell and a tired yet handsome looking Devon opened the door. He couldn't contain his joy upon seeing the tiny tot.

As I stepped indoors, my heart skipped a loud beat. I looked around at the formidable white and grey interiors, the classy black colored furniture and the damp air carrying an eerie silence and smell of mint.

Everything in there felt so dark, chilly, intense, intimidating.... and sensual. Just like Devon.

It had only been a couple of hours since Devon moved in here but it seemed like every corner and every aspect of the house bore his imprint.

"Why are you living here all alone?" Jackson's voice broke my line of thoughts. "You're coming home with me."

The kid tried to drag Devon out of there but...

"I can't, Jackson," he held back, being cautious.

"Why?" asked the little boy, looking up at his elder brother. "Why can't Mom, Dad, you and me live together like we used to?"

Devon looked up from the kid at me. I returned his gazes doubtfully. I'd no clue how to deal with Jackson's questions and that too without making him sad 'cause that's impossible.

"It's a game," said Devon, looking back at his brother.

What?

"I'm a participant in a mystery game which requires me to live by myself in this house and search for the different clues hidden in various places, in various forms in this house."

"Wow! This sounds so cool!" said Jackson enthusiastically.

Okay that was a brilliant save, something that I should've expected out of Devon

"Can I play too?" asked Jackson. "Even I want to stay in this house and play along!"

"Sorry champ, this game is only for those who are seniors in high school," said Devon, brushing a hand through his hair. My heart missed a beat at his ruffled hair. He shouldn't do that. Ever.

"Ohh..." mumbled Jackson thoughtfully. "No problem! When I will be a senior in high school, I will also play this game, right Eleanor?" he asked, grinning at me.

"Y-Yeah sure you can," I said, feigning a smile.

"When will the game end, Devon?" the kid asked

"Once I find all the clues and solve the case," he responded.

"So...I won't be able to live with you till that time..."Jackson trailed off in a low voice.

"You can come over and meet me anytime you like but remember," said Devon, taking Jackson's little hands into his, "this is a secret game so no one except Eleanor should come to know that you're visiting me."

"Roger," Jackson bobbed his head.

Devon chuckled. Gosh that smile of his! And my heart....oh fucking shit! He shouldn't smile like that.

"But still....I'll miss living with you, Devon....I missed living with you when I was in the hospital...." the kid said in a low voice.

"Jackson," said Devon, cupping his baby face. "No one can separate us for life. It's just a matter of time before we live together again."

The brothers hugged and got talking soon after. They guffawed out loud at the silly jokes they cracked and played about in the house. Devon even prepared stuff that Jackson loved to eat. And mind you, those were delicious. Devon had amazing culinary skills. I couldn't take my eyes off him. The way he mingled with his kid brother, the way he laughed, the way his mesmerizing smile reached his alluring orbs, everything was so wonderful and unreal.

"Thanks, Eleanor, for getting Jackson here," said Devon solemnly when we were alone in the kitchen.

"I'm glad I could help," I told him,closing the distance between us and placing my hands on his shoulders.

Devon snaked his arms around my waist and the very next moment he seized my lips. We kissed. Hard. Hot. And I tasted heaven and sin in his mouth. Again and Always.

***

When I went over at my neighbors' to drop Jackson off, I came face to face with Cheryl who bore every sign of sophistication considering she was all decked up in a sexy evening gown, costly accessories and loud make up.

To say that it was an unfortunate experience for me would be the least. She fixed me with such a dark frosty look that I felt intimidated to the depths of my skin. Her eyes seemed to be boiling with a deep grudge against me as they pierced my line of vision.

I couldn't understand the reason why she had started to intensely hate me. I had even felt cold vibes coming from her when I used to visit Jackson at the hospital. I couldn't come up with any sort of explanation behind her sudden change of attitude towards me. Because earlier, she treated me as though I were non-existent. And I couldn't have cared less about it.

Cheryl started to walk towards me. With every step she took, I felt my skin crawling.

"You smell of a bitch," she spewed. "Wish you had fallen down the staircase and I didn't have to see you around anymore."

My breaths crippled in despair hearing that. Cheryl walked away destroying me with her poisonous words. I felt tears building with me. Call me a loser but if someone talked to me the way Cheryl just did, I didn't have it in me to swallow it.

Why did she hate on me so much? What had suddenly changed in her eyes? What did I do?

.