The Odyssey Of The Devil

19. The sweet kiss of thumb

"Then kiss her,"

My mouth dropped upon hearing that. K-kiss him? HIM? No, thanks.

I looked at Elrod to make some excuse or anything.

"You will have to do it if you want to make her believe." Lorra whispered to me.

The second mine and Elrod's eyes met, I knew what was coming. The second he turned his body towards me, I knew what was coming. And when he stepped his first foot towards me, I knew what was coming.

It didn't take him long until he was standing in front of me. I stared into his eyes and questioned if he was really going to do it. There was an apologetical look on his face. I didn't have to question anything else.

Poggie looked at us in anticipation. Her eyes almost troubled with the proximity between me and Elrod.

"See," She tried to laugh, "You cannot do it. Come back,"

She was hesitant. She was fearing that Elrod might not be lying, but Elrod's eyes were fixed on mine. The sun behind him made it hard to look at him directly as I squinted my eyes, he stepped in front of it. The pink lips as that of a lotus.

"I think," I started but he shut me up by pressing his thumb lightly on my lips. The rest of his fingers were framing my face ever so lightly. My heart skipped a beat the second I felt him touch my lips. The next thing I knew, my eyes widened as I watched him leaning in for a kiss. My insides churned and it wasn't possible for my body to feel hotter. I could feel his breath on my face and see him so clearly like I never had.

I was frozen in place where I could only see him leaning in for a kiss. I don't think I was ready for a kiss, before I could step away from him; his lips were already on mine.

Only... I couldn't feel them at all. I stared in shock at Poggie, who was as surprised as me. But she was shocked that we had kissed, my concerns were totally different; I couldn't feel his lips.

My brows scrunched together as I looked at Elrod's green eyes. I felt a string in me snap as I watched the emptiness behind his eyes. There was nothing. I blinked dumbfounded at him twice with him staring back at him— without blinking.

How could a person feel this empty even with this much proximity between us?

My eyes slid down and that's when the realisation dawned upon me. I couldn't feel his lips because he never kissed me. He had kissed his thumb which was pressed down on my lips.

I took in the smell of his cologne and sighed in relief.

He stepped away from me and faced Poggie, "Is it enough of the proof?"

She bit the bottom of her lip before turning her gaze away from us, "What do you want to know?"

"Let's sit down somewhere," He said.

Poggie was silent as she silently obeyed to what Elrod had to say. She asked us to follow her while she lead us into her vanity van. Before entering Elrod held onto my elbow and gazed down at me,

"Are you okay?" He asked referring back to the aftershock of the kiss.

I couldn't help but feel genuinely happy towards him because he respected my boundaries and even for his mission... didn't kiss me.

"Thank you,"

He gave me a puzzled look, "Are you really okay?"

I couldn't help but chuckle and find him cute. My crazy brain, out of all times, decided to find Deandre Elrod cute right now to the point where I had no control over my hand as it reached and pulled onto one of his cheeks.

I was still pulling onto his cheek while Elrod looked at me with concern, "Do you wancho go ome?" He struggled to speak.

It made me giggle more as I let go of his cheek and patted them lightly, "I genuinely appreciate what you did back there."

His eyes lit up with realisation, "I thought you'd be mad."

Not really. I gave his perfect hair a good ruffle before going inside the van to which Poggie had opened the doors of. I looked back one last time at him— he had his hands touching the top of his head slowly in confusion. I shook my head to myself before facing the front and admiring the interior with the yellow lighting as she made us sit on a sofa.

I felt the soft leather underneath me and the luxurious feeling of money take hold over me. I hid my face with my hands and whispered to Kevin, "Is she famous?"

"She is a fairy."

"And?" I asked confused.

"Fairy privileges." He closed his eyes and smiled.

We live in a world where even people from other realms are being given special privileges. I, a human, doesn't have any privilege whatsoever living on this planet and a fairy who has more power over me anyways... has been blessed with wealth too? Excuse me? I want money too! I want that privilege too! I want to have my own van with a room inside. With additional technologies like television, air conditioner, geyser,hair straightener, toaster (who doesn't need a toaster in a fucking van?!).

"What's wrong?"

I looked innocently at Kevin. What was he talking about?

"Y-your face," he pointed his index finger, "was contorting into all sorts of expressions." He tried to copy a few of them before realising how stupid he looked, "It was scary." He finished.

Our little interesting 'face contorting' conversation was cut short when Elrod and Poggie sat down.

She asked someone to get us something to drink before she clasped her hands together and placed them on her knees, "Go on,"

Elrod sat straight as if he was in a business meeting, "What do I need to do in order to ascend further,"

Poggie sat silent for a while before looking down at her hands and smirking, "Complete your mission,"

She was trying to test Elrod's patience and he knew that too because he started again, "Of course, I know that Poggie. But what is my mission? There couldn't be anyone with more reliable of an answer as yours."

Her cheeks turned a light red as she looked for something before placing her hands on a water bottle and swallowing it down. She placed it back and took in a deep breath before meeting Elrod's gaze.

"You know Deandre," She started, "those words of yours were the first thing that made me fall in love with you."

"I'm sorry if it was my fault-" Elrod started,

"No. No. No." She shook her head with a knowing smile, "it's my fault for falling into the trap when I know that's what devils are capable of," Her piercing eyes turned to me, "but there is nothing I can do about it except wait; after-all, you cannot stay with her forever. Someday, after eternity you will have to find your way back."

Oh she is shooting imaginary daggers towards me. Killing me for the thousandth time already in her mind and planning on how to kill me the next thousand times.

"Well, only time can be the testament to that, don't you think?"

"Of course," Poggie smiled, "and about your mission..."

The air grew tense around the three of us as we waited for Poggie to tell us anything about the mission. The sweaty hands and the nervous heart waited for her as she opened her mouth and the next words were like pearls from the oysters— very important yet a hard work.

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