Again (PUBLISHED!)

Chapter 15.

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He marched inside the house and didn't stop until he was standing way too close to me.

"What do you want?" I breathed, feeling his rugged breaths on my face.

"If you don't want me in your room everyday, then come over to my place to read with Jackson," he said, his voice mirroring the intensity of his eyes.

"No, thanks. I do not wish to come to your house," I said sharply, our gazes clashing.

"Why? I thought my presence or absence doesn't matter to you or am I so important to you that you craft your decisions keeping me at focal point."

"There's nothing like that!"

"Liar Lair Sanchez on fire," Devon said crisply.

That got me hell angry. "Fine, I will come over to your house and show you that you don't mean a word to me!" I agreed, gritting my teeth.

Devon stepped back from me suddenly leaving me startled.

"Okay. See you then. Adios," Devon smiled lopsidedly, then turned around and left.

I blinked.

What just happened?

Oh yeah, I just got manipulated by Devon into going over to his place for reading.

***

The following day a butler dressed formally in black and white answered the doorbell when I went over to my neighbors'. And yet again I felt a strange vibe tingle my nerves, similar to the way I felt when I had been here for the first time.

As I walked further indoors with the little boy by my side, I saw his mother coming down the stairs talking and laughing over the phone. More like gossiping and bitching over the phone.

She wasn't expecting to find me stood in the hall so when she did, no wonder she was shocked and the crafty look on her face withered knowing that I'd heard her. She immediately disconnected the call and I felt rather, rather awkward to be there.

She looked at me blandly and I knew she didn't quite like the idea of me being at her house. I smiled at her hesitantly. And the edges of her lips curled into a smile too. Albeit, a forced smile.

Mrs. Parker and I had never interacted. Infact,she looked straight through me whenever we saw each other in the neighborhood. Stef had once told me that Mrs. Parker was a part of an elite social circle where women wore expensive clothes, expensive make-up, had tea parties to gossip and bitch about other people and also against each other.

Right then, Mr. Parker appeared at the scene. "Glad that you came over, Eleanor," he greeted me with a polite smile.

"Thank you Mr. Parker."

"Isn't it great that Eleanor is here?"

The thick and sharp rang in my ears and I looked up to find Devon stood near the railings of the first floor landing.

And right then, judging by the abrasive look on his face I just knew in my bones that Devon will give me many more reasons to feel pathetically uneasy.

"Dad," he added looking at Mr. Parker, his tone bearing deep contempt.

I noticed the smile on Mr. Parker's face disappear and he looked distressed. Mrs. Parker, on the other hand, seemed irked. She was about to walk out of there---

"Oh, wait, Cheryl," Devon called out to her in a ridiculing tone, "You ought to stay back. I swear I'll honor you in my words."

Devon adressed her by her name? Chreyl stopped on her tracks, looking annoyed nonetheless.

What is happening?

"Anyways, how are you, Eleanor?"

I gasped inwardly when Devon's attention turned to me.

"Welcome to the house of despicable humans," he spoke further in a blunt tone looking at me, "And no, I'm not talking about Jackson or me. I'm talking about the others who live in this house."

I honestly didn't know what was happening. I didn't even want to know what was happening, thank you very much. All I wanted to do was to run away because the tension in the air was stabbing my breaths.

Devon continued in a snide manner looking at me, "I can't thank you enough, Eleanor, for inculcating some good values into Jackson through stories. Because Cheryl, here, is made of filth and smells of poison. Whereas Dad will look fake if he sits down to teach morals to the kid. And as for me, you know how I am, right?'

Devon smirked. I honestly thought I'd be better off in Hell rather in the current situation. Cheryl appeared hurt while Mr. Parker had a lump in his throat hearing his elder son's crude words.

"Devon, enough for the day, now you can go to your room," said Mr. Parker in a heavy voice.

"Oh, did I offend anyone?" asked Devon, feigning surprise. "Why didn't I notice?" he added with a drawl. And then I watched him retreat.