Stranger

ch13

After a long week, I finally feel like my old self.

I spent the lunch with Devon, then sat with him for the rest of the remaining classes, joking and teasing each other like the past few days didn't happen. 

His mood had also changed. The cold distant Devon was far long and in his place was a very carefree and, dare I say it, happier version. It was a version I hadn't seen until now, but I very much liked. 

He smiled more, chuckled more, was playful more and that made me happy. It made me more happy knowing that I had a part in all this mood change of his. 

It's strange to say, but I somehow feel closer to him now. Like some wall that was separating us has been torn down and I was finally getting a glimpse of the true Devon, the one he was hiding all this time. 

He, however was still on my wait list. I hadn't told him a thing about myself even after he practically spilled his whole life story. It wasn't that I didn't want to, it's just that I'm unsure and maybe a bit scared about sharing my secrets with him. 

I never let anyone in except for at arms length. I have always done this and I became good at keeping people at bay without them realizing it, but this was changing with Devon. I wanted him to know me too, I was just afraid of how to approach the subject and spill my story. 

I take teasing and joking as a way of coping and easing into friendships, it has become like my coping mechanism and I had adjusted to it. It was how I approached people and they seemed to like it, except for my best friend beside me right now.

And now, as we walk to the bakery, I continue to pester and annoy him because, let's be real, that's the best I do. 

"Okay, but what's with the mist and all?"-I ask, waving my hands around. "That was some magician hocus pocus that if I hadn't been so shocked, I would have laughed my ass out." He turns his head and throws me an accusatory look.

"You did laugh your fucking ass of."-he points out. "Right in my face."

"Yeah, well, it was just a reaction."-I say with a shrug. "You would have reacted the same way or even worse if it was the other way around."

"I wouldn't."-he argues, making me roll my eyes.

"Please, you so would. But, don't change the subject." He sighs.

"I don't know what you want me to say."-he speaks with a shrug. "I don't have a user manual about this all, so I have no idea why there is mist or anything else."

"I read people report mists, lightning, sparkles, clouds..."

"You really researched about this."-he says stumped.

"Of course!"-I snap at him. "I needed to know what I was dealing with." He stops walking and turns to me.

"And what are you exactly dealing with Evie?"-he asks in a low voice that I don't know if I should take as dangerous or not. 

"With a highly bipolar demon that can make someone choke on themselves with just one look."-I say, arching my eyebrow. 

He narrows his eyes at me and takes a step closer, leaning his face down.

"Is that all?"-he asks, his voice dropping lower than before. I gulp at the look in his eyes, but I don't back away. 

"If you are trying to intimidate me, you should know it's not working. I'm not scared of you."-I say proudly to his face, lifting my chin up in defiance. 

He eyes me, not blinking as he stares deep into my eyes for what feels like an hour, but it happens in only a moment because he then blinks and straightens up with a satisfied smirk on his face.