Three days had silently went by like nothing happened. Or that's how she wished it would feel like. She never let the thought of her being fired settle in properly. To be quite honest she was still in shock.
Lynn never took responsibility for the missing column, nor did she try to explain to her. Devin acknowledged that she should have made sure, but Lynn could have at least shown some remorse for forgetting.
Her rent was due soon, and if she had foreseen the shit-show that was going down in her future she would have maybe kept a tiny percent of the money that Maggie had given her.Luckily for her she didn't have it. Her savings should be able to cover her expenses for at least three months, but after then what?
The genie man was also no where to be seen. She expected him to at least show up to provoke her.
Maybe he was being polite. But something about him seemed like he couldn't care less.He gave the impression that this was this was all just business, and that she was a hindrance of some sort.
She was lying on the floor when she heard a knock on the door. Nervously she shot up and stared at the door for several seconds. It wasn't the man, she knew. He never knocked. Only one person had the gall to knock at her place that early in this late.
" Devie!" Only her sister called her that. "Devie, it's Maggie. I heard what happened, so I decided to visit."
Of course she did. Not that she needed her getting fired as an excuse to visit. " A phone call would have sufficed." Devin unlocked the door.
Maggie, gave her a huge hug. Two seconds in and she was bawling. Again, no surprise there. The real shocker was when Devin realized Sam hadn't come with her.
She shut the door, while still being encased in Maggie's love trap. "Where is your poodle husband Maggie?"
She broke the hug then, sniffling like a child. " You're so insensitive. He's in the store across from here," She grabbed a tissue from her purse to blow her nose. " And stop calling Sam a poodle. He really cares about you, and all you do is call him names."
That sounded about right. God forbid they be more than one kilometer of each other.
" What else is he? He follows you around like a little puppy."
" You are so rude. Even when we're being so sympathetic with your situation."
She takes a big swig of coke. " It's not like I asked you to be. Who told you anyway?"
With an eye roll, she replied awkwardly. " It doesn't matter how I found out. What matters is me getting a handle on this before Sarah and Tom interfere."
The room went quiet. Maggie always had a way of pissing Devin off. Whenever things weren't going her way she would mention them on purpose knowing how she felt about them.
Devin closed the fridge and then sat by the counter. Taking occasional sips of coke to keep her lips busy. Which was much better than what she was planning to use them for. She knew better than to give in and exchange meaningless words with her sister.
" So... Why do you want from me?" Devin finally asked after the long wait.
" What do I-, I don't want anything from you!" She frowns and scoffs loudly. Clearly now she was upset. " All I'm here to do is help Devin."
" Don't yell at me." Devin said. " So, what do you plan to help me with sister?Are you gonna throw money at me again?Or are you here to convince to crawl back to them for mercy?"
" I-"
" Exactly. The best you can do for me is leave in peace to figure things out."
" Just like how you've been doing for the last two years? Grow up!" She started towards her sister. " Just admit you need them, and take back control of your life! Because the only way going to succeed is if you stop being an egotistic bitch and just apologize to them!"
" You're like a broken record. What control? In control like you?" Devin took a step forward. " Your just their puppet, Maggie. Nothing more, and nothing less. You and your poodle BOY."
Maggie looked taken aback. Almost like she did not expect her to make an outburst like that. " How can you SAY THAT! I literally disobey them to see you because I know your alone in this. Me and Sam both care about you so much, and you treat and talk to us like crap."
She grabs her purse and walks towards the door. Devin raised her eyebrows. " Where are going?" Not that she genuinely cared.
" I'm going home with Sam, and you won't see me for a very long time."
" That's great, thank you Maggie. I hope you keep to your word!" Devin retorted loudly.
Maggie flung her head back. " You are an ungrateful bitch!" She yelled at the top of her lungs as she slammed the door after herself.
Tiredly, Devin dragged herself to the door to lock it. She stood by it for several seconds, rethinking the entire situation. That could have definitely gone better, she thought to herself. There was just something about her sister's visits that brought out the worst sides of her. She let her head rest on the door.
It wasn't that Maggie was a bad person, it just that her intentions were mostly about her image. Obviously Sarah and Tom were already secretly knew that Maggie was still seeing her. So even though she was basically blacklisted, Family mattered so much to them. So, her visiting Devin only counted as good points. What angered Devin the most was the fact that she was aware and still made it seem like she was all in this because she cared.
Devin laughed to herself, because Maggie would still show herself after about two weeks. Their fights never meant anything at the end of the day. It only proved how relentless and childish Maggie was.
The only way she could get a job now was through connections.
Translation; Attend the damn country club reunion.
She trudged her way to her bedroom and fell on her bed with a groan. All her mates from high school would be there.
In the middle of her thoughts, she heard a knock at Her room door.
Half expecting it, she turned around to find the man leaning at the door frame of her room.
He half-smiled. " Hi."
She sat up in bed, very aware of the manly presence in her room. " You came."
" It seems like you were expecting me."
Her eyes followed his fluid movements. " I can't act shocked every time you show up."
" Fair. Have you made up your mind yet?"
Annoyed, she crossed her arms. He was just asking the same thing over and over. The man reminded her of her sister. " That's all you ever ask."
" That's all I really care about." He replied nonchalantly.
Wow, she thought. He really was like Maggie. Except, he did not care about what anyone thought. The man was honest at least.
An as if he somehow intercepted her thoughts he asked with a laugh. " Do you not know my name? You cannot still be referring to me as,' the man'."
Devin's body stilled. She wasn't surprised he could read her mind, it was just unsettling that he could the entire time and acted off her responses. She had been referring to him as the man, because his name was not engraved in her memory.
He knew that. And now, he was calling her out on it. It made her wonder what else he casually kept to himself.
" My name is Kindynos. Devin."
" Kindynos." She repeated. " What does it mean?"
His expression turned stern. " Why would I tell you that?."
Devin found it funny how he acted defensive. "Names like that should have meaning."
Devin just watched him from her bed. For a magical creature he was very humanly. He thought of the way her teasing made him pout. It reminded her of a child, or maybe Maggie. Living on earth for so long must have made him human.
She sprung up at an an idea, and charged towards him. " You could come with me. To my school thing."
" Is that wish or wishful thinking?" His brow furrows, not at all phased at her sudden request.
She ran after him grabbing his arm. " Wait!" She released his arm when he stared down at her as she had committed a great offense. " I need someone to go with me and make me look good. I don't have a lot of friends right now, and I thought... you could come with me. Just for an hour or two."
He leaned down at her quietly. She awkwardly moved backwards to give him space but he let her have none of that. He didn't smile, but his eyes somehow did, making him seem more terrifying than she had been since his first visit.
His blue eyes glued on to her face, and she felt stiff. She couldn't move and she was sure it was him doing that.
" Do I look like a joke? I am kind because I'm interested in your wishes, but my kindness ends there. I'm not some show dog or measly human you can drag around to your mortal frivolities. I do as I please."
She shivered then. He was right. What would stop him from hurting her or killing her in the middle of the night. He doesn't even use a door.
It was a stupid idea to ask him.
" It wasn't stupid. Just...not well thought." He stood straight and then released her from whatever spell he placed. " I am not at your command until you make wish."
For some reason she a strange feeling in her stomach. A heavy feeling, that wouldn't go away. She didn't know but it felt like anger, " I can't wish for anything without you telling me what's in it for you. You not telling me willingly makes it feel like I shouldn't be involved with you in the first place."
He sighed heavily. He was obviously growing tired of the question. " Have fun at your thing. And goodnight Devin."
Δ
The day had finally come along. The Friday for her stupid reunion. She could not wait to get this over with. A lot of the girls there talked like they were from the valley. And that bugged her. A lot.
She was going to see Lynn there hopefully. Even though she hadn't had a proper conversation since she got fired, it was always easier if she saw a familiar face. Since mister Genie blatantly refused the other night, she didn't have any other option.
He put her to sleep again. She felt fine afterwards but when he did that she felt like he was shutting her up in a way. It was repulsing. Not because of the action itself but how he did it. Almost polite.
She wore a brown sweater and a long fitted black skirt that gave her an edge. To top it it off, she wore a black ankle heel boots. Her high ponytail only added to the edginess of the entire look.
As she approached closer to the building, her anxiety grew. Every confidence her clothing had given her slowly washed away. It was the kind of feeling you would get if someone was pushed into a den. In this case, she was very much pushing herself. The fact that all the people present probably knew what was happening with her scared her the most. It was crippling, the anxiety she felt as she just stood and watched the building.
She came late because the welcome wagon would be at the door to talk to everyone, this way, she could just sneak and talk in the back without gathering much attention. Most likely, that would not be the case.
She gripped her purse tightly, as the thought of bailing crossed her mind.
" Are you kidding?" The smell sandalwood filled the warm air.
She flipped around to know who that came from. She sighed in relief when she realized it was him. " You came?" She tried not to stutter. He looked even better dressed than usual.
Kindynos put his hands in his jacket pocket and gave her a nonchalant look. " I do as I please Devin."
" Right." She said hoping he didn't realize she was staring.
" Don't tell me you're still going to stand there. Are you really so terrified of a bunch of humans?"
She stood still, without a reply to give.
With a sigh, he walked up beside her and linked her arm with his.
Devin stared up at him surprised by his sudden closeness. He smelled like sandalwood and man. It was enticing.
He grined down at her. As if he was taking pride in the way his presence made her.
" I may be immortal love, but I don't have all day."