Chapter 31
**Bella-Rose POV**
His reply was immediate as if he typed within seconds of my mail and sent it. Someone is eager... I clicked on the mail and scoffed at the meaning of it. His indefatigable arrogance has no bounds. Doesn't he get tired!
[mail from James to Bella]
To:iamfifibel@gmail.com
From:james.aonal@gmail.com
Subject: Re: Dream on!
Little red,
Flippancy, why am I not surprised? You will stop your antics right now if you know what's good for you. Else, I may have to teach you some manners my way. Are you ready for the big bad wolf's handling, little red? And my handling will be VERY rough. You will get marks but no doubt you will enjoy it. Are you willing to try? Thought so.
There is an apothegm for you- never say never or how about this- you never know. With the speed you are rocketing, I will be waiting to say "told you so" soon.
You say I was the daydreamer, yet you are the one who is raising the topic of my body given every chance. Be it may my physic or what's in my pants. If I don't know any better, I would say you are obsessed with my body. Are you, little red, dreaming about it?
Speaking of your lawyer, I think you better contact some zoo for him. He sounds like a new species humankind has yet to discover. I can sponsor the zoo if you face any problems from them.
James.
[end of the mail]
Why do I feel like there is some kind of weird foreplay going on here? Not like with the elevator guy. This is different...yet the same. It was too much...yet too little. What's going on? For a girl who has no male prospects anywhere in her radius before, I suddenly find myself not one but with two? And I haven't seen both of them. Or them me, for that matter.
Is it because of the novelty of mystery? Or people found me attractive only when they didn't see me? If it's the latter, then that might cause a problem. 132 pounds of a problem (and yes, I cut out some pounds here, it's not like you would gain any knowledge from that, right? How about this? I will tell you mine when you tell me yours).
How should I reply to him? Flirtatious or reprimand? It's not like he said anything vulgar. I never had any experience in this kind of thing. If I try to bat my eyelashes, people may think I have some weird eye disease. And this guy right here is teasing me...ME! It was...nice in a flirty way?
Except when he said putting Scott in the zoo. No one puts my brother in the zoo except me. Ah, the novelty of it! I can become richer than Croesus in no time.
I tried to imagine how it would feel to put Scott behind a bar just for the heck of it. Oh... and what a great thought it is! Mom will be selling popcorn on the side, dad will be managing the crowd, Nana will be busy handling the drinks stall and I will be at the cash counter.
Lastly, our center of attraction Scott will be busy munching the snacks at rocket speed. People will gather around his cage if not to see his physique then to wonder at his eating speed. If only...sigh. My family is wasting such a good opportunity.
Ok...ok, I'm coming to the point. I can see myself facing two options. It's like I'm on a helpline customer care call where a robotic voice says- To go forward, press the button 1. To stop our services here, press button 2.
What will happen if I rebuke him or stop giving him a reply altogether? It's not like we will meet. Or this will go anywhere beyond the mailbox. Yet...I will miss that tingly feeling. Yes, that tingly feeling you get when you receive a message from a boy. The secrecy...the mystery...the freshness. He can be my very own Jarvis who does nothing but the converse of course, with an attitude. The thought has potential prospects. What's the harm in it?
Before I could make my mind up about the kind of reply I wanted to send, Nana entered the bakery, walking elegantly with a handbag clutched on her right hand. If the passersby don't know her destination, they would think she is going to meet some delegates of another country.
I quickly tucked away my phone before Nana could see it. You don't want to raise a red flag in front of a bull.
"Nana, how are you? You are looking good", I said, stretching the word 'good' for emphasis.
"Bella-Rose James, care to tell me why I had to take a leave yesterday?", nana bull-dozed me as she entered the bakery, closing the door behind her.
"Well...there were dire circumstances nana".
Nana raised her eyebrow at my stalling. "I... I was out all night and didn't get the time to sleep", I confessed fearing for her wrath.
"YOU...were out all night? You?", nana stressed the word "you" a couple of times, disbelief ringing in her tone. Jeez, flatten a woman's ego, why don't you?
"Yes. I was out all night, well most of it", I amended.
"Finally!!! My prayers have been answered. My baby has finally popped her cherry!", she screamed with glee in the last part and so loud that all the patrons looked at me.
KILL. ME. NOW. Where is the nearest dig in Atlanta to hide in? How could she do this to me? I can picture myself on the front page of a newspaper or a news channel with the reporter saying-
"Baker girl miraculously loses her virginity after 23 long years. While some people are surprised to hear this, some don't believe the authenticity of it. What extreme measures has she taken to achieve this amazing feat? Did she use force to do the deed? Or she took the support of some sob story? Who is the mystery charity worker? Where is he now? Is he suffering from the consequences? Let's hear it from the source herself".
Worse, media following my every step as they click pictures of me in funny expressions and shouting- "who is it?", "How did it happen?", "where were you at the time of the crime?", "what are your thoughts on the subject?", "where is the victim?" And so on.
Now for the next week, I will be getting orders for all types of cherry treats from our regulars. Before my imagination could conjure some more worst-case scenario, I quickly grabbed Nana's hand and marched her into her office amidst snickers, smirks, and scoffs.
"Seriously, nana? You have to do that?", I pointed to the door.
"Of course. It's a celebration. I was waiting for this day for so long! I always thought if I left you to your devices, I have to watch you reach my age before something happens", Nana said sincerely.
"Umm... why did you think something would happen when I'm at 70? And by the time you would be what, A gazillion years?", I asked to know her weird logic.
"70? Who is talking about 70? I'm talking about when u reach 60", nana said as if I'm exaggerating her age.
"So... you are saying you are 60? Just six years older than dad? Right. I totally believe it", I scoffed folding my arms in front of me.
"People used to marry at a very young age those days", Nana said as if it answers all my questions.
"Of course. Very. So why do you think something will happen to me only then?", I brought up the topic again to unveil her logic.
"Because by then all-male folks will have eye problems. So, your chances will be more. Anyways, we don't need to worry about that anymore. My baby has blossomed finally", nana said as if I'm dumb enough not to realize it. Thank you, nana, for that amazing enlightenment. My bad, shouldn't have started it.
"Umm...about that nana", I contemplated whether to pop her bubble or not. Shoot it.
"I was out all night, mind you...to...to help a woman".
Nana's happy glee turned into a scowl so fast, I rushed my explanation, "she fainted before she could reach for help and all the phone lines were down. The storm was brewing and no one could reach her on time, so I took her to the hospital and sort of...kind of stayed there all night", Shit...that was quick.
Nana's eyes narrowed dangerously. Oh no... "You are telling me; you stayed all night out helping some woman but not partying as I thought?"
"Ye...yes?", I posed the question as if I'm in a dilemma of whether to agree with her or not.
"Bella-Rose James, YOU. ARE. FIRED".
