Fastening himself to the chair, Devin was looking at the girl who has been seriously jotting down on her notes for an hour as if she is preparing for the toughest exam in the world.

“Are you done?” Devin asked trying to peek into the book. He was curious about what sort of rule bombs she would drop. Judging by her crazy mind, he knew it would be no better.

“I told you not to peep until it is finished,” Leena said and resumed her writing. After a long stretch of writing the rules, she exhaled loudly.

“I am done. Here are the rules for ten days. You have to follow it very strictly.” Leena said handing over the notes.

“Is this called handwriting? It looks like a chicken scratch.” Devin looked at the messy handwriting which was barely understandable even if he was trying to read it letter by letter. On top of it, she has scratched it vigorously in every line. Even preschool kids writing is at least legible.

“Well, I am an intelligent girl, so my mind thinks very fastly. And naturally, my handwriting is sloppy.” Leena proudly looked at her handwriting.

“If you are intelligent, why do you have to strike out for nth time. You and your narcissism. Everything I say, you will use it to your advantage.” Devin muttered under his breath not intended to provoke her, speaking loudly. How should I handle this narcissistic brat in the future? He pondered. Keenly looking into the notes, he was still having a hard time understanding the words.

“Read it by yourself. Even the mascara smudge on women’s eyes is better than your writing.” He shoved the notes to herself.

“Stupid fellow. Just tell that you don’t know how to read.” Leena grabbed the notes from his hand and enunciated each word slowly and clearly. “No shouting because I hate loud noises and no jumping because I am a clean freak.”

“I am not a monkey-like you to jump and shout everywhere. Continue with the next rule.” For a minute, Leena wanted to strangle him but held back. For unknown reasons, she is getting used to his sarcastic remarks now. In fact, she is starting to love them as if she has got a partner in tyrannizing.

“No peeking into my room and should not enter my room.” Despite there is a single door separating both of their rooms, and although Leena knew he would not take advantage of her at any cost, she still wanted to come transparent with him.

“Shouldn’t it be my dialogue?” Devin scoffed. Leena ignored his ironic comments and started with the next rule.

“You should always wear pants when I am around. Never take off your clothes in front of me.”

“I am not a pervert like you.” He winked at her remembering their first meeting.

“Hey! Stop that. Can’t you forget that once and for all.” Leena angrily huffed and resumed with her next rule.

“Since we have a common bathroom, you should not bother when I am in the washroom, you should never use my body wash and other products.”

“You are planting the ideas into my mind sweetheart,” Devin remarked. Now that she said, he wanted to try her body wash.

“Don’t call me sweetheart.” Leena angrily rebutted.

“When a girl says no, it means yes right? It’s their simple theory.” He asked crossing his legs.

“How so?” She asked still unclear with his theory.

“It’s simple and they call it a girl trap to confuse men. When she says yes, it means no. When she says no, it means yes.”

“Ohhh.I did not know this theory” Leena was seriously considering the theory to use it on her next date when her brother sets it up again.

“Since it is acceptable, then it’s yes.” She added.

“That’s what I told. If they say yes, then they also mean yes. So you said yes when I called you sweetheart.” Devin shook his head and smiled at her innocent answer.

“I_I no! You are confusing me.”

“Girls itself are confusing.” He said thinking his darling the best example for it.

” ”

Just now he said it is simple. This idiot is too cunning. I should be careful of what I speak in front of him. He can manipulate even a genius like me.

“Where did you come up with this stupid theory. I am moving on to the next rule. Do not smoke. I hate cigarette smell. But I don’t know why men find smoking is an attitude. You are not in that category, right?” Leena gets nauseous with the smell but many women find men sexy when they lit a cigarette. Ethan was a heavy smoker and she has asked him many times to quit it but he had never listened to her.

“Worry not. I am not a smoker. But trust me, smoking is not sexy at all.” Even if he was smoking, he would have quit it for his little kit. Nothing matters in front of her.

“We are even in this matter.” Both fists bumped each other like children. Leena doesn’t know why she was talking about her likes with him, but something in her wants him to know about her likes, everything.

“TV remote will be mine from morning tonight. You can use it only after ten.”

“When should I sleep then?” Although he doesn’t watch TV, he just wants to drag conversation with her when she is talking very sweetly with him which rarely happens.

“That’s your business. You can omit watching TV. Besides, playboys like you start their deeds after everyone sleeps right?” With his dapper looks, Leena made a conclusion that he would be a playboy.

Devin was shocked to hear those from her mouth. How did she assume I am a playboy. He had neither misbehaved with her nor looked at any other woman. He was adding a note to talk with her on this matter.

“Next rule is, if I am right, you should be wrong. If I say no, you should accept it.” She repeated again when she could see his confused look.

“What kind of rule is that? Scratch it. I am not ok with that rule.” He said. All weird kind of rules, she will invent.

“Why yes, I am the first to enter this room. So, I have some privileges.” She didnot back off.

“Next rule is no sleepwalking.” Leena had seen in some of the horror movies where some ghosts sleepwalk. Although he is not a ghost, she wanted to add it for fun.

“I am not a zombie.” He looked at her with disinterest. Now Devin understood, why she has to scratch in every line.

She must be cooking up weird rules in her mind!

“Next is_”

“Is there any end to your rules?” He asked when his energy was draining out listening to all her funny rules. He had a hunch that she would be the one to break them first.

“This is the final one. All in all, you have to respect my room, my space, my business.”

“Did the atom is made of protons, neutrons, and electrons?” He asked a question that was out of the box.

Leena blinked her eyes to rewind his question which was out of their topic.

“Of course yes.” She answered.

“Then my answer is a resounding yes.” He threw a mischievous smile looking at his open-mouthed Darling.

” ”

“Can’t you speak normally?” She asked composing her thoughts.

“It’s flowing naturally after meeting a weirdo.”

“Stupid fellow, I am not weird.” She puffed angrily controlling her hands which were itching to beat him.

“I never told you were a weirdo. Why do you let the cat out of the bag every time?” Devin laughed at her frowning face.

“Add your own rules.” Leena threw her notebook onto his chest.

“After all your rules, Do I still have a room for mine?” He sighed and added. “Let’s seal it with our signatures.”

Both signed their fake signatures of Voldemort and Jurassic funnily. But Leena was not happy with it when something was missing and hit her suddenly.

“Wait! Let’s seal with a pinky swear.” She suddenly added.

“P_pinky? No way.” Devin finds it too girly and childish. But Leena didnot listen how much ever he pleaded and he had to forcefully comply. Both secured the deal with a pinky promise.

“So we pinky swore. Whoever breaks it will have to cut their pinky.” She articulated clearly.

“Then you would be on the first list.” Devin ruffled her hair.

“Don’t do that. I have perfectly groomed my hair.” Why does he do that every time? Leena blushed trying to look away.

“But you look cute with messy hair.” He messed up her hair again.

“Is it? Thank you.” She even bends her head and moved closer so that he would do it again and said. “Many people have told me that my hair is beautiful. Although I knew it, I never like compliments. But what to do, they never stop praising me. I am just born_”

Her mouth was stuffed with an apple putting a stop to her blabbering.. Devin literally forgot she is a narcissist. How did I forget this and praised her?