With a vexed tenor, Devin strolled into the house irritated with the louse pig’s provocation. Even with the fact he knew, she is not the one to get flattered by sweet talks of men unlike others, his mind was still in trouble

He has seen her avoid men like plague and she would lose her temper if someone even tries to touch her. He ought to ask if something has happened to behave in such a way, but he was afraid, afraid she would distance again by chance if he has triggered the sore spot. That is the sole reason, he is slowly progressing with their relationship. Devin was glad that she is not repulsed by now, unlike their first and second meeting.

Watching her smile unswerving at someone which she had never shown it to him made his hackles rise. Devin swiftly marched out to their room to have a serious chat, determined to include a rule of not going outside after the dinner for the ten days they would be living together.

Devin was about to open the doorknob, suddenly, he was forcefully dragged towards the adjacent room by another hand. His mood ratted seeing the person standing in front of him with a dippy smile.

“What the fuck Austin!” Devin shouted seizing his arm.

“Vincy, please release me. It hurts.” Austin pleaded almost crying when his arm was being twisted again. Did he have to grab the hand which was beaten to death by her? Just now he had it treated with the doctor.

Devin released irked with his begging.

“I heard you are courting that monster, Leena.” Ignoring his friend’s raging behavior, Austin asked distancing from him. Leah has described the entire conversation when he came back from the hospital. What’s bothering was, how did that monster manage to make this devil fall for her.

“Watch your words!” He chided him. Devin was already in an irritated mood and these idiots are calling her monster further annoying him.

“She is a real monster Vincy. Look at my wounds. It was all her doing.” He tried to show off the wounded marks to get sympathy from his friend.

“My sweetheart doesn’t even hurt an ant, much less a Gorilla?” Devin walked away leaving the dumbfounded Austin.

“Did he call me Gorilla?”

….

Standing a little far away from her bed, Leena was shaking in fear looking at the big package placed in her bed. She tried to peek at the box to get a clue of the sender’s name, but there was nothing written on it.

First suspicion: No name. Anonymous sender.

She started her detective skills which she learned in those movies and dramas.

Second suspicion: Neatly wrapped and decorated so that the receiver gets tempted and opens the box. Explosion!

For a second, the package reminded of the suspicious parcel she got a year back. Her face paled looking into the contents when she opened it then. It was still fresh in her memory. At least, she has stopped seeing it after the second time. She shoved those thoughts away which would only make her mood worsen. For now, she wanted to crack this mystery box.

“Where is that idiot? He must be calling his girlfriends sitting outside.” Before she ran out to drag him here to show off the suspicious parcel, Devin opened the door and looked at her pale face.

“What’s wrong? You look tensed.” Seeing her frightened look, he worriedly went near and tried to check her forehead for any fever, but his hand was bashed away. Leena has more pressing matters to discuss with him. She will worry about her face later.

“There is a package in my bed.” She said.

“Then open_”

Before he could continue further, Leena pulled him along with her towards the bed. Showing the parcel to him, she narrated her analysis.

“Anonymous. There is no sender or receiver’s name. A strange package.” She studied the parcel for a moment and reported her findings again.

“Wrapped with the finest decorative paper. The person wants to tempt me with its rich look so that when I open the box. Boom! Maybe they wanted to ruin my pretty face if not kill.”

“Operation Banana. Can’t stop. Won’t stop.”

“What!” While he was shocked to hear that name, but her next words eased his mind. Is she innocent or is my mind imagining it dirty?

“Name of our mission and its tagline I invented. So the first step is, we get out of this room immediately.”

“Next I will alert everyone in the house.” She added without giving Devin a chance to speak. “You try to call the emergency number. We cannot fail this mission at any cost.” Leena tried to run out of the house, but she was dragged back by her jacket.

“Hold your horses darling.” Where is her imagination running? Is she living in a cloud cuckoo land?

Although Devin was glad that she is suspicious of anonymous packages but her crazy mind is literally going berserk.

There is one more thing, he understood. Never surprise her. It was him. He had put the parcel on her bed with all the dresses she would love to wear. Devin especially ordered long trousers so that she would not show off her legs in the house for the next ten days. He heard from Leah, his little kit loves clothes a lot. So he specially chose all the attire by himself but did not expect he would get the thunderbolt shock. He never knew this level of craziness existed until he met this crazy beast.

“The security is very high around the house. It’s a safe one.” He tried to reassure her.

“Do you hear that ticking sound? What if it is a bomb?” She closed her eyes to hear the decisive sounds.

“It’s the wall clock ticking.” He pointed the clock.

“I know, but we are not a hundred percent sure right? Maybe they are synchronously beating at the same time.” She debated.

“Let me open then.” Devin was tired of her madness and he offered himself to open his own gift. His plans would always fail when it comes to her.

Devin was about to touch the package, a handheld him firmly without making him budge.

“Don’t. I am scared.” Her worry was visible and Devin could see it.

“I like it.” He pinched her cheeks, happy that she is starting to show some emotions. “Who knows you might like the content after seeing it inside.”

“Wait,” Leena screamed when he was about to touch it but her shouting immediately made him stop again. She ran into the vanity and swiftly came back with a bottle.

Now what another story she will add? he wondered.

“Here. Sanitize your hands. What if, what if there is some kind of dangerous powder added to it. Your hands.” She whispered glancing at his hands.

“Don’t worry. I got your back.” He winked at her and said. “It must be Leah. I saw her leaving our room after dinner. Call her and ask if she has brought it for you.”

“You should have told this before.” She yelled at him.

“Did you give me a chance to speak up?” Devin looked for a sharp object to unbox the package, but there was none visible at the moment. So he took out his car keys and started unwrapping it.

“Operation banana mission, emergency call, suspicious parcel. Don’t you think your mind is thinking beyond imagination?” Tearing down the box, he showed it purposefully to taunt her while Leena looked down sheepishly. She really thought it would be a suspicious one like the one she has seen in movies and dramas.

“You even added a half-baked tagline?” He questioned. “What is that? Can’t stop, Won’t stop? Do you think you are the only one who watches movies?”

“I_ I No! It’s my own creation.” She half lied. It was from the mission impossible movie where she got the tagline. As per the mission name, it was her own creation. So it’s a win-win situation.

Grabbing the box he was trying to open, Leena pushed him onto the bed taking charge of the unwrapping. Her hundred-watt smile was evident on the face looking at the different kinds of outfits. Who wouldn’t love them? When they get a big bundle of clothes for free and being mad for clothes, her joy knew no bounds. There were vests, jackets, dresses, trousers, many more and everything she loved. One thing she noticed was, there were may long pants which she hated. But she is not bothered if it has come with a free tag. I will use all these pants for the ten days I would live here.

“Did she kick me after using to open the parcel?” He thought to himself. But Devin did not mind it. Seeing her smile that is more beautiful than stars, he found home in her smile. She had conquered him without her knowledge leaving him defenseless with her smile.

But after their next conversation, Devin would surely get a second thought wishing to put a tight bandage to her mouth not to blabber nonsense and put a tight lease to her brain not to imagine things.