The rest of the week was going great. Devon was as nice and polite as never before and Ester started to get to know him even better.
When they had dance, Sierra would always scowl at them for talking and laughing while practicing. And after dance, Devon mostly volunteered to take Ester home. Which by now wasn't such a big deal anymore.
Then in the mornings, Devon would pick her up and they'd actually jog for half an hour. The woods were perfect for it, even though Ester had her doubts in the beginning. But being with Devon made her feel safe and their light conversation every morning distracted her from any creepy thoughts.
So why did she not accept Devon's invitation for dinner tonight? She wanted to get to know him and he genuinely seemed interested in her.
But there was still that small voice in the back of her head, telling her to be careful around him. If not for the secret admirer thing, then for the game they were playing right before he changed his attitude towards her. Even though Ester felt comfortable around him now, didn't mean he had the right intentions for his actions.
"Ugh!" Ester groaned and sat up from her bed. She looked at the clock. 10:30 p.m. Dinner would've started three hours ago. Ester didn't know if she regretted her decision or not. On one hand, it was really hard to say no to him. Devon even wanted to skip practice for the dinner and something about that suggestion made her heart skip a beat.
But on the other hand, Ester didn't think she was ready to be alone with him. Like really alone. Not like in the morning when they were running. But like dressing up and going to his place, eating in front of him and drinking wine.
Now that she thought about it, tingles erupted in her toes. She should've said yes. But then again, she had to consider the consequences.
One, he was Sierra's brother and she specifically told her that she didn't wish for Devon and Ester to ever become a couple. Sierra even almost caught them kissing, which both of them failed to remember up until now.
Second, if it was just part of Devon's plan to crush her, she'd look like a fool in the end. She was sure her falling for him or even liking him was not part of her plan in the beginning. But maybe it was part of his.
And third, if Devon were to be her secret admirer, Ester should definitely stay away from him.
Because her secret admirer has been showing a rather aggressive behaviour in the past few days. After she ignored him at the beginning of the week, he had continuously texted her. And it was getting even creepier than before.
He now started texting her at work, saying he liked her outfit today. Or asking her what she was eating when she was having lunch in the cafeteria. It was really creepy and Ester thought blocking his number would help. But she still felt watched whenever she wasn't distracted by her friends.
So if that admirer of hers were to be Devon, she wanted nothing to do with him. Even if it was meant to be a joke at first.
.
.
.
"You're still here." Devon heard his mother's voice and turned his head to the side to look at her.
"I thought you were asleep." He sighed and shifted his gaze back onto the glass of brandy in his hand.
"And I thought I heard the front door close." Martha smiled at her son as she walked over to him. He was in Alejandro's poker room, sitting on the chesterfield armchair and looking deep in thoughts.
"Your father won't be happy once he finds out about you sitting in his chair." Martha said and Devon refrained from rolling his eyes.
"He's not my father."
"Stepfather, sorry." Martha liked teasing Devon and Sierra about Alejandro's title. They knew him for nine years now, but still never treated him like a father. He was actually more like a friend to the both of them. It was especially weird for Devon to think of him as a father.
"Not yet." Devon continued and Martha rolled her eyes.
"So, what's up?" She asked her son, sensing something was bothering him.
"Nothing. I'm just thinking." He shrugged before taking a sip of his drink.
"About what?" Her question was met with silence and his mother sighed before locking eyes with Devon.
"You know you can tell me everything. I see that you've made process with your attitude and such. And I would hate to see you closing up again and shutting everybody else out." She told him. But Devon just blinked.
"Do you miss Mason? Is that it? He called me a few times, asking about your progress. He's a good friend, Devon. You ought to give him a call sometime." Martha continued and Devon let out a breath.
"It's not about Mason." He shook his head, not wanting to talk about his best friend. He found it hard to talk to Mason again. Not because his best friend called his mother when he bailed him out a few months back. But because of the things Devon said to him. He was ashamed.
"What else is it?" Should he tell her? She was his mother after all. And she liked Ester. Maybe she could help him figure this all out. But how if he wasn't even able to explain?
"Oh Lord. It's about a girl, isn't it?" Devon's eyes narrowed at her for that guess.
"What?" He feigned ignorance, but Martha was looking right through his act..
"Don't tell me it's about that Stacy girl. Oh, God help me if it is. Because she will catch these hands if she told you she was pregnant again!" Martha stood up, enraged and Devon quickly shook his head.
"No, mom! It's not about Stacy. It's about Ester!" There, he said it. Devon slumped back in his seat and finished his glass of brandy. Then he stood up to refill it.
Martha was surprised, but would lie if she said she didn't see that coming. She's sensed the tension between those two ever since the first dinner she shared with them. Something was bound to happen and she didn't doubt that now with Devon's change of attitude, the two were getting along quite well.
"Ester?" Martha sat down again and waited until Devon sat down in front of her. Once he did, she leaned forward with a secret smile on her lips.
"Yes, Ester." He took a sip.
"What is it about the girl that makes you think about her so much?" She asked her son, whose eyes widened.
"I don't think about her so much, mom. I just thought about her now. When you asked what I was thinking about." He quickly shook his head.
"Yeah, whatever. So, Ester. What's going on between you two?" She rolled her eyes. Men and their pride. Devon sighed before scratching the back of his neck.
"Nothing." He took another sip and his mother lifted an eyebrow.
"Nothing?" She asked perplexed.
"Yes, absolutely nothing." He looked away from her.
"And you like her?" Her question was met with a glare.
"Oh, come on Devon. All jokes aside. Do you like the girl or not?"
"I don't know." He groaned and closed his eyes. Martha couldn't help but smile.
"Why don't you ask her out and taste the water?" She asked him, making her son chuckle darkly.
"I already did." He glared at his glass of brandy and pouted his lips.
"And?" Devon reluctantly shrugged in answer. Martha didn't need more words, she knew Ester rejected him from only his facial expression. He reminded her a lot of ten year old Devon who didn't get that Nintendo for his birthday.
"Well, what was her reason?" She continued her questions.
"She doesn't like me, obviously." He scoffed and Martha frowned.
"She said that?" Devon shrugged at her next question.
"Devon Edmund Stone. Tell me what exactly she said."
"Why? It's not like it's going to change anything." He growled.
"But if she was mean to my little baby boy, then yes it is going to change how I view her." Martha held her chin high.
"I'm not a baby anymore. I can handle my own battles mom." Devon rolled his eyes.
"Answer my question." Martha ignored his comment.
"No, she didn't say she doesn't like me. Instead she told me 'maybe it wasn't the best idea'. And 'blah blah'. So basically, she hates me." Devon took another sip of his drink. Martha almost laughed out loud at his state. He was getting so worked up over a simple rejection, it was comical.
"So?" Martha asked him.
"What so?" Devon frowned at his mother.
"Well, what are you going to do about it?"
"Leave her alone, what else? I can't force her to like me." He shrugged, still pouting.
"You and your conclusions. Just because she said 'no', doesn't mean she doesn't like you." She finally said.
"Oh yeah, because when she says 'no' definitely means she likes me, mom." Devon made a face as if he tasted something sour before finishing another glass of brandy. Martha reached for the glass when he went to refill it.
"Enough brandy for you, Devon. Man up and start seducing her." Devon almost started choking after hearing his mother's words.
"Seducing her?" He asked her bewildered.
"Yes. Start showing her what a man you can be. I know you've never actually had to lift a finger in order to get a woman before. Perks of having your father's genes. But Ester is different, which is one of the many reasons I like her." Martha told him.
"Alejandro is not-"
"I'm not talking about Alejandro, Devon!" Devon lifted an eyebrow when he realized his mother was actually talking about his biological father. She almost never did.
"Be with her instead of drinking your sorrow away. She's not going anywhere. Man up and start earning her trust and respect. Give her time, don't pressure her. And above all, don't hurt her." Martha narrowed her eyes at her son.
Devon gulped audibly, before having a short stare off with his mother. When he turned around abruptly, Martha frowned in confusion and followed her son towards the kitchen.
"Where are you going?"
"I'm craving ice cream!" Martha laughed at that and stopped walking, only to shake her head in amusement.
Her son was finally in love. And he couldn't have chosen a better woman.