The whole situation in David's party sent ripples amongst the affluent young elite of the city and it seems that my exploits didn't go unnoticed by the Long family, since, the very other day, I was invited to talk. I ignored the invitation, simply choosing to get some quality time with Liz. I wanted them to simmer in their curiosity and I wanted to show them that a mere SMS from the butler wasn't going to attract my attention. If they wanted me, they had to prove it.
The leisurely days came and went, so did the more and more incessant messages from the butler. I got to spoil Elizabeth nearly to the point of tears on numerous occasions. Every time she got comfortable with the amount of money I was spending on her, I'd double it the next time. On one hand I did feel sort of bad for bullying her so much, on the other hand, her flustered and uncomfortable expressions were to die for.
Finally, after getting ignored for the better part of a week, the actual members of the Long family broke and gave me an angry, yet condescending call.
"Hello?" I said, rubbing my eyes, still laying in bed. "Do you even know what time it is?"
"It's two in the afternoon." An agitated voice shrieked. "What? Don't tell me that you were out drinking last night until the morning?"
"Calvin? Is that you, buddy? Sorry, I tend to sleep a lot when I can. You seem a bit angry, did something happen?"
"Did something happen?! Are you insane or are you just pretending to be? You come to the party with a stolen car, a group of ruffians and start a scene, then, instead of coming home to explain yourself, you disappear without a trace, not even answering texts, and you're asking if something happened?!" A deafening roar rang through the receiver.
"I never knew that I had to report to the Longs in the first place. It's not like I'm family or subordinate or something. I am just some guy that got a free room until he could stand on his own two feet."
"Don't act arrogant, you bastard, you'd do well to come forward and explain yourself before you regret it. Although, knowing just how shitty your situation is now, you should start regretting by now. Grandma is furious, she expected an explanation days ago and you kept her waiting all this time!"
"Oh, it's the hag!? Tell her that I said hello and that I'll come if she personally invites me."
"What do you mean 'personally invites'? Did you forget your…"
"Good night…" I hung up and slumped back to sleep, silently wishing that this peaceful life had continued a few more days.
Another call. I checked it and rejected it - Calvin. A string of messages - Calvin again. I blocked the number. Well, you old hag, I wonder what will win in your heart - your fury and curiosity or that damn pride? Please don't disappoint.
Another leisurely day passed before I received a phone call from a number that I didn't recognize. After picking up, I blurted out the first thing that I read on 'Reddit' that morning. "Mario's Pizzeria and Abortion Clinic: where yesterday's loss is today's sauce."
Silence.
I put the call on speaker, so that everyone home could hear. "We also paint cars, but just in red." I added.
Long silence.
"Well if you're neither interested in a pizza, since that kind of food is beneath you, or in abortion, since no one would willingly touch you, and since neither one of the cars in your garage would look good in red, I presume that you'd like to talk with the owner of this fine establishment to discuss a face to face meeting, or am I wrong, you old hag?"
The voice that answered was calm and collected. "...Do you think you're funny, you ridiculous bastard child? Do you know just how many of your snot-nosed kind I've put in their place over my long life? Can you even imagine the extent of the damage your little stunt has caused to the Long family's name and reputation? And you still dare to play tricks? Come home now!"
I smiled, telepathically making bets with Pain on whether or not I'll be able to break the hag's composure. "Is that your way of calling home a long lost grandchild? How very elegant, but, I have a pretty nice life where I am now - no work, no bed time, and can wake up whenever I want, the never ending amount of money I currently have is a nice bonus. So, my dear and caring granny, if you really want to see me, you'll have to work a bit harder with your persuasion."
"You arrogant brat? Do you realize what I could do to you, to your so called friends and your sister? You are no grandson of mine, but a nuisance that I want to get rid off. Come home now, or…"
"Better luck next time…" I hung up.
"You lost the bet, boss, now pay up." An amused smile played on Pain's face."
"Patience, my young and inexperienced disciple." I said with an omnipotent smile. "Her composure didn't break yet, but the war isn't over yet. Over the long years, I have accumulated a fair amount of tortu…" I looked around the table, seeing Lilia there, she was looking at me directly, curiosity evident on her face. ""Teasing experience and I now know how a human's mind works. She will call back. Soon."
"Still, weren't you a bit harsh towards her?" Elizabeth asked. "She's old, what if this amount of teasing angered her enough to seriously affect her health?"
"Well, if the hag actually kicked the bucket, there would be less work for me, but knowing just how resilient that one is, I doubt something can happen."
Seconds passed, turning into minutes, yet the phone didn't ring, the others were getting bored, while I was getting frantic. Has all my experience, all my calculations gone to waste? Did I push too far?
An innocent smile played on Luna's face. "It seems that your calculations were wrong." Then the elf addressed Liz. "Honestly, what do you see in this man? No character, no brains, just strength… I'm sure that a lovely, rich girl like you could find a number of far better suitors than him."
Liz stayed silent.
"Luna… What are you doing?" I asked, gritting my teeth. "You know that the only reason she's relatively wealthy right now is because I was the one that gave her money?"
"So if she ever leaves you, you'll take everything back? How very loving you are indeed." The lusty elf smirked, then turned to Liz again. "See that? This is the king of man he is - pampering you only if he thinks that he'll get something from you."
"I didn't say anything like that, it's just that…" I stopped, not knowing what to say.
"And now, he's back peddling, how utterly shameless…" Luna's smile twisted into something perverse. "Did he ever tell you about the amount of women that he's been with before you? Think about this, what will happen when you're old and unattractive? Will he stay with you or will he find someone better? Would he have helped you in the first place if you were old and ugly?"
"Luna!" A voice, not mine, but Elizabeth's stopped the elf. "Please stop this. I know that he's not perfect, far from being perfect in fact, but I still love him and plan to stay with him for as long as I can. I know that you want to separate us, you wanted to separate us from the very beginning, but can you stop?" Liz's eyes began to water. "Can we be friends instead of rivals?"
"I'm just stating the facts." Luna said nonchalantly. "He's sub par in everything except for his strength. Any sane woman would stay clear of a walking disaster like that."
"Then why do you want him?" Liz asked with agitation.
Luna gave an innocent smile and tilted her head to the side slightly. "Because strength is the only thing I truly value in the one that is supposed to be with me. Those too weak would simply drop like flies."
The room was thick with tension and I saw the mischievous dragon's expression simply screaming about how much she wanted to pour fuel onto the fire. I knew that she was waiting for something and I knew that she was reading my mind, so I began sending her signals about the severity of the punishment awaiting her, if she dared to open that mouth of hers.
In the meantime, my mind raced on how to defuse the tension and a thought struck me. I quickly grabbed my prone and texted Calvin. "Hey, bud, I was getting a bit bored and decided to throw a party. But this time, I'll show you all how I really let loose. Lots of booze, strippers and cocaine. I already invited the others from the last party and you're invited as well."
The trap was set, now I had to wait. Seconds dragged on painfully slowly, I looked at the phone every second or so, begging and pleading god for it to work. I looked at Liz, not knowing how to console her. She seemed to be angry at Luna for trying to steel me away, so I thought about telling her that I'd never leave, but the real, underlying problem might be my observed mediocrity. If so, telling her that I wouldn't leave her might just make her angrier.
As my thoughts swirled inside my head like in a blender - constantly morphing and changing, a call resounded in the house, I was planning to let it sound for a minute or two before picking up, but now was no time for games. I picked it up, no games, no teasing. "I'm listening." I tried to act as cool, composed and aloof as I could.
"You can not throw such a party in this city?" The voice was cold, but a twinge of panic could still be felt. "Come to the mansion. NOW!"
Irritation boiled in me, even though it was Luna's current and my past behavior that was the cause of it, I had to let it loose somewhere, and that somewhere turned out to be the phone's receiver. "Let me tell you something." My voice - as icy as a blizzard. "If I wished, your little Long family would have been taken off the map already, yet you dare to order me around? If you wish for me to come - you'll have to ask nicely, if not…" A dramatic pause. "I have enough money to tarnish your precious family name for years."
Silence.
"I'll hang up in three seconds." I said and began the countdown. "Three… Two…"
"...Ok…" The hag said. "Alex Jones, will you please come to the manor tonight?"
I smiled, feeling no pleasure. "What time?"
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