The Devil's Sweetheart

Andrew jinxed the girl for playing with his weakness. She knew he liked video games and hit the weak spot. On one side, Andrew\'s hands were itching to accept the offer, and on the other hand, he felt guilty that he has to betray his friend again. \'\'I can\'t do this, Harley. We are doing_\'\'

\'\'I will double the pay.\'\' Harley\'s words snapped into Andrew\'s brain. She successfully lured Andrew into her trap. 

\'\'Double the pay? Where are you getting all the money?\'\' Andrew exclaimed. It\'s not that Andrew is poor, but his parents have restricted him to luxury accessories, not turning him into a spoiled brat. 

\'\'My money, my business.\'\' Harley shrugged her shoulders responsively. It\'s the pocket money from her brother, Devin. From the day he started his modeling career, Harley has plenty of money to put in her pocket.

\'\'We better stop before it escalates further, Harls,\'\' Andrew added, although double payment tempted him. \'\'Jasper suspects someone has a hand behind the ruined dates,\'\' Andrew replied stonily. If Jasper learns the truth behind the ruined dates, Andrew would be dead meat in his friend\'s hands.

\'\'He will never know the truth unless you or I tell him,\'\' The young Harley held Andrew\'s hand and shook it. \'\'Please, Andy. Can\'t you do this for your best friend\'s sake?\'\' Harley looked at him with her puppy eyes pleading Andrew.

\'\'Stop giving me those puppy-dog eyes.\'\' Andrew pulled his hand, glaring at her. \'\'Fine! I will do it.\'\'

\'\'Yay!\'\' Harley pinched Andrew\'s cheeks with a giggle. \'\'My sweet best friend.\'\'

\'\'Instead of all this drama, why can\'t you tell your feelings to him?\'\' Andrew mumbled, which didnot go unheeded by Harley.

Casting her face down, Harley fidgeted over the hem of the dress in a sulk. From the day she remembers her childhood, Jasper is around her. Infact, she knows all her brother\'s friends, but Harley sticks to Jasper like glue. 

Harley doesn\'t know when her feelings started, but they are going deeper each passing day. When Harley heard Jasper is dating a girl, she cried for the whole night, her pillow drenched, but the tears don\'t stop rolling at that time. The next day, she asked Andrew for help, and then Andrew joked, \'When there is ruin, ther is hope for happiness.\' Harley took his words seriously and made Andrew her scapegoat since then. Together, they have ruined nine dates. She will make sure it continues until she finds the courage to express her feelings.

\'\'Let\'s give him a strong blow this time,\'\' Andrew remarked. \'\'With our powerful strike, he has to think twice before he considers dating another girl.\'\'

Harley nodded her head, pleased with the co-operation and the support from Andrew. \'\'Remember, we are doing it for our sake. You will become my future brother-in-law, and you don\'t want to get a wicked sister-in-law for your wife, isn\'t it?\'\'

Andrew bobbed his head up and down in response. If that plastic beauty girl like Rachel becomes Reese\'s sister-in-law, she will not have a peaceful life. In his view, Harley is the best choice. He will ruin his friend\'s dates for world peace.

\'\'It\'s decided then. We are doing it again.\'\' Harley\'s face twinkled in delight. \'\'Alright, it\'s already late. I will go home.\'\'

Harley got up to depart. The moment she arrived downstairs, Lily called Harley for dinner, but Harley hastily left with an excuse that her mother would beat her to death if she is late.

Just when Harley arrived at the entrance, her breath hitched as she watched a boy parking his electric bicycle at the house entrance. Ignoring him, she tried to walk past him, but he caught her by the wrist.

\'\'Why did you come here?\'\'

\'\'Do I have to tell everything to you?\'\' Harley snapped.

\'\'How long I have to bear your cold war?\'\' Jasper questioned.

\'\'I didnot ask you to,\'\' Harley stubbornly replied, looking everywhere except at Jasper\'s eyes. Harley pulled her hand from his clutches, and not before she took a step forward, Jasper stopped her.

\'\'What_\'\'

Wordlessly, Jasper bent down, squatting in front of her. \'\'When will you learn to tie shoelaces properly?\'\' Jasper chided, knotting the loosened laces of her left shoe. Coming to stand, Jasper said. Off you go now.\'\' With that, he walked past her.

Not until Jasper was out of her sight, Harley let out a shaky breath.

...

On the other hand, Jasper wondered if he had made a mistake that made Harley distance him. With thoughts around, he walked into Andrew\'s bedroom. \'\'You purchased another play station?\'\' Jasper asked as he looked at the unboxed gift on the bed.

\'\'It\'s a gift from Harley,\'\' Andrew proudly stated without knowing he sprouted a jealousy seed on Jasper.

\'\'Oh,\'\' Was the short reply from Jasper. A source of envy budded on his mind. He wanted to take Andrew to a gift shop to buy a present for Rachel, but his mood dampened seeing the gift box. He can\'t digest Harley giving a gift to someone other than him. With homework as an excuse, Jasper left for home, cursing at Harley.

....

The following day, Andrew waited for a chance, and the moment Jasper walked out of the class, he glanced at his friends. Kurt and Wilbur were cackling like Hynes over a comic. Austin was flirting with a girl. Devin is in another world, smiling like a fool for no reason. 

Andrew scanned the room for one last time, and in a split second, he slipped a small remote transmitter into Jasper\'s bag. He put it in the last layer of the bag, where Jasper doesn\'t put it for use.

The evening arrived, Harley and Andrew disguised themselves and went into the cafe. Both settled at the corner, where they can spot Jasper. Although their voices were hushed, Harley could still hear them.

\'\'How did you like the chocolates I gave?\'\' Rachel asked as she picked the burger from the food plate.

\'\'They are lovely, Rachie,\'\' Jasper said, winking at her.

Harley rolled her eyes at the scheming Jasper. Lovely, my foot! He has given all the chocolates to her while going home. \'\'Andy, start the game!\'\' Harley ordered. He will never go and date a girl after today\'s incident.

\'\'Yes.\'\' Andrew opened the remote controller, ready to hit the button when the time comes.

Meanwhile, Jasper pushed the food tray in front of Rachel and gently spoke up. \'\'Eat the burger. I heard you love them.\'\'

\'\'Thank you, Jasper.\'\' Rachel blushed, taking the burger into her hands. Just as she was about to put it in her mouth...

FRAAAP

Rachel froze when she heard a short fart coming from Jasper\'s. Jasper looked around, and thanked gods that the sound was not intense. His enemy started his game again.

\'\'I_I will get you another one.\'\' Jasper said, and just when Jasper got up...

FRAAAP

This time, it was a roaring fart, which grabbed the attention of the people sitting nearby.

In fear, Jasper immediately sat on the chair. Who is doing this to me? A woman sitting across them rose from the seat and left, throwing a sickening stare at Jasper. When you cry, nobody notices. When you are happy, nobody sees the smile most of the time. But when you fart. Just one time is enough....

\'\'A_re you okay?\'\' Rachel asked awkwardly. Watching the brooding stares from the people, she wanted to dig a hole and bury herself. Now, she understood the reason Jasper\'s girlfriends broke up on the first day or second day.

\'\'Yeah. Yeah. I am fine.\'\' Jasper briskly nodded his head to convince himself.

\'\'I will bring you another one.\'\' He added. In every step he took, Jasper was extra careful. He was sure someone is playing tricks on him again. Who could it be? Every time, the enemy comes up with a new plan, which he is not aware. Last time, he suffered loose motions, and now he is humiliating himself.

In between his thoughts, Jasper reached the table. In his dazed state, he didnot notice a ketchup sachet dropped to the floor. With a sigh, he Placed the tray on the table to pick the ketchup. Just when Jasper squatted....

FRAAAAP

This time, the sound was so intense that it reached the corners of the cafe. 

\'\'Oh, man!\'\' A man just took a bite of pizza at the adjacent table screamed. Throwing a deathly stare at Jasper, he stormed out of the room, leaving the food plate aside.

Jasper\'s lips pursed by suppressed fury. He rolled his neck to relieve the building tension and then looked at Rachel, her face inept and expressionless. \'\'I_Rachel_\'\'

\'\'Let\'s break up, Jasper. I am leaving.\'\' Rachel grabbed her bag and stormed out of the cafe before making a fool out of herself in front of all the people.

...

On the other hand, Andrew grinned, putting the remote controller of the fart machine into his bag. He bought an exclusive fart machine with the money Harley gave it to him. With today\'s incident, his friend will never approach a girl. One of his jobs is done. The next task is to take back the remote controller before his friend finds out.. The disguised Andrew walked out of the cafe along with Harley without predicting his doom.