"Don't think you can come to my birthday party without congratulating me. Now be a good boy and say your part." "Nah." James shook his head, smiling.
" James Alexander Willard!" Evonne warned him, knowing James hated it whenever anyone used his full name. James screwed up his face in disgust. Why his parents had decided to name him James Alexander was beyond him.
Evonne did mention his mother was a historical romance fanatic since reading that book from her favorite author Jeju Miles, called The Revenge of the female ghost or something along those lines, with the hero being called James Alexander.
His mother had become so addicted to the story that she had declared if she ever had a baby boy, she would name him James Alexander. Then low and behold, just three months later she was pregnant. And now he was stuck with the name.
"Not going to," James said, determinedly stubborn. "Fine then. I'll just grab Sweet Rina and Madam Witch, who will tear your ears down." "What? They're both here too?" James asked in fright.
"Why wouldn't they be? They're my best friends." "But…" "What's wrong, Jamey boy? Scared of us?" Rosa asked from behind him. James was already shaking in his boots. "Yes, James. You better say your congratulations to Evonne or I might have to sweet talk you into doing it," Rina added. James wasn't looking forward to Rina's sweet-talking him.
The last time he got on Evonne's wrong side, he ended up doing his cousin's chores for a whole week, and he didn't even know he had agreed to the deal in the first place.
And as for her other friend, Rosa, the one he liked to secretly call the Wicked Witch of Oz, was no better either. If Rina used the sweet approach, then the Wicked Witch used her spells to torment him, which mainly involved painful words that eventually led to punishment, not by her hands, but by his very own cousin Evonne.
Both of them were wicked, and if he didn't know any better, Evonne was also. But out of the three, he had to admit he had great affection for Rina, the sweet one. But then again, he couldn't help hanging around any of them.
It was like they produced this spinster's pheromone that attracted him to their clan. Not that he was in love with them or anything. It was more along the lines of a sibling relationship whereby every time he hung around them, he felt safe and happy like they were his long-lost sisters.
That was why he made it his mission to make sure they were all safely married and never remained the Three Spinsters for too long. "Now where were you when the others were here?" Evonne eyed her cousin's attire.
"Why are you all dressed up?" "Not telling," James teased. " James Alexander !" Evonne warned him again. "Just out and about with friends," he said cheekily, trying to avoid the hidden truth. "Where?" Rosa asked in her serious tone. "Mmmm, a nightclub," he finally admitted. " James Alexander," they all said simultaneously.
Right now was one of those times James thought he was their little brother, with their eyes staring at him like any big sisters would, before laying out the ground rules and punishing him.
As for Evonne, she couldn't believe her young cousin would attempt to do such a thing. Never in her mind had she ever thought he would attend a nightclub. When she was his age, all she'd ever do was work and study.
She didn't even have time to admire the view around her, let alone go clubbing. "There was hardly anyone there, though. It was too early and I didn't even get a sip of alcohol. So there, I didn't do anything wrong." He rambled his confession. "But, James, you're only in high school," Rina said.
"But I don't want to grow up not being able to experience drinking alcohol. I've only got one life," James whined to Rina. "Plus, I want to experience it before I turn twenty." When James said this, Evonne felt her world spin around, her tears almost overflowing again.