"Pickles and cakes?"
"Taken."
"Biscuits, wafers?"
"Yes!"
"And-"
"Enough Mom! My bag is full! We don't even know if the school will let me have these things in hostel." Sweety was off for college in her native, Odisha. Thus was the ruckus since early morning.
"If they don't allow it, you can keep them with your aunt and whenever you visit, you'll eat them. Come one now, hurry up! Your Dad will get furious if you are late."
How could she ever be late for leaving home. Sweety ruefully thought. She was the happiest for finally leaving her parents' control. Though it was for two years, it was a whole new experience awaiting.
She skipped in the bedroom where Tessa was still sleeping. The cute youngest member held attention of parents the most.
Soon, Sweety was poking her awake.
"Oi! I'm going! And I won't see you again for a long long time!! Do you hear me?" She continued poking her sister until the little brat attempted kicking her away.
"Then go! All your things will be mine to claim." Even in sleep she had to base her territory.
"Yeah, Yeah. I'll keep the leftovers for you sweet sister."
"Don't call me that. That is your name and we are not sisters, remember!"
Sweety stared at the naughty one, "Okay. I am going today so try and act to be happy. Else I might change my mind..." The last line was enough threat to bring the half woken girl fully aroused.
"Get out."
"What?"
Tessa pushes her sister from the bed to the door.
"Ugh. You know your punches hurt. You're not a thin, frail kid anymore!"
"Ha! At least I am less fat that you," Tessa retorted.
Sweety never held back to argue things related to weight, especially her own. "First and foremost, my height is taller than you and a person's weight also includes height. So you can't use that for telling me fatter than you!"
"Have a nice and looonnnng trip." Tessa smiled prettily before shutting the door on her elder sister.
Sweety didn't care what her younger sibling thought of her, her mood was brightened and focused on a much different idea.
Getting inside her room, she made sure to take the statue of Bappa. While picking it up, the rock around her neck dangled in her sight.
Smiling at the dim glowing stone, she was certain there could be no better gift than this. Simple and creative.
Rob executed numerous attempts to get Tyler uninterested. Yet, possibly prospects of the locket's contents must have made him mad completely.
Offering a beer can to the genius, he plucked open his own, "Can't you just make one again? Who knows, this time it could turn out better."
"Your choice of words really hurt. It means you never really treated me anything. Cuz if you did, you would have remembered it took me seven years just to reach to the sample of Gulf. And the hearing device I installed in it was a lucky encounter suiting your chain." They were seated in a bean bag each, Rob folded his elbows on his knee while Tyler sprawled open his legs which intentionally were kept to block Rob's ways of escape.
"That rock isn't a normal one. It's made of pure lithium. Unprocessed. Without a human's intervention. I tried to make such a thing couple of times but it was not up to mark."
"How can you say my locket will be up to mark? You never saw it work."
Tyler shook his head, "Now I did. My Gulf is working the best. If I get it back, I can study the reasons who it is happening like that and this thing will be a rock in this world. People might not need phones anymore if they could just hear their loved ones through it. A love lace worn."
As much respect and admiration Rob had for his friend once upon a time, listening him right now made him gag. "You did this for percent romance?! I can't believe I spent all day for such a hazardous excuse." He really was irritated. This stupid scientist was a lovesick fool.
"Does love have to be perverted only? Don't forget, Gulf will also work as a spy device which won't be easily caught under metal detectors. Next time you say anything to my inventions, I'll break your nose."
Rob rolled his eyes in answer while sinking deeper in his couch. He wanted to sleep fast but an unwanted guest's appearance was not making it easy.
A phone rang during that time. Rob remembered his ringtone never had a simple calling tune, turning his neck to the other guy who began talking. "What is it?"
The other one in the line must be his secretary or assistant, Rob speculated. Maybe he is calling to bring Tyler back in office. Rob closed his eyes, deciding to sleep this time.
"WHAT!!!"
The poor fellow blew out startled. "What the fu-?!" Rob's complains were ignored as the inventor was engaged.
"She is leaving the city? She is leaving the state altogether?!" Commanding his assistant to hold he call, he put rage on Rob.
"What? I didn't do anything."
"Whatever you did to your girlfriend to make her leave the state, get me the locket back or Venessa will bring in the cops. You know I am not joking of this." His fixed stare was proof enough he wasn't joking but Rob did not want to know that.
"Venessa who?" Tyler's glare was answer for him. "Your girlfriend... yeah. Shit, we have to stop her!"
"Agreed."
"You do? How pleasing." Rob added sarcastically before making way out of the apartment. Just when he was supposed to put his foot out of the door his t-shirt was pulled from behind.
"Ah... I forgot to take my jacket." He went behind the main door to get his hung cloth. But, as he was done taking it, Tyler still didn't let go of his shirt. "I won't be able to catch her if I don't move out of house," he reminded patiently.
If Tyler was so sure of this invention, Rob wanted to check it out too. Also, the property belonged to him and only him, so... teasing him to get the unseen invention back was an appealing idea. The money coming from it could be an early retirement ticket!
"If you pretend to be on my side one more time, I will handcuff you and tie you to a pole. Keep trying to get out from there."
Rob whirled around in amaze, "Are you a scientist or a sadist? You have threatened to do various things to me ever since you met. I only borrowed a computer, hard disk and that wireless keyboard I loved. Part of my endeavors."
Tyler grabbed hold of his collar instantly, "Aren't you forgetting the most important of all? You are a greedy man, so let me give you a bait." Rob freed himself from his hold but waited on to listen. "Bring me the locket and you can share 50% profits from that invention."
Now, that was something to go for.