Chapter Six:

*/*/* Later that day Nny woke up from a sleep. He yawned, stretched, and patted his pocket where a small lump resided.

It was near evening when Devi came out of her art studio, her face smeared with blood-red paint. She sat down beside Nny on the sofa with a sigh. She straightened her pigtails and leaned against the back of the couch tiredly. She yawned and closed her jaded eyes. Nny looked at her for a few moments.

"Devi?" he whispered gently.

"Yes?" Devi asked softly.

"I have something for you," Nny said cautiously.

"Hm?"

Nny reached into his pocket and pulled out a small lump of black tissue paper, holding it out to Devi. She looked at it uncertainly.

"It's for you," Nny said, handing it to her gently.

"Seriously?"

"Yes. Go ahead and open it."

Devi slit the lenient black paper with her long thumbnail and when it fell open she stopped breathing for a moment; her breath caught in her chest.

"Wow..Nny I.what...is it for me.I don't know what to say. Thank you," Devi tripped over her tongue. In the package was Nny's mother's necklace. The one with the rubies.

"It's nothing," Nny said, trying not to go red in the face.

"No it's not. I just..thanks. Thanks a lot Nny. I just can't believe..," Devi said, still struggling to find the words.

"You're welcome, it's just something I wanted you to have," Nny said bashfully.

Devi carefully fastened the necklace around her neck.

"Nny I...it's so beautiful," Devi said, still dazed.

"Not as beautiful as you," Nny said, blushing more than ever before. Devi looked at him in amazement.

"You don't mean that, do you?" she asked.

"Yes I do," Nny said timidly. Nny wasn't sure what exactly happened next, but suddenly he was enveloped in Devi's arms. She placed her fingertips on his chin and tipped his face up to hers, kissing his lips passionately. Nny was stunned and sat there limply until finally he planted his arms around her as well. It seemed never ending, and Nny wasn't sure how much time passed before Devi finally released him and slid back to her seat, breathing heavily. Nny gaped at her.

"Whoa," Nny stammered after a few seconds. Devi blushed. "You've done that before, haven't you?" he added.

"A few times. But not...like that," Devi said, embarrassed. Then there was a silence, Devi nervously fingering the necklace.

"It was my mother's," Nny said after a while.

"What was?" Devi asked.

"The necklace."

"Oh. Where is she?"

"She's dead."

"Oh. I..I'm sorry."

"It's OK. It was a long time ago. I was ten."

"What happened to her?" Devi asked, hoping it wouldn't hurt Nny too much to talk about it.

"A homicidal maniac killed her. And my dad. I came home from school one day and they were both dead," Nny said sadly, looking at the floor.

Devi was quiet for a moment. "Nny..the guy who killed your parents..it wasn't..you, was it?" Devi asked, hoping he wouldn't take offense.

"No," Nny said softly, "It wasn't. I don't know who it was."

"Oh. It's too bad."

"Yes."

"Thank you for the necklace Nny..I love it a lot."

"Don't mention it."

Devi lay back on the sofa. "I think I'll stay with you tonight," she said.

Nny nodded and lay beside her. She put her arms around him and he closed his eyes. There was a long silence, and suddenly Devi's whisper came out of the dark.

"Nny?"

"What?"

"I love you."

Nny lay in shocked silence for a moment before he answered. "I love you too."

Devi dropped off to sleep a few moments later. Nny didn't follow for a while, concentrating on the comfort of Devi's embrace, and wishing it didn't have to end so soon. Finally he let sleep take him, and dropped off to sleep full of dreams.