BXBX NOVEL Chapter 342 Pawn
"Congratulations," Allen\'s voice interjected, light and tinged with wry humor, as he regarded Gerry with an accompanying smile.
Gerry fixed his gaze on Allen. His brows knit in confusion. "But why would she approach Elio in the first place? Is this some kind of in-game rule?" he queried, his words punctuated by a sense of bewilderment.
"No," came Allen\'s succinct reply.
A gasp escaped Gerry\'s lips, his eyes widening as he connected the dots. "Oh wait," he exclaimed, his tone laced with a mix of surprise and intrigue. "Could it be that she\'s trying to make you jealous?" he ventured, his words layered with a sense of deduction.
Allen\'s confirmation came in the form of a subtle nod.
"No way," Gerry mused aloud, his voice threaded with intrigue as he leaned slightly forward, his eyes locking onto Allen\'s. "So, she\'s doing all of this because she wants your forgiveness?"
Allen\'s response came with a shake of his head. "No," he stated firmly, his tone free from any trace of uncertainty. "It\'s more than that. She wants us to return to the way we were before. She\'s aiming for us to rekindle what we once had," he explained.
Gerry\'s brows furrowed in thought, his expression mirroring his contemplation of Allen\'s revelation. "Wait, when did she even mention this?" he inquired.
Allen\'s response was marked by a nonchalant shrug. "Just a few days ago," he replied.
Gerry\'s fingers tightened around Allen\'s shoulders, a friendly grip that conveyed a mix of incredulity and mock exasperation. "How come you never told me?" he voiced his complaint.
Allen\'s lips curled into a rueful smile, his eyebrows quirking slightly as he met Gerry\'s gaze head-on. "Because it\'s not as important as you\'re making it out to be," he responded.
"But come on, Allen! It\'s juicy gossip, the stuff that fuels my need for interesting stories!" Gerry retorted, his voice tinged with mock desperation.
Allen\'s response was a flat stare, his expression a mixture of bemusement and resignation.
Gerry\'s hold on Allen\'s shoulders released, his hands finding refuge in the folds of the towel he had draped over his shoulders. "Right, right," Gerry conceded with a sigh, his gaze momentarily flickering to the side as he wiped the sweat from his forehead. "I forgot you\'re that kind of person," he mused aloud, a tinge of disappointment lacing his words.
Allen\'s brows furrowed in genuine confusion, his gaze narrowing as he directed his attention toward Gerry. "Hold on a second," he protested, the lines of his face betraying his puzzlement. "What do you mean by \'that kind of person\'?" he inquired, a note of curiosity underscoring his words.
"You know, you\'re the type of person who rarely opens up about his own life, always opting for humor and witty remarks instead of sharing your personal stories," Gerry stated, his tone both assertive and inquisitive.
Allen\'s lips curled into a wry smile, his eyebrows arching in a quizzical expression as he met Gerry\'s gaze head-on. "Ah, so you mean I\'m the gossipless and dramaless type," he countered.
Gerry responded with an exaggerated pout, his expression a mix of mock indignation and amusement. "Exactly," he conceded with a playful huff. "But you know, being that type of person can also be a bit of a problem magnet," he added, his tone taking on a more serious note.
Allen\'s response was a quiet but expressive "tch," a sound that conveyed a mixture of acknowledgment and mild annoyance.
Gerry\'s voice carried an air of mischief as he resumed their conversation, his tone laden with a mix of jest and genuine curiosity. "So, if she\'s really that eager to win you back, why not play a little mind game?" he suggested with an exaggerated shrug.
His eyebrows danced mischievously as he leaned forward, eager to unveil his cunning plan. "Just say that she has to sleep with you first then you\'ll consider it. She will think that you only want her body and give up." Gerry\'s finger tapped against his temple in a gesture of mock self-praise. "Genius, right?" he declared, his smug grin betraying the satisfaction he took in concocting such a bold strategy.
Allen\'s amusement deepened, his lips curling into a full-fledged grin. "Well, here\'s the thing," he began, his tone casual yet carrying an undeniable weight. "She\'s actually already offered to sleep with me as part of her plan to rekindle our relationship," he revealed, his words punctuated by a distinct lack of surprise.
Gerry\'s triumphant expression faltered, his features contorting into an expression of sheer disbelief. His jaw slackened slightly, and for a moment, he was left speechless.
The revelation hung in the air, an unexpected twist that defied Gerry\'s imaginative gambit. "No kidding?" he finally managed to sputter, his voice tinged with equal parts astonishment and incredulity.
Allen\'s sigh was laden with a mixture of resignation and humor. "I wish I were kidding," he admitted, his words a testament to the perplexing nature of his current predicament.
"Hey, why don\'t you just give her a taste of her own medicine? Sleep with her and then ditch her, just like she did to you two years ago," Gerry suggested, a mischievous glint dancing in his eyes.
Allen\'s eyebrows arched in disbelief, his lips quirking into a bemused smile. "And you consider that a valid solution?" he countered, amusement lacing his voice.
Gerry\'s grin remained unapologetic. "I mean, it\'s not like she\'d see it coming, right?" he quipped, a playful shrug accompanying his words.
"Think about it, Gerry. If I were to follow your \'rotten\' idea, wouldn\'t that just lead to more complications? With Elio and Sophia\'s new gang in the picture, it\'s not as simple as a one-time fling," Allen reasoned, a touch of practicality underscoring his words.
Gerry\'s enthusiasm deflated. "You are right..."
"She even was so desperate that she resorted to using you as a messenger," Allen stated, a hint of disbelief lacing his words. His fingers absently traced the condensation on the water bottle he held.
Gerry\'s brows furrowed in puzzlement, his eyes narrowing in concentration as he attempted to piece together the puzzle that Allen had presented. He turned his gaze to Allen, his expression a mix of curiosity and realization. "Wait a minute," he began, his voice laced with intrigue. "Are you saying that she deliberately orchestrated this whole conversation, hoping that I would spill the beans to you?" he questioned, his words punctuated by a dawning comprehension.
Allen\'s lips quirked into a wry smile as he nodded in affirmation. "Bingo. You unwittingly became her pawn," he confirmed, a trace of amusement dancing in his eyes.
Gerry\'s reaction was a blend of disbelief and chagrin, his hand instinctively reaching up to ruffle his hair in an act of frustration. "Oh, great. So, I\'ve unwittingly played right into her hands?" he exclaimed, his voice tinged with equal parts irritation and resignation.
A lighthearted chuckle escaped Allen\'s lips. He raised his water bottle to his lips, taking a generous sip before setting it down with a soft thud. "Looks like it," he remarked, his tone a mix of sympathy and camaraderie.
Gerry let out a dramatic sigh, his shoulders slumping in mock defeat. "Crap! And here I thought I was just being your good friend, passing along some information," he quipped, a wry smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.