Chapter 23: Chapter 23

JUNE

Kristin has been acting a bit strange since I woke up. It seemed like there is something he was not telling me. Not only is he not pissed at me for going to a party and getting drunk out of my arse, but he's acting like everything is okay.

He gave me coffee and a painkiller to help my hangover, and that was all. He didn't speak of the party as if it were a sort of sacred thing.

However, that was not my main concern. It's the way he's acting with me —jumpy and a bit nervous. One time when I went to the kitchen to check on what he was making, he almost jumped out of his skin in shock, throwing the spatula on the ground as if he touched hot potatoes.

"Are you okay?" I asked when it became too much for me to ignore.

"What?" He glanced up from his phone that he was scrolling through when I came down after having my bath.

"You look nervous. Are you okay?" I tried once more, giving him a look to tell him that he better come clean else I will have his head.

"Of course, why shouldn't I be okay?" He nervously chuckled, seeming more and more anxious as we spoke.

"Hmm." I pursed my lips, "You are always strict with me, but now you are acting like a meek sheep. Are you alright?"

"I'm good." He shrugged, "Last night was your first night defecting. That was why I let you off the hook."

He explained, yet I can feel that something changed with him. This isn't Kristin that trained me. Even when I commit a crime for the first time, he is sure to bite my head off with his scoldings. He wouldn't have let me go until he has done that.

"Did I... Did I try something last night? Like....."

"What?" He almost jumped up from his chair with the way his eyes nervously darted around.

"You sure are acting odd. Are you certain you are okay?"

"Yes, I am." He chuckled, "I just... Well, I didn't sleep well last night because I was going through my work and ...."

"Well, if you say so." I leaned down and made to peck him on his right cheek like I have done since I was a kid, but he froze, going rigid so suddenly. It was worth the raising of my eyebrow.

"You certainly are acting strange." I pecked him on his cheek despite his actions, and winked, "See you when I return."

"No going over a project with Mark. And certainly no parties!"

"Jeez." I scrunched my nose up, "You don't have to make it sound like I will slip away and go to parties."

"Mark can't be trusted. He's a bad influence," he grumbled under his breath, sounding like an old granny.

"Okay, I'm still grounded. I know. You don't have to tell me about it." I took my handbag from where I left it and hastened out to the door, just in time for Mark to show up.

"Hello, babe," he winked at me.

"Just in time." I got into his car and threw my handbag to the back after I removed my phone from it.

"Not a drunken mess are we?" He wriggled his brows at me, looking like he was barely keeping himself from laughing.

"Nah." I squinted, "was I a nuisance?"

"Very." He started the car, "God, I'm never going to allow you to drink again. You are not a pretty drunk."

"Is there ever a pretty drunk?" I nervously chuckled, running a hand through my hair. I didn't try to stress myself with dressing this morning.

I left my hair down and wore a black loose gown, a far cry from my usual tight clothes.

"Yeah, some."

"Did I blabber?"

"A lot."

"What?!"

What the hell did I tell him about? I hope I didn't mention my uncle.

"A lot for me to know that you love your uncle, and it's not platonic." He said with a straight face, concentrating on driving.

My heart died at his words. My heart skipped, and my breath hitched. I couldn't properly breathe.

"You don't have to seen surprised. You spoke of him in your sleep and I noticed how you clung to him when he touched you." He shrugged, "it was obvious."

"I...." I gulped, looking like a deer caught in headlights. I don't even know what the hell to say to this. My mouth opened and closed, but no word came out of it.

How do you tell your best friend that you are in love with your uncle?! I doubt he will ever understand my feelings!

Damn it!

"You don't have to look shocked." He glanced at me before he focused on driving. "So, what are you...."

"It's one-sided," I managed to say, trying not to sound so shocked. "I doubt it will ever work." I turned and glanced out of the window, feeling the familiar pang I always have whenever I speak or think of my love for my uncle.

"What if I say... I can help you?"

"What?!" I instantly turned to face him, shocked by his offer. "You can help me? Aren't you grossed out by my feelings? Don't you think I'm unnatural for feeling that way for my uncle?" I swallowed, not ready to accept that someone isn't condemning the relationship.

"Well, I have seen and heard worse. Some fell for their biological parents and siblings. Yours is a bit... manageable." He smiled at me with his focus both on his driving and on me.

"Well.. thanks." I nervously chuckled, not knowing how the hell to reply to his words. "So, you were spelling to help me out? How the hell are you going to do that?" I furrowed my brows at him.

"Well," he glanced at me before he turned his focus to the road. He nervously ran his left hand through his hair before he forced a smile. "You can try dating me."

"What?!" My eyes nearly boggled out of their sockets from how shocked I was. "What the hell, Mark!"

He shrugged, "You wish to know if your uncle loves you, right?"

"Hmm, but...."

"Let me rephrase it. You can try 'fake dating' me. This way, you will have to make your uncle jealous and...." He trailed off, wanting me to complete the words on my own.

My eyes nearly boggled out of their sockets when I realized what he was trying to tell me. This wasn't how I wished to woe my uncle but it sure as hell sounds better.

"Will it work?" I asked, trying not to get my hopes up or anything like that.

He shrugged once more, "It might."

"Then, let's give it a try!"

I tried not to sound excited, but I'm damned hell at the point of almost jumping off my skin with joy.