Chapter 31: Chapter 31

My mind was plagued with thoughts of my uncle and that woman who calls herself, whatever it is her name is.

Edna, or something like that.

I just don't care about her. All I want is to get my uncle far away from her, from her damn clutches. We just can't take any chances with her. But Mark said she's not a bother. He asked me to leave her, and I'm planning on that, though I don't trust her.

“Where are you heading after class?” Mark leaned towards me to ask, raising a perfect brow at me.

“Your house. I want him to come begging, on his knees.” My lips curved at the side, “he will do that when I don't return after 5. He will surely come knocking.”

“Or rather drag you away kicking and screaming?” He chuckled low under his breath.

Luckily, we are at the back of the class. Else, we would have been caught by the lecturer.

“Shut the hell up, Mark!” I growled under my breath, staring hard at him, “I will have you kicked to the curb.”

“Oh, don't bother, my love. I only have good thoughts for you by letting you know what you might be up against when you meet your uncle. It doesn't hurt to be prepared, does it?”

He turned and pretended to focus on the lecture, but I can tell he was not doing that. There is no doubt his mind will either be on his Xbox or the COD, he almost bit my right ear off as he told me about it.

Mark isn't all bad. He's the type of man that girls love. He's rich, handsome, and fun to be with, and let's not forget how clever he is most times.

Had it not been for my blinding love for my uncle, I would have given Mark a shot at dating.

“Why are you staring at me? Finally realized how great I am?” He chuckled under his breath, looking smug about it.

“In your damned dreams!” I pushed him off me and folded my arms. “Do you think anyone will be interested in you?” I pursed my lips. “You are damn—”

“Miss Storm? Can you help us with this?”

I froze at the call. I thought staying back here will make us invincible to the lecturer, but it doesn't seem like it worked at all. We were caught before we could discuss it further.

Mark chuckled under his breath as I rose from my chair, trying not to squirm at the attention of the students.

God, it was so unnerving being the centre of attention. I felt like melting under their scrutiny.

“So ….” I trailed off, not knowing what to answer because I wasn't paying any attention to her lectures.

****

“God, it was so embarrassing!” I moaned aloud, feeling the urge to sink into the ground and disappear.

After the embarrassing moment in the lecture hall, I was reprimanded by the woman so hard that I felt so freaking embarrassed.

Mark chuckled, “It was comical.”

“You were the cause of this! Had you not spoken, I wouldn't have done the same!” I accused, wagging my fingers at him.

“Come on, you love me too well,” he winked at me.

“No, I don't!” I angrily matched towards his car while he tried to keep up with me, still laughing his arse off.

He rushed over and opened the door for me, and I slid in without looking at him.

“Come on,” he whined when he got into the car. “Okay, what do you want? Doughnuts?”

“Kristin made it for breakfast.”

Talking about Kristin made me recall what happened this morning. The things that happened today made me forget about my uncle and that bitch of a woman.

“What of ice cream?” He winked at me, “You love chocolate and strawberry the most, don't you? Okay, I will get three flavours for you, and—”

“Don't speak to me! I'm still pissed with you.” I folded my arms and pursed my lips.

Mark begged me throughout the ride, while I pretended like I was still pissed at him, knowing he will get all my favourites so that I will forgive him.

Kristin hasn't called me once since I left, and I know he's just acting like a baby, trying to make me guilty enough to call him when he should be the one to do so.

There was no one in Mark's house when we arrived, so he took me straight to his room before he left to get some things, only to return with all the things he promised to get for me.

“Has he called?” He asked as I took a scoop of my ice cream, licking the spoon despite how big the ice cream was.

“Nah, he hasn't.” I took a bite of the chocolate doughnut he got, “He's still waiting for me to be the one to call. As if.” With a scoff, I returned to my ice cream.

“Then, let's wait for him to do so.”

I spent the rest of the day with Mark playing video games and conversing with him like old times.

“Oddly, you don't have a girlfriend,” I suddenly said the moment he returned from disposing of all the snacks we ate.

I have thought about this for a long time. How can someone as handsome as him not have a girlfriend? It sounds too… Strange.

“Why? Do I have to have a girlfriend to be friends with you?” He sat next to me on the floor. “Moreover, how would we have convinced your uncle about us if I had a girlfriend?”

“But aside from that, why don't you have a girlfriend?” I wasn't about to let things slide. “Like you don't have a significant other?”

We have been together for years and I haven't ever seen him with a girl. He has never had a girlfriend and never spoke of one.

“Why will I have a girlfriend? Is that some sort of requirement? That all the men must have a girlfriend to be considered men?”

“Are you gay?” I finally asked, trying to get to the root of the matter.

He chuckled, “You amuse me with your thoughts, June. I'm not gay. It's just that…" He sighed, running his fingers through his hair with a forced smile on his face, “Indeed, I don't have a girlfriend, but I do have a girl that I like.”

“Who?!” I almost jumped on him, eager to know the answer to the question. “Who is the one that you love?”

He smiled, “She's unattainable. I have loved her for a long time,” he sighed. “I don't know when it started, but I woke up one day and realized that I had fallen for her, hard at that.”

“Who is she? What's her name?” I wanted to know about the woman he loves, this way I will get to know his type. Someone like Mark will undoubtedly have a pretty girlfriend.

“You,” he blurted out.

“Huh?” I gaped at him, trying to know what the hell he was referring to.

“Just kidding,” he chuckled. “You look so easy to make fun of,” he winked, “Don't worry, you are not the one.”

“I know that, of course,” I waved him off.

There is no way someone like Mark will ever like me. God, we have seen each other in our worst moments with snots running down our noses and eyes puffy from crying because of our toys.

“I know you do,” he winked at me. “Come on, it's time to play one more game. Are you ready?” He took the joystick and threw mine towards me, “I'm eager for some mortal—”

My phone started ringing, disturbing us from our conversation. I picked it up, knowing who was calling me because aside from Kristin and Mark, there is no one else in my contact. Don't ask me how I'm so antisocial, I just am.

“Are you going to pick that up?” He motioned towards my ringing phone.

“Let's put him out of his misery,” I answered the call, and stood from the floor, stepping away from Mark a bit.

“June, thank God you are still alive. God, I was worried to death when I called, but you didn't answer. June?” he called out when I didn't say a word. I just answered the call and put the phone to my ear. “Where are you, doll?” he asked, still I'm a low tone.

“Doll, I apologize for what I did to you,” he continued to say when I didn't answer. “Did I hurt you, baby? Was my grip on your wrist that hard?” he asked, eager to hear my reply.

“Baby?” He called out, but I didn't answer him. “Where are you, Doll? It's past 6 and you are not back. I made your favourite food for you, pa—”

“You don't have to bother about that, I'm not returning home. At least not tonight. You can go ahead and have dinner without me,” I tried to sound stern, not letting my emotions filter through the phone.

“What?! Where the hell are you?!”

“Mark's house,” I said before I disconnected…