Chapter 3

• JUNE
• “June—”
• My phone chose that moment to ring.
• I hastily got up from the chair I was sitting on and hurried over to my bed.
• I answered the call the moment I saw the caller's ID.
• “Mark?”
• “Are you ready? I'm waiting outside for you. Don't forget, you promised to help me with my assignment." He said the moment I answered the call.
• “Shit.....”
• I gulped when I noticed the dark stare from my uncle when I used the cuss word.
• “I will be down in a few!” I disconnected the call. “That's Mark. He's waiting for me downstairs.” I carried my backpack and stuffed my phone into it.
• “June, I'm not through —”
• “Love you, uncle.” I took the juice from the tray he brought in and pecked him on his right cheek before I hurried out of my room, stuffing the juice in with my phone.
• It wasn't until I took three steps that I realized something.
• My uncle is still in my room.
• However, that's the least of my problems. I'm worried he might snoop around.
• And that, right there, is the issue.
• I don't need him to see the toys I have in my drawer.
• I hurried back to my room. “Uncle, what are you still doing in here?” I pursed my lips, with my brows raised.
• He was still standing in the same spot he stood when I left.
• However, there is a likelihood that he might start poking around the moment I step out of the house.
• “What's wrong? Did you forget anything?” He turned to face me.
• “Yeah. I forgot you, uncle,” I rolled my eyes at him. “Can you please leave my room? I need to lock it.”
• “Lock it?” He looked confused. “Why do you wish to lock your room when you have never done that before?”
• “I'm a grown-up now, Uncle. I require my privacy more than anything else. So….” I trailed off.
• “Hmm.”
• He turned to leave.
• “The pancakes you made?” I raised a brow at the tray he was leaving behind.
• “Oh,” he carried the tray, and made to leave, but I took a pancake from it, and winked at him.
• “Thanks for this.” I took a bite, “delicious as always.” I licked my bottom lip before I glanced up at him.
• I could have sworn that he was looking at my lip. But that's my imagination.
• There is no way he could be staring at my lips, not this uncle of mine, I tell you.
• “You can take more. It's not like I can finish it all.” He motioned to the tray in his hand.
• “Thanks, but I will skip.” I placed the half-eaten pancake back on the tray. “Mark will buy breakfast for me in exchange for my help.”
• Kristin looked like he wanted to say something, but in the end, he only shook his head.
• “See you when you return, Kiddo.” He turned and left.
• With Kristin gone, I locked the door and pocketed the keys.
• “See you tonight!”
• I yelled at him before I hurried out of the house.
• Mark came with his car, which is a red Corvette Z06.
• His father gifted it to him as a birthday present three weeks ago.
• “Guy, you sure rock!” I hastened over and got in his car.
• “Good morning to you, too.” He sarcastically replied.
• Unlike him, he's putting on blue jeans and a black hoodie.
• His brown hair, which he cut two weeks ago, seems to have added length. It seems like he ran a hand through it countless times, or he might have been too lazy to comb them.
• “Why are you putting on a hoodie? Trying to start the semester with a bang?” I scrunched my nose.
• He grinned, “guess what, June.”
• “What's it?” I tried not to sound excited. “You know, I'm not good with guessing.”
• “Why don't you guess? If you didn't get it after the second attempt, I will tell you.” He tapped a finger on his steering.
• “Your father got another car for you?” I tilted my head to the side. “Isn't that a bit too much?”
• He rolled his eyes. “He didn't get another car for me. Though he will buy another one, soon. But not now.”
• “What else is there to guess? Did he get a new girlfriend? Your cat gave birth to a litter? Your dog fought with your cat, again?” I facepalmed.
• He chuckled, “you have such an interesting imagination, Junny. But that's not it.” He raised the hem of the hoodie. “I got a tattoo!”
• “What?!”
• I glanced down at his once smooth abdomen. Now, it has a Raven tattoo on it, with tiny engravings around it.
• “Isn't it beautiful?” He smugly asked, looking like one who has won a lottery or something close to it.
• “Beautiful? Why did you get a tattoo, Mark?” I narrowed a glare at him.
• He shrugged, “I've always wished to tattoo my skin, June.” He perked up, “you love tattoos, don't you? So, what do you think of mine?”
• I sighed.
• The truth is this, I don't like tattoos. Well, aside from the one on the body of a particular man.
• But there is no way to tell him that.
• Mark has been my friend since we were in our nappy age. His father was my uncle's professor back when he attended college.
• And they ended up in one neighbourhood. That was why I became friends with his last son. And we have been friends for 19 years.
• He knows most things about me.
• Well, aside from the unholy feelings I have for my uncle, whom I'm not supposed to have feelings for.
• “So, what do you think?” He asked, looking expectant.
• “Beautiful.” I forced a smile, “It's beautiful. Where did you get it tattooed?”
• I asked because I know he will wish for me to ask him that.
• “Next to the mall. I happened to come across his ad on an app, so I decided to check him out. Junny, that guy is remarkable!”
• “Hmm.” I raised a brow. “Does your father know about this?”
• “No. I can't risk it.” He shivered, “this time, it won't be as simple as grounding me. He might cut off my allowance.”
• “Yet, you still got a tattoo.”
• He shrugged, “I did it for a reason. You can't fault me for that, Junny.”
• “How do you intend to keep it from your family? Wear a hoodie or shirt all your life?” I pursed my lips.
• “I will think of it when the time comes. But for now, I'm just happy I got the tattoo.” He winked at me. “Haven't you always been a sucker for Ravens?”
• And this is yet another misunderstanding.
• I don't like Ravens, my uncle does. I only claimed to love it when Mark walked in on me drawing one.
• To get out of it, I told him I love Ravens, and that stuck.
• Most times, he calls me Raven girl, to tease me.
• I've never told him off. I just let him assume whatever.
• “June?”
• I was startled by the call.
• Most times, getting lost in my head makes me forget about the world around me.
• “What's wrong?”
• “You zoomed out on me for a moment.” He let go of his hold on the hem of his hoodie. “Your uncle hasn't left?” He motioned with his head, towards our house.
• I turned at his words.
• Sure as hell, my uncle stood in front of the door with his arms folded, and a glare narrowed at the car.