Chapter 22

He'd got one hand on the suitcase and the other on me, and we were just walking back in silence. Not a word between us.

I had no clue what he was thinking.

"So, what about my school?" I asked him while we were riding back on the motorcycle.

"I'll figure something out."

"And the fees?"

"What's a little more debt? You're already in deep."

"Uncle, you're too nice."

"Yeah, yeah. This morning you were giving me grief, and now I'm the nice guy."

We joked around the whole way home. Even though it was over ten kilometers, it felt like nothing. Time just flew by.

I thought he might still have a soft spot for me.

Those days back home were some of the happiest.

Every day, coming back from the repair shop, we'd pass this meadow full of wildflowers. I'd climb up, pick a bunch, and run home with them, sticking them in beer bottles all over the place.

I started sprucing up the house, bought new toothpaste and toothbrushes—didn't tell him they were a couple's set.

Jason swore he'd quit smoking.

He tried, but he'd still sneak a smoke where he thought I couldn't see.

On the 120th day with Uncle, I begged him to get a small cake.

"Is it your birthday?"

"No, it's our 120-day anniversary."

"What's a 120-day anniversary?"
"It's been one hundred and twenty days since I got here, so we gotta celebrate."

"You've been a pain for one hundred and twenty days. Your anniversary is my day of suffering."

He said that, but he still rode his motorcycle over ten kilometers to town to get a rabbit cake.

When he came back, he had it in a black bag.

"Boss, what'd you get? Looks all secretive!" a few guys tried to peek.

"It's something you can't see, so back off," he snapped at them.

"Come on, just a peek," they insisted.

"A rabbit cake?"

"Boss, what's the deal?"

"Got a new girlfriend?"

"Shut up. If you don't back off, I'll break your legs, got it?"

Jason scared them off and took me home.

"I won't do it again. It's weird for a big guy like me to carry a rabbit cake around."

"No way, it's adorable. I love it." I took the cake from him, grinning. "Ever bought one for someone before?"

"No, why would I? Am I nuts?"

"Never bought one to impress a girlfriend?"

"Do I need a cake to impress a girlfriend?" He shot back.

"Then how do you impress her?"

"I take her to the room, close the door, and she ends up begging me. Why would I need to impress her?"

"You!"

He was such a thug, and I finally got it. No point arguing with him.

"I didn't mean you."

"Am I any different from them?" I glared at him.

"Of course you're different, you're not..."

"Alright, enough." I wiped some cream and shoved it in his mouth. "I don't wanna hear it."
"I don't eat cream," he grumbled, giving me a dirty look.

"It's really sweet," I said, licking my finger. It was super sweet.

He watched me for a moment, then quickly looked away.

"Don't do that in front of other guys."

"Why?" I asked, puzzled.

He glanced at me again. "Just 'cause they're worse than me."

He pushed me away and sat down next to me.

I looked at him and thought, yeah, this is nice.

Just when I thought life was getting a bit better, reality hit me like a ton of bricks.

A few days later, Lily showed up again.

I saw them laughing and chatting at the repair shop. I walked over, and she greeted me like she owned the place.

"Rachel, right? Jason told me you're his niece? Why didn't you say so earlier? I totally misunderstood last time." She came over and grabbed my hand, but I pulled it back stiffly.

"He said that?"

Niece?

He'd been treating me like his little girlfriend these past few days, but the moment his ex showed up, he couldn't wait to distance himself?

"Jason told me you want to study in the county?"

"You've come to the right person. My uncle's the principal of the top middle school in the county. I can help you," she said.

I turned to look at Jason, who had a blank expression.

"Well, thanks," I replied.

It would be good to stay here and study.

I used to think Jason only talked to Lily to help me.

But then, Lily held his hand and even leaned against him, touching him, and he didn't push her away.
Seeing them together felt like a knife to the heart.

That night, Jason went out with her, and I waited up all night, but he never came back.

I hugged my knees, watching the moon set. The sky started turning pale blue, and my heart just sank.

When Jason finally came back, I didn't ask him anything or get mad. It was like nothing happened.

I never crossed any lines again.

On the day I left for school, he asked how often I'd come back home.

"Maybe once a month."

"That long?"

"It's not easy for me to come back. Don't worry, I remember the money I owe you. When I get into university, I'll work part-time to pay you back. And, thanks."

"I never asked you to repay it," he said, sounding a bit annoyed.

I figured he should be celebrating with fireworks that I wouldn't be around to bother him anymore. But that's not my problem.

"Whatever. Call me if you need anything. You remember my number, right?"

"I don't have a phone."

"Use the dorm phone."

"Okay."

He walked me to the dorm, made my bed, waved goodbye, and left.

Watching him walk away, I felt a sadness I couldn't put into words.

Sometimes, he really felt like a dad to me.

But in reality, my dad never took me to school or made my bed.

The day he left, I wrote in my diary: [I have a secret, and from now on, I keep this secret and also keep him. By not getting too close, I won't lose him.]