Page 99 of One Nightstand With My Ex's Uncle

EMILY’S POV.

I stared at her, speechlessly, watching how she tried to regulate herself, and keep her anger in check.

Six years? She loved him for six years?

“I shouldn’t ruin your love of six years?

How come your six-year love only amounts to this?

How come nothing came out of it? Do you think all the women in the world will wait twenty years for you to keep chasing him?

Whether or not I like Lucas, it’s none of your concern because he’s not yours, so you have no right to scream at me like this.

I never stopped you from talking to him, did I? ”

“John is enough for you.”

“I don’t need John.”

“You don’t even know if you like Lucas or not, so butt out.

I know clearly that I like him. If you’re not planning on being real, or clear with your feelings, and where you stand, then simply butt out.

Dress up in something warm. We’re going to the company.

” She said harshly, and turned back the way she came, slamming the door.

There was enough cold inside, why did they want me going out? In a few minutes, I had a long white padded jacket on, with mittens, and a thick scarf.

The snow outside had been melted by the peeping sun, but there was evidence that it had fallen. Also the air was painfully cold. Sadie came out, with Lady Mira running after her.

“I said I don’t need…!” She was screaming, but her mom dumped a large pom pom on her small head, and wrapped her neck and chin in a lovely pink scarf.

“I’m telling you it will be colder today. You have to be prepared.” Lady Mira snapped, with white mist forming in the air, as she spoke.

Katie and I walked towards the car, and Sadie joined us.

“Hi Emily. Any ideas on how I can skip school today?” She asked, bringing out a notepad from her pocket.

“You look cute. You should go to school this way. Everyone will love you.” I said, and her cheeks turned as pink as her nose.

“Don’t say cringy things.” She snapped, and walked away. We got into Katie’s car, and I was grateful for the warmth.

At the company, I worked with the other secretaries, and they did well to provide me with light tasks.

“Here. You just need to type this out. It’s the agenda for a board meeting. Then you make more copies. That’s all.” A lady said to me, with a smile, and I gladly accepted the work.

“So how does it feel to be Mr. Granger’s fiancée?” A lady clicking away at her keyboard asked, with a smile.

“Oh, John.” I muttered, since I was clueless on what to say.

“Yes Mr. Granger.”

“I heard he’s a real romantic.” The lady on my other side said.

“Yeah.” I said, trying not to roll my eyes.

“Where do you guys go on dates?” A woman next to the first woman who had spoken up asked.

“We just hang around and stuff.”

“Holding hands…”

“Oh my God! It’s winter! They hold hands in the pocket of Mr. Granger’s padded jacket, eat hot chicken broth from the same bowl, walk underneath one umbrella in the snow, tell jokes cuddled in bed, read in front of the fireplace…”

“Gosh, you sure have a lot of things for them to do.”

“You’re the romantic.”

John seemed to be the desire of the ladies in the company, and the thought of it disgusted me. Funny enough, I was also one of them once—drooling over, and dying to have him.

That evening, when everyone was preparing to leave, John came by, and stood in front of my desk.

“How is work with the departmental secretaries?” He asked, and I looked around, noticing the people staring.

“Good.” I replied in a low voice, and stood, pulling on my coat. He helped me straighten it out, and I could do nothing, but allow him. We still had our secret to keep.

I picked my bag, and walked out, with him following behind me.

“I can go home alone.”

“No, you’ll go in my car. Everyone is staring.” He said, and truly, as we walked past, everyone seemed to stare at us, hoping to witness some kind of romantic gesture between us firsthand.

I got into his car, and we drove out of the company’s garage.

“You might have to tag along with me to work for a while. We could use an extra pair of hands.” He said, and I leaned my head on the closed window. “It’s snowing again. Aliens.” He mentioned, but I didn’t make any reactions.

His disappointment ricocheted in the air, but what did that have to do with me? Did he expect me to smile, blush, or turn to him, and say: “You still remember?”

Hell no.

~

Sadie was in my room sound asleep when I got home, and I closed the open windows which let in frosty air.

“Why do you keep burrowing into my sheets like a mouse?” I asked, as I settled in next to her.

She woke with a jolt, and sat up, with a gasp. Then she withdrew from me sharply, staring at me with horror in her eyes.

“Go away!” She screamed, and fell off the bed.

“Sadie?” I called, in conclusion.

“Leave me, leave me. Stop, stop it!” She whispered, as her breath came out faster.

“Sadie.” I called, getting off the bed, but she moved away, and let out a little scream, breathing out sharply.

“No, no, stop! Go away!” She shouted, with her eyes filling with tears.

What was wrong with her?

“It’s me! It’s Emily!” I said, holding out my hand slowly.

She still had that horrified look on her face, but then, she looked down at herself, and took off her bracelet which was made of steel hearts joined together.

She opened one of the hearts, and out fell two pills, which she threw into her mouth, and chewed quickly, still breathing loudly and sharply.

“Go away…” She said, still moving backwards, as her face twisted into an expression forged from the bitterness of the pill.

She took in deep breaths for some minutes, then looked at me again.

“Emily.” She called in shock.

Okay, something was definitely wrong with her.

“What’s wrong with you?” I asked, going to her, and she shivered.

“Now, someone knows.” She spat, and made to leave, but I dragged her back.

“Sadie. Tell me what’s wrong.”

“Why do you care to know, fool?” She asked, and her words stung.

“Just because…”

“I have severe hallucinations. Go ahead and blackmail me, idiot.” She said, getting up, and just like that, she left, slamming my door.

Hallucinations.

It made me recall instantly that Lucas once told me she also had secrets.

Severe hallucinations??