Chapter 7: Think of a Name First before Anything Else, Fool

Gerald's POV:

"Couz, try this lasagna! Grandma said Uncle loves it!" A cute 16 years old girl offered a spoonful of delicious looking lasagna to the 20 years me.

Embarrassed and red all over, I tried to grab the spoon from Joanne but she just moved it closer to my mouth.

After looking at her mischievous smile, I am sure that she would never back down so I decided to just suck it up and let her feed me.

The pasta is chewy and the sauce and cheese makes a very delicious combination but I just feel the urge to cover my face. Oh god! What am I doing getting a teenage girl feed me?!

Damn! It's so embarrassing I could just die! What am I, a dirty old man??!

Joanne giggled and lean her elbows on the table and eagerly stared at my face.

Please don't smile like that! It seems to scream at me a resounding 'pedophile!'

She signed and smiled faintly. "You really look like Uncle. I saw all the pictures in the house, you know? I just wonder why he didn't introduced you sooner..." Her jaws trembled.

I straighten from my seat when She started to look like she wanted to bawl her eyes out again.

I immediately pick up a couple of tissues to wipe her eyes. Her make-up's too messy already and her mascara smudges all over her eyes  that everyone who gets a look will instantly look away. They will even look weirder than when they looked at me earlier.

"Ahmm, D-dad always tell me that the family has too much enemies at the moment, you see?" I stammered.

Shiiiiit! it's too gross calling my fucking self Dad!

But still, I did made a huge progress. Just Earlier, I was still scared of people's stares. but now, just look at me sitting here conning a young girl.

"i will likely become the biggest target so i have to be hidden just until he deals with them.."

Right, so the 'story' will go like this...

My supposedly father, (that's myself, fuck) had a secret relationship with a certain girl in college (I wish! I haven't even managed to hold hands with a girl before!).

After I (old me) was kidnapped and disfigured, I learned that the phantom girlfriend actually got pregnant. Scared that the mother and child will meet the same tragedy, I(old me) chose to continue keeping them hidden. Unfortunately, the phantom mother died giving birth leaving her disfigured boyfriend and newborn son. So, Gerald Michaels, with the little brain he has, kept the child from the whole world and supposedly swore to deal with the external danger while raising his kid in secret.

But here I am, with 'my dad' (that's fucking me, damn) dead, resolved to finally meet my grandmother and cousin. Just like how 'my' father(god, this is so embarrassing) wanted.

This time, I'm ready to fill the vacant space and support the family.

Such a cliche tearjerker just like a dog blood noontime drama, I know. But it's dramatic and the most effective and easiest way to come back to the family. It's also the best way to bait the unknown fucker and also the fucked, damned, shitty snake Rick.

"You must be really sad right now, aren't you?" her eyes continued to cry like a broken faucet.

I pick more tissues and dub it right to her nose.

You look sadder than me, though.

But to tell you honestly, I'm also sad.

really sad.

I'm sad that I only just learned that my mother just wanted me to appreciate this really cute and lovely niece that time but I chose to believe the whispers of the snakes slithering beside me.

Joanne interpreted my silence as affirmation. Like a kid, She let me wipe her tears and snot and just willed herself to calm down.

"I already called Uncle Rick and Grandma... I told them about you... It seems that even they didn't know. They told us to wait... They'll be flying immediately." Joanne said in between hiccups.

My shoulder tensed.

Mother.

Rick.

Joanne sensed my unease. She must've thought thay I'm getting nervous from meeting new people so she tried hard to act convincing. "Don't worry, Grandma will surely be ecstatic to meet you! they said that she immediately run out of the house when she heard about you! Uncle Rick's kind too! He's Uncle's best friend. They will fly here to take us back to the Capital."

who would have thought that the snake would crawl his way to me this early?

I smile. " i know. Dad always talk about them. I'm also excited to meet Grandma and Uncle(fuck him) Rick..." I almost Take off my tongue to wash it clean.

Joanne just obliviously smiled wider.

Though, her eyes still carries sadness and empathy towards me.

I couldn't help but rub her hair. Good niece. Oh! Now, is it good 'cousin' already?

We smile at each other.

Though, just until she aske the supposedly most basic question.

"By the way, couz,"

"Hmm...?" I murmured

"i'm really such a klutz. I already pounce on you but I still haven't asked your name." she laughed embarrassingly.

Oh.

Fuck.

Joanne smile at me prettily, silently waiting for my answer.

My smile crooked.

Haha...

I suddenly felt the urge to grab a stone and just bash it right to my head.

I'm sorry Joanne,

i'm also a klutz...

...

you see?

..

I haven't even thought of any yet....