Emperor's New Clothes

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

"Couz, try this lasagna! Grandma said Uncle loves it!" A cute 16 year old girl offered a spoonful of delicious looking lasagna in front of an 18 year old teenage boy.

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

After looking at her mischievous smile, he was sure that she would never back down so he just suck it up and let her feed him.

The pasta is chewy and the sauce and cheese makes a very delicious combination but He suddenly felt the urge to cover his face. Oh god! What is he doing getting a teenage girl feed him?!

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

Joanne giggled and just lean her elbows on the table and stared at his face.

Please don't smile like that! It seems to scream to 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.

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

He 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 him earlier.

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

Shiiiiit! it's too gross calling yourself Dad!

But still, he did made a huge progress. Just Earlier, he was still scared of people's stares. but now, just look at him 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 that's how the story will go from now on.

His father, (himself,fuck) had a secret relationship with a girl in college(he wish! He haven't even manage to hold hands with a girl before!).

After he was kidnapped and disfigured, he learned that the phantom girlfriend actually got pregnant. Scared that the mother and child meet the same tragedy, he 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 he is, with his dad(fucking himself, damn) dead, he wanted to meet his grandmother and cousin. Just like how his father(god, this is so embarrassing) wanted.
He's already ready to fill the vacant space and support the family.

Such a cliche tearjerker, he knows. But it's believable 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.

He picked more tissues and dub it right to her nose.

She looks sadder that him, though.

But He's also sad. really sad.

He is sad that he only just learned that his mother gave him a really cute and lovely niece.

Joanne interpreted his silence as affirmation. Like a kid, She let him 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.

His shoulder tensed.

Mother.

Rick.

Joanne sensed his unease. She thought he was nervous to meet new people so she tried to almost jump 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 to him this early?

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

Joanne just obliviously smiled wider. Though, her eyes still carries sadness.

He couldn't help but rub her hair. Good niece. Now, is it good cousin?

They smiled at each other.

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

"By the way, couz,"

"Hmm...?"

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

Oh.

Fuck.

Joanne smile at him prettily, silently waiting for his answer.

His smile crooked.

Haha...

He really feels the urge to grab a stone and just bash it right to his head.

I'm sorry Joanne,

i'm also a klutz...

you see?

..

..

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