Outburst

Chapter 10 - Curious Cal

If I could list the things I was recently curious about, from bottom to the top, it would be like this: 5) Why Uncle Luke didn't attend Margot's funeral ('didn't feel like coming' wasn't even an answer); What's the deal with Kurt Roman; 3) How's Uncle Luke doing with those unsolved problems; 2) What happened after Grant come back to the office that day—

All of them has nothing to do with you, Calista. Stop interfering and mind your own business. I felt like hearing Uncle Luke's deep voice in my head.

Uncle Luke, you had no idea how your mysteriousness affected my life. You should've known that your niece here was one curious little girl who actually couldn't stand your nature since day one. Those unseen rules about things around the house, forbidding herself to hang out in a place other than this house... She just couldn't help them. Good thing she still had manners to obey you.

Until some problems came to you, and your attitude changed. So was hers.

That's it, Uncle Luke. We're family. We're living under the same roof. I call you 'Uncle' and I allow you to call me 'Calista'. So, SPEAK. THE HELL. UP.

I was standing near the kitchen counters, tapping my fingers on it, while looking at Uncle Luke's study all the way through the dark hallway. The door was opened a little. His study was secluded, located at the rearmost part of the house. I took one step forward to see that the exposure in it only came from the moonshine that went in through the window in the end of the hallway. But since the study door was opened, part of the hallway was illuminated by yellow light.

Did Uncle Luke forget to close his door? Yeah, maybe. His clumsiness could be my fortune because I didn't need to knock the door with my sweating hand and a super loud heartbeat.

Okay, Callie. There's still a chance to get back. Save yourself. My heart kept telling me nonsense, but my steps didn't stop. I had to make him talk to me.

As I got closer to the study, my phone suddenly blasted an Eminem song. My courage became ashes and it just flew away along with my confidence. I was panic, trying to take it out from my pocket and turned it off, but it was too late.

"What are you doing here?" asked Uncle Luke after pulling his door wide open and stepping out. He was still wearing his light grey shirt that he wore during the dinner just then. He stood upright, his chin raised, and his eyes gazed towards me who froze in an awkward position.

"Uh... I just... I..." I stuttered, and then sighed. You could say all the things you wanted, Callie, but action spoke louder than words. "I'm sorry... I-I just want to talk to you, if that's okay."

"Is it about school?" He asked, but his expression remained the same.

"No."

"Is it an emergency?"

"Not really..."

"Then we have nothing to talk about," he said, before closing his door and locking it.

That was really rude—but it wouldn't be so 'rude' if it wasn't Uncle Luke who said it. I was still standing in front of his study speechlessly. I came out of my room bravely as Spider-Man, but now I was just an ordinary, little spider who just got stepped on and crushed by Uncle Luke.

I immediately left the place before Uncle Luke got out and snapped again. I walked to the family room and found Grant still reading his book. After dinner, he just sat there comfortably, enjoying the book that might be thicker than an encyclopedia I saw in my school library. He saw me walking up the stairs lifelessly.

"Is something wrong?" He asked.

I stopped and stared back at him. This made me think that I had one more curiosity—the top of the list.