Outburst

Chapter 12 - One Thing After Another

Five minutes had passed without anybody speaking a word. The family room had become quieter than before, even when there was only myself in it watching TV.

Then a sound was finally heard. The sound of a heavy breath, which then I realized it came from myself. I felt my cheek burning as I couldn't control my feeling inside. I put my head down all this time, and my vision of the white floor suddenly blurred with my own tears.

"I don't know what school had taught you, but when somebody asks you a question, you answer it." Uncle Luke's tone was neither callous nor friendly.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, not sure if he heard it.

"I didn't ask for your apology," said Uncle Luke harshly. He turned to Grant. "Grant, you can excuse yourself."

Grant was flinched when he mentioned his name. "Sir, I think it's better that I-"

"Mr. Olivier," cut Uncle Luke, "I want to talk privately with my niece."

I could feel that Grant was looking at me shortly before he took the stairs up to the second floor. Grant's presence was the only thing that would make my uncle less scary. Now that he was sent off by him, I felt insecure. I never felt this way before, but since he was having so many problems, there was no reason for him not to bash it on me.

"Was my voice too low for you to hear?" Uncle Luke's tone increased a little.

I shook my head. I sniffled, "It was just a lunch." I felt my jaw trembling as I recited each words.

"Are you talking to the floor?"

I slowly raised my head up. The last thing I wanted to do when I was trapped in this kind of situation was making eye contacts with him. But I didn't have a choice. Finally, I looked at his eyes. He was expressionless, but his eyes said it all-he was serious. Like very, genuinely, serious.

He kept staring at me. Bear it, Callie. No, actually, I just couldn't. I was pretty sure he was getting to the phase where he would be very, very mad. He then proceeded to the sofa and sat.

"Come sit here," he pointed the spot near him with his glance. I did so while clenching my hands because I was really nervous. "We're going to have a conversation without any tears. Understood?"

I was a bit surprised when he took a box of tissue on the coffee table and gave it to me. He wouldn't start talking if he still could see any tears on my eyes, I assumed.

"Anything you want to tell me about the lunch?" He started.

No. I exhaled. You can't say no to your uncle, can you, Callie? "I shouldn't have done it in the first place," I said. "I knew you and Mr. Easton were rivals."

"I don't have any rivals," said Uncle Luke. "Phil Easton was just a pain in the ass."

I was startled. It just remained me that he could be really angry right now-it just hadn't showed up yet.

"Did he say anything?" His tone fell flat again. "I mean, anything."

Forget police interrogation-Luke Mercer's was way more intimidating.

"He was expressing his condolences about Margot," I said.

Uncle Luke nodded casually. He didn't look satisfied. It was like he was looking for something in my answer but he didn't found it.

"I've warned you about Easton. You just didn't realize it," he continued. "It was the day when Grant and I had to pick you up at the basketball court."