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Chapter 7

"This is kinda weird," Alice muttered, then bolted to the finish line.

When the screen flashed "YOU WIN," she turned to Simon, "Given my size, even if I wanted to mess with him, do you think I could?"

Simon shook his head, smirking. "But you could totally mess with him when he's down."

He winked at Alice, a mischievous glint in his eye.

Alice rolled her eyes. "You think I'm that kind of person?" She ruffled Simon's hair. "Besides, it's David we're talking about. Am I nuts?"

Simon swatted her hand away, fixing his hair, just as Alice's phone rang.

The screen showed "David."

Simon teased, "Why's David always calling you? Maybe he likes you, and you don't even know it!"

Simon's words made Alice's heart skip a beat. She kept her cool, but her mind raced. David's recent attention had been way more than an uncle's usual concern.

Alice thought, 'Could he really like me?'

Her ears turned red at the thought. David was way older. How could that be possible?

But her mindset had already shifted.

Looking at her phone, she cautiously answered.

David's voice was blunt, "Where are you?"

Alice glanced at Simon, who was pulling out his wallet for drinks. "Simon's beat up so bad, so I came to find him."

Simon, just standing up, pointed at himself in disbelief.

Alice waved him off, and Simon angrily headed to the service counter.

David sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, "So you skipped school?"

Alice shot back, "David, don't you think you're being a bit too controlling?"

David was taken aback, then coughed lightly, "I'm your guardian, don't overthink it."

Alice thought, 'I'm not overthinking it.'

David warned, "This time, I'll let it slide. If it happens again, I'll get you a driver to take you to and from school every day. Don't make me do that, got it?"

Hanging up, Alice rested her hand on her head, watching Simon return with two cans of Coke.

"How'd it go?" Simon handed her a can.

Alice took it, picking at the tab, "Not great. I'll hold out till my birthday next month and talk to my grandpa about not letting Uncle Tudor be my guardian anymore. He's too strict."

David wanted her to solve everything with words, not actions. Even when girls went to clubs, they had to dress modestly, not sexy, no midriffs or leather pants.

Alice shook her head, "Too conservative." She wondered if David was still single because his girlfriend found him too conservative and dumped him.

Simon asked, "Isn't it good for a guy to be conservative? Could a playboy be a man?"

Alice pulled the tab and took a sip of the chilled Coke, feeling more relaxed.

Meanwhile, David was distracted.

He knew Alice was in her rebellious phase, not listening to him and going against him.

Dealing with Alice now was exhausting. He couldn't hit her, and he couldn't scold her too harshly. He had no idea how to handle her.

Plus, he was developing other feelings for Alice. Thinking of this, his breath hitched. As an elder, how could he have romantic feelings for her? It was unethical!

Thinking back to when Lucas entrusted Alice to him, he felt guilty for his feelings, for betraying Lucas's trust.

David had a bunch of documents spread out in front of him, pen in hand, but he hadn't turned a page in what felt like forever.

When Garrett Hernandez knocked and walked in, he saw the scene and felt a bit freaked out.

"Mr. Tudor," Garrett swallowed hard, trying to muster some courage.

David snapped back to reality and looked up, "What's up?"

Garrett glanced at the documents, almost tearing up, "That document."

"Oh, right." David quickly skimmed through it, signed his name, and handed it over.

Garrett took the document with both hands and turned to leave.

"Hold up," David said.

Garrett froze, slowly turning back around.

David carefully chose his words, "I need to ask you something personal."

Ask? Garrett felt like he'd been given a mission from above and quickly nodded, "Mr. Tudor, go ahead."

"How can I..." David hesitated, "kill off these budding feelings of love?"

David stared at Garrett, who gave a wry smile, "Mr. Tudor, maybe try being a bit colder? When you lose patience and interest, those feelings might fade, and she might see your flaws and lose interest too.

"Also, try different activities to distract yourself and lessen those feelings."

David nodded thoughtfully. ‘Flaws, huh?'

That evening, when Alice got home, she was hit by loud, thumping music as soon as she walked in.

She peeked into the living room and was stunned.

The table was loaded with drinks and snacks, and people were sprawled all over the sofa. Shoes were everywhere, clothes on the floor, and more clothes on the sofa.

The door opening was drowned out by the music, so no one noticed Alice.

She leaned against the wall, changed into slippers, and watched for a bit. Squinting, she confirmed that the guy in the middle of the sofa, in a white shirt with the collar open, sleeves rolled up, and lipstick marks on his face, was indeed the usually serious David.

Alice pulled out her phone and snapped a pic to send to Simon.

A few seconds later, Simon replied.

Simon: [Where are you? Whose party is this?]

Alice: [Middle, white shirt, with lipstick marks, David]

After a few seconds of silence, Simon was shocked.

Simon: [David's letting loose? There's booze on the table! Be careful! He's bigger and stronger. If he gets drunk and loses it, he could easily force himself on you!]

Alice stuffed her phone back into her pocket, cleared her throat, and shouted, "Uncle Tudor!"

The laughter and chatter instantly stopped.

All eyes turned to Alice, and David saw her too, a smile still lingering on his face.

"You're back," he said coldly, then went back to playing games with his friends.

Alice said, "I haven't eaten yet."

David grabbed some cash from the table, "Go out to eat."

Alice stepped forward, took the money, smoothed out the wrinkles, and stared thoughtfully at David's back.

She wondered, 'Is he stressed or did he just close a big deal and go nuts?'

David noticed Alice was still standing there and hadn't left. He turned to look at her, raising an eyebrow, "Not enough?"

Alice, having seen the mature and steady Uncle Tudor for so long, almost forgot that Uncle Tudor was only 26, in his prime.

She looked down at the money in her hand, stuffed it all into her pocket, and nodded, "It's enough. I'll go out to eat then."

As soon as Alice left, David rubbed his temples, got up, and opened the windows to clear out the alcohol smell.

He stood by the window, enjoying the breeze and feeling much better.

David said, "Alright, everyone go home."

He meticulously buttoned up his shirt, rolled down his sleeves, and took the tissue handed to him by a friend to wipe off the lipstick marks on his face.

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