Chapter 32


    At right, Melvin stood on the balcony puffing on a cigarette, gazing at the winding rivers, and the image


    of Jocelyn’s panic and evasion the moment sheid eyes on him popped into his mind.


    Talk about tough she never backed down from him.


    She’d block him on Facebook and his calls in a heartbeat, and when they met, she’d act like she didn’t


    even know him.


    All the love he’d given over the past three years seemed to have gone with the breeze


    Women are just unreasonable creatures


    He’d exined himself, and she was still making a fuss about breaking up.


    Totally irrational.


    Thinking he’d go sweet talk her back? As if! Not in a million years.


    He had given her a chance already It was her call to throw it away.


    Melvin finished his smoke and turned back to his room.


    Lying in bed, sleep just wouldn’te


    Every time he closed his eyes, images of Jocelyn’s seductive face and their steamy moments together


    flooded his


    mind


    Guys have their weaknesses, often with a hint of eroticism, and he was no exception and was just a


    regr dude.


    Missing a woman, that’s just human nature.


    Unable to sleep, he dived into the bathroom for a cold shower, thinking it might extinguish the fire inside


    him, but the


    more he washed, the hotter he burned.


    Ever since he and Jocelyn got together, he hadn’t taken matters into his own hands.


    It was like scratching an itch, never quite as satisfying as when someone else would do it.


    After spending over thirty minutes in the bathroom, Melvin got dressed, grabbed his car keys, and


    headed out.


    At past midnight, he rolled down the car windows and let the wind mess up his hair as he drove.


    He eventually stopped at the pier, standing by the river and smoking another two cigarettes, feeling the


    heat inside him


    cool down


    At 2 a.m., Melvin drove to Jocelyn’s apartment building without really nning to. By the time he


    snapped out of it, he was already there.


    He looked up at her darkened apartment. She must be sleeping like a baby now.


    Pfft, what a heartless woman.


    Melvin floored the gas pedal, speeding down the open road. He felt just like this city shiny on the


    outside, but a little lonely under the vast night sky.


    As the fmals approached, everyone-students, parents, and teachers-was caught up in a tense


    atmosphere.


    Even the ckest students pulled up their socks on the two days of exams.


    The entire school was as silent as the grave during the exams, with Jocelyn standing at the podium


    keeping an eye out, another teacher doing the same at the back of the room.


    Once the exams were over, the first thing everyone did was check answers with their buddies.


    Jocelyn, clutching test papers, walked out of the ssroom just as Preston approached.


    “How’d it go?” she asked


    Preston was full of confidence. “I’m already thinking about what favor you’ll owe me.”


    Jocelyn chuckled and nodded, “Wow, you did pretty good, didn’t you?”


    The two-day finals were over, and the students had gone home for the holidays.


    The teachers were still nervously grading papers.


    No one knew whose students did well or not until the results were announced, and Jocelyn and the


    other teachers were gobsmacked.


    Preston, who’d never passed before, hade in third in the grade.


    Jocelyn waspletely shocked when she saw his score.


    The other teachers checked his paper again to make sure nothing was missed, and they all exchanging


    puzzled looks.


    Once all the scores were tallied, most teachers were congratting Jocelyn.


    No surprises, her ss was top of the grade again.


    Thanks to Preston’s third-ce score, they left the second-ce ss trailing by dozens of points.


    Preston wasn’t surprised by the results.


    Melvin looked at Preston’s report card, raising an eyebrow in skepticism.-


    “No cheating?”


    Preston scoffed, “You underestimate me. Earned it fair and square.”


    Melvin dropped the report card. “Go make your mom’s day.”


    “Uncle, I got something to tell you, Preston sidled up to him, a mischievous grin spreading across his


    face. “I made a bet with Jocelyn. if I got into the top five, she’d grant me a request.”


    Melvin red at him, his brow furrowing.


    Preston leaned in, smirking, “Pretty clever, huh?”


    “What do you want her to do?”


    “Be my auntie.”


    Melvin’s expression darkened instantly, “Preston, are you out of your mind?”


    Preston shrugged it off. “I have other uncles, you know. Don’t forget, my mom’s got a godbrother. He’s


    my uncle too. I think introducing Jocelyn to that uncle is a great idea.”


    Melvin’s forehead twitched. If it weren’t for the fact that this was his own nephew, he’d really want to


    toss him into the


    river for the fish.


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    “What do you think?” Preston edged closer, fearless.


    Melvin, repressing the urge to drag him out, red daggers at Preston and stood up, pointing at him,


    “Pack up your stuff. You’re going back to your mom’s tomorrow.”


    Preston shrugged nonchntly, “Sure. I’ve already invited Jocelyn to join me. We’re off anyway. I


    figured I’d invite her over to our ce, and introduce her to my other uncle. Two months of summer


    should be enough time to spark something.


    Melvin massaged his temples, really wanting to toss the little rascal into the river!


    Preston, seeing his dear uncle all worked up, was in high spirits.


    “i’m off to see Jocelyn to share my brilliant n. I bet she’ll say yes.” Preston spun around triumphantly


    in front of Melvin, then took off.


    Jocelyn was taken aback when Preston’s request turned out to be inviting her on an overseas trip.


    “You promised, so no backsies,” Preston cut in first


    Jocelyn sighed, “Thanks for the invite, but I really can’t. My parents are getting on in years and aren’t in


    great health; I can’t go too far. How about picking another favor?”


    “Make up with my uncle, Preston boldly switched gears.


    Jocelyn’s heart skipped a beat, her expression awkward.


    She felt she needed to make things clear to Preston about her and Melvin. “The adult world isn’t as


    simple as you think. Your uncle and I, we’re just not a good match. You can’t force feelings. And to be


    honest, the time apart from him has made things clear. I’m just not cut out for his world. It’s not just


    about ipatible views on love; there’s more that doesn’t line up.”


    Jocelyn was getting real with a teenager about love for the first time, and she felt like Preston got it.


    “But he still likes you, Preston said with conviction, “I can feel that he still has feelings for you.”


    Jocelyn’s heart skipped a beat. She nced down at the water in her cup, and even the calm surface


    seemed to ripple slightly


    She pursed her lips and smiled lightly. That’s just your gut feeling. You’re not him. How can you know


    what he’s really thinking? Preston, grown-up love isn’t as simple as ‘like means together, dislike means


    split. There’s a whole bunch of reasons. Even if your uncle and I kept at it, we’d end up right back


    where we are now.”


    “Because he doesn’t want to get married, right?” Preston hit the nail on the head.


    That question had been haunting Jocelyn. She couldn’t figure out why Melvin was so averse to


    marriage.


    Sure, marriage isn’t the be-all and end-all of love, but it’s a pretty big step down the road of a


    rtionship.


    Seeing her reaction, Preston snapped his fingers, “I knew it, it had to be that. I know why he’s gun-shy


    about marriage.”