chapter 7

It has been a year since I started living with my uncle and everything is fine. We get along, watch movies, and sometimes fight but all in all, we are a family.

Within this year my uncle had the bright idea of sending me to school. " So you can socialize with your peers," he said. " It'll be a good experience," he said. Well, I couldn't socialize and it wasn't a good experience.

I couldn't go to school in sunglasses so my uncle finally got to buying those contacts he promised. They were brown. But while I was in school, surrounded by people I didn't know was supposed to mingle with, my eyes were not the problem. Everything else was. I found everyone annoying and uninteresting but that didn't mean they thought the same. Some girl Sam, I think that was her name. She tried talking to me once, I say once because I immediately shut her down. others soon started calling me a " loner" or whatever that meant.

Anyway school life was boring and uneventful in all. I mean I did beat some people up, cause they started it but I still got punished every time which I don't think was fair. That being said nothing important happened at school so I'm not going to talk much about it. I mean there was this guy who kept trying to flirt or make friends with me. he was persistent. The only noticeable feature about him was his eyes. There was an oddly bright blue. They were like David's eyes. I realized having blue eyes was common but this guy's and David's eyes were a bright almost glowy blue. They seemed to call out to me. But I completely avoided the guy.

I even told uncle Duncan about him once and to my amusement, then horror the man started coughing and blushing, and then he gave a whole speech about "the birds and the bees". After that, I never talked to him about any guy, not that I had any guy that I liked.

In my second year with him, he sat me down and gave me the worse news possible. I mean I saw it coming but it still hurt in the ear.

My family's case was closed.

How could they? A man died, and his son too. Their house was burnt down with them in it. It left his daughter orphaned...and they closed the case!?

Judging by my uncle's current position, with his hands trembling and eyes downcast. I think he expected my reaction.

What was my reaction? I was LIVID ENRAGED. I felt like breaking everything in sight. And I did. The house was a wreck once he finally got me to calm down, there was even a small bruise on his face. Did I punch him? When?

In all honesty, it was seeing that bruise that shocked me to calm down. I apologized repeatedly afterward. none of it was his fault or his house's fault, and I shouldn't have gotten so upset.

You see after everything happened, I had long since started my investigation. I had bits and pieces that I still didn't understand, but I was ahead so I shouldn't have been so upset.

Once I was calm I cleaned up everything but still, the atmosphere was tense. Tension is almost tangible. To try and settle things my uncle began to ask me questions.

"D do you have any friends?"

" What?"

" Friends :). Do you have any? I've never seen you bring anyone over. You stay home all day."

I blushed in shame. The truth was that I hadn't made a single friend, probably due to my unwillingness to intermingle with anyone. I was aloof with most people. But that was the only request I got from uncle Duncan. To make friends and I felt hurt and ashamed. That I couldn't even do that. But then I remembered I did have a friend.

Technically I met him on the internet. I know that isn't safe at all but while I was surfing one day I got a message which read: "Hello". I was taken aback and asked who it was, then he gave me a stupid answer. "I'm your best friend". For some reason that got a laugh out of me. I was amused. We began texting each other. He told me some personal things about himself, and his views on different things and since he trusted me enough to do so I figured I could do the same. I told him everything that happened. It felt great to confide in someone. He listed and even sent voice messages comforting me. I could hear the sincerity in his voice. I moved me. At this point, he probably knew more about me than anyone.

"Yeah I have a friend. His name's Dwayne". I said with a smile.

" Oh, he?"

I glared at my uncle " Yes 'he'"

" Ok D," he said with an annoying smile.

He kept asking me more and more questions and I had to make some things up cause I had never really met Dwayne face-to-face. Once his interrogation was over he seemed to be in a rather good mood. This seemed like the perfect time to tell him a secret I had been keeping. I was moving out. Not moving out but heading to a boarding school.

"...Hey uncle Duncan"

"Yes D," he said with an impossibly huge smile on his face. I hated that I was about to wipe that smile clean off his face, but I had made my peace. I will avenge my family.

" I'm leaving in a few months"

" Oh," he said looking confused." Leaving where, do you have a school trip?"

This is it, no turning back now.

"No... I am- uhm I'm joining NSOA"

He was quiet after I said that. Looking at me with widened eyes, they looked a bit cartoonish

" What?" there was no emotion in his voice, it actually seemed his blood was drained.

" Yeah I already registered and the years' provisionary exams are..."

"WHAT!" This time he yelled and it scared me. It was just like the time I tried to kill myself. He looked genuinely angry and- hurt.

"What D! When did you..? Why would you..?" he was in a state where he couldn't even finish his sentences. Was it so unfathomable that I wanted to join the organization that my father helped establish?

The NSOA stands for National Security Organization Apprenticeships. It's a pretty lame name but I didn't make it. It is a military-like organization that trains future agents. It is very high risk and difficult to get in, and few know of its existence. They only take teens between the ages of 17-19 and said children must have received some form of formal training. The program was strict and dangerous with some reported deaths so parental consent is needed.

"I need to try and find out what happened to them, don't you get that!"

" No D, you're the one that doesn't get it. It's been over a year, you can live your life. Life's not all about revenge D, besides NSOA! That place is dangerous. They don't care about the kids. I know, I've seen it!"

"That doesn't matter and I... I don't need your permission" I said. Why? Why couldn't he understand me?

He looked shocked by that stamen. " What is that supposed to mean? I'm your legal guardian," he asked anger emanating from him.

I hated this. I hated arguing with him, I hated him being angry at me. I hated the way he looked at me like I had ripped out his heart. But at the same time I knew, I knew needed to do this. I had made my resolve. there was no turning back.

" You may be my legal guardian... but you're not my biological parent. I-I found my- my mom. I'll just ask her too..."

"YOU WHAT?" I was terrified now, uncle Duncan looked so upset. Like you know in anime when a character's face is covered with shadows and you can't see their eyes. I never knew real people could pull that off.

" She left you, abandoned you and you're going to ask her for parental approval!? She doesn't even deserve to be called a mother. You can't D,"

" I'm sorry but this is what I've decided, besides even if she doesn't agree I'm almost 18, so I can go on my own."

" D why are you being so stubborn " I didn't reply he looked so dangerous.

I think he maybe realized that he was scaring me so he tried to calm himself

" So- so why are you tell in me this...You clearly don't need me"

" What!? Yes, I do. I-I do need you, I need your support. I need to know that you'll be there when I'm done" I said pleading. Even if I wanted to do this, I dearly loved my uncle. I didn't what us to become estranged because of this.

He shook his head then sighed with an exhausted and... disappointed? Look on his face. " I'm not going to support you in ruining your life... I will not support you in getting yourself killed!"

I was startled by that statement. and offended.

" I'm not ruining my life, they ruined my life. If not for them I would be with dad and David, not here with you!!!" the moment those words escaped my lips I regretted it. It came out so wrong! I loved my uncle, I loved staying with him, he always took care of me.

A look of pain flashed on his face, then it was gone. In its place was an unreadable expression. We stood there in silence, staring at. I should apologize, I know I should but I was scared I'd say something worse and we would start arguing again and I didn't want that.

The silence continued but then uncle Duncan gave me a final glance before he turned and started walking to his room. I wanted to stop him, and I did but I already knew something like this would happen. I had made my resolve, so why did I feel so wrong?

Before he disappeared from my sight he turned to me and asked me something I was not prepared for. The same unreadable expression on his face. " Do you need both parents' signatures?"

I was honestly taken aback by that question but still answered. " no-why?" He looked... disappointed, I couldn't tell with the dim lighting of the room. Why did he ask that? What was he going to go find my real dad? Something was wrong but I couldn't figure out what.