I Ain't My Uncle

"Should I drive you home, or would you like to grab a bite?"

"Just drive Adrian." her tired voice replied.

Natasha sat at the back seat of the car, looking very tired. And in the driver's seat was Adrian, the guy her uncle tasked with keeping an eye on her. If it were before, probably when she was thirteen or fourteen, she would have gotten angry and all that, probably wonder if they did not trust her enough to take care of her own self. But ever since she became fifteen, she had been having issues that had been breaking her down, she no longer trusted herself to take care of her very own self.

"Sure then, I will drive you home."

His gentle, soft voice, which was a huge contrast to his musculine look, helped her stop depreciating herself. She just smiled and leaned back.

"So what are you gonna do?"

Hearing him, she closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. She knew exactly what he was asking of. She wished she could ignore him, as that topic of discussion still pained her. But how could she? Adrian was the one who drove her back home, he was the one who cleaned and took care of Riley. He had seen the condition Riley was in, he had heard her swear and curse at those idiots. So, how could she tell him to mind his business, when it already was his business.

"Why do you ask?"

She finally said, after considering a thousand ways to reply without sounding rude.

He chuckled, and looked into the rear-view mirror. He was not surprised to see her bony straight face, what usually surprised him was the cute look he would see on her face whenever she was around Riley. But guess that won't be happening again, at least for a while.

"I don't know, I just feel you are gonna do something. At least, your uncle would, he wouldn't just leave matters as they are."

She chuckled, raised her head up to meet his gaze at the rear-view mirror.

"That is my uncle, this is me, and I ain't my uncle. So, just what makes you feel I'm gonna do something?"

She saw him shrug his shoulders before his lips parted.

"Guess it kinda runs in the blood. You folks don't give up without putting up a fight."

Hearing this, a feeling rushed through Natasha's body. A feeling of excitement, triumph, she couldn't quite pinpoint what sort of feeling it was. Although she didn't know or couldn't tell what kind of feeling it was, all she knew was she, or rather, they both, remained silent as the drive home continued. Though she remained quiet, her thoughts did the speaking for her. And all the way home, she thought of the reason why she felt such a sweet feeling rush through her body.

*****

The car came to a stop right at the gate. Adrian sat still, waiting for Natasha to alight the car. Some seconds passed by and then a minute, but she still was sitted like a rock. He could tell she was thinking. Afterall, since the last words he spoke to her while they were on the way, he noticed those expressions on her face, a smile, a frown, worry, or just lost in deep thoughts, as she would stare at literally nothing and would remain that way for a while.

"Would you rather I drive you somewhere else?"

He thought his voice would break her off from her thoughts, but upon looking at her through the rear-view mirror, not only did it not break her off from her thoughts, it felt as if she didn't hear him.

She still looked deep in thoughts, and it was obvious that she was oblivious to her surrounding. A small smile formed on her lip, which soon changed into a wide grin.

'I kinda pity whosoever is at the receiving end of this plot of hers.' Adrian thought to himself.

"Natasha." he called out to her.

"Are we home?" she asked when she noticed that the car was not moving.

Adrian smiled when he heard her voice. It was no longer the tired voice she had used earlier when speaking with him, this voice sounded more lively and her face looked enthusiastic.

"Big brother Adrian."

Hearing her call him that, he craned his neck to see her face better. Seeing her with big puppy eyes and a cute face gave him goosebumps. Such a face was something he was not so familiar with, especially on her.

"How may this big brother help you?"

He knew whenever she called him that, she had, was doing, or was about to do something she wanted to keep between them, and she wanted him not to tell her uncle. If it was something that was not a threat to her, or something that would not hurt her, then he was fine with keeping it between them. But if it were to be the other way, of course, he knew what to do.

"Can you help me implant a camera in an earring?"

He squinted his eyes and gave her a hard long look. Of course, anyone who had stayed with her, even for a short while will know she made crazy decisions on a whim, without thinking of the consequences. Now knowing this, he definitely didn't need her telling him what she wanted to do with it. Though she might be risking herself, so long as she knew the risk and she was determined, then there was no stopping her, and neither was he planning on stopping her.

"Fine."

Natasha nearly jumped up. She was grinning happily when her eyes met with Adrian's cold eyes. She collected herself and cleared her throat, the cute face now replaced with a straight face.

"Then can I get it tomorrow when you come pick me up for school?"

Adrian sat straight, returning his gaze to the front.

"Sure."

Natasha let out a soft laugh

"Thanks a lot. Goodnight then."

"Goodnight."

She came out of the car, jumped happily all the way to the gate, opened it, went in, closed it, and jumped happily all the way into the house.

Adrian chuckled. Started the engine, and drove back the way he came.