ON A DATE (2)

Fred was the one who went ahead, pushing the cart to buy the necessities while Mack just followed calmly from behind, checking out the new fictional novels. His eyes caught a particular one and he picked it. The title was MY VAMPIRE BOYFRIEND. The theme was dark and he really loved the book cover.

He quickly met up with Fred to pay for his book. The latter pulled out his card and paid for the things he had brought without saying a word to Mack. The girls standing in a corner stared at Fred in admiration. He was so handsome but he seemed not to be concerned or even cared about the advances towards him.

"Thank you so much for coming. Please do visit some other time." The female attendant spoke with a smile but Fred walked away from her. Her eyes twitched and Mack silently sympathized with the lady as she got a secondhand embarrassment.

"I am sorry about that. He tends to behave in such a way." He apologized on his behalf.

"Well, tell him to change his behavior if he is willing to get a girlfriend! Humph!" The lady looked away furiously. Mack nodded and exited the store.

He saw Fred standing outside, gazing into the sky. He looked lost in thoughts, Mack slowly approached him and looked at the sky as well. It was getting cloudy.

"I think we better be on our way now as there will be a heavy downfall," Mack suggested and tried to collect the bag from Fred but the latter didn't release it.

Instead, he removed his hand from the bag and walked ahead.

Mack became frustrated. It would have been better if he had come alone but then why was he getting these tingles whenever he was with him or whenever their eyes touched? Mack sighed heavily and touched his racing heart.

They had not walked for five minutes when the rain started pouring — first as a light drizzle and then a huge pouring. Mack became devastated as he tried looking for a spot to hide himself. Luckily, they were close to a particular house that he knew. He dragged the bag away from Fred and put it under his shirt. He then pulled Fred to a house not far from where they were.

Fred didn't stop him and just allowed himself to be carried away. Their clothes were already soaked from the rain. Mack knocked on the door and a man opened it.

His eyes widened when he saw Mack and he was also surprised to see him.

"Mack." He called excitedly.

"Uncle Hunter, can we come in?" Mack asked politely. Hunter looked from him to the young man standing beside Mack.

"Of course, come in. Where are you coming from or heading to?" Hunter asked as he ushered the men in.

"From a store," Mack replied and blew air into his palms after putting the bag down. Fortunately, it was a nylon bag making it water-resistant.

"Goodness, you two look wet. Come with me and change inside this room. My wife is in the kitchen preparing dinner."

"Darling, guess who is here?"

"A detective?" A woman responded.

"Nah,"

"Your tennis mate."

"Nah. One last try." Hunter said as he led the two men to the room. Mack decided to stop by to greet his Uncle's wife.

"Aunt, it's good to see you again."

The short curly brown woman turned around and smiled affectionately when she saw Mack.

"Mack dear, oh my goodness." She briefly went to hug him tightly before releasing him.

"It's so good to see you again. Wow, I miss you. What are you doing here? Who is your friend?" She asked him. Mack glanced at Fred who pulled down his hoodie and bowed slightly to greet him.

"Hello, ma'am."

"Hello."

"He is a student of Bandook University."

"Okay, that's enough. Let them change before they start shivering, especially Mack. I don't want to babysit a chicken and have to report to the mother hen at the same time. Don't tell your dad I said that." Hunter jokes. Mack laughed heartily.

"Nah, I won't."

Hunter led them to the room and gave them two shirts to change into. The room seemed to be a guest room.

"Get ready and join me in the dining room."

Hunter then closed the door.

Mack looked at Fred who was staring back at him and he smiled awkwardly.

"I am sorry about that. He is my dad's stepbrother and his house is…"

"It's fine." Fred cut in while Mack nodded and mouthed 'Okay'. He turned around.

He proceeded to take off his shirt while Fred stared at him shamelessly, his eyes roaming around Mack's bare and smooth chest. Although Mack could feel the intense gaze on him, he pretended like it meant nothing. It wasn't supposed to mean anything anyway.

"You're staring too much," Mack decided to speak up.

"Does that bother you?" Fred asked in a calm voice with his hands folded across his chest.

Mack turned to reply while fumbling with the dry shirt his uncle had given him and Fred finally got a view of his body. Something caught his attention after Mack faced him. He slowly got closer to Mack, the latter wasn't even aware until he sensed his presence.

He shrieked a bit and Fred covered his mouth before removing his hand. He looked into Mack's eyes intently as if trying to figure out something. Mack's lips were parted slightly as he was trying to caution himself from behaving abnormally.

They were too close and not that he had not been close before with a guy, he just hadn't felt this way.

He couldn't keep up with the staring anymore as his eyes began dancing to their rhythm.

Fred slowly lifted his hand and placed it in Mack's stomach, the latter reacted instantly to the touch and held Fred's hand in shock.

"What are you doing?" He nervously asked Fred but he didn't respond, instead, he trailed Mack's body until it got to the part of his heart. Mack's cheeks turned red. Who knew taking off a shirt in front of a guy was gonna lead to this?

Fred used his other hand to pull Mack closer and he gasped when he felt Fred's cold hand on his back.

"What…what are you doing?" He asked Fred again.

"This mark…where did you get it from?" Fred asked and Mack quickly glanced at the so-called mark. He was a bit confused as he furrowed his eyebrows.

"I...I don't…I don't know, it wasn't there before."

"It looks as if you were stabbed very deep," Fred said and Mack held his gaze.

Mack swallowed hard as he was now breathing hard. His eyes ran from Fred's right to his left eye.

"It's just a mark or something. How would you know it's a stab?"

He was pulled back into the dreams he had a few days ago. His memory was getting hazy and he could feel sparks resonating from the touch with Fred. What was happening? Slowly, the pain started forming and he shuddered a bit as he stared at the ground.

Fred rubbed the line that had formed on Mack's heart gently but it only intensified the pain.

The door was suddenly opened by Hunter.

"Hey…" He shut his mouth when he saw the position that they were in.

"Uhm…I am sorry for coming in like that. I will wait for you two outside." He apologized and closed the door again.

Mack removed himself from Fred's embrace and the pain cooled down.

"Where did you get the mark from?" Fred asked again.

"What am I supposed to say? I don't know. I am surprised to see it now because I have never been injured there in my entire life." Mack retorted and quickly changed into one of the shirts. The pain made him retort as it was nothing like he had felt before. What was suddenly happening?

Fred took off his shirt revealing his smooth tone upper body. He had a name tattooed on his chest.

Whosoever did the tattoo was a genius. It looked as if it was written on paper with decoration in black ink. Mack eyed Fred in such a manner that he had never done to any of the genders before.

Not only was he gorgeous and hot, but he also had a die-for body. Just great. The name was CAMIDEN WELLINGTON.

"Did it hurt?" He asked him. Fred glanced at his tattoo and shook his head.

"No, it doesn't."

"I mean when you first did it."

"No, it didn't."

Fred wore his shirt, "You are the first outsider to see this."

"Am I supposed to be grateful for that?"

Fred gave him a piercing look and smirked before heading to the door. Mack blushed effortlessly and covered his cheeks with his palms to cool the heated twin cheeks.

The two of them arrived at the dining room but they didn't escape Hunter's judging eyes. Mack looked at his Uncle and smiled at him while Camille dished their meal.

"So, what are you doing here?" Camille asked.

"I got a teaching job at Bandook."

"Really? Wow, aim for the sky. Congratulations." She wished him and added a piece of chicken.

"Why would you choose to teach at that university? There are other places you could have gone to. Even high school is preferable." Hunter bore his opinion.

Fred ate silently while listening to them communicate.

"Well Uncle, it's more like a high school. The University is good enough. I would love Leo to come over to be sincere.*

"Nah, my son ain't attending that sacred place. I don't like the place, it gives me some kind of weird vibe especially since the recent incidents happened in the forest."

"They are not the ones conducting the forest, Uncle." Mack injected.

"Don't get me wrong. The school could be good enough and I am not accusing them of the murder but as a human, I have my rights and observations so let me keep those to myself then."

"Don't mind your uncle but you should be careful. Don't go to the forest…"

"I have no reason to be there and also the school is protective over its students so there is no need for problems."

Hunter nodded, "If you say so. Just be careful, okay?"

"Thank you."

"Does your student or friend ever speak?" Camille couldn't help but ask. Fred paused in eating and looked up, Mack stole a glance at him before smiling at his aunt.

"He rarely talks." He responded.

"Oh," Camille said.

"I see," Hunter added and Camille hit her husband playfully. He looked at the young man and the compromising situation that he had seen them in earlier.

"How is Leo doing?"

The conversation was kept mild and simple as no one kept the policy of table manners except Fred. The rain reduced its downpour and the men decided to leave after staying for a long. It was already nine.

Hunter saw them out and walked with them for a minute or so.

"I will speak with your dad even though we met at the tennis court last Friday and he won by one. Terrible." Hunter frowned and scrunched his nose.

"Or you mean terrific?"

"Whatever. You would always side with your father anyway. I will be dealing with the case of those murdered people as I believe that they ain't beasts but something else." He went back to their previous talk. Mack looked at his uncle.

"Something else like what?"

"Something else that can commit this crime." Hunter showed Mack the pictures of the dead and Mack blinked in disbelief. Why did they look as if they were trying on a Halloween ghost costume?

"Damn…they look scary."

"Exactly my point. I don't want the same thing happening all over so we have to be careful. Alright, I will stop here. Camille needs me to do a few things. Have a nice trip back to the University."

"Thank you, Uncle."

"Goodnight, young man." Hunter waved at Fred and he bowed slightly as a form of response. Hunter then left.

Fred and Mack continued their journey back to the school. They arrived there a few minutes later.

"I will give these to Stella, you can go to your room," Fred spoke to Mack.

"Goodnight." He smiled at Fred and headed towards the teachers' arena while Fred stood there watching him till he was totally in before leaving.

AUTHOR'S NOTE.

Hey Jellies, My exams are going to come to an end on the 31st of January. So I am sorry for the late updates. I can't wait to finish my session for the year.

Also, it's so challenging for me to write this genre as it's my first but I want to improve in all aspects as a writer. It's also a way for me to broaden my knowledge about some things, right? So even though I think this book might flop, I sincerely hope my second bl book after this won't. [Sigh] such is the life of a newbie writer. Anyway, thanks for reading. It might take a while to update like a day or two but your comments will energize me and would also make me know what your thoughts are regarding each chapter.