RIDING AWAY

CHAPTER 21 - I just can't get you out of my head...

"What's going on in that beautiful head of yours, Blake?" Uncle Mickey asked me at the end of the delicious dinner Mrs. Faulkner had cooked for the seven of us.

Lincoln had barely said a word all night. I didn't know whether it was because he was startstruck or because he was simply knackered after our sporty weekend, and I really hoped it wasn't because he felt out of place among us.

"Hmm...Nothing, Uncle Mickey..." I mumbled, unwilling to ruin the perfect evening.

"Not to me, Girl!" He shot back sternly. "Spill!" His tone didn't give me much choice so I decided to simply go with the truth.

"Everything's so messed up..." I muttered.

"Shawn told me about how she uninvited you last minute last week..." He grunted and I shrugged.

"If he'd really wanted me to attend his party, he'd have made it happen, believe me..." I interjected with a sigh. "He didn't even call me to know where I was, or to wish me a happy new year..."

"When's the last time you spoke to him?" His expression was off. Gone was his anger, in its place a bewilderment that I couldn't make sense of.

"The day before the Boarder cross final last year..." I mumbled.

"Right, that's it." His loud, determined voice made me jump. "I know you've asked me not to intervene but it's gone on long enough, now..."

"Please..." I was surprised by how small I suddenly sounded.

"Shawn told me you were going to surf at the Rip Curl Undiscovered Champs Competition in San Clemente, this weekend?" He changed the subject altogether and I knew arguing any further would be useless.

"Hmm... Lincoln thinks I'm ready..." I answered, my uncertainty hard to miss.

"We'll be there." He announced, totally ignoring my doubts as to being up for such an event less than three weeks after my first popup.

I sighed as that thought made Noah's face pop in my mind and for the umpteenth time I had to blink back the tears that followed each one of those flashes.

"I don't usually intervene in anything relationship-wise, but there's something I'd like to point out." He then started and I grimaced, already knowing that I'd probably not like what he was about to say. "Phone his mom and get that awkward conversation over with..." I frowned at his words. "Claim that man, Blake!" He then added. "What's stopping you, except your pride?"

I'd never answered back to him but his last question made me see red.

"How about an acute fear of rejection after both my parents and my stepmother have clearly labeled me unworthy?!" I snapped and when I heard Justine and Shawn's loud gasps, I realized I'd gone too far. Uncle Mickey may have taken me and Ri under his wings, he wasn't one to let anyone disrespect him, so knowing I'd just done so, I braced myself for the telling off I knew was to come.

When he hadn't said a word a full minute later, I decided to apologize, hoping it would make him more willing to forgive my slip.

"I'm really sorry, Uncle Mickey..." I blurted out. "I don't know what got into me but your insinuation brought out this wave of anger..."

"I should be the one apologizing, Blake..." I frowned at that. "I should have asked you instead of reaching the wrong conclusion... I realize now that moving on might be what's best then..."

I shrugged, hoping he'd understand that with this gesture, I was telling him that I'd already forgiven him and that I'd do my best to really move on.