Chapter 2 : Memories

"Lucas, get up! Your cousin is coming over, and you''re still in bed. Hurry up, you can''t be late on your first day of school."

Lucas Churchill, with his eyes barely open, was pulled out of bed by his mom and dressed in the new clothes they bought a few days ago.

By the time he was fully awake, Lucas was already sitting at the breakfast table.

"Cousin!" Squinting in the first rays of morning sunlight, Lucas looked at the boy who had just walked in.

Tall and thin, with skin so pale it seemed to glow, his long, narrow eyes smiled in a way that almost hurt Lucas''s little eyes.

How to describe this boy? Like a fox, a fox from the animal world, beautiful and cunning, especially with those eyes that always seem to be smiling.

"Hey, Dominic is here! Have you had breakfast? Come in and join us. Lucas, eat faster, you''re dawdling. Your cousin is here, and you''re still not done!" Mrs. Churchill said as she pulled Dominic towards the dining table, grabbing a cup to pour him some milk.

"Cousin, I''ve already had breakfast. I''ll wait for Lucas to finish, and then we''ll head out." As he spoke, he ruffled Lucas''s fluffy hair without a care.

"At least have some milk. I''ll pour you a little. Lucas, eat faster, or you''ll be late."

Looking at Dominic, who was smiling at him, Lucas suddenly found the bread in his mouth less appetizing.

If you''re hungry, just take some yourself. Didn''t you say you had breakfast at home? Why are you staring at me like that? It''s scary, like a fox planning to snatch a little rabbit from last night''s animal show!

"I''m done eating!"

"Then let''s go, Lucas. Here, give me your backpack. I''ll carry it for you."

"Lucas, hold on tight to your cousin in the car! Dominic, ride slowly, don''t fall, and both of you be careful!"

Mrs. Churchill sighed heavily as she saw Lucas holding onto Dominic''s shirt. She walked over and placed Lucas''s chubby hands around Dominic''s waist. "Hold on tight to your cousin!"

Dominic smiled and set off with Lucas.

Listening to Dominic''s chatter all the way, Lucas was speechless. This cousin sure talks a lot. No wonder I used to hit him when I was little; he was always teasing me and being annoying.

"Lucas, wait in the classroom after school. I''ll bring you lunch, okay?"

"Got it!" Please just go already. How many times have you repeated this?

"Ha, Lucas, your expressions are so cute. You''ve grown up, huh? Acting distant with your cousin now. Be good and listen in class. I''ll come to have lunch with you at noon. If you need anything, come find me in the middle school section. Remember the way?"

"I remember. You''ve shown me several times!"

"Good, then I''ll go!" He couldn''t resist ruffling his little nephew''s hair again. This little guy looked like a pastry, so adorably cute.

Lucas sat up straight, listening attentively to the teacher. He had to study hard.

Everyone said that Dominic was very good at studying, always getting first place in exams. Lucas had to learn from him and get first place to be praised too.

Time flies when you''re focused. In the blink of an eye, the four morning classes were over.

Watching his classmates head to the cafeteria in groups, Lucas could only sit obediently in his chair, waiting for his cousin to bring him lunch.

"Lucas, it''s time to eat. Did you listen to the teacher this morning?"

"Yes!"

"Did you understand what the teacher taught?"

"Yes!"

"Then eat up and take a nap afterward."

"Okay."

"Wow, Lucas has grown up. You even know how to be shy now. You used to chase me around and talk a lot more. The younger Lucas was more fun!"

"Mom says you shouldn''t talk while eating. You should eat properly. It''s not hygienic to talk so much!"

"You didn''t talk much to me even before eating! Did I do something to upset you? Are you ignoring me on purpose?"

"No."

"Hey, I''m just teasing you. Why are you so easily embarrassed? You''re blushing! You''ve really grown up, knowing how to be shy now!"

"..."

"All done eating? The teacher told you, right? You need to take a nap at noon. Classes start at 1:30 PM. Play for a bit and then take a nap. After school, go to Mr. Johnson''s office to do your homework and wait for your uncle. Do you remember how to get to Mr. Johnson''s office?"

"Yes, I remember."

"Good, then wait for your uncle after school!"

And so, Lucas began his school life, accompanied by his noisy uncle.

This uncle was great in many ways, except he loved to tease Lucas, who could never outtalk him.

Actually, Lucas liked going to school. Unlike other kids who enjoyed making new friends, Lucas didn''t like playing with others because they were too noisy.

He preferred playing alone, watching ants, playing with snails, or quietly reading and doing homework by himself.

Perhaps influenced by Dominic, Lucas had been learning to read and write, and recite poems since he could remember.

Adults always praised Dominic, and Lucas, hearing this, aspired to be like him—excellent and well-liked by everyone.

Maybe these external factors contributed to Lucas''s quiet and introverted personality.

School days passed repetitively without much excitement. Lucas''s favorite part of school was riding on the back of Dominic''s bike on sunny days.

The gentle breeze on his face was so comfortable that he couldn''t help but squint his eyes. Dominic never jostled him while riding.

Sometimes, if he was really sleepy in the morning, he would nap against Dominic''s back, but Dominic always woke him up just as he was about to fall asleep.

Rainy days were less pleasant. He had to wear rain boots, hold an umbrella, and be carried on Dominic''s back.

He didn''t like being carried by Dominic, especially with Dominic''s teasing, which made him uncomfortable.

If it wasn''t raining after school, Lucas would refuse to be carried and would walk behind Dominic.

Watching Lucas''s little legs move quickly, Dominic couldn''t help but tease him. To see Lucas struggle, Dominic would deliberately walk fast, making Lucas chase after him.

Eventually, Lucas got smarter. He ignored Dominic and walked at his own pace, taking away Dominic''s fun.

Later, Dominic somehow found out that Lucas was afraid of ghosts. Every time they walked home, Dominic would tell ghost stories, then walk quickly, leaving Lucas to scream and chase after him.

So, Lucas hated rainy days and this person named Dominic.

Three years passed like this. During these years, Lucas endured Dominic''s ghost stories and the constant comparisons to Dominic at home.

School was fun, but exams were not. No matter how hard Lucas tried, his grades were always just above average.

In contrast, Dominic always ranked first in every exam, in every subject, since Lucas could remember.

Annoying adults always used Dominic as an example to educate Lucas.

But finally, Lucas saw the light at the end of the tunnel. Dominic was leaving.

The adults said he got into the best high school in the city, which was far from home. He could only come back on weekends.

That was the best news ever! Lucas couldn''t be happier.

For three years, Lucas had nightmares of being chased by ghosts or Dominic. It was terrifying.

Hearing too many ghost stories made him feel like someone was always following him at night.

Although the new semester meant he would be separated from Dominic, this vacation was as unbearable as ever.

Watching Dominic sitting next to him, watching TV, Lucas finally couldn''t hold back any longer. "Uncle, why do you always come to my house to watch TV?"

"Nonsense, I''m here to help you with your homework."

"But you haven''t helped me at all."

"Well, you haven''t asked me any questions, have you? Tell me, when have I not answered your questions? Isn''t that called tutoring? And when you''re not asking questions, can''t I relax and watch some TV?"

"But you always come to my house to tutor me. Don''t you have your own homework to do?"

"Hey, I''m sacrificing my time to help you! Hurry up and finish, it''s almost dinner time!"

"But Uncle, you watching TV distracts me from doing my homework..." This was Lucas''s last stand.

Every vacation, whether long or short, Dominic always used the excuse of tutoring to stay at his house. No matter how unwilling Lucas was, Dominic always had everyone''s full support.

Lucas was forced to do his homework in the living room every day, and he had to endure Dominic''s annoying presence and occasional annoying comments.

Lucas used to think his uncle was as charming as a fox on TV, but now he thought he wasn''t even as cute as the big yellow dog at the door.

Finally, one day, those torturous days ended.

Lucas moved up to fourth grade. Today was his first time walking such a long way to school alone. He felt a bit lost, but thinking about Dominic''s ghost stories, he felt that this was how life should be.

His world was finally free of the annoying Dominic.

But Lucas was still too young. Even though Dominic was gone, his legend lived on in the school. Whether it was teachers or classmates, Dominic was always a never-ending topic!

The girls praised his looks, the boys wanted to be like him, and the teachers always used him as a good example.

At these times, everyone''s attention would always turn to Lucas because they all knew he was Dominic''s nephew.

Even if he wasn''t with Dominic going to and from school, adults on the street would always talk to him: "Hey, Lucas, your uncle went to school in the city, and you''re left here alone. Do you miss him? You should work hard and try to get into your uncle''s school."

At these times, Lucas would feel even more resentful of his uncle''s existence.

Even worse, walking on the road, Lucas would always recall the series of ghost stories Dominic had told him.

His brain would even detail them, and Lucas couldn''t help but get scared and start running. At night, the memories would become even clearer.

From then on, Lucas developed the habit of not going to the bathroom at night, all because of that annoying uncle!

That night, Lucas wet the bed. He woke up in the middle of the night needing to pee, but now he had his own room.

No one was there to accompany him to the bathroom, and he didn''t dare to get out of bed. He held it in until he fell asleep again, and finally, in his dream, he went to the bathroom...

In the morning, as expected, he got a scolding from his mom and cried on his way to school.

At this point, Lucas''s emotions were on the verge of collapse: "I hope Dominic never comes back." How could Dominic be so annoying? He hated Dominic so much.

Boo hoo hoo...

It was all Dominic''s fault that he wet the bed. If the teachers and classmates found out, how could he face them? And Dominic must never find out, or he would laugh at him to death!

Boo hoo hoo...