"Jason's POV"
Hailey. Smooth. Perfect.
I kept repeating her name in my head, liking the way it rolled off my tongue. My eyes flicked to the book on the passenger seat—my so-called informant. For now, it was my best shot at getting closer to her world.
I pulled into the driveway, grabbed the book, and was about to lose myself in it when my phone buzzed. Uncle Dave. I blinked at the screen, surprised. He rarely called unless it was something important.
"Hey, Uncle. How are you doing?"
"Jason, dear. It's been a long time," he said, his voice weaker than I remembered.
"Yeah. How are you holding up?"
"I'm fine. What about you?"
"I'm good, though you don't sound it."
He chuckled. "It's just age catching up with me. Don't worry about it."
"What of Auntie?"
"She traveled to see her parents. They're not doing well."
"So you're alone?"
"Yeah, but I can manage."
I frowned. "Should I come over?"
He chuckled again, though softer this time. "No, no. That's not why I called. Just wanted to check up on you."
"Well, I'm not doing anything right now."
"Don't you have lectures?"
"Still on break. I could swing by for a few days."
A pause. Then, "It's fine."
I sighed. "Uncle, I'm coming. I'll be there by evening. Just cook something delicious for me."
Uncle Dave was the closest family I had. The one person who hadn't written me off or kept me at arm's length. I wouldn't trade him for anything.
It had been too long since I'd seen him, and I decided to use this chance to catch up.
I packed light—a few things for two days, and of course, Purple Days. The book looked ridiculous in my bag, but I shoved it in anyway.
Halfway through the drive, I rolled the windows down, let the breeze slap my face, and let music drown out my thoughts. Well, almost. Hailey's face had the audacity to creep back in every few songs. I kept telling myself it was about the bet, about proving Mike wrong. But even I didn't buy that anymore.
I stopped at a roadside shop. My eyes landed on a small potted plant—bright leaves spilling over the edge. I picked it up, chuckling to myself. Uncle Dave used to roll his eyes at plants, said they were "just extra work and dead weight." But now? Thanks to Lily, he had a favorite. He actually bragged about it the last time we spoke.
By the time I got to his house, the three-hour drive didn't feel so long. I rang the bell, holding the plant like some kind of peace offering. "Coming!" a voice called from inside. When the door opened, Uncle Dave stood there, eyes lighting up before he pulled me into a hug.
"I've really missed you, Uncle," I said, stepping in.
The house didn't look like the place I remembered. Once, it had been quiet, almost sterile—bare walls, empty corners, nothing personal about it. Now? The walkway was lined with flowers. The balcony had a yoga mat rolled neatly in a corner. Family pictures filled the walls. The air even smelled different, like cinnamon and something floral.
"You've changed this place," I said, scanning the details.
He chuckled. "That's Lily's touch." His eyes softened. "Lily brought color to my life."
Yeah, I can see that." I smiled, genuinely happy for him.
I handed him the plant. "Thought you might like this."
His face split into a grin as he took it, almost cradling it. "You remembered."
I smirked. "How could I not? You wouldn't shut up about it last time."
The old Uncle Dave would've rolled his eyes and shoved the thing into a corner. This one placed it carefully on the windowsill, adjusted its position so the sunlight hit it just right. Watching him, I couldn't help but think: damn. Love really does change people.
"Let me get you something to eat," Uncle Dave said, already moving toward the kitchen. "You must be hungry."
The dining table soon filled with food that smelled like comfort itself. "Lily made these before she travelled," he explained proudly. "She even called me earlier to check up on me."
"Uncle, maybe I shouldn't have come. You seem so happy that I don't know what I can do for you," I half-pouted.
"Come on now, don't keep that face. When you're done eating, let's go play some games. We'll do whatever you want."
I brightened up. Around Uncle Dave, I could afford to act like a kid. And that night, we laughed, played cards and video games until we were both too tired to keep our eyes open. I crashed into bed with a smile I hadn't worn in weeks.
○○○
The next morning was slower, calmer. We flipped through old albums, watched TV, and lazed around. "Uncle, I thought you weren't the picture type," I teased when he showed me their wedding photos.
"Love. Love changes you"
That stuck with me more than I wanted it to.
We lounged around, flipping channels, laughing at bad commercials. It felt… good. Like family.
"Board games?" he suggested suddenly, clearly bored of the TV.
I chuckled. "Sure. Which one?"
"My favorite," he said.
"Monopoly," we both chimed together and laughed.
As he went to fetch it, he said, "I hid it somewhere in the visitor's room."
I chuckled. "Why would you hide a board game?"
When he came back, he confessed between laughter, "One night, Lily and I drank too much after playing. I must have hidden it and forgot. Denied it when she accused me."
I smirked. Sounded exactly like him.
"Later, at another party, I remembered and found it exactly where I'd stashed it."
I cracked up. "Why didn't you tell her?"
"I was going to… but she bought another the same night. Couldn't bring myself to admit it."
"When was this?"
"Two months ago."
I laughed until I couldn't breathe. "So now you play the new one with her and this one in secret?"
He grinned like a guilty kid. "Exactly."
"Uncle, you're unbelievable."
We played, teasing each other. When he landed in jail, I nearly fell off my chair. "Serves you right."
We played for hours until we were both exhausted. I volunteered to make dinner. It was easy; Lily has stocked the place well.
While we ate, Uncle Dave glanced at me and asked, "You're leaving tomorrow?"
I nodded.
"Would you like to meet Lily before you travel?"
I shook my head. "I'll be leaving early. I have something to attend to."
"About school?"
"Kinda." Hailey was a student, so... close enough.
"But I thought you were studying something related to accounts."
"Yeah, financial accounting. Why?"
"Oh, I didn't mean to pry, but I saw a book on your table earlier. Something about Purple?"
"Oh… yeah. I need that for something."
He raised a brow. "I was surprised. You definitely aren't the book type."
Yeah. Look at me—doing something that didn't fit me.
All because of a girl. What started as a reckless bet, a stupid joke, was slowly reshaping me.
And for the first time in a long while… I wasn't complaining.