C3 THE CURIOSITY

Sandra examined everywhere as she walked her eyes around. She noticed the interiors were different. It wasn’t like the way the Mandonnas liked it. The perfume in the air was different too. The furniture in the sitting room was different also. The changes were obvious and she instantly knew it.

The only thing that almost looked similar was the wine shelf except for the wine collection it would have been different.

The more she stared at the wine shelf the more Duke’s attention was caught.

“You want to drink? I love drinking you know and anybody who loves drinking can be a friend.”

Sandra looked away and fixed her eyes on Duke. “...Really? Dad and Mum warn against alcohol. It is not good for kids—how old are you Duke?”

Duke stood quiet for a while and then muttered. “I am sixteen and you?”

“I am twelve.” Sandra didn’t hesitate, a swift reply. She could tell Collins wasn’t right after all in guessing Duke’s age correcting. Duke seems like a nice guy she thought but those red eyes fixed on his head doesn’t seem to fit him.

She thought again and then again over what she felt as she stared.

“I can see you drink too much, perhaps too much alcohol. And you are not supposed to do that for your age.” Sandra decided to have the conversation going. “Look, your eyes are all red. Didn’t you check that out on the mirror or you don’t use the mirror?”

Duke shuddered and reluctantly sat down with his eyes still fixed on Sandra, whom he now considered a beauty to behold. “My Dad taught me how to drink, perhaps, I am overdoing it—my friends also in Florida love drinking and I guess that’s why I drink a lot. It is now part of me and I don’t think I can stop it. Perhaps you can call it an addiction if you like—I do a lot of stuff you can’t imagine Sandra. But I suggest we don’t talk about it—Come on, there are several other wines you can drink with less alcoholic content. I am sure you will love it. You could try a trite fruit drink, zero alcoholic content...”

“Let me have it.” Sandra interrupted with a smile.

Minutes later, she sat down with her leg crossed as she sipped intermittently. Memories from the past suddenly flooded her mind, memories of the Madonnas.

She loved fruit wine a lot. The more expansive they are, the tastier they are. And this fact, she has come to know also from the Madonnas. She knew her Parents will never spend that much on wine when other home needs are screaming for attention. And that was why she loved wealth and the Mandonnas who showed her how lovely wines tasted have disappeared, but she knew her taste for wealth will never die.

Staring at Duke differently, she could tell they are as wealthy as the Madonnas and that’s why they can afford to live here. The house the Mandonnas once lived in.

House numbers 1-10 are for the middle class and house numbers 11-20 are for the super-rich. And she seems to prefer the super-rich category and most times wondered why her parents can’t give her that life.

The moment Sandra's thoughts dropped, she noticed Duke was playing with a gun.

“You have a gun?” She asked.

Duke nodded. “Yes, I do for my protection that’s all—so how is your brother Collins?”

Sandra's eyes are still on the gun. It wasn’t a toy gun. It looks like a real gun, she flinched.

Why was he holding a gun and at the same time asking about Collins?

Her mind was busy now and instantly she finished her drink and stood up. “I have to be on my way now.”

Duke stood up surprised. “But you only just arrived—there are more drinks—more fun—”

Sandra nods stopped him.

She hurried out of the house. The only thing she can take away now was that Alex was different from the Mandonnas in some way if not all, perhaps.

**********

“You shouldn’t have visited the Alex alone—we don’t yet know them well enough.” Bruno flared. “The other day we visited don’t you see what happened? Don’t you have eyes or do you just pretend not to see?”

Sandra stood motionless and speechless.

She knew her father was right after all but then what a hell was she thinking that pulled her legs to Duke’s house?

Now she knew everybody was mad at her including Collins who sat some distance away from her in the sitting room.

She knew she has not quite understood Duke or the way he behaved the other day.

But then who is Duke Rexon?

He only just became a student at Moleaf High College and she was yet to know him well enough. He seems to be good at one thing, making friends with the wrong guys.

Her thoughts froze when Annora's voice lashed in like a snaking wipe, she fidgeted. “Now you have visited and also seen that Alex's family is not Madonnas. They are different and I am sure you will have a rethink about going there alone next time or you get me more infuriated.”

Words were becoming one too many now and she knew now that she never acted well.

Moments later, her eyes fell on Collins who seems far away from her scolding but almost immediately heard his voice echoing within her head. “Dad I don’t like that boy, ever since he joined Moleaf High. He has been stupid—Edison our head teacher never stopped complaining about his bad conduct and I am certain he will soon be expelled—”

“Expel?” Sandra interrupted with eyes opened wide. “That can be, he only just started Moleaf High and—”

“Started with a bad attitude, right?”Bruno commented.

Sandra sat away from the conversation but her thought never ceased. She knew she saw a real gun with Duke.

But how did he get it?

Guns are not meant for kids but then how did he get them?

He said it was for protection, protection against what and against whom?

Suddenly her thought pierced through her tender heart, she became nervous.

She felt her heart throbbing now, and fear of the unknown, piling up within, creeping through her veins towards her heart region, making it palpitate. She could feel the pain spreading around her heart region now. But knew she can’t do anything about it. Not even the thought running through the mind Collins can she do anything about either.

“He knows nothing and he cares about nothing.” Collins began again. “He believes he is from a rich family but forgot money can’t buy him his grades—I think that’s the problem he has with Edison. That’s sad. I think he is an over-pampered child. And he is into many things dubious. I am yet to find out in school.”

Bruno and Annora watched Collins talk but also wished Sandra was all ears to take action. And the action they expect her to take was to stay away from Duke and never keep the thought that he could be a replacement for Nelly.

The more Sandra listens to Collins the more she wonders who Duke Rexon was.

**********

Edison sat down staring into his computer. For minutes now he never stopped looking at his monitor. He has been researching violent kids and what may be responsible for such actions or tendencies. The more he researched the more he understood why most of his students in Moleaf High were more difficult to handle.

Minutes later, he pressed down the enter key on his keyboard to navigate to another web page when he suddenly heard a strange noise. It was too strange to go unnoticed.

“Nancy is that you?” He was reluctant to stand up.

Some interesting news just caught his attention. When the noise came up again, he shouted. “Nancy, come on. Why not cut the crap and come right here. I am kind of busy right now.” He knew Nancy his fiancée could be this playful most times but—

“Come out Nancy. I am busy and don’t think I will come out there to meet you.”