Chapter 6

It was Saturday morning, Sonia woke up to a strong arm wrapped around her. She slowly manoeuvred from his gentle grip as she sat up, making sure not to wake Chris up. His breath sounded like he was tired, he probably stayed up all night. She observed him, taking in his breathtaking features. His hair was darker and shiny. His sideburns perfectly trimmed. His C curl lashes and Bushy brows suit him perfectly.

Chris: [Stirring in his sleep as he faced the other side] It's bad to stare babe. I know you like what you see, but don't stare.

Sonia: [Hooping out of bed] I wasn't staring, dummy. I was thinking. My eyes just accidentally fell on you.

Chris: Whatever. [His eyes landing on the box that sat on the desk] What's with the box?

Sonia: Brain brought it in here? I don't know how? He wants to scare me.

Chris jumped out of bed and walked towards the box, opening it. He sent it flying across the room, just as it hit the window then the ground.

Sonia: [Guffawing] You are so dramatic. What if it was real?

Chris: Wait, [Pointing at the box, his brows pulled together] That doesn't bother you?

Sonia: Not as it did last night. Brain wants something he knows I don't have and know nothing about. [Sitting at the edge of the bed, dispassionately]

Chris: [Sagging beside her] I believe this book has something to do with you? Because he would be all over Malisa as well. He's a psychopath. What if your mom sees the box.

Sonia: Sorry I didn't tell you. She's staying in Oshakati for a couple of weeks or more. It's only us now.

Chris: [Reaching for her hand as he intertwined it with his] Last night when George was here, he asked how you were doing. Why didn't you inform him about the trick Brain pulled on you, by sending you a box with a horrific hand in it?

Sonia: [Massaging the back of his hand before pulling away, walking towards the box just as she lifted it] I don't know. My heart didn't feel like doing so.

Chris: Right. Can I bath in here? George is probably still sleeping, I do not want to bother him.

Sonia: Sure. I'm gonna throw away this box before everybody wakes up, sees it and start worrying about me.

She lifted the lopsided box and used her other hand to open the door, disappearing in the hallway. She walked into the kitchen, opened one of the cupboard cabinets and grabbed a matchbox. She accidentally knocked down the set of knives off the counter. She dropped the box on the counter and reached down to handpick the knives up, as she laid her eyes on the grey duct tape, the same tape used to seal the box in her hands. She clasped the box which somehow felt lighter than before. She picked the duct tape up, forgetting the knives. She walked outside to set the box on fire but first, she peeled off the strip of tape. She patiently waited till it's burnt to ashes before walking back into the house and trudged back to her room.

She budged in unexpectedly, her eyes travelled from the towel that Chris wrapped around his waist to his wet abs.

Chris: [Cocky as always] Like what you see? You can as well touch. Don't tell me you are gonna gag me with that tape in your hands. 'Cause I'm down for it.

Sonia: Pervert! [Holding the tape out at him] This right here shows Brain was truly here.

Chris: Give me a minute.

He rushed back into the bathroom and pulled on his black ripped jeans, a white shirt that hugged his biceps perfectly and walked out of the bathroom.

Chris: You were saying?

Sonia: I found this duct tape in the kitchen and if you look at this [Handing him the strip she peeled off the box] It's the same he used to wrap the box I just set alight. That means he wrapped it while he was here.

Chris: Hold on. [Pulling out one of the drawers and grabbed the red marker] And this. This was the same marker he wrote on that piece of paper.

Sonia: Where did you get that from?

Chris: My room.

Sonia: What was he doing in there?

Chris: [Throwing the marker into the bin which was behind Sonia] That's the question. What was he doing in there? What if he's not alone? Maybe he has an acquaintance.

Sonia: You mean George? George would never stoop so low.

Chris: That's not what I'm saying. But, George and I, were the only ones in that room since yesterday. If you think I was the one, well, I do not have a reason to play mind games with you.

Sonia: I don't know Chris. If you don't mind, I need to be left alone.

Chris: [He cupped her cheek with one hand, the cool energy spreading as his thumb rubbed her cheek lightly] I would never think of hurting you.

He grabbed his stuff plus the bowl of cereal he brought for Sonia the previous night, before walking to the door

Chris: If you need me. I'm a call away babe.

Sonia felt betrayed 'cause the proof she got pointed at both George and Chris. She kept questioning herself, who Brain's acquaintance was. It could be George 'cause he slept in Chris' room.

He could have written the letter in the room, and he probably felt hungry and went to the kitchen to get food and wrap the box too, forgetting the duct tape in the kitchen.

It could as well be Chris, 'cause he went to change. He probably wrote the letter in his room and went to wrap the box in the kitchen while preparing cereal for Sonia, forgetting the duct tape in the process.

She had to play detective to find Brain's accomplice.

She quickly freshened up and made her bed as memories of last night flooded in, sending chills down her spine. She was getting attached to this boy and she thought it's unhealthy. Feelings.

She pulled her phone from under the pillow and turned it on just as Malisa snatched it from her hands.

Malisa: [Folding her arms in confidence] I thought you were grounded. Mom strictly said no phone. And to make matters worse, you even had it at school.

Sonia: [Looking at her feet] I'm sorry Malisa. I can't go a day without my phone, you know that.

Malisa: [Giving the phone back to Sonia] You are such an emotional blackmailer. When were you gonna tell me about the hand that Brain Bacardi had sent to you? 

Sonia: How did you know?

Malisa: I overheard your conversation with Leo earlier. I needed to be sure, so I got an empty box and swap it with the original one, while you were picking up the knives. 'Cause, you didn't want me to know.

Sonia: And here I thought someone in this house had used the duct tape to wrap up the box that scared the dust out of me.

Malisa walked out of the room and came back with the box.

Malisa: Someone used it. What matters is, who it was.

Sonia: [Pointing at the two materials] That is the only proof. The tape and the red marker.

Malisa: The next time you find the evidence you don't touch it with your hands because somebody else's fingerprints are very important.

Sonia: [Mimicking] Okay private investigator. What if it's Chris? Or George? It could be one of them.

Malisa: George would never do a thing like that. And why would Chris show you the red marker? He could have hidden it so that nobody will suspect him. George was the last one in that room though.

Sonia: I don't want to suspect them.

Malisa: This is gonna be hard. [Leaning on the chest of drawers] Wait a minute. What if Bacardi was in Chris' room and purposefully placed the marker in there so that he can poison our minds with these questions we are asking ourselves and start doubting each other.

Sonia: Maybe. But we still can't trust Chris. He unexpectedly showed up. We don't even know anything about him.

Malisa: Does your heart says that about him? I wouldn't make such remarks about the guy I love.

Sonia: [Avoiding eye contact with her sister] I never said I loved him. That reminds me, why is Brain all over me? And not you?

Malisa: I'm sure the book he wants is connected to you. Just don't tell him uncle O'Neal has it. [Before marching out of the room] And as for Chris, I'll talk to him.

Sonia saw a different version of her sister. This was the side of her that she loved.

Hey, y'all. Thank you for reading. I hope you like the story.

Love you all

Tuwilika