Chapter 3 The Normans

Skyhall Group Of Schools.

Aster got down from the car hurriedly leaving Arby to Kyle and Kyle followed her immediately. She asked for the direction of the infirmary from the security man at the school gate, and he described to her the way.

Like someone whose most precious item got stolen, Aster ran into the infirmary without pausing. Straight to the inquiry office, she asked for her sister.

"She was rushed out to the hospital not quite long when her condition seemed to worsen. Her breathing began to get shallow and inconsistent" so she was told.

"Which hospital?"

"Anderson......"

"The one along the express road?" she cut the person short in a hurry.

"Yeah. That one"

"Alright. Thanks" she rushed out again with Kyle behind her.

"Was she sick?" he asked out of concern.

"No, not that I know of or noticed. She was hale and hearty when we all left home this morning."

"In that case, you have to calm down. Let's go to the hospital"

Aster nodded her head in response and collected Arby from him while he began driving again.

In minutes, they arrived at the hospital. Aster saw Josh at the entrance when she got down from the car.

"What happened to her?" she queried with all seriousness.

"The doctor said she ate something that upset her digestive system. They're still taking care of her in the ward."

"Hope it's not that serious?. I mean did she lose a lot of blood?" she asked still scared of what the outcome might be and Josh replied that she didn't.

"But what could she have eaten?" Kyle finally spoke up after minutes of silence.

"That's true?. Isn't it the same thing we ate?. Moreover, I prepared the food personally."

"Perhaps, someone tampered with her food" suggested Kyle.

"I doubt that!. The lock on our lunch bags cannot be opened except someone else knows how we open it." Josh said making Aster rule out the possibility of someone tampering with her sister's food.

"Someone might know, you never can tell." Kyle uttered.

"Anyway, let's not fill our heads with silly ideas at the moment. It's best we wait for the doctor's report." Aster stopped the other two from running their mouths.

They sat on the chair in the inner part of the hospital close to where Karla was patiently.

"Who's the guardian of the girl inside?." the doctor asked upon coming out and quickly, Aster raised up her hand.

"Hope no problem?" she asked the doctor nervously.

"May I see you for a while?"

"Sure." she moved closer to the doctor, and the doctor told her it was an allergic reaction.

"What she ate last must have caused her allergy" said the doctor.

"Did you have an idea of what it was?"

"Not yet. The result of the test we ran on her is not out yet but she's out of danger."

"When can she be discharged?" Aster was worried.

"For now, she's placed on drip and is still sleeping. In an hour or two, she should be awake. By then, you can take her home except if you want to wait for the test result."

"That's good." Aster was relieved. She thanked the doctor and returned to join others after paying the medical bills for Karla.

"Oh!, he's asleep right?" she asked Kyle who laid Arby on his laps.

"Yes, he is. What did the doctor say?" Josh asked.

"Nothing much, just an allergy." she replied curtly.

Darla who has been silent all the while sighed and rested her head on Josh's shoulder. Aster knew for sure that without waiting for the test result, she can get to know what it was Karla ate last by asking her twin sister, Darla.

But asking Darla at that moment won't do any good because unlike Karla, she's reserved and more sensitive to things than her sister. When she decides not to say something, no one can force her to and when she wants to speak, no will ask her or tell her to.

If she wanted them to know what happened, she would have said it without Aster asking her. Aster could only observe and understand each and every of their characters as well as likes and dislikes in order for them to feel loved and not craving for love and understanding outside their home which could do them a great harm.

"Never trust blindly." she never forgot her father's words.

Karla finally woke up, and they all returned home. Kyle bade Aster goodnight and headed for his own house which was just few streets from the Alans.

"Thanks so much Kyle. I really appreciate your care." she thanked him with smiles evident on her face.

"Goodnight" he muttered with untold emotions.

"Goodnight" she gave him a friendly hug and he left.

*

*

The Normans Mansion.

"Good day everyone" a cool gentle voice resonated throughout the house but there was no response.

"Kyle, you're back" a feminine voice said descending the stairs in a blue top and bum shorts.

"Yes Mitha, I am back. How was your day?" he opened his hand for a hug, but she snubbed him and went to sit on the sofa with a packet of chips in her hand. Kyle sat beside her dropping his bag on the table. He dipped his hand into the chip container with Mitha and she smacked his hand away.

Facing him sternly, she questioned where he had been since he finished in school.

"I had an extra class with my friends. They needed me to help them with something." he lied.

"Really?" Mitha asked with certainty that he told a lie.

"Of course......"

"Who are those friends of yours I don't know?."

"What do you mean?....."

"I came across Tyler on my way back from college. He said you left school immediately you were through. Where were you?"

"Ok, fine. You caught me. I had something important to do."

"What's so important that you couldn't even make out time to put a call through?."

"It's ehhhm........." he quickly thought of a mind blowing lie to tell Mitha but couldn't find one.

"Speak up......" she spat to his face.

"Don't bother asking him, he can't say anything." a middle–aged woman descended the stairs in a short black sleeveless gown. Mitha and Kyle looked up to the direction and Kyle was short of words.

"M..mom!" he stuttered. For his mum to be there at that time and for her to have made that sentence, he knows what awaits him next. She definitely knows where he was throughout the day.

"You're surprised?. Don't be baby" she rubbed his head smirking at him. She also sat on the chair adjacent to where the dou were seated, crossing her legs on each other.

"Why were you with her?" she dropped the bomb at last. Her voice scaring the hell out of Kyle. The next few seconds that passed by, he didn't say anything.

No, he can not say anything. How will he tell his mother he had been with Aster all day long. It's not possible. Admitting it meant he just signed a death sentence for himself. Not after her warnings and instructions to him not to be anywhere closer to Aster. The reason, he doesn't have an idea.

"Are you talking about that Aster of a girl?" Mitha asked their mother.

"Let him speak for himself. I won't be the one to say out his deed." said Mrs Norman.

"Ooooohhhh. I knew it!. Now tell me, were you with her?" asked Mitha. Kyle could no longer take the queries they threw at him and he stood on his feet angrily.

"Yes!. I was with her. What the big deal?" he yelled.

"Are you for real?. What has gotten into you?" Mitha stood up to his height.

"Nothing is wrong with me. Why are you so much against this girl?. What wrong has she done you to dislike her so much?" Kyle's eye spat fire.

Ever since his sister and mother got to know about Aster's parents death, they restricted him, warned him, threatened him with the things he needed most and even punished him whenever he's seen with Aster or get close to her.

"You really want to know, it's because she's pure bad luck. Why did her parents have to die on her birthday, huh?. Why?"

"Mitha, you're not fit to be an elder sister to anyone. You'll only lead them astray. Let's say, mum died on your birthday, how would you feel?"

"Are you laying a curse?" Mitha asked pointing her index finger at him.

"No offence, just a question" he said and left the two ladies in the living room.

"I think that girl has finally bewitched you. She has done something to my son!" Mrs Norman growled like a lion.

"Maybe she did" Kyle paused and faced his mother.

"What did you just say?" she asked with a confused look.

"Maybe she did," Kyle repeated and paused. "Because I love her" he blurted.

"What?!"