Fellwalk, Daunthill
2 Years ago
November 2018.
Everyone sat mute. Only the sound of clashing steel and ceramic lingered in the air. The smell of greens would appease any vegetarian. But Dimitri stared apathetically at the plate of food before him. He animated its content with his fork. In it was steaming baked beans and rice exorbitantly garnished with varieties of vegetables.
Bored, he took a look around. The whole family sat at their own end of the rectangular wooden table. Dimitri sighted Cole who sat opposite him. The young lad had accepted his fate. Hence he devised a means to get passed the meal. He used a spoon to scoop and swallow large quantities of his food. After every gulp his face squeezed into an aberration. This slightly amused Dimitri.
He turned his gaze to his mother, Nora, who sat at the extreme left of the table. She picked slowly at her food being very selective of what part she ate. Green Hut was long known for high quality food, but Nora wasn't so sure of this meal. And then there was Kayland at the other end. Dimitri's father sniffed and rubbed his moustache continuously as he ate. He noticed Dimitri staring and asked.
"You okay?"
"Great," replied Dimitri as he turned back to his plate.
"You haven't eaten anything."
"Yeah."
"Well," added Kayland. "Eat something."
Dimitri kept mute and resumed his food animation until his mom cut in.
"Dimitri, baby eat your food," she implored.
"Why?" he asked. "It's disgusting."
"No," Kayland corrected. "It's healthy."
"Seems like you're the only one enjoying it." Dimitri muttered. "How 'bout you dig into my share."
Dimitri slid his plate towards his father's end of the table. Kayland let go of his fork and crossed his palms as he stared raptly at Dimitri.
"Kid, take your plate back right now and eat your food," he commanded.
Dimitri gazed into his father's furious eyes without making a move.
"Dr. Rendeley said..." announced Kayland before he was cut short.
"I don't give a shit about Rendeley and his worthless advice!" barked Dimitri as he stood from chair.
"Dimitri!" yelled Nora before Kayland held out his hand, gesturing her to stop.
"I ain't gonna eat shit cause some doctor said so," Dimtri blustered. "We had a real doctor back in Atlanta. And if I recall mom took less pills and Cole barely puffed his inhaler. But you had to move us here."
"Shut your mouth boy!" snapped Kayland arising from his seat. "We were falling apart back in Georgia. And then we got here. We got a better house, better friends and I'm paid better."
"So it's about the money?"
"That money feeds you," hissed Kayland. "Now sit yo black ass down, and eat your food."
"Or what?"
In split seconds, Dimitri suddenly felt small as his left cheek absorbed the impact from his father's fingers. His confidence vanished.
His fury was rapidly replaced by shock. As his head jolted to the right, his body was thrown slightly off-balance.
Dimitri placed a hand on his throbbing cheek as he came to fathom what had just transpired. Nora and Cole gaped at the father and son in suspense.
"I... I'm..." Kayland stuttered.
"Save it" Dimitri said as he started for the door.
"Dimitri!" yelled Kayland.
Dimitri slammed the door behind him and stormed out of the house. His gaze was glued to the ground as he beelined angrily past the lawn into the sidewalk.
"Hey, watch it!" Snapped a hooded girl as she dodged angry Dimitri.
"I'm so..." faltered Dimitri. He looked up to see her face.
Her caramel like skin. Her slim, dull, red lips and those glowing dark eyes. It was a face he couldn't forget.
"Iva Dilli?" he gawked.
"Shhh" hushed Iva as she grabbed him by the arm and scuttled forward.
They stopped next to a plant whose umbrella-like branches shielded them from the blazing sun. Iva perused the streets. She noticed their actions had attracted the other pedestrians. She'd walked the streets of Fellwalk in recent past. She knew very well how people here liked to involve themselves in each other's business and how stories went around pretty fast. To avoid the risk of getting noticed she implored Dimitri.
"Walk with me."
"Aii" Dimitri kicked a dry leaf out of his way.
"Do I know you?" asked Iva, watching his face.
"That's a strange question coming from the daughter of the Grand chief."
"Don't start now," Iva said, shying away from her title.
"I'm Dimitri Baxton. We met once at a party in Royal Avenue."
"Yeah," agreed Iva "You're Kayland Baxton's son?"
"Yup." Dimitri shrugged slightly on hearing his father's name.
"I'm sorry, I meet a lot of people at such events. Sometimes it's hard to recall."
"It's fine."
They took a left turn into another lane. Here, the shadows cast upon them by the buildings impeded the sun's heat.
"So, I'm not trying to be nosy but... From the way you stormed out I'm guessing you're fresh off from a squabble." Iva pocketed her hands and pursed her thin lips.
"It's nothing," Dimitri heaved. "Just my dad."
"I guess we have that in common."
"No way," he disagreed. "You and your dad are like a power couple."
"Ha" chortled Iva. "Looks can be deceptive. Back at the manor everything's different."
"For real?"
"It's insane," she complained. "I've been enslaved to him since I was born.
He's signed me up for classes I hated, forced to make friends with people I didn't like. He even gave me extra hours of school. And anytime I tried to speak up, I either got scolded or ignored."
"That's... deep"
"You can't imagine," Iva added. "He never listens to anyone except his best friend and personal advisor Leroy. That's why my mom left."
"Woah!" Dimtri paused. He shot a surprised look at Iva. "Word around said she was off on a long business trip."
"Wrong," Iva heaved. "That was just his cover up." She folded her arms on her chest and looked towards the horizon. There were times she'd wanted to have this conversation with someone. But wherever she turned, she met someone she had no connection with whatsoever.
"Wow" Dimitri sighed. "That explains why the princess of Daunthill is secretly running around in a hoddie."
"Exactly" A glee appeared on Iva's face. "I'd like you to keep this a secret Dimitri."
"I'll think about it."
"Pretty princess please..." she begged.
"Fine, only if you tell me where you're going."
They stopped walking. Dimitri's request had stunned Iva. Telling him her destination would be against the rules. She'd been sneaking out of the manor since she was just thirteen. And here she was, for the first time, finally with someone who without her father's permission she could call friend. But she still had to lie to him. How could she betray the fitness trainer who had helped her, for a guy she scarcely knew? A simple excuse should do the trick she assumed before speaking.
"Just... taking a long walk."
"Really?" quizzed Dimitri. "You always this bad at lying?"
"Excuse me?"
"No offense" Dimitri said "I was somehow born with this ability to detect lies."
"ohhh."
"Most people call me a clairvoyant. But anyone could've figured you just lied."
"Fine, I'm heading for Fellwalk Burgers." She admitted. "They make much better junk food than the cooks at the manor."
"That was a better act, but still a lie."
Dimitri's lie detecting accuracy made Iva uncomfortable, albeit in a nice way. She wondered at the idea of someone having such. She once had an acquaintance who claimed to see the future. But he never saw anything. He'd come to her asking for a bet, but she'd always toss off his claims because they never held any water. And here was this lie detector. Kayland's son. In an attempt to discover the authenticity of his claim she decided to confess.
"Ha!" she let out a smile. "There's a fitness centre not too far from here. The trainer who runs it lets me come over to let off steam from time to time. Apparently he prefers training girls my age."
"Wasn't so hard was it?"
Iva stared speechlessly at him.
"Don't worry," said Dimitri. "You'll get used to it. So, are these training classes for free?"
"Yeah." Thoughts regarding what had just happened still thronged Iva's mind.
"Well, say hi to your new partner." Dimitri resumed his walk.
The words of the fitness trainer flew back into Iva's mind. "You'd have to keep this discrete".
She looked at Dimtri who was now a few steps away from where she stood. His gaze had gone back to the ground. He could detect lies, but couldn't hide whatever disturbed him on the inside. And right now Iva longed to know him more. To play around with his lying abilities and know its limits. To discover what exactly it was about this black American boy that enthralled her. For this, spilling the secret of her training location seemed a small price to pay.
"Majid would have to make room for two," she thought.