“Never was much for school.” His expression is almost mischievous, and at once makes him look a little younger. It’s infectious, makes me smile.
“Let me guess, you never went to school. Truancy police ever come after you?”
“They tried,” he says, then he laughs. His Adam’s apple bobs up and down. “They couldn’t keep up with me.”
“Bad boy, huh?”
“Just didn’t see the point.”
“Why?”
“What was I going to do?”
“Get good grades? Go to college? Get a job? Isn’t that what we all do?”
“Well, not all. Besides, I was behind already… and at the home, it’s not like we had anybody to ask for help. If you were caught doing homework…”
“What?” I ask, genuinely curious.
“Well, you made yourself a target for bullying. Having a book open was an invitation.”
“You don’t seem like somebody who cares what other people think of you.”
“Everybody cares what somebody thinks of them,” he tells me.
Somehow, I suspect he’s hinting that he cares what I think of him.
“Well, don’t worry,” I say. “I won’t judge you. Did Dad show you the garden?”
“No.”
“Want to see?”
“You going to show it to me?”
“Yes,” I say a little slowly. “As long as you want to.”
“I want you to.”
I’m puzzled by his weird phrasing of it, but nevertheless take him outside, and together we walk through the garden, all the way down to the orchard.
Our shoulders rub now and then, and I feel sparks of energy, nervous energy. I’ve got my hands in my jacket pockets, and he’s got his by his side.
“So you’re going to be some big-time fighter, huh?” I ask.
“One day.”
“You want to fight?”
Duncan shrugs. “It’s all I’m good at.”
Somehow, I doubt that.
“What do you want to do?” he suddenly asks me.
“I want to be a teacher.”
“Really?” he asks, his interest obviously piqued. It seems curious to me. Why would he give a shit?
“Yeah.”
“Like, high school?”
“No, younger. Kindergarten or maybe elementary. I want to work with children.”
“Why?”
I shrug. “I just like the idea. It’s important.”
“I agree,” he says.
“You do?”
“Sure. Teachers shape the children they teach. It’s a big responsibility.”
“That’s exactly what I said!” I blurt out. “Dad thinks it’s not a good job, though.”
“Why?”
“Well, you don’t earn much.”
“Depends on what it is you think you’re earning.”
I grin at him. “Exactly. Dad doesn’t understand that at all. But I guess it’s hard for him, you know?”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“All he’s got to measure himself by is his empire. And that’s all about money.”
“He’s got you.”
I snort, wave off Duncan’s words with my hand. “Please. You don’t even know me.”
“You’re very attractive.”
“It’s not like Dad played any part in that,” I say, blushing, looking unfailingly at the ground before us. “And I don’t.”
“Brave as well.”
“How do you even figure that?” I challenge. “You just, what, have a talent for sensing people?”
He smirks. “Maybe. Just an instinct.”
“How do you know your instincts are right?”
“Had to rely on them up until now.”
“Well, you guessed wrong with Dad, you know, following him.”
“But following him led me to you.”
Now I really stop. “What are you doing?”
“What do you think I’m doing?”
“Something you shouldn’t be,” I say, but his grin is infectious, and I can’t help but return it. “And whatever it is you’re doing, you’re not very good at it.”
I suck in air as he steps a little closer to me. Despite the brave face I put on, on the inside I’m all wobbly and nervous.
Why would he do this? Drop hints that he likes me like it doesn’t matter at all that he’s technically my brother, that we’re both living under the roof of an insane and violent man.
“You seem like the kind of person who gets into trouble a lot.”
He shrugs. “I do what I want.”
“Well, you can’t anymore, and that’s a childish attitude anyway.”
“Why can’t I?”
“Well, for one, Dad will—”