All week, Kemi became the center of attention at school—her name whispered in every corner as rumors swirled about her. What I had said in the corridor about her bewitching me had traveled fast, and soon, others started sharing their own stories.
Everyone had heard about how I smelled like a dead animal and the terrifying experiences I had faced—hearing strange sounds, blurry vision, and feeling invisible hands touch me, all because of her. My story gave others the courage to speak up. Some students admitted to experiencing strange things after standing up to Kemi. They talked about bad dreams, eerie sensations, and even night attacks, just like I had.
So, it wasn't just me, I thought. She's been using her witchcraft to manipulate everyone. Seeing people finally realize who Kemi really was brought an unexpected sense of satisfaction.
Haylee Price, a Year Nine girl, told everyone about the time she fell in the gym. Kemi had warned her something bad would happen after Haylee reported her to Ms. Gopal for bullying. Echo Harris, a Year Eleven student I knew from the horticulture club, claimed Kemi had haunted her dreams after she started dating Kemi's ex-boyfriend, Rupert Stroma, who had graduated last year.
Kemi's fear tactics were unraveling, and for the first time, people were no longer afraid to speak out.
The news about Raven's infatuation with Mr. Callum Thomas reached the Headmaster's office, and before long, it was addressed over the school's loudspeakers. "Relationships between teachers and students are strictly forbidden," he stated, his voice stern. "Anyone having such thoughts should focus on their studies until such a time comes when they can date freely—after school."
Raven was clearly mortified by the announcement, especially since her poem, which had vividly described someone with green eyes and dimples, had gone viral. Many students started quoting lines from it right to her face, laughing at her expense.
Liz wasn't spared from ridicule either. Some students mocked her for her cheap clothes, shoes, and bags. "I can donate some real designer bags to you," one girl said cruelly, and I saw Liz's face crumble as she ran away in tears.
It was a rough week for Kemi, Liz, and Raven—but for the rest of us at Riverview Academy it was the best time.
The upcoming football match became the only other topic anyone talked about. Tendai was buzzing with excitement when he told me the match would be against Rocky High School—his old high school.
"The Coach finally revealed it to us!" he beamed. "I can't wait. My old friends will be there."
I forced a smile. "Why can't his friends disappear forever?" I thought, but I didn't want to disappoint him. The school's soccer team needed their goalkeeper to be in high spirits, and I wanted to be supportive.
"Grant is the goalkeeper for Rocky High, so I'm competing against a friend," Tendai added.
"Were there two goalkeepers when you were at Rocky?" I asked, curious.
"No, Grant joined after I was expelled," Tendai explained. "Turns out he's a pretty good goalkeeper too."
The buzz around the match grew louder with each passing day. At least it'll be a distraction, I told myself. I bought a jersey with Tendai's name on the back to support him. I'll play my part.
"I heard the boys at Rocky High are cute," Eloise said, her eyes gleaming. "But I'm not invited to Dennis's party—it's only for the 'cool kids.'"
"You can come with me, Eloise. I'm the girlfriend of the goalkeeper—no one will bat an eye," I offered.
She screamed in delight. "Thank you!"
Meanwhile, Mae had turned unpleasant, snapping at people who had assumed they'd be invited to the party. "It's like she's a completely different person now," I thought.
On Friday, I met Tendai in the school corridor after Mom had dropped Soren and me. He was excited.
"Can you hang out with Roe and Tyler during the game on Saturday?" Tendai asked, his voice hopeful yet cautious.
The last time I spoke to Roe she had been cruel to me. Tyler only acted nice to keep up appearances.
"No," I said firmly. "I can't stand your friends."
"Please, Addie," Tendai pleaded, his eyes wide with genuine concern. "I know you're not excited about it, but I'm asking you for this favor."
"Roe's mean to me," I retorted, frustration lacing my voice.
"I'll talk to her," Tendai promised. "I'll make sure she's on her best behavior. Please, just give them a chance."
I sighed, feeling the weight of his plea. "Fine, I'll sit with them in the stands."
Tendai's expression softened into a grateful smile. "Thank you, Addie. It means a lot to me."
But he wasn't finished. "Can you give them a tour around the school, too?" he asked, almost begging.
I gave him a look that mixed exasperation with disbelief—how could he ask me to do this?
"Okay, fine," he said with a resigned sigh. "I'll do it myself before the match begins."
Saturday evening, Mom dropped me off at school. The parking lot was packed with students in jerseys, some chanting, others drinking beer openly. Mom frowned.
"Addie, I hope you're not getting involved in that nonsense," she said sternly before driving away.
I found Eloise, her face painted in the school colors. "Let's hurry—I want the best seats," she urged.
"Let's go find Tendai's friends; they're at the entrance of the football field," I explained, trying to sound casual. "They're meeting me here."
We made our way to the entrance, where Roe and Tyler were waiting. The tension between us was palpable, especially between Roe and me.
"You're good?" Roe asked, her tone icy and insincere.
"I'm fine," I replied, though I was far from it, given their presence.
Eloise was practically glowing, her smile widening as she looked at Tyler. It was unsettling; he was a creep, and couldn't be trusted.
"Eloise, this is Roe and Tyler—Tendai's friends," I said, trying to keep things civil.
"Nice meeting you," Eloise said, her voice tinged with shyness as she blushed and glanced at Tyler.
"Let's head to the bleachers," I suggested, taking Eloise's hand. Roe and Tyler followed us closely.
As we reached the bleachers, Eloise leaned in, her excitement barely contained. "Addie, I like Tyler—can I sit next to him?" she whispered, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.
"No, you don't know him," I replied firmly. I sat between Roe and Eloise while Tyler took the seat next to Roe.
The football line up came out. I noticed Grayson was on the Riverview Academy lineup. "Why is he back?" I muttered. "His suspension isn't over yet."
"The coach begged Mr. Ngonzi to let him play," Eloise whispered. "He's the best striker on the team."
The school anthems for both schools were sung and then at 5 p.m. sharp, the whistle blew, and the match kicked off. Grant proved to be an excellent goalkeeper—though not quite as good as Tendai. Grayson was skilled but hot-headed, just like the coach had warned.
Rocky High scored first. Roe and Tyler erupted in cheers, while Tendai, visibly disappointed, refocused and made a string of remarkable saves to keep the score close.
As halftime approached, Grayson finally broke through and scored a goal. Eloise and I screamed, caught up in the excitement, even though I still had mixed feelings about him. He may be awful, but a goal's a goal.
"Eloise, I need to tell you something," I said, trying to catch her attention, hoping to pull her away from him.
She barely glanced at me. "We can talk later, Addie," she said dismissively, clearly absorbed in whatever Tyler was saying.
What's the matter with her? I thought, frustration building. I was only trying to save her from a bad situation. "It's just that I need to—"
"Addie," Roe interrupted, leaning in from the other side. "Eloise and Tyler are just talking. Let us enjoy the match."
I felt bad, a knot forming in my stomach, but there wasn't much I could do. I wasn't about to drag Eloise back to her seat against her will. So I sighed and decided to wait until the match ended, hoping nothing would go wrong.
The second half began, and we scored five minutes in, sending the crowd into a frenzy. Grayson, unsurprisingly, received a yellow card for a reckless foul, which led to Rocky High equalizing. Emotions were running high, but we managed to pull ahead again with another goal, and everyone hoped Rocky wouldn't equalize again.
With two minutes left in the game, Grayson scored the final goal. The cheers were deafening—we had won!
Tendai celebrated with his teammates before coming to the stands to hug and kiss me. "Go with Roe to Dennis's house; I'll find you there," he said, then rushed back to join his friends in the victory celebration.
I didn't know where Dennis lived. "Tendai says we should go to Dennis's house, but I don't know where it is."
"I know," Eloise chimed in. "It's on the way to my home."
We headed to the parking lot where Roe's pink Land Rover Discovery was parked. As we approached, I turned to Eloise. "Eloise, can we talk?" I asked quietly.
"Okay," she agreed, sounding a little unsure.
Roe and Tyler stood by the car, clearly annoyed. Their expressions were tight with irritation as Eloise and I walked a short distance away from them.
"Eloise, I don't trust Tyler," I said, lowering my voice. "Please, just be careful."
Eloise gave me a reassuring smile. "We won't do anything, Addie. Don't worry."
I wasn't entirely convinced but nodded. "Okay," I said, though the knot in my stomach remained. We walked back to the car, and I slid into the front seat with Roe while Eloise joined Tyler in the back. As we drove, their flirtatious banter resumed, making me feel uneasy. The only time Eloise paused was to give Roe directions, but otherwise, she was completely absorbed in Tyler's attention.
We arrived at dusk, and the house was already buzzing with activity. Cars lined the street, and a group of students lounged by the pool and jacuzzi. The atmosphere screamed "party," but I couldn't shake the unease gnawing at me—Eloise was still cozying up to Tyler, and Roe's energy felt off.
Tyler and Eloise slipped away to dance, their closeness starting to make me uncomfortable. I should tell Eloise to stay away from him—I tried to catch her eye, but she was lost in her bubble with him. Meanwhile, Roe wandered off to smoke weed. Even though we had spent the evening together, the tension between us was palpable.
I grabbed a drink, hoping it would take the edge off my discomfort. The laughter and music around me were a strange contrast to the storm of thoughts swirling in my head. I didn't want something bad to happen to Eloise.
About forty minutes later, Tendai and Grant arrived. I greeted them, trying to sound more upbeat than I felt. "Congratulations!"
"Thanks," Tendai smiled, his face glowing with the afterglow of victory. "Rocky High came close, but we pulled through."
Grant, his bitterness barely concealed, muttered, "Yeah, you guys played well. Better luck next time for us."
I could feel the tension radiating off Grant—he wasn't just upset about the game. Why do I feel like there's more to this?
"Where's Roe and Tyler?" Grant asked, looking around.
I pointed to the dance floor, where Eloise was dancing seductively with Tyler. "Roe's outside smoking."
Grant scowled but headed off to find Roe. Tendai, noticing Eloise's behavior, raised an eyebrow. "I didn't know Eloise had it in her."
"Yeah," I murmured, feeling uneasy.
Before I could dwell on it, Dennis approached, grinning ear to ear. "Less talking, more drinking," he said, handing Tendai a bottle of Hennessy.
Tendai took the bottle with a laugh. "Cheers to that!" He poured himself a drink, his mood infectious.
Dennis led him away to where his teammates were. "I'll be back!" he shouted, disappearing into the crowd.
I made my way to the poolside to relax. I sank into a lounge chair, letting the cool night breeze wash over me. I just need a moment away from everything.
But my peace was short-lived. Grayson's smug voice cut through my thoughts like nails on a chalkboard. "So, this is where you've decided to hide? Where's your perfect boyfriend—did he ditch you again?"
I clenched my jaw, refusing to engage. He's not worth it.
But Grayson wasn't going to let it go. "Teacher, Grayson's poking me," he mocked, mimicking the way I'd touched my back that day in class. "Next time, you'll think twice before making up lies about me."
"This is your last strike, Grayson," I warned, my voice steady despite the irritation bubbling inside me. "If I report you again for bullying, you'll be expelled. Stay away from me."
He sneered, still playing his usual tough-guy act. "I'm not afraid of you—or your boyfriend. I can handle him too."
Suddenly, inspiration hit. "Hey, boo!" I called out, glancing over his shoulder with a smirk.
Grayson nearly jumped out of his skin, turning around in a panic. When he realized there was no one there, I saw the flicker of fear in his eyes.
"You're scared just at the thought of him," I said with a grin. "Now listen, Grayson—insult me again, and you'll regret it. Go hang out with Mae, the only person who can stand you."
For a moment, his face hardened, but he said nothing. He turned and walked away, leaving me in blissful silence again. I exhaled, relief flooding my body. Finally—some peace.
Tendai found me a few moments later. "I've been looking for you. Come inside, let's dance."
"Okay," I said, standing up. His carefree smile made it easier to let go of the tension Grayson had stirred. For now, I'll focus on this moment.
Grant and Roe joined us on the dance floor, both visibly high and dancing without a care. Meanwhile, Eloise and Tyler were still locked in their world, whispering to each other before Tyler disappeared briefly, returning with tequila?
I felt tired after thirty minutes of dancing. I found a chair and sat down to rest while Tendai went to the bathroom. Just when I thought I could finally relax, Grant sauntered over and plopped down next to me. Roe had also gone to the bathroom, leaving me alone with him.
"Hey," he said, his tone casual but his presence making me uneasy.
"Hi," I replied, trying to stay polite but feeling uneasy.
"How have you been? I last saw you two weeks ago," Grant asked, his voice casual, but the question felt loaded. "Why did you leave without saying bye?"
"I had a headache that night, so I left early," I lied, hoping to end the conversation.
Did Roe not tell him the real reason I left? Or is he just acting?
Grant leaned in closer, making me uncomfortable as he reached for one of my braids. "I like your braids; they're neat and well done. You look beautiful with them."
"Thanks," I muttered, trying to pull my hair away without being too obvious.
"How's everything going with you and Tendai?" he asked, inching even closer.
"Good," I replied, feeling suffocated by his proximity.
Grant took it further, gently grabbing my hand. "Addie, I know things can get tough with Tendai, but just know I'm always here to talk if you need."
Is he... coming on to me? What's wrong with him? Tendai's his best friend!
Before I could respond, Roe walked in, and her eyes flared with anger at the sight of Grant holding my hand. She stormed off without saying a word. Grant, realizing he'd been caught, quickly followed her, leaving me feeling even more awkward and confused.
Where is Tendai? His trip to the bathroom is taking too long.
"There you are," I heard him say as he approached. "Where did Grant and Roe go?"
"They're having a fight," I said, still rattled from what had just happened.
Tendai shrugged. "That's normal for them—they fight all the time."
I glanced around, noticing that Eloise and Tyler were no longer dancing. "Tendai, I need to go find Eloise."
"Leave them; let's have fun," he insisted, trying to keep the celebratory mood alive. "Our team won, and I want to keep celebrating."
"I'll head home after I find Eloise," I said, my resolve firm.
"Stay with me," he begged, his tone soft.
"I have Church in the morning," I revealed.
"Addie, relax. You can skip Church this once and enjoy the party," Tendai coaxed, taking my hand and guiding me toward a group of his teammates, including Grayson. Mae sat beside Grayson, both of them giving me disapproving looks.
"Come sit here," Dennis instructed, gesturing to Tendai.
Tendai sat down, pulling me onto his lap. He handed me a beer, then grabbed one for himself. As the music thumped around us, Tendai pulled me close, swaying with the beat. I should be enjoying this, but why do I feel so uncomfortable?
I could feel eyes on me—Tendai's teammates, Grayson, and Mae's constant glares made my skin crawl.
"Are you having fun?" Tendai whispered.
"Yeah," I lied, forcing a smile.
"Good. Let's keep it that way," he said, taking a sip of his drink.
I glanced around again, still trying to spot Eloise and Tyler. Where did they go?
Dennis handed Tendai another drink. "You need to catch up, man. You're behind."
Tendai laughed. "I'm getting there," he replied, taking a sip.
As I sat on Tendai's lap, I shifted uncomfortably under the weight of the attention. Mae's glares, the boys staring—it all felt too much.
"Relax," Tendai whispered. "Ignore them."
"I can't. They're all looking at me," I muttered.
Tendai looked around and finally noticed. He raised his voice just loud enough to make the group uncomfortable but still playful, "Hey, if you guys keep staring this hard, you might burn holes in the floor."
Embarrassed, the boys quickly looked away, though Mae continued to glare. Tendai smiled at me, giving my shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "There we go, all eyes off you now."
Mae, however, wasn't done. "Ouch! Teacher Grayson pierced me!" she shrieked, imitating me, touching her back dramatically.
The room erupted in laughter. I felt my face flush with embarrassment as Tendai chuckled softly. Grayson wore a broad, satisfied grin, clearly enjoying my discomfort.
"Don't let them get to you," Tendai whispered in my ear, his voice soothing. His touch helped, but I still felt the sting of humiliation.
Dennis clapped Tendai on the back after the laughter died down. "Man, you and Grayson went crazy that day over Addie." He glanced between the two of them, stirring the tension. "I remember running to your class when the two of you fought. You guys went at it hard."
Grayson's smile faltered, and the room seemed to shift as the focus moved to him. He's not so smug now.
Dennis continued, "You two need to reconcile. The team needs unity."
Tendai nodded. "We're cool—as long as he keeps his rotten mouth from saying anything about my girl."
Dennis turned to Grayson. "You hear that, Gray? Keep your mouth shut about his girl, and all's well."
Grayson sipped his beer, clearly fuming but keeping quiet. Dennis, sensing the tension, added with a grin, "Remember—bros before hoes." He quickly glanced at me and said, "No offense, Addie. You must be special to have these two fighting over you."
I forced a smile, but inside, I was bristling. I didn't ask for any of this.
The other boys joined in Dennis's toast, raising their glasses to "bros before hoes." Mae's frustration was palpable; Dennis's praise only seemed to worsen her mood. Grayson, on the other hand, continued drinking, ignoring Mae's clear distress.
As Dennis and the boys shifted to imitating teachers, the mood lightened. One of them took on Mr. Ngonzi's persona, dramatically declaring, "I will not tolerate any disruptions! If I hear one more word, you'll be writing me a hundred-word essay on the consequences of misbehavior!" The room erupted in laughter, and I found myself smiling, the earlier tension melting away.
Dennis handed me a drink, his grin reassuring. "Here, Addie. Just a little something to help you relax. We make fun of everyone; don't get mad."
"You don't have to drink if you don't want to," Tendai whispered as Dennis moved on to cracking more jokes.
"It's okay. Just a little," I said, accepting the drink.
"Let's do a toast!" Dennis declared, raising his glass. "To the team!"
"To the team!" everyone echoed, glasses clinking together.
As the night continued, Tendai and I danced more. Despite the discomfort earlier, I began to enjoy myself. Grayson's disapproving glances and Mae's cold glares were still present, but I focused on the positive. Mae left early, mumbling about her curfew—something stricter than mine, I knew.
Grayson, now more relaxed, joined in with silly dance moves alongside the other boys. He seemed to be having a better time now that Mae was gone.
"Tendai, I need to find Eloise and make sure she's okay," I said, anxiety creeping in.
"Okay, you can go look for her. I'll be here," Tendai said, returning to a game of ping pong.
I left Tendai and ventured back into the crowd, searching for Eloise. Instead, I ran into Roe, her expression icy.
"Hey, Roe, have you seen Eloise?" I asked.
"Addie, stay away from Grant. I warned you before, and it looks like I was right," Roe said sharply.
"Is that what he told you?" I asked, feeling defensive.
"Nobody gets between us—only death," Roe declared, her eyes flashing.
"Roe, he came on to me, I swear."
"If you don't back off, I'll do to you what I did to Quinn," Roe threatened, her voice cold.
"What did you do to Quinn?" I pressed, trying to get answers. Roe fell silent, clearly realizing she'd made a mistake mentioning it.
"What are you girls talking about?" Tendai asked, approaching with Grant at his side. Grant looked guilty.
"Just about Eloise's whereabouts," Roe said quickly, trying to deflect.
"Where did you meet Grant?" I asked Tendai.
"I followed you after you left," Tendai explained. "I ran into Grant along the way."
"Addie, let's go home," Tendai said firmly.
"Not without Eloise," I insisted.
"I want to leave too," Roe said. "Grant, are you coming?"
"No, I still want to enjoy the party," Grant replied, seemingly unbothered.
"You're lying; you want to cheat on me with a girl from Riverview Academy," Roe accused.
"Here we go again," Grant sighed. "Can't a guy just have a good time without accusations?"
"Don't think I've forgiven you for what you did earlier!" Roe shot back, glaring at me.
Tendai looked from me to Roe, clearly confused. "What happened earlier that made you mad?" he asked.
"Roe and I had a bit of an altercation earlier because of something I did, but we sorted it out," Grant said evasively.
"Roe likes to sulk as usual during parties. She can never let me enjoy myself," Grant added dismissively.
Roe's frustration peaked. "Grant, let's go home," she said, giving him one last chance.
"Like I've told you for the umpteenth time tonight, if you want to stay, then do so. But if you want to leave, go," Grant said. "I want to continue partying, and I'm going to do so with or without you."
"Asshole," Roe spat, storming out of the house.
"She's made her decision," Grant said, watching her leave with a mix of indifference and resignation.
"Grant, you can be really cruel to her sometimes," Tendai remarked.
"Tendai, I need to live my life. High school will end soon. What memories will I have if I was in a relationship with Roe and never got to be with anyone else? No way," Grant replied.
"Tendai, I need to find Eloise," I interrupted. "Let's ask one of your friends. Maybe someone has seen her."
"Okay," Tendai agreed.
We walked back to where Dennis and the other boys were. Grant followed us, his presence adding to my growing unease.
"Hey, have any of you seen Eloise?" Tendai asked, his voice laced with concern.
"Yes," one of the boys said, glancing around. "I saw Eloise with some guy I didn't recognize enter one of the bedrooms."
The words hit me like a punch to the gut. I felt crushed—how could Eloise do this? She had promised that nothing would happen between them but she hadn't kept her promise.
"That lucky guy must be scoring as we speak," Dennis joked, his laughter echoing through the room. But his words felt like a knife twisting in my side.
"If they're having sex, then I don't need to interrupt them," I said, my voice heavy with defeat. "Let's go home, Tendai."
"Can I hang with you guys?" Grant asked Dennis, trying to latch onto a distraction.
"Feel free to," Dennis replied, waving him over.
Grant joined Dennis and the boys, but Tendai and I walked outside, the night's events weighing heavily on my shoulders. I felt a deep, gnawing sense of betrayal over Eloise's actions.
I struggled to clear my mind on the Uber ride. "Why don't they just break up if they hurt each other that much?" I asked Tendai, hoping to shift the conversation away from my turbulent emotions.
Tendai sighed, his expression thoughtful. "Roe loves Grant so much. Sometimes, I think Grant stays with her because he's afraid she might harm herself if he leaves her," he said. "Grant enjoys his freedom, but Roe can't accept that he doesn't want to be with just her."
I sat in silence for a moment, processing his words. My voice was a whisper of vulnerability. "Tendai, if you ever reach that point, please break up with me. I don't want to be two-timed."
Tendai reached over and took my hand in his, his gaze earnest and reassuring. "Don't worry, babe. I'm a one-woman type of guy," he said softly. "You don't have to worry about that with me."
His words brought a small measure of comfort, and as we continued our ride home, I felt a slight weight lift off my shoulders.
Mom let me in, I headed straight to my room feeling disappointed and tired. I lay in bed, my mind racing. How could Eloise sleep with Tyler? The thought gnawed at me, a constant reminder of my disappointment in her.
The next morning, Sunday, I was in the living room having breakfast when Soren walked in, his face unusually serious.
"Finally, you're awake," he said, his voice tinged with urgency. "I need to tell you something."
I looked up from my plate, startled. "What's going on?"
"Finish your breakfast and come to my room. We need to talk," he insisted, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Unease settled in my stomach, but I followed him after eating. Once we were in his room, he shut the door, his expression grave and intense.
"Sit down, Addie," he began, his voice low and serious. "I don't know how you'll take this, but my investigation has revealed something… a betrayal that will shed light on someone who's been tormenting both of us at school."
He reached under his bed and pulled out a board, carefully concealed from our mom's eyes when she cleaned his room. Pinned to the board was a photo of a woman who looked vaguely familiar.
"That's Kemi's mom, Sabrina Barre," Soren revealed, his eyes narrowing as he pointed to the picture.
"Where did you get this picture?" I asked, my voice trembling with anxiety.
A memory surfaced—my unsettling meeting with Sabrina Barre at school. She had threatened me because HM Smythe punished Kemi for putting a rat in our food. The encounter had left me feeling uneasy.
"I found it on social media," he admitted, his voice tight with tension.
"But why are you investigating her?" I asked, my concern mounting.
Soren hesitated before delivering the bombshell. "I discovered where Dad goes when he's not here!"
I frowned in confusion. "He goes to work, of course!"
"No, Addie, he doesn't," Soren said, shaking his head. "He's been lying to us for a long time. He has a second family, and this woman… she's his second wife."
The revelation hit me with a force that left me reeling. "No, Soren… she can't be our sister!" I stammered, my voice cracking with disbelief.
"I can't confirm it yet," Soren said, his voice heavy with frustration. "But it would explain why she's always hated us."
"But… how? No! It's not possible!" I cried, my voice shaking as I struggled to accept the truth.
"I'm afraid it is," Soren said, his voice a mix of bitterness and sadness. "I hired a private investigator to follow him ever since he returned from Africa."
I stared at him, stunned and incredulous. "Where did you get the money for that?"
"They're not as expensive as you'd think," he replied, pulling out more photos from his drawer. "The investigator gave me these yesterday."
He handed me a photo of Dad's car parked outside Kemi's home. "This is Dad's contract. He used to travel more at the start, but as a senior, his travel has decreased," Soren explained. "He's been in a senior position for over ten years."
I shook my head, still in denial. "Dad loved Mom so much; he would never cheat!"
"That's why I investigated," Soren said, his voice laden with bitterness and regret. "Remember, most acid attacks are crimes of passion? The attack on Mom was not a mistake."
A cold chill ran down my spine. "What's next, Soren? This information… it will destroy our family!"
"The next step is to find out if it was Kemi's mom who poured the acid on Mom. All the evidence points to her," Soren continued, his voice steady but filled with determination.
"All this time, the perpetrator was right in front of our faces... the mother of our bully," I whispered, devastated. As I left Soren's room, the gravity of his words echoed in my mind. This can't be true. It just can't.
I spent the rest of the day and night consumed by the revelation. Kemi… could she really be my sister? It would explain her hatred toward us—it wasn't about Tendai or anything else. Her hatred was always about Dad.
Dad was a pretender, a liar. I felt a burning anger rising within me. I wish I could confront him right now. But I knew I had to wait for the right moment.
Monday came, and all anyone at school could talk about was the party at Dennis's house on Saturday. I overheard a group of Year Eleven girls chatting in the hallway.
"I made out with this guy called Grant that night," Echo Harris was saying, a smug smile on her face. "He is something else. I liked him."
"Did you guys get laid?" one of the girls asked, leaning in eagerly.
Echo grinned. "Yes," she said, clearly pleased with herself. "He promised to take me out this weekend."
Roe was right, I thought. Grant was planning to cheat on her, and he was honest about it with Tendai.
Just then, Eloise found me eavesdropping on Echo's conversation.
"Addie, can I talk to you?" she asked, her voice trembling. Her eyes were red and swollen; I hadn't spoken with her since Saturday night, and she'd been offline yesterday.
"Of course, Eloise," I said, concerned. She led me to the gym, where no one could overhear us.
"On Saturday, I had sex with Tyler," she confessed, her voice breaking.
I didn't know how to react; she looked so sad, so broken.
"The problem is… I only remember him escorting me to the bedroom, and then after that, I fell asleep," she continued, tears welling up in her eyes. "I woke up naked… and he texted me saying we had a good time. But I don't remember any of it."
Her voice cracked as she choked out the words, "Tyler raped me, Addie."
"Eloise… I'm so sorry," I said, my heart breaking for her. "On Saturday, I didn't want you to sit with him because when we hung out once, he behaved in a creepy manner. When I came back from the bathroom, I found you'd moved from your seat and sat with him."
"I came looking for you at the party, but someone told me you'd gone into one of the guest rooms with Tyler, so I assumed it was consensual. I wish I'd gone to that room; maybe I could've stopped this from happening."
"I didn't want to have sex with him that night," Eloise cried, her voice filled with despair. "I wouldn't spend the night with someone I didn't know. The last thing I remember before he took me to the bedroom was drinking a bottle of tequila he insisted I drink to relax."
She shuddered at the memory. "Next thing I knew, I felt dizzy and tired. He escorted me to the room where I woke up… naked."