HEARTS & CROSSROADS Chapter 18 CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

I hugged Eloise tightly, trying to comfort her.

"He spiked my drink to take advantage of me," she whispered, her voice trembling. "The worst part is, everyone saw how we acted that day. No one will believe me."

"I believe you, Eloise," I said firmly, holding her close.

"Thank you," she whispered, tears still streaming down her face.

Eloise cried, and I gave her a shoulder to lean on, holding her until her sobs quieted.

"Let's go to class before they catch us in here for skipping," she whispered, her voice still shaky.

We left the gym and headed back to class. As soon as we stepped inside, Mrs. Claudine Joyce's stern eyes locked onto us, clearly unimpressed by our late arrival.

"Why are you late?" she asked sharply.

"I was talking to the head boy," Eloise quickly said, her voice steady despite everything. "He requested I meet with him to discuss why the janitor has been complaining about finding... um, poop in our class when she comes to clean in the morning."

"Someone's been pooping in class?" Mrs. Joyce asked, clearly shocked.

I blinked in surprise, just like Mrs. Claudine Joyce, caught off guard by what Eloise had just said. I had no idea someone was pooping in class in the evenings.

Eloise nodded. "Yes, it's been happening since last week."

Mrs. Joyce's brows furrowed. "Well, we have cameras in the corridor. Can't you check who's going in when no one's supposed to be there?"

"Unfortunately, the cameras don't show anyone," Eloise replied smoothly.

Jensen suddenly spoke up from his seat. "What if it was Kemi?" he suggested. "She's the one person in this class who is heartless and cold."

Kemi spun around, glaring at Jensen. "How dare you accuse me of something like that!" she snapped.

Jensen shrugged. "People who do witchcraft do weird things," he said casually.

Kemi's face turned red with fury. "Your dad's a Freemason, who are you to call me out?" she retorted. "Freemasonry is like witchcraft."

A tense silence fell over the class. Kemi had a point, but Jensen wasn't backing down.

"It's you," Jensen insisted.

Kemi stood up, her fists clenched. "It's not me!" she cried. "Not everything bad that happens is my fault."

"Jensen, stop accusing Kemi," Mrs. Claudine Joyce intervened. "You can't make accusations without proof."

"But, madam, there's evidence. Someone saw her…" Jensen began, but stopped when he noticed my pleading look, silently begging him not to drag me into this mess.

"Okay, madam," he muttered, slumping back into his seat.

I was glad that, even though we weren't talking, he at least understood not to drag me into issues that I was not a part of.

"Eloise," Mrs. Joyce said, turning her attention back to us, "you can meet with the head boy during free periods and breaks, not during classes. And why take Adessa with you?"

"I was returning a book to the library," I lied.

"Fine, take your seats," Mrs. Joyce said with a dismissive wave.

That was close, I thought, relieved we hadn't been caught. I sat beside Eloise, but as soon as the break bell rang, I told her to go ahead to the cafeteria while I stayed behind to talk to Tendai at his seat.

"Can we talk?" I asked.

"Okay," he replied. He glanced at his friend. "Fajir, see you in the cafeteria."

Once the class had emptied, Tendai broke the silence. "Addie, why were you really late? I know you lied to Mrs. Claudine Joyce."

I took a deep breath, steadying myself. "I was late because I was talking to Eloise." I paused, preparing for what I had to say next. "Something bad happened to her during the party at Dennis's house on Saturday. Tyler raped her. She believes he put a date rape drug in the tequila he gave her."

Tendai frowned, then unexpectedly smiled. "Addie, don't be so gullible. How could Tyler rape Eloise?" he said dismissively. "Did you see the way they were dancing at the party?"

I looked at him, shocked by his reaction. "Tendai, she says she woke up naked and couldn't remember anything. She must have been drugged."

He shook his head. "Tyler texted me after the party, saying Eloise was really into him," he claimed. "She's the one who asked him to go with her into one of the rooms."

My heart sank. Tyler had spun the story, making himself look innocent. "Eloise says she would never sleep with someone on the first day."

"And you believe her, why?" he asked, his tone almost mocking. "You've only been close to her for a few weeks. She's lying, clearly. I saw the way she was dancing provocatively with Tyler. You saw it too."

I felt a surge of frustration. "So, I should believe Tyler's version just because you've known him for ages? Tendai, people change. They grow up and become different. Your friends are clearly not the saints you think they are!"

He looked at me, his expression hardening. "Is this about Eloise or my friends?"

"I want you to be objective, Tendai. Could there be some truth to what Eloise is saying? She says she woke up naked and has no memory of sleeping with him. She must have been drugged."

"What if she doesn't remember because of the alcohol she drank?" he countered.

I stared at him, disbelief washing over me. "Did you do this to Quinn too? Doubt her when it came to your friends?"

Tendai's expression faltered, but he quickly masked it. "This isn't about Quinn."

"Quinn was a liar!" Tendai said, his voice filled with frustration. "She slept with Tyler and then accused him of raping her, even though they were both drunk that night."

I stared at him, my anger bubbling just beneath the surface. "So, this isn't the first accusation against Tyler, huh? Your friend is a creep. He forced me to dance with him the first time we hung out. He held me so tight, pushing his crotch against my butt."

Tendai's eyes narrowed. "Why didn't you tell me about it then?"

"I saw how highly you spoke about your friends," I replied, my voice trembling. "I decided to stay silent… until now."

Tendai shook his head in disbelief. "Tyler's a good guy, Addie. That night, there was dancehall music. Some songs just need you to dance like that. I don't see anything wrong."

I felt a pang of disappointment. "I thought telling you this would help, but I see now it's a waste of time. Your friends are untouchable."

Tendai and I walked in silence to the cafeteria. The news about Eloise and Tyler had shifted something between us, creating an invisible wall. After picking up my breakfast, I sat down with Eloise, my thoughts still circling around what she had told Mrs. Claudine Joyce.

"Eloise, is what you said in class true? Or was it just to avoid detention?" I asked gently.

She looked up at me, her eyes still puffy and red from crying. "It's true, Addie. The head boy told me and Cameron about it on Friday," she said softly.

"If we have cameras, how is no one able to see who's doing it?" I asked, confused.

"I don't know, but the head boy said Esperanza won't clean the classroom again if it happens," she replied.

"Cameron said he's going to stay late this week to catch whoever's doing it. I wanted to do it too, but… I'm not in the right state of mind," her voice cracked as she spoke.

"Cameron can handle it," I said, trying to comfort her. How could I tell her now that Tendai didn't believe her? I couldn't. Not yet.

The tension between Tendai and me only grew. We avoided discussing Eloise and Tyler altogether. It was obvious he didn't want to admit that his friend might be a rapist.

Despite the tension, we moved forward with our projects. Tendai and I decided to prototype his idea first, then mine. We experimented in the Cooking lab with sweet potato flour as a substitute for wheat. The cakes turned out surprisingly good.

"These are nice, Tendai," I said, trying to sound upbeat. "Next week, we'll try out a different flour."

He smiled, but the warmth between us had faded.

Eloise was struggling. Being raped had taken a toll on her. She spent a lot of time crying and was very sad.

On Thursday, Grayson returned, but he wasn't the same smug guy as before. Something in him had changed during the time he spent at home.

Kemi, Raven, and Liz didn't bully anyone anymore. Nobody wanted to be seen with them. Andrew, however, stuck by Liz no matter what. He really loved her. Her clothes and bags were more expensive now, thanks to his wealth.

"Attention, class," Cameron said Friday morning, standing at the front with a serious expression. "I've found the culprit—the one who's been pooping in class."

Everyone fell silent, curiosity rippling through the room. I thought it might be Kemi, but she didn't look the least bit worried. My mind raced as Cameron continued.

"I'm giving you a chance," Cameron warned. "Ask for forgiveness before I report you to the disciplinary master."

A tense silence filled the air. No one moved.

After a few moments, Cameron's voice cut through again, "Raven, follow me to Mr. Ngozi's office."

Gasps echoed around the room. Raven? I thought. Just as I suspected, Kemi had something to do with it, even though she had acted like she didn't.

Ophelia said aloud, "What's wrong with her? Why can't she just use the bathroom like a normal person?"

Raven stood up, not looking the least bit remorseful. "Yes, it was me," she said, acting smug as she walked out behind Cameron.

"Raven's really something," I said, shaking my head in disbelief.

"I didn't know it was her," Eloise admitted. "Cameron told me on Wednesday he figured out who it was, but he didn't share any names."

"How did he catch her?" I asked, still trying to make sense of it.

"He said his theory was that the culprit was doing it after classes," Eloise explained, "but after sleeping at school to catch them, he realized it was being done very early in the morning."

"Raven was always the first person in class each day," Eloise revealed, her frustration evident. "Cameron saw her go into the security room and delete the footage. She took advantage of a loophole—there's a gap between when the night security leaves at 6 am and the day guard starts at 7 am."

"Why would she do something so disgusting?" I asked, my voice filled with confusion.

"It's Raven," Eloise shrugged. "She's probably acting out because of all the teasing she's been getting lately. Maybe it's her twisted way of getting back at everyone."

Just then, the speakers crackled to life. It was Mr. Ngonzi's voice. "If any of you even think about doing your toilet business in class, I will punish you," he announced. "Someone was caught, and they'll be cleaning the bathrooms for a month. If it happens again, they'll be expelled."

A murmur spread through the classroom, the weight of the situation finally sinking in.

Rumors about what Raven had done spread like wildfire during break and the rest of the day. Everyone learned about what she had been doing in class.

"She's shameless," many students said.

"Addie, I don't think I could study with Kemi, Liz, and Raven," Soren told me at home. "Those three carry sixty percent of all the issues at Riverview on their shoulders."

"How could Raven do something so disgusting, just to spite people?" he said, shaking his head. "She was hurting Esperanza, the janitor, not the students."

"Soren, she was so smug about being caught," I said. "I wish you would have seen her."

Just then, there was a knock at the door. Soren and I exchanged puzzled glances; we weren't expecting any visitors.

"I wonder who it is?" I thought, walking to the door. I opened it to find a man in a suit standing on the doorstep. His expression was serious, and his posture was formal.

"I am Detective Ramsay Hunt," he said, flashing his badge. "I'm here to talk to your mom."

Mom appeared from the kitchen, her curiosity piqued. "Hello, I'm Afua Kamara," she said, shaking his hand. "What's this about?"

"Ms. Kamara," Ramsay said, his tone serious, "I'm here to talk to you about the acid attack you suffered many years ago. New evidence has come to light."

Mom's face shifted from curiosity to a mix of hope and fear. "After all these years, you've finally found the culprit?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"We have a suspect," Ramsay confirmed. "Could we talk in private?"

Mom glanced at us, and we took the hint, retreating to Soren's room. Once we were out of earshot, I turned to Soren. "Did you submit the evidence?" I asked.

"Yes," Soren admitted, showing me photos on his phone. "My private investigator found these. They're pictures of Kemi's mom without gloves. The scars on her hands… they're keloids, just like we suspected."

I examined the photos, the reality of the situation sinking in. "Why didn't she just get plastic surgery to remove them?"

"If she did, it would reveal her secret to the world, and she's too scared of that," Soren replied.

"When did you send the evidence to the police?"

"On Wednesday," Soren said quietly.

Suddenly, we heard Mom yelling. We rushed out of the room to find her sitting on the floor in the living room, tears streaming down her face.

"It can't be… My husband can't be this bad," she sobbed. "You don't know him. He's such a nice person."

Detective Hunt knelt beside her, his voice gentle but firm. "I'm sorry, Afua. Desmond has been seeing this woman for a long time, the entire duration of your marriage. We suspect that the daughter she has might be his child."

Mom's face crumpled with disbelief and pain as Ramsay continued, "We've reopened the case. Sabrina Barre is going to be brought in for questioning, and so will Desmond. He's a suspect in the acid attack, and we believe he knew the identity of the perpetrator but kept it quiet."

He paused before adding, "He could be tried as an accomplice."

With that, Ramsay stood up and excused himself, leaving us in a heavy silence.

Mom wiped her tears and looked at us, her voice breaking. "Kids, sit down. The detective has told me something about your dad… I don't want you to hate him. Please, find it in your hearts to forgive him. He's still your father."

Soren shook his head slowly. "Mom… we already know."

Her eyes widened in shock. "How did you know?"

"It's because I'm the one who did the original investigation and sent it to the police," Soren confessed.

"But why, Soren?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Addie asked me to investigate your acid attack," he explained. "I discovered the truth when I hired a private investigator."

Mom's face crumpled again, but Soren spoke softly, "Mom, don't feel bad for us. We've had time to adjust to the news."

Mom needed time alone to process everything. She retreated to her bedroom and locked the door.

Around 6:30 PM, I heard Dad's voice. I rushed out of my room to find him in a heated argument with Soren.

"Dad, you have the nerve to show your face here after everything you've put Mom through!" Soren shouted, his anger barely contained.

Mom emerged from her room, her face streaked with tears. "Honey," Dad pleaded, "Sabrina threatened to kill you if I left her. That's why I stayed with her! The police are accusing me of being an accomplice, but I'm not. I would never allow anyone to hurt you."

Dad began crying, and so did Mom.

"Dad, you need to leave," Soren said firmly. "Let's see where the investigation ends."

"I don't want to leave your mom alone during this time," Dad protested.

But Mom shook her head, her voice barely audible. "Desmond, leave. I need time to deal with this news. I'm devastated."

Dad tried to argue, but eventually, he left, the door closing behind him with a heavy thud.

That night was one of the saddest in our family's history. Our lives had been a lie. Everything we thought we knew was shattered. Soren and I realized that with the Detective's visit, a court case was inevitable. They must have gathered enough evidence for a trial. And one thing was clear—Dad was going to jail.

As I lay in bed, my mind raced. How would Soren continue going to school? I was finishing high school in a few weeks, but how would I focus on my studies with everything falling apart around us?

I fell asleep listening to Coldplay songs, their soothing melodies easing me into rest. The sound of incoming messages jolted me awake. My phone was nestled against my ear. Groggily, I reached for it and opened the messages, my heart racing with anticipation.

Reina Thingz had finally responded. I had begged King for her number on Friday, and he had shared it on the condition that I wouldn't stalk her. I had been anxiously waiting for her reply since I'd texted her at lunchtime yesterday.

Addie: "Hey Reina, I'm Adessa Kamara, a classmate of King at Riverview academy."

Addie: "I need to talk to you about Tendai and his friends. I know he's your ex."

Reina: Hi, Addie

Reina: "Sorry for being MIA. This is my second phone, I only use it when I'm free. You're dating Tendai?! Dating him was a total disaster for me. Let's meet today at 2 PM at Fish n Chips restaurant to talk."

Addie: "See ya there!"

I was relieved that she responded. I needed answers, and it seemed like I was finally going to get them.

I got out of bed and took a quick shower. As I was dressing, Soren barged into my bedroom. "Sorry," he muttered, then quickly walked out. I finished getting dressed, and a few moments later, he walked back in, holding his phone. "Check this out," he said, showing me a live-stream of the morning news.

A reporter was talking. "A suspect has been arrested and is in police custody on suspicion of pouring acid on a woman almost twenty years ago," the reporter said.

They showed a clip of Kemi's mom, Sabrina, being led out of her house in handcuffs. Kemi was begging them to leave her mom alone, insisting she was innocent.

"We're closely following this story," the reporter said as the news played in the background.

"It's on all the news channels," Soren added, glancing over at me with concern.

Just then, my phone buzzed—it was Tendai calling. "Bae, have you seen the news? Kemi's mom was arrested for pouring acid on someone many years ago!"

My heart sank. I took a deep breath before answering, "Tendai, the victim was my mom."

There was a moment of stunned silence on the other end. "This is unbelievable," he said, his voice filled with shock. "Why would her mom do that to yours?"

"Because my dad dated them both at the same time years ago and decided to marry my mom," I explained quietly, the weight of the truth hanging heavy between us.

"That's such a cruel thing to do to someone," Tendai replied. "I noticed the scar on your mom's face when I visited but didn't ask about it. I felt like I would be intruding if I did. How are you feeling?"

"I feel terrible," I admitted, my voice breaking. "My life has fallen apart."

"It breaks my heart that you're going through this," he said softly. "Can I come over later to see you?"

"I'm going somewhere after lunch," I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

"Where are you going?" he asked, curiosity creeping into his voice.

"I'm running errands for Mom now that she's feeling depressed," I lied, avoiding the truth. I couldn't tell him I was going to see his ex, Reina. Not yet.

Before I could think more about it, another call came in. It was Jensen. My heart lifted a little at the sight of his name on my screen.

"Hello," I answered, unable to hide the joy in my voice.

"Hey, Addie," he said, his tone gentle but serious. "I just saw a post online saying that Kemi's mom spilled acid on your mom. Is this true?"

Hearing the concern in his voice made me feel both touched and overwhelmed at once. "Yeah... it's true," I admitted, my voice quieter now, the reality sinking in even deeper.

"I'm so sorry, Addie," he said softly. "I can't imagine how hard this must be for you."

I sighed, feeling grateful for his kindness but still unsure how to process everything.

"I like your mom; she's a nice woman. I feel sad someone did that to her. I had seen her scars, but I thought it was from injuries she sustained as a child. This news about an acid attack is sinister "

I felt both relieved and happy that Jensen was talking to me again. Eloise called to tell me about what she had seen online.

"Addie, you see someone as perfect, but you don't know the skeletons in their closet," she said. "I used to find Kemi's mom so beautiful and perfect. I never thought she could be capable of doing something like that. I feel sorry for the victim."

"Eloise was stunned by my revelation. "What! Your mom is the victim? No way! Why would anyone want to hurt her?"

I sighed. "It was because of my dad, Sabrina, and my mom. My dad dated them both, and when he chose my mom, things got really bad."

"That was so wrong of him," Eloise said, her voice full of sympathy. "If he had just been honest from the start, none of these women would have been hurt."

After we hung up, Soren called to me from across the room. "Addie, look outside." He opened the curtain slightly, revealing vans and reporters gathered outside.

"What do they want?" I asked, already dreading the answer.

"They want to interview Mom," Soren said grimly. "But if they do, it'll only make her feel worse."

I knew we couldn't let them. "I need them to leave," I muttered, heading for the door. As soon as I stepped outside, the reporters rushed toward me, microphones raised.

"Hi, I'm Rodney from BCC. Are you Afua Kamara's daughter?" one asked.

"Can we speak with your dad?" another reporter cut in.

"I'm Jennifer from The History Crime Podcast. Can you get your mom to come out?" she added, her voice eager.

"Can you please leave our property?" I said firmly. "You're stressing my mom out."

They retreated to the other side of the street, but their eyes stayed on the house, waiting for a response from Mom.

Mom remained inside her bedroom all morning despite our repeated knocks. Soren prepared breakfast and called to her, hoping she'd come out to eat, but she refused to respond or come out. He even cooked her favorite Ghanaian dish—boiled yam with Kontomire stew—for lunch, but she still didn't come out.

I prepared myself at 1 p.m. to go meet Reina and told Soren I was going to see Tendai. "Keep me updated," I said as I left.

I used the back door to avoid running into the reporters who were outside. I took the tube to Fish n Chips. I arrived before our agreed time of 2 p.m. By 2 p.m., however, Reina hadn't arrived yet. Was she really going to come? She was the one who set the time and place to meet. She texted me at 2:30 p.m.

Reina: I am here. Are you the one wearing a light blue top?

Addie: Yes!

I hadn't noticed her earlier; she was incognito. She had been standing by the counter. She was wearing jeans, a brown T-shirt, and had a cap on—very different from her usual look. It was hard to recognize her without all the makeup and wigs.

She smiled and walked up to my booth. She sat down, and we ordered some Fish and Chips.

Reina took a deep breath and looked out over the bustling street as we sat at the small table in the corner of the fish and chips shop. "I love coming here sometimes; it makes me feel like my old self again," she said wistfully.

I noticed her glancing at me with a hint of curiosity. "You look so different without your signature wigs," I remarked.

"I choose to wear wigs so that when I remove them, nobody can recognize me," she explained. "It even worked on you. Tell me, Addie, have we met before? You look familiar."

"I was at King's party where you performed. He even invited me and a friend of mine to meet you," I said.

"Oh, I remember you. You're the girl who came with that boy to take photos," she said, her eyes lighting up with recognition. "Tell me, Addie, how long have you been dating Tendai?"

"Nearly two months," I replied.

Reina's face softened with a mixture of nostalgia and sadness. "I dated him for two years at O' level. I thought he loved me, but I guess he didn't, because in the end, he didn't choose me. Do you do drugs, Addie?"

"I don't," I answered.

Reina looked away for a moment, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Tendai introduced me to cocaine. I'm still addicted to it to this day."

I had seen Reina do cocaine the day I met her, and it wasn't exactly a secret. It was always rumored online that she was an addict. "Reina, tell me, why did you write a song about Tendai? What did he do to you?"

She sighed deeply. "He abandoned me when I needed him the most. Tendai has very jealous friends, but he chooses to turn a blind eye."

"I believe you. I know his friends Grant, Roe, and Tyler," I said.

"Grant used to flirt with me. I didn't reject his advances, and that made Roe mad," she said. "Grant has a way with his words. I liked it when he talked to me. With Tyler, though, it was different. I rejected him."

Reina's expression darkened. "Things got messy when Tendai's parents learned about his addiction and sent him to rehab. He was gone for over one month, and during that time, I continued hanging with the gang. I was lonely without him."

"One night, Grant and I talked and ended up having sex," she continued. "I won't say I was so drunk that I didn't know what was happening. I did. I don't know how Roe found out, but she was furious. When Tendai came out of rehab, we resumed our relationship. I knew Roe was mad at me, but she didn't mention it to Tendai."

"Tendai received a call that his mom was ill one night while we were out, so he left us behind," she added. "Roe and Grant left too. I also wanted to leave and go home, but Tyler offered me a drink. After taking the drink, everything became blurry, and the next thing I know, I woke up in a hotel room, naked. Tyler had raped me."

"I never used to like Tyler because I saw how he behaved around drunk girls. It was creepy," she concluded. "I came clean to Tendai. I told him that his friend had raped me. Tyler had already called him and said that I had seduced him. Grant and Roe backed up his claims. He believed what his friends had said about me. I was heartbroken. I decided to punish him for not taking my side, so I said yes to his father's advances."

I was stunned. "Has Ray ever hit on you?" Reina asked.

I nodded. "Yes."

Reina gave a rueful smile. "I was a good singer and had written so many songs. Ray had told me before that he could offer me what his son couldn't if I got with him. Tendai caught me and his dad in bed. He was devastated. Ray gave me the money I needed to start my career."

"I'm sorry, Reina, about what happened," I said, genuinely sympathetic.

Reina's eyes softened. "It's okay. I'm now a successful singer thanks to his actions."

"Will you ever forgive Tendai?" I asked.

Reina paused, her expression thoughtful. "Forgiveness is a complicated thing. Right now, I'm focused on my career and moving forward. Maybe someday I'll find it in me to forgive him, but that's not something I can decide right now."

"Roe told me she would punish me like she did to you if I continued flirting with Grant. I wasn't, but he was coming on to me, and she found us. What does she mean by that?"

"I am not certain. I know she was angry that I was with Grant, but I don't remember her doing anything to me," Reina said. "Grant cheats, but Roe forgives him. It's their dynamic. It's the girl Grant cheats with who suffers if she is known to Roe."

"Roe told me that you were jealous of their friendship with Tendai, and that's why you accused Tyler of raping you," I said, recalling Roe's version of events.

Reina rolled her eyes. "That's the story she goes with now? Roe's just twisting things to fit her narrative. She was jealous because all three boys were attracted to me. It really hurt her when I slept with Grant; it drove her crazy.

Reina laughed a little. "She claims I wanted to break them up! I put up with a lot because of those friends of his, Addie. Tendai introduced me to drugs so I could fit into his group. I learned to hang out in bars to keep up with their lifestyle. Tendai and I couldn't hang out as a couple without them crashing in. They suffocated me, but I hung in there."

"They're horrible; they cling to him like he's not allowed to date or have a life," I said, shaking my head.

"I wanted to talk to you about Tyler and Roe," I continued, recalling the reason I sought her out. "Tyler raped my friend Eloise."

Reina sighed deeply, her eyes dark with emotion. "Tendai is blind to the damage his friends cause, Addie. He's so desperate to keep their approval, he doesn't see how toxic they are. If he had just listened, if he had believed me instead of siding with them… maybe things would be different for both of us."

She paused for a moment, then added softly, "I hate that someone else had to go through what I did. It breaks my heart that Eloise is now part of their twisted world."

"Addie, I need to get back to the studio. I only took a twenty-minute break," Reina said.

"Reina, if Eloise decides to speak up, will you back her up?"

"Yes, I will. But I have one piece of advice for you—leave Tendai before it's too late. He will always choose his friends over you."

I hesitated, then asked, "What did you and Tendai talk about at the party?" The jealousy I'd been suppressing crept into my voice.

Reina sighed. "Tendai feels guilty whenever he hears the breakup songs I wrote about him. At King's party, he admitted those songs hurt him. But I reminded him that he hurt me first, and writing music was how I dealt with the pain—and made millions of pounds while doing it." She smiled, but there was a tinge of bitterness behind it.

"We ended up doing coke and reminiscing. It felt like old times... but no, we didn't sleep together if that's what you're worried about. Tendai's not the type to cheat. He left right after the after-party."

Relief washed over me. Tendai hadn't cheated.

"Thanks for taking the time to talk, Reina," I said, feeling happy.

Reina stood, giving me a gentle smile. "You're welcome, Addie. Just remember what I said—you deserve better." Then she turned and walked away, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

I texted Tendai, I'm free now. I am coming over to see you.

With everything going on at home, it wasn't the right time to have visitors over.

I listened to Reina's song "Exit" while I used the tube to get to Tendai's home.

Verse 1

It's a beautiful thing to fall in love with you

Whenever you're here it feels like paradise to me

Our hearts entwined as one

I thought you were the one for me

I gave you all but you just broke me

Bridge

Thought it was the end for me

But I arose from the ashes like a phoenix

I am a new me, a better me

Better than I was before you broke me

Chorus

Baby, now it's the time for your exit

I did for you, I loved you so, I chose you

You don't deserve me

I needed you but you just walked away

So, now it's time for your exit

Verse 2

I was the perfect girl, your rock

You were the sun in the darkness

But you just threw it all away

When you hurt me, It left a hole

When you walked away, it broke my heart

When you chose the world, it tore me up