CHAPTER ONE

Snow fell gently outside, blanketing the January morning with a quiet, cold grace. I stared out the window, half-hoping that the snow might be heavy enough to cancel school, but it wasn't. As I lay on my bed, lost in thought about what I would be facing today, I felt a knot of anxiety tighten in my chest.

I usually tried my best to ignore the comments, but they stung with a sharp edge—colorist & racist remarks that seemed to follow me no matter where I went. Riverview academy would have been the perfect school, if not for that. I loved the teachers, especially Mr. Callum Thomas, our class teacher. He was kind and understanding, always taking the time to listen. I cherished the time I spent with my friends because it was the only peaceful period I had.

Riverview academy had its merits: engaging activities, a solid curriculum, and yes—the boys were good-looking. But despite these positives, the hurtful words and the stares made it hard to fully appreciate what was good about the school.

I had asked several times to be transferred to another school, but Mom and Dad insisted that Riverview was the best high school in London. It was too late now, as I would be graduating in July this year. To them, Riverview was the pinnacle of education, a stepping stone to the best universities.

Dad worked tirelessly as a Global Consultant, frequently traveling due to his job. Mom crocheted and sold her pieces online. They sacrificed a lot to send me here, and though I appreciated their efforts, it didn't make the daily torment any easier.

The half term holiday of one week was over. There was no good enough excuse that I could come up with which would let my parents let me stay home.

"Soren, wake up!" My little brother's voice pierced through my thoughts. I hadn't noticed him enter my room.

"Soren, how many times have I told you to knock before you come in?" I grumbled.

Soren, ever punctual, was a star pupil at school and always insisted on being on time. He looked just like me, but he didn't let the insults bother him. All he cared about was excelling in class and becoming a successful engineer—though he hadn't decided on which type yet.

"The half term break is over, we need to leave soon!" he exclaimed.

"Soren, you know I hate school!"

"You've told me that enough times, Addie. Can we move on from that?" he said.

"I'm not leaving your room until you get out of bed. We only have thirty-six minutes before school starts," he shouted.

"Get out then, I need to go shower!" I said, shooing him away.

Soren reluctantly left. He and I had been punished several times for late coming because of me. Punishments ranged from detention to community service. I was determined not to go to school late for the sake of Soren.

I dragged myself out of bed and headed to the shower. The cold water hitting my skin instantly woke me up, making me feel more alive. After getting out of the shower, I took a moment to water my plants before getting dressed. Once I was ready, I went to the dining room for breakfast. 

Soren was already having breakfast in the dining room. Breakfast was plantains and tripe, Mom and Dad's favorite. We balanced African, American, and European dishes at home.

"Addie, you're going to be punished for coming late again. Why not pack the breakfast and eat it later at school?" Mom suggested.

"Tripe has a distinct smell. The kids at school will have a field day mocking me for it."

"Mom, I don't want anyone to make fun of me. I'll try to eat it as fast as I can."

"Addie, we only have eighteen minutes until class starts, and you know that's how long it takes us to get to school on time!" Soren said.

"Let me skip breakfast then. I'll eat during break time."

"No, the breakfast at school is very light," Mom insisted. "You'll be starving by lunchtime."

Mom packed my breakfast, and she drove us to school. Even though I knew how to drive, Mom and Dad refused to let me have a car because, in Africa, the legal age was eighteen. Most of my classmates had cars, which only added to my frustration.

We were the last students to arrive, but we made it on time.

"See ya, sis!" Soren said, heading off to his class. I was left with the familiar pang of fear, facing my tormentors.

My first class was English with Mrs. Claudine Joyce. Luckily, she was often late, so I had a few minutes of respite. I entered the classroom, many were conversing and others were reading their textbooks. I moved to the back where my friends sat—the class outcasts.

Andrew Finau, a Polynesian boy, Meadow Lowe, a girl who couldn't see without her glasses, and Jensen Bekele, a chubby boy, welcomed me with smiles.

Andrew asked, "What did you guys do during the half-term break?"

Jensen was the first to answer, "I spent my week mostly at the gym at the country club. I hung out with Addie and Mae on Thursday and took them to see Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania."

Jensen's only motivation to work out was to look good for me. Jensen had a huge crush on me but I didn't feel the same for him.

"I mostly stayed home, rested, and did some chores," I said. "I hung out with Jensen and Mae on Thursday. And then on Saturday, Mae and I went out to the mall.

I had spent most of my time last week at home because I wanted to relax and take a break from school and catch up on shows I missed during the school term."

"I spent my week babysitting!" Mae said with a sigh. "My only relief was when you guys invited me out."

Mae had three sisters and two brothers, all older than her, who often brought their kids to visit their grandparents. Mae loved her nieces and nephews, but sometimes it got overwhelming.

"What about you, Andrew?" Jensen asked.

"I played video games most of the week. I interacted and hung out with some of my followers on Friday," Andrew said.

Andrew had a large following on Twitch. He made a lot of money from the channel which is how he was able to pay his own tuition at Riverview. He hoped to become a professional gamer in the future. "

"On Saturday, Mae and I went to Axeperience to throw axes with my brothers and cousins," Andrew continued.

Jensen and I weren't really into axe-throwing—it just seemed too intense for us. But Mae came to love it and sometimes went with Andrew and his family to relax at Axeperience.

"Look at the loser quartet talking about how they spent the holiday!" a voice sneered next to me.

"Ewww, who wants to spend their time with any of you?" the annoying girl continued. Her name was Kemi Barre, and she was the worst bully at Riverview Academy—my tormentor.

"Midnight, Glasses, Cupcake, and Poly, tell me which malls you hang out at so that I don't accidentally go there," Kemi sneered. Liz Cho, Kemi's friend, whispered something in her ear.

"Liz here says she saw you at Starlight Mall. Who even hangs out in such a place? It's for poor students like you!" Kemi taunted. Liz's face flushed with embarrassment as she looked down. Their other friend Raven Darby laughed.

Mae and I had seen her at the mall on Saturday. She acted like we were invisible. We wondered where her friends were—the three of them were always together.

The room fell silent, all eyes on Kemi and us. Kemi snatched my open bag from the floor, having noticed I hadn't closed it well. She rummaged through it and pulled out my food container.

"Stop touching my things, Kemi," I said, but it was too late. She had already opened it, and the strong smell of tripe filled the room.

"What is this disgusting food, Adessa?" Kemi wrinkled her nose. "I want to vomit!" She and her friends made exaggerated vomiting gestures.

Mae, who had been sitting quietly, couldn't take it anymore. She grabbed the container and, with a swift movement, poured it over Kemi. Kemi stood in shock, her face a mask of disbelief. Mae didn't stop there; she splashed the rest of the food on Kemi's friends as well.

"This food is actually quite nice, Kemi. I've had it several times at Addie's house," Mae said. "It's one of the best dishes you can eat."

Kemi, now drenched in tripe, was livid. The smell was overwhelming. She glared at Mae, ready to retaliate, but Tendai Moyo Dube, her boyfriend, intervened. He had been watching the scene unfold and stepped in to restrain Kemi.

"Let me go!" Kemi yelled, struggling against Tendai's hold. Mae, equally enraged, was held back by Andrew and Jensen. I stood between both parties, trying to defuse the situation.

"Kemi, you started this. What did you expect?" I said, trying to remain calm.

"Tendai, tell Midnight here to shut her mouth," Kemi demanded. "I'm going to report her and her friends to the Headmaster. They'll be expelled by the end of the day!"

"Kemi, you can't do anything to me. Remember, my dad is the Mayor of this city!" Jensen retorted.

Kemi's eyes flashed with recognition. "Well, I'm still going to report this to the Headmaster!" she said defiantly.

"I recorded everything that happened," Andrew said, holding up his smartwatch. Kemi's eyes widened in shock.

"Poly, if you report me, I'll make things ten times harder for you!" Kemi threatened.

"Kemi, what do we do now? We smell awful," Liz said, glancing at the mess.

"I don't know about you, but I have a change of clothes in my bag for emergencies," Kemi said, with a smug look. She strolled off, leaving Liz and Raven looking like fools, their clothes stained with food.

Tendai gave me a brief look before heading back to his desk. Grayson Knight-Campbell, one of the bullies, began making monkey-like gestures. His friends, Elijah Sullivan and Noah Dreyfus, laughed loudly. I felt a surge of anger. Their racist behavior was deeply hurtful.

Jensen placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Addie, ignore them. For now, we need to clean up the mess or we'll end up with detention."

Mae and I headed to the bathroom. Mae washed her hands, while I grabbed some toilet paper to clean up the food from the floor. When I returned to the classroom I found that some students had already opened the windows to air out the room. I cleaned up the floor and returned to the bathroom to trash the toilet paper and wash my hands. Then I returned to class once more.

The smell was still there but at least the food had been removed. Mrs. Claudine Joyce walked in after me.

"Class, what is that smell?" she asked, her nose wrinkling.

Everyone turned to look at me. I hadn't yet sat down.

"My food spilled," I lied, trying to avoid further confrontation.

"Your food has a distinct smell. What was it?" Mrs. Joyce inquired.

"It was plantain and tripe, a dish from Africa," I explained.

"I won't punish you for today, but next time it happens, you'll receive detention," she said firmly. "Bringing food to class is strictly forbidden, as you know."

I wanted to explain what Kemi had done, but I hesitated, seeing that Mrs. Joyce was willing to let it go.

"Go sit down," she said, dismissing me.

Kemi, Liz, and Raven entered the classroom after Mrs. Claudine Joyce. Kemi had changed into fresh clothes, while Liz and Raven still wore their stained outfits.

"Why are you late?" Mrs. Joyce asked them.

Kemi glanced at me for a brief moment before answering. "I've been feeling nauseous and ended up vomiting on myself. Liz and Raven escorted me out to help clean up."

"I'm so sorry to hear that. Have you seen the nurse?" Mrs. Joyce asked with concern.

"Yes," Kemi lied in response to Mrs. Claudine Joyce's inquiry. Mrs. Joyce allowed them to take their seats.

Bruce Renaut, held his nose as they took their seats in front of him. Kemi didn't notice, but Liz and Raven did and were visibly upset.

Mrs. Claudine Joyce walked out after the bell rang indicating the end of her lesson. She gave us an assignment to be submitted on Thursday and walked out. Students began following her out to go to the cafeteria for break.

My friends stood up to leave too.

"Guys, I'm not going for break," I said. I was expecting Kemi to retaliate one way or another.

"No, come for break with us. Nobody will hurt you," Jensen reassured me.

"I know her. She'll do something bad to me for humiliating her," I replied.

Mae held my hand. "No, she won't. We'll report her."

"Addie, I have footage of what she did. Fear not," Andrew said.

"I'll go for lunch. Let me give her some time to calm down for now," I insisted.

They relented and went to the cafeteria, leaving me behind. Knowing Kemi, she wasn't one to let things go, especially when I was involved.

I stayed behind, working on Mrs. Claudine Joyce's assignment. A little while later, Jensen returned with an apple from his breakfast. He was always so thoughtful.

"Thanks," I said.

"I wanted to bring more, but the Head Boy stopped me. You know the no-bringing-food-out-of-the-cafeteria policy," he explained.

I nodded. "I'll eat lunch, don't worry," I assured him. He smiled.

"Don't let Kemi punish you to the point where you skip meals," he said.

I smiled back, but deep down, I knew it wasn't over.

We both headed to our Design and Technology class—our elective. Andrew studied Chinese to communicate with his followers in China and Mae was taking Art because she loved it.

Mr. Phillip Ngonzi was already waiting for us in the classroom. We greeted him and took our seats. The class slowly filled up until everyone was inside.

"Now that the half term break is over, I need to pair you up for your final project, which will be submitted to the examination board," Mr. Ngonzi announced. "You're to develop something new or solve an existing problem."

"Consider this class free to work on your project. I want to see your inventions before you sit for your finals," he continued. "Don't disappoint me! You'll be working in pairs for the rest of the year."

"The names are posted on the notice board, and I won't be changing any partners," he added firmly. He walked out of class.

"Mr. Ngonzi knows we're friends, so we'll be together," he said confidently as we followed him out.

We rushed to the notice board to check the list. Jensen had been paired with a boy named James King Fitzroy, while I was paired with Tendai.

"You're with Tendai!" Jensen exclaimed in surprise.

I felt a knot of anxiety tighten in my stomach. Kemi was going to be furious with me for being paired with her boyfriend. "I need to talk to Mr. Ngonzi. This has to be a mistake," I said, leaving Jensen staring at the list.

I found Mr. Ngonzi in his office. "Sir, there's been a mistake. I'm supposed to be paired with Jensen, not Tendai!" I said urgently.

"Adessa, it's not a mistake," Mr. Ngonzi replied. "I know Jensen and you are good friends, but to foster new ideas, you need to work with someone you don't interact with often."

"Please, sir, just give me someone else," I pleaded.

"Why are you afraid, Adessa? Is Tendai a bad person?" he asked.

I couldn't reveal my true reasons. "He's not bad," I said.

"Then as I told the class, I'm not changing the list," he said firmly.

Feeling disheartened, I left his office. Back in the Design & Technology class, Jensen was discussing the assignment with King, his new partner. Everyone else had paired up. Tendai was seated alone, waiting for me. He saw me and gestured for me to come. I walked over to him with a heavy heart.

Maybe she might not get as mad because it's just class, I convinced myself. Kemi wasn't in this class—she was in Art—so all I had to do was work with him only. No friendship.

"Hi!" Tendai said warmly.

I hesitated, struggling to find the right words. Partnering with him felt daunting, given how his girlfriend treated me. Kemi had tormented me with hurtful names because of my skin color, despite being a black person herself. Her behavior had always stung, and facing Tendai brought those painful memories rushing back.

Noticing my silence, Tendai continued, "Adessa, I know we've never spoken before, but we've got this assignment together now, and I figured we should at least talk."

I didn't want him to see my inner turmoil, so I forced a smile. "What do you have in mind?"

"I was thinking about something related to food," he suggested. "Innovative food, perhaps. What about you?"

"I'm not sure yet," I admitted. "Maybe we can brainstorm some ideas together. I want to work on something that addresses existing problems."

"That sounds like a good start," Tendai said encouragingly.

We brainstormed ideas for the duration of the period until it was time for lunch.

"Give me your phone number, Adessa," Tendai said. "We need to continue brainstorming even after class. When you think about something, you can call me and vice versa."

I gave it to him. I didn't have an issue with doing so because it was purely for class work. I picked up my book and joined Jensen, we walked out of class together.

"Tell me, Addie, did he abuse you?" Jensen asked. "Because I will teach him a lesson!"

"No, he didn't do anything wrong. He was actually okay; we exchanged contacts so that we can continue brainstorming later on."

"How about you? How did it go with King?" I asked.

"King is a cool guy. He told me that we shall use his followers to help us do the work," he said. "You know he has a TikTok channel with many followers."

"Are you okay with this?"

"It means you won't learn anything because his followers will do the work for you."

"I don't mind. It will give me time to focus on doing what I love most, which is to make you love me," Jensen declared.

Jensen made me smile. He was dedicated to winning me over.

We walked to the cafeteria. Hopefully Kemi had moved on from what happened in the morning. I quickly scanned the room and saw her laughing with her friends. I sighed silently. "She has moved on," I thought.

Andrew and Mae had reached before us. They were standing a distance away from the students lining up for food. Jensen and I walked up to them.

"They've told us to wait for everyone else to get food," Andrew said, before we could ask.

"Who said that?" I asked.

Andrew pointed at a Prefect who was supervising. It was Cassie Graves, she was in a class below us.

"Why?" I inquired.

"No particular reason," Mae said.

I walked up to her. "Hi Cassie," I said.

She said "Hi" but didn't look into my face.

Why are you refusing my friends from getting food?" I asked.

"Wait for Tendai, then join the line," she said and walked inside where the cooks were serving from.

Tendai was the last in line. I wondered why we had to wait for everyone else to get their food before us. It was our first time in this situation, but it already felt like we were stuck at the bottom of some invisible hierarchy. Maybe it was Kemi's way of punishing us for earlier.

I returned to where my friends were and waited with them. "I think Kemi ordered Cassie to intentionally make us wait," I said.

"Makes sense," Andrew said.

"I am going to give her a piece of my mind," Mae said.

"Fuck her, I am joining the line," Jensen said and walked to the line.

Cassie looked angry and scared but she didn't scold us for disobeying her instructions. Andrew, Mae and I followed suit and lined up behind him. We were practically the last ones on the line.

Tendai got his food and went to sit with Kemi. Cassie told the cook to serve us soup from a particular saucepan.

The cook served us soup from a large saucepan. Afterward, we moved down the line, filling our trays with roast chicken, sautéed vegetables, and buttery mashed potatoes.

I still couldn't get my mind off what had happened. Why were we served soup from a saucepan separate from the one the others had been given? I had noticed the other pot still had plenty of soup, so why were we given something newer?

"Addie, you're so distracted, you've stopped moving," Mae said from behind me, snapping me back to reality.

I blinked, realizing I was holding up the line. I quickly selected quinoa from the spread of salads—Caesar, quinoa, and couscous—and grabbed a chocolate mousse for dessert. But the uneasy feeling still lingered, refusing to let go.

After getting our food, we went and sat down. Andrew, Jensen, and Mae began eating immediately, the sound of cutlery scraping plates filling the air.

Something about what had just happened felt strange to me. Even though I was hungry, I didn't touch the food. I turned around to see Kemi, Liz, and Raven looking at us, giggling.

"Stop eating!" I yelled.

At that moment, Andrew found a rat tail in his soup. Everyone dropped their forks and knives. It hit all of us at that moment about what had just happened. Kemi and her friends had put a rat in our food, which was why they had made us get food last. This was such a low thing for them to do.

Their table burst into laughter when they realized that we had noticed what they had done. I noticed Tendai wasn't laughing with them.

Jensen picked up the plate of food that had the rat tail, got up from the table, and walked up to them. We all followed him.

"Kemi, you have crossed the line this time, and you know it," he said.

He walked out of the cafeteria with the plate.

"What just happened?" Tendai asked.

"Stop acting innocent, Tendai. You know what they have done to us," Mae fumed.

"I don't know what they've done to you, Mae," he responded.

"They put a rat in our sauce, Tendai," I said. "Andrew found it in his sauce."

Tendai was shocked. "Kemi, is this true?" he asked.

"I did it because of what they did to me in the morning!" she defended herself.

"That was a low blow, Kemi. I have watched you disrespect them ever since I joined this school, but this is the last straw," he announced. "I am breaking up with you."

"You can't break up with me because of them and not in front of everyone," Kemi yelled.

Jensen came back with the Headmaster in tow. "Kemi, is it true that you put a rat in their sauce?" the Headmaster asked.

"Yes, I had Liz and Raven get me a rat from the lab and put it in one of the soup saucepans," she admitted. "I forced Cassie Graves, the Food Prefect, to make sure that only the four of them ate the soup."

"Follow me, the three of you!" the Headmaster ordered. "Those who ate the rat soup, I need you to go to see the nurse for some medicine."