CHAPTER TWELVE

Tendai and I left The Opal in silence, stepping into the night air as we waited for the Uber. It arrived just as we got outside, but the quiet between us was thick, weighed down by everything unsaid. I couldn't shake the thoughts swirling in my mind—Tyler's behavior, Rowena's words... everything felt off, like a warning I couldn't yet decipher.

"Tendai," I began hesitantly, "who did you date before Kemi?"

"Why are you asking me that?" he replied, his tone guarded. "Did Roe say something to you?"

"No," I lied again. "I'm just curious."

"You don't have to lie, Addie," he said, a hint of frustration in his voice. "Remember, I'm the one who taught you how to lie. Roe needs to keep her mouth shut. I dated Quinn Duran before Kemi."

"Why did you guys break up?" I asked, trying to keep my voice casual.

"I don't want to talk about her," Tendai said abruptly, his mood darkening.

The rest of the ride was filled with an uncomfortable silence. The mention of his ex had clearly affected him, and I couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to the story than he was letting on.

I had been wrong about Tendai's friends. They weren't as nice as I had initially thought. Grant openly flirted with other girls right in front of his girlfriend, Rowena was bitter and jealous, and Tyler was nothing short of a creep.

When we arrived back at my house, Tendai stayed with me for a few minutes before leaving. I began feeling lonely immediately after he left. 

"I wish I had accepted his offer to stay with him," I murmured to myself. The house felt too big, too empty without him there.

I turned on the security lights and made my way to bed, hoping for some rest. I had a lot on my mind regarding the day I had had but fear made me fall asleep early. 

I felt something strangling me as I slept, a terrifying pressure on my throat. I was having another demonic attack.

I couldn't speak, but in my mind, I called out the name of Jesus Christ. Instantly, the hands released their grip, and I gasped for breath.

Shaken, I grabbed my phone to check the time. It was 4:28 a.m. Unable to sleep, I opened WhatsApp.

Tendai had posted photos and videos with his friends at 2:19 a.m.. He had gone back to hang out with them after dropping me off. I noticed a girl who appeared very drunk, dancing with Tyler in one of the videos.

Mae had posted at 8:25 p.m. from Brussels. I was surprised that she had traveled for Easter. She had a brother named Forest who lived in Brussels. Jensen had shared a video of his dad accusing Regererai Dube of using NoirNectar to slander him. Jensen commented on the post with the word "facts," and I knew he was sending me a message.

Andrew had also shared photos of himself and some relatives on an adventure.

As soon as it reached 6 a.m., I called Tendai. My heart raced as I waited for him to pick up.

"Good morning, bae, I said. "I'm so afraid to be alone in the house. Can I come over?"

"Sure," he replied, his voice sounding groggy and tired. 

"Let me drive myself to your place. Share your location with me."

I quickly packed some clothes, shoes, food from the fridge, and my plants. I couldn't leave them unattended; they needed to be watered. With Dad's car keys in hand, I ensured all doors and windows were locked and headed out.

Using GPS, I navigated to Tendai's house. It was only a few minutes away from mine, I had seen his house before although I didn't know that it was his. His home looked like something out of a magazine—elegant and impressive. I parked beside a Maybach, an Audi, and a light blue Ford Bronco. The Bronco had to be Tendai's; it was stunning. 

Tendai came outside, dressed casually in a shirt over his boxers. He looked sleepy and slightly disheveled. He embraced me warmly, and I could smell the faint trace of alcohol on his breath.

"Welcome to my home, Addie. Mi casa es su casa," he said, taking my suitcase and basket of food from the car.

I picked up my plant pots. "I brought some food from home. I hope I can cook it for you and your parents."

"They'll be excited," he said with a smile. "They're still asleep, though."

He led me inside, where I was greeted by a tastefully decorated home filled with antiques. He took me to the kitchen to store my food and then led me upstairs.

"I'm taking you to my room," Tendai said, his tone light.

"No, Tendai. Please put me in another room," I pleaded, trying to keep my voice steady. Thoughts of what might happen if we stayed in the same room together were swirling in my mind.

Tendai grinned, clearly not as concerned as I was. "No worries, we'll only do it when you're ready."

He pointed to a door. "This is my door," he said, opening the one opposite. The room inside was painted royal blue with yellow accents, with a perfectly sized bed and elegant décor, making it feel like a luxurious hotel suite.

"This is your room," he said, stepping aside to let me in.

"Thanks, Tendai," I said, giving him a quick hug, though my thoughts were still a little unsettled.

"Can I get you anything?" he asked, his expression soft.

"No, not right now," I replied, shaking my head.

He rubbed his eyes, looking more tired than I realized. "I came back home at 4 a.m. I'm so tired," he admitted. "Is it okay if I leave you alone?"

"Of course, Tendai. Go get some rest," I reassured him with a smile.

"When you feel hungry, head downstairs around eight," he suggested. "The chef will have prepared breakfast."

Tendai entered his room, and I sank onto the bed. It was incredibly comfortable, like sinking into a cloud. As soon as my head hit the pillow, I began to feel drowsy, and within moments, I drifted off to sleep. The weariness from being awake since 4 a.m. still weighed heavily on me, making it easy to surrender to the exhaustion.

A knock at the door woke me up. "Come in," I called out.

It wasn't Tendai; it was a Black woman in her 40s.

"Hello," she greeted warmly. "I'm Tendai's mother, Elaine. I wanted to invite you for breakfast. I saw you through the window earlier."

"Hi Elaine, I'm Addie. Is it 8 a.m. already?"

"It's actually twenty past eight," she replied with a friendly smile.

"Okay, let me wash my face and come down."

Elaine sounded a lot like Tendai although her Jamaican accent was thick. 

I discovered that the bathroom had all the amenities I needed, which made me feel happy and at ease. After washing my face, I headed downstairs. The house was now bustling with activity. I could hear the sound of two people talking coming from the dining area. I remembered where it was because we had passed through it earlier. 

I found Elaine and a man who seemed to be her husband at the breakfast table having their breakfast. The man had the same eyes and ears as Tendai.

He smiled at me. "Are you Kemi?" he asked.

"No, Ray, he broke up with her," Elaine clarified.

"I'm sorry for the mix-up," Ray said. "We've only ever met one of Tendai's girlfriends before, named Quinn. He mentioned Kemi, but I didn't realize they had broken up."

"We started dating recently," I said, feeling a bit uneasy. 

"What's your name?" he asked.

"I'm Adessa Kamara."

"Nice to meet you, Addie. I hope you don't mind me calling you that."

"It's okay. It's actually my nickname."

"Perfect," Ray nodded.

"Come join us for breakfast," Elaine invited.

I sat down and helped myself to a plate of bacon, two slices of bread, hash browns, and pineapple.

"So, Addie, where do you live?" Ray asked.

"I live a few minutes from here on Howell Street," I answered, describing my house.

"I know your place. I've passed by it a few times," Ray said.

"Where are your parents from?" Ray inquired further.

"Sierra Leone and Ghana," I revealed.

"So, you're fully African then!" he remarked. "Tendai should have told you where my wife and I are from."

"Yes, he mentioned that you have Zimbabwean heritage and Elaine is from Haiti and Jamaica," I said.

"Correct," Ray affirmed.

"Addie, did you stock the fridge with some food items?" Elaine asked.

"Yes," I responded.

"I wanted to confirm it was you who put them there," Elaine said. "The chef was curious when he found them."

"Ray and I are going to prepare for work. Feel at home" Elaine said. They both stood up and went upstairs leaving me alone. 

I insisted on washing the dishes to keep myself occupied, even though the chef hesitated, clearly wanting to handle it himself. 

Tendai eventually woke up around 11 a.m. and found me in the living room, where I was scrolling through TikTok videos.

"Hi, Addie," he greeted with a sleepy smile.

"You've finally woken up," I teased, smiling back.

"I was really tired," he said, then asked, "What made you change your mind about coming here?"

I hesitated for a moment before answering, "Something strangled me as I slept. I prayed about it but couldn't sleep afterward, so I decided to come here and be with you."

Tendai's expression grew serious. "I'm sorry about the demonic attack. You know, if you want, I can help with that. Voodooists deal with such things easily."

"Oh no, God came through for me," I quickly responded, not wanting him to use any of his voodoo practices on my behalf.

"Alright," Tendai nodded, respecting my decision without pressing the issue.

"I'll grab some breakfast," he said as he left the room. A few moments later, he returned to the living room, carrying enough food for two.

"I got enough for both of us," he said, offering the extra plate to me.

"Oh, no thanks. I already had breakfast. I'm just waiting for lunch now," I replied, waving my hand politely.

He sat down, beginning his meal, but then paused and looked up. "Did you meet my parents?" he asked.

"Yes, I met your mom and dad. Your mom sounds just like you, and your dad thought I was Kemi."

Tendai froze mid-bite, a look of shock crossing his face. "I'm sorry about that mistake," he mumbled.

"It's okay," I reassured him. "He clarified that he'd heard of Kemi but never seen her, and didn't know you two had broken up."

"I mentioned her, but I never brought her here," Tendai explained, looking slightly embarrassed.

Trying to lighten the mood, I said, "I saw your WhatsApp status. You guys were out late last night."

"Yeah, when we hang out, we go all out," he grinned.

"What should we do today?" I asked, hoping to shift the conversation further.

"We could hang out with my friends again," he suggested.

"After last night, I don't think I'm up for hanging out with them again," I said, truthfully.

"Why not?" He sounded concerned. "Is it because of Roe? I know she can be standoffish, but once you get to know her, she's really not that bad."

"I just get the feeling Roe doesn't like me, and I don't want to impose," I opened up.

"Roe's just protective. She means well. She doesn't want any girl to hurt me," Tendai explained gently. "My friends are important to me, and it's important to me that you get along with them."

"Tendai, I really want to, for your sake, but after last night... I'm not up for it," I admitted.

"They're good people. I can vouch for them," he insisted, trying to reassure me.

"Let's not argue about it," I said, hoping to ease the tension.

"Okay," he sighed. "You'll see in time that they're the nicest crowd you could hang out with."

"Let's just stay in today," I suggested.

"Yeah," he smiled, "staying in sounds good."

"How about we do Netflix and chill? Have you watched the latest season of Shadow and Bone?" I asked.

"No, I haven't," he replied.

"Have you seen Season 1?" I pressed.

"Yes," he confirmed.

"Before we start watching, there's something I've been meaning to ask since this morning," I said, feeling a bit hesitant.

"What is it?" Tendai asked, his curiosity piqued.

"Your parents mentioned that Quinn was the only girl you ever brought home, aside from me."

"I only bring home girls I love," he admitted softly.

I felt a blush creep up my cheeks, reassured by the depth of his feelings for me.

"Why don't you like talking about her?" I asked.

"She betrayed me," he said, his tone heavy with pain. "Talking about her reminds me of what she did, and it hurts. Can we not discuss her?"

"Okay, I won't bring her up again," I promised, my heart aching for him.

We spent the day binge-watching three episodes before switching to GTA 5. We decided to save the rest of the episodes for another time. Tendai showed me the ropes of the game, and I quickly got hooked.

For lunch, we enjoyed lobster salad with avocado and champagne vinaigrette. "This dish is delicious," I said, complimenting the chef.

Tendai and I relaxed in his bedroom in the evening. His bedroom was less organized than mine but still exuded elegance. The room featured graffiti art on the walls, a personal touch.

"I know you're curious about the graffiti," he said, glancing at the walls. "I wanted something that reflects my views on being a nonconformist."

Elaine arrived promptly at 8:17 p.m. to announce that supper was ready.

"My mom cooks supper; the chef handles breakfast and lunch," Tendai explained. "Breakfast is the one constant because we're usually not around for lunch."

Supper was a hearty spaghetti Bolognese. As we sat down to eat, Ray turned to Tendai with a nostalgic smile. "Teddy, what did you guys do today?"

"We stayed in, watched a TV show, and played GTA 5," Tendai replied.

"You stayed in? Why didn't you take her to the cinema to watch a movie?" Ray asked, surprised.

"Addie wanted to stay in today since we went out yesterday," Tendai explained.

"You know," Ray reminisced, "I took your mom to a Michelin-star restaurant for our first date. It was quite an experience."

Tendai's mood darkened. "I know that, Dad; you've said it before," he responded, trying to keep his voice even. "Addie and I had our own special first date at this bar called The Garage, where we enjoyed ourselves."

"You took her to a bar, Tendai? That was not the right place to take her," Ray said, his tone full of disapproval.

Before Tendai could respond, I cut in. "No, Ray, I loved being there. It was the experience that mattered to me."

Tendai stayed silent for the rest of the meal, his jaw clenched in frustration. As soon as he finished, he pushed his plate away and left the table. Concerned, I hurried after him once I was done with my food.

When I entered his bedroom, the smell of weed greeted me. Tendai was sitting on the edge of his bed, taking a long drag from a blunt. "What was that all about?" I asked gently, not wanting to provoke him.

He exhaled slowly, watching the smoke curl toward the ceiling. "My dad always tries to make himself seem better than me," he muttered, a mix of anger and hurt in his voice. "The worst part is, he does it in front of my girlfriends."

I sat beside him. "Has this happened before?"

"Yeah," Tendai sighed, leaning back against the headboard. "He likes to make it seem like he'd be a better boyfriend than me. If he had his way, he'd take my place. Are all dads like that, Addie?"

I didn't know what to say. My dad and I had our issues, but he wasn't anything like Tendai's father. My dad loved Soren so much and never saw him as competition.

Tendai nodded, his eyes clouded with thought. "When I finish my A-levels, I'm leaving this house and never coming back," he declared, his voice filled with resolve. He looked at me, holding out the blunt. "Do you want to smoke with me?"

"Yeah," I agreed, not wanting to leave him alone in his state of mind.

We smoked in silence for a while, the tension easing with each passing minute. Then, out of nowhere, I giggled. "Your nickname is Teddy!"

Tendai raised an eyebrow, a small smile playing on his lips. "My dad's called me that since childhood."

"Of all the nicknames, I didn't expect that one," I said, laughing softly.

He handed me another blunt, and we took turns smoking, the air between us growing lighter. Soon, we were dancing to imaginary music, swaying together until sleepiness took over. We collapsed onto the bed, drifting off to sleep.

The next morning, I woke up in his bed, Tendai still sound asleep beside me. I quietly slipped out and returned to my room, where I checked my phone. Mom had sent me some WhatsApp messages, letting me know they had arrived safely in Sierra Leone.

I decided to call Soren to see how he was doing. "Georgetta is obsessed with a certain pastor in Nigeria," he complained. "I can't stand it. Even her kids are all about the Church lifestyle. They're so annoying."

I smiled sympathetically. "Sounds rough. How are you holding up?"

"I'm counting down the days until I get back home," he sighed.

Over the next few days, Tendai refused to eat with his dad, still upset over the comments about our first date. "Addie, my dad makes me feel less of a man whenever he says such things," he admitted one evening, his voice heavy with frustration.

Wanting to cheer him up, I decided to cook his favorite meal—Banku and Tilapia. Seeing him enjoy the food made me feel happy. I even shared some food with Elaine and Ray. Ray, in particular, was thrilled, reminiscing about his childhood visits to Zimbabwe and eating Sadza with his cousins.

But on Sunday, Tendai wanted to cook for me. He decided on Jamaican jerk chicken like he had once told me that he would cook it for me. The mouthwatering aroma filled the kitchen. "I hope it tastes as good as it smells," I thought, eagerly anticipating the meal.

When we sat down to eat, Tendai watched me take the first bite. "This is the best chicken I've ever had, Tendai," I exclaimed, my eyes widening with delight.

"Thank you," he replied, a proud smile on his face.

Ray, not one to be outdone, interjected, "Have you ever had Kobe beef, Addie?"

"No," I answered, curious.

"It's meat from cattle raised in the Kansai region in Japan," Ray explained, his voice taking on a lecturing tone. "It's the most expensive beef in the world. I promise you, once you taste it, you'll never want any other beef that isn't from Wagyu cattle."

I nodded politely. "I'll try it someday."

Ray, sensing an opportunity to boast, continued, "I can buy it for you. By the time I was your age, I had already made my first million. I could afford to try expensive food like that."

Tendai's patience snapped. "Dad, please stop. Addie is my girlfriend, not yours."

Ray's eyes narrowed. "Only because of my money can you get a girl like her."

The tension in the room skyrocketed as father and son stood up, squaring off against each other. "Both of you, stop it," Elaine intervened, her voice firm. "You are father and son."

"Dad, I don't want a repeat of last time. Leave me and Addie alone," Tendai insisted, his voice tight with controlled anger.

Unable to stomach the situation any longer, Tendai left his food unfinished and stormed off to his bedroom. I followed him, carrying his plate. "Tendai, I brought you your food," I said gently, hoping to ease his tension.

"I'm not hungry anymore," he muttered, turning away.

"Please, eat a little for my sake," I pleaded softly.

Reluctantly, he took the plate and began to eat, though it was clear his appetite had vanished. After a few bites, he set it aside. 

"What is the deal between you and your dad?" I asked cautiously.

Tendai hesitated, then sighed deeply. "Dad slept with Quinn," he revealed, his voice laced with bitterness.

"What?!" I gasped, my heart dropping.

"I didn't want you to know, but he's left me no choice," Tendai said, his eyes dark with unresolved pain. "I caught them in my bedroom that fateful day, Addie. They were asleep."

Shock rendered me speechless. Tendai continued, his voice shaking with barely controlled anger, "I'm waiting for the day I turn eighteen. I'll be out of this house. I don't want a single cent from him."

There was a raw vulnerability in Tendai's voice that made my heart ache for him. "I'll go to culinary school and make something out of my life," he said, his tone full of determination. "I know I can get a job and pay my own tuition."

"I'm really sorry, Tendai," I whispered, reaching out to touch his hand.

"You didn't know about it. It's fine," he replied, though his eyes betrayed the hurt he still carried.

"Does your mom know?" I asked softly.

"She does, but she knows his character better," he said with a resigned sigh. "Dad is very competitive. That's how he's gotten to the top—by sabotaging people."

"But why is he competing with you? You're his child," I said, struggling to understand.

"When he sees something he likes, he has to have it at all costs," Tendai explained, his voice tinged with sadness. "He saw Quinn and he lusted after her. He used to undermine me in front of her, but I didn't think too much of it."

Tendai's eyes darkened as he continued, "It wasn't until that day when I found Quinn with Dad that I realized he had no morality."

My heart ached for him. "Quinn did some pretty awful things to me," Tendai went on, his voice bitter. "Then, after all that, she goes on to become a singer and writes songs about me. She's the one who hurt me, not the other way around."

As he spoke, a memory clicked into place. Reina Thingz had mentioned at King's party that her ex went to our school. The realization hit me like a ton of bricks—her ex was Tendai!

"Reina Thingz is Quinn Duran!" I exclaimed, the realization hitting me like a ton of bricks.

"Yes, 'Reina' is Spanish for 'Queen,'" Tendai confirmed, his voice heavy with the weight of the truth he'd just revealed.

I stood there, struggling to find the right words. Reina—no, Quinn—was young, around our age. It never occurred to me that she was Tendai's Quinn.

"Addie, you've gone silent," Tendai said softly, sensing my shock. "Reina is just like you and me, only famous."

"I... I need a moment," I muttered, my voice barely audible as I walked out of his bedroom.

I headed straight to my room and shut the door behind me. Tendai didn't follow. I sank onto my bed, my mind racing. How could I possibly compete with Reina?

She was everything I wasn't. Famous. Beautiful. Talented. She could sing, dance, and captivate the world with just a smile. And me? I was just a high school student, ordinary in every way.

We were born in the same year, yet she had already achieved so much. My thoughts spiraled as I grabbed my phone and searched for her online. Her Wikipedia profile popped up, filled with her achievements, awards, and stories of her philanthropic efforts.

As I scrolled through, a deep sense of inadequacy washed over me. Compared to her, I felt so small, so insignificant. A loser, even. How could I ever measure up to someone like Quinn?

I spent the entire afternoon scrolling through Reina's photos on the internet, reading every article I could find about her. The more I read, the more insecure I felt. Reina was perfect in every way. Just as I was drowning in self-doubt, there was a knock at my door.

"Addie, can I come in? We need to talk about Quinn," Tendai's voice came from the other side. He hadn't followed me earlier, likely understanding that I needed some time alone to process the fact that his ex-girlfriend was a famous pop singer.

"Please, let me come in," he repeated, his tone softer now.

"You can come in," I finally said.

The room was dark since I hadn't bothered to turn on the lights as evening settled in. Tendai opened the door and switched on the light, filling the room with a warm glow, and sat down next to me on the bed.

"Addie, you don't have to feel insecure because of Quinn," he said gently. "She has her flaws too."

"She's so beautiful, Tendai. Look at her skin—it's glowing. Her body is perfect, and she has these amazing eyes," I said, voicing my insecurities.

"Yes, she is beautiful, I won't lie. But she's also human, just like you and me," he said, trying to reassure me.

"But why did you like me? She and I... we're like opposites. With Kemi, I can at least understand," I confessed.

"Addie, I love you," Tendai said earnestly. "I liked Quinn, yes, but Kemi was just a rebound. I only dated her to try to forget about Quinn. I never loved her, and I think she knew that deep down."

He paused before continuing, "Quinn doesn't have the perfect life you might think she does. Let me tell you about the not-so-perfect parts of Quinn's life. She struggles with dyslexia. When we were dating, she used to tell me that becoming a musician was her only hope because she didn't believe she could succeed in school."

"Quinn always felt like an outcast at home because of her stepfather, who never really loved her. Her dad cut off contact when he left her mom, so she's always felt unwanted," he explained, his voice tinged with sadness.

I couldn't help but feel sorry for Quinn. It was a stark reminder that appearances can be deceiving.

"You're the only one I've ever told about her personal struggles," Tendai said. "Her classmates, like Grant, Roe, and Tyler, only knew her as someone who wasn't smart when it came to books."

"I hope you keep this confidential. She's a celebrity now, and if you tell anyone, it could spread online," he urged.

"I won't say a word," I promised.

"Cheer up, then. Don't compare yourself to her. You're both different and special in your own ways," he said, his words finally soothing the storm of insecurity within me.

Talking about Reina with Tendai made me feel a lot better.

"Come with me for supper," he said, holding out his hand for me. "You've been here alone for hours."