COLOR ME

EPISODE TEN

"How did you know where I stayed?" I asked, curious.

"I stay a few minutes away from here," he explained. "I sometimes see you coming from here while I'm on my way to school."

I was surprised; I'd never noticed he lived so close.

Mom returned with some chinchin and juice.

"Remember, Ade, I don't want you two sitting too close," she said firmly. She walked off to the kitchen.

Mom was being too strict; she had never acted like this with Jensen or Andrew.

"I like this snack; what's its name?" Tendai asked, taking a bite.

"It's called chinchin," I said.

"I'd love to learn how to make it," he said with enthusiasm.

"Do you eat African food or snacks at home?" I asked, interested.

"No, I'm the third generation of my family in the UK," he said. "My family has forgotten about our African culture and dishes."

"Where does your family come from in Africa?" I inquired.

"My dad is from Zimbabwe. My mom is Jamaican on her mom's side and Haitian on her dad's," he said.

"That's a unique blend!" I exclaimed.

"My father met my mom while on a cruise ship to the Caribbean," he said. "She was working as a cook on the ship. My mom was a Caribbean Cinderella, and my dad was a Zimbabwean Prince Charming," he joked.

We both laughed.

"Do you like Jamaican food?" he asked.

"I've never tasted it before," I admitted.

"I can prepare it for you someday if you let me," he offered. "I love to cook."

"Now I understand why you want your project to be about food; it's because you love cooking," I said.

"Yes, I want to become a chef," he said. "I want to join culinary school, not university."

"You have your life all figured out; that's nice," I said, admiring his clarity.

We shared a smile.

"How are you feeling? Is your body still hurting?" he asked, moving a bit closer.

"I don't like seeing you in pain," he said, holding my hand and leaning in to kiss me.

Just then, Mom walked in. We both jumped apart.

"Tendai, I think it's time for you to leave," she said firmly.

"Yes, Ma'am," he responded, looking a bit embarrassed.

"Thanks for the chinchin, Mrs. Kamara," he said. "Goodnight."

Mom walked him out.

"Ade, who is this boy?" Mom asked as soon as Tendai was gone. "I've never heard you talk about him."

"Mom, you embarrassed me. Why don't you ever grill Jensen or Andrew when they come over?" I countered.

"It's because I know that you aren't interested in any of them," she said.

"Who is he?" she persisted.

"He's my classmate at school," I said, trying to avoid revealing too much.

Mom didn't realize that the boy I had danced with in my dream was Tendai. I didn't tell her his name that night.

"This boy, my spirit doesn't like him," she said sternly. "Stay away from him!"

Soren came out of his room while I was heading to mine.

"I don't like seeing you in pain; it hurts me!" Soren mocked, laughing.

"You were eavesdropping on our conversation?" I said, feeling annoyed.

"Yes, I came and heard what he was telling you," he said. "You like him, Addie, yet you know he's the ex-boyfriend of your bully, the one who assaulted you!"

"Mom doesn't know this. If only she knew," he taunted.

"Please don't tell her," I pleaded.

"Kemi will have a nervous breakdown when she learns about the two of you," Soren said with a smirk.

Soren returned to his room while I continued into mine. I texted Tendai, telling him that we needed to keep our friendship a secret to avoid drawing unwanted attention. He accepted.

Despite what Mom and Soren had said about Tendai, it didn't stop me from feeling butterflies in my stomach. He had almost kissed me. I wondered what his lips would taste like.

Thoughts of Tendai and our almost-kiss kept me awake for part of the night on Thursday. I finally fell asleep at 11 pm.

I woke up on Friday, and the pain wasn't as bad. My stomach and arms were still sore where Raven had beaten me, but at least I could move without feeling like every part of me was on fire. The bruises were still there, dark and ugly, but the worst of the pain had dulled to a steady ache. I took a deep breath, testing my limits, and realized that I could actually manage today.

When Mom checked in on me, I assured her, "I feel better today. I think I can go to school."

She looked at me carefully, still worried. "Are you sure, Ade?"

"Yes, Mom. I can handle it," I replied, trying to sound confident.

Mom drove us to school. I found myself on cloud nine, my thoughts consumed with Tendai and how he was about to kiss me before Mom interrupted.

"This guy has really made you happy," Soren said, breaking into my thoughts. "You keep smiling to yourself."

"No, I'm not thinking about him," I denied, but the smile on my face gave me away.

"You can lie all you want, but I can see you've been hit by one of Cupid's arrows," he teased.

When we arrived at school, the first thing I noticed was the buzz of excitement among the students. Mae, Jensen, and Andrew were chatting in the corridors, caught up in whatever news had everyone talking.

"Guys, why is everyone excited?" I asked.

"There's a party tomorrow," Jensen responded. "Reina Thingz will be performing her latest single, 'We Came to Party.'"

"How were we able to book her? She's so busy," I wondered.

"Apparently, she follows King on t****k, and he invited her," Jensen said. "The party was his idea. She said she'll be around this weekend, so it's fine with her."

"Who will pay her fees?" I questioned.

"King is her friend," Jensen said. "She's performing at a discount because we're teenagers. There's also an entrance fee to cover the party's costs."

"Are we invited?" I asked. "We've never been invited to any party in this school before."

"King is my friend now; he personally invited me and my friends," Jensen claimed.

Tendai passed by us in the corridor. We glanced at each other briefly before looking away. Grayson, who was with Tendai, shot me a glare.

"Let's go to class, guys," Mae said.

Students were cheerful today. I noticed Raven was around, her face still pinkish and swollen in parts. She looked at me with a mix of hatred and bitterness.

The teacher came in and greeted us.

"Raven, what happened to your face?" she asked.

"I was stung by some bees," Raven lied.

Many students giggled.

"I'm sorry, dear. I hope the swelling goes down," the teacher said, her sympathy evident.

Raven, usually so composed, looked on the verge of tears.

I glanced at Tendai; he didn't look in her direction, even though he was a few seats away.

I remembered Kemi's words to me: "There are many ways to skin a cat." The threat lingered in my mind, making me uneasy. "What is she planning to do to me?" I wondered, a chill creeping down my spine.