"And don't forget to lock the doors when you are all done with your experiments. Later everyone."
"Bye Mr Mason." The class chorused, half focused on the chemicals they were mixing and half listening to their science teacher. The teacher walked out of the class after briefly scanning the row of students.
Everyone was focused on their experiments, mixing different acids and chemicals together. They all looked like scientists in their crisp lab coats and safety goggles, paired up in twos by each work desk.
"Hey everyone." Skye bounced into the lab and some people smiled at her and some waved, still engrossed in their work. Skye immediately skipped over to where Victor and Kadesha were working.
"Guys, check this out." She placed her phone against a beaker and played a video. Victor gasped and immediately adjusted the phone while Kadesha rolled her eyes. It was an interview video between Lucas Crest, the one who held the event at Crest hall, and an interviewer from Teas.
"Firstly I want to congratulate you, Mr Crest, for another successful event this year." The host said and Lucas laughed.
"Lucas has such a cute laugh." Victor gushed. Kadesha smacked his head
"The test tube lover boy." Victor absentmindedly handed her the test tube while his attention was on the interview.
"Well, I mean, honestly," he took a deep breath before he continued, "I kind of owe it to the Kings and Queens. Everyone was getting bored of watching classical events every year so I decided to improvise with my turn. I did not regret it."
Victor clapped happily and left to yank Victoria over from where she was working with her partner.
"Sissy, come see." He pointed happily to the screen.
"....but they were other events that you added? Like the light display and the band that played? I mean everyone saw instruments for a classical party, but the turn of events surprised everyone, especially the Hummers band." The interviewer stated while adjusting her microphone.
"The who?" Kadesha asked, finally looking at the screen.
"They performed after us. This band that used classical instruments to recreate pop song. Hummers. They don't sing, they only play." Victoria explained.
"Yeah they were actually good." Skye nodded.
"...the light display was very engaging too, and the Hummers were peak. But the crowd moved extremely well with the Kings and Queens and I think that gave the Hummers a good base to work with." Lucas explained.
"I agree with you Mr Crest. How did you think about this classical and pop mix? I mean it's not—"
"Ugh. Skip." Skye groaned, fast forwarding the video a few minutes ahead. She stopped it at a particular question.
"How did you find these performers?" The interviewer asked.
"Well, for the light ballet display, our acquainted family, the Mansehs, their youngest daughter was the lead of the performance. I just booked her and her team. For the Hummers, let's just say their lead owes me a favour. Then, Lisa, she and I go way back. And the Kings and Queens, well that was just luck actually." Lucas explained with a chuckle. "One thing for sure was that I was not expecting that performance from them. It was electric." Lucas smiled and Skye paused the video.
"The rest is just some interview nonsense." She said as she took the video away. "Your performance is trending as the number one highlight. Maybe because someone decided to do the biggest reveal of all time." Skye muttered the last part under her breath. Victoria rolled her eyes with a smirk and left.
"It's been a week Skye."
"Yet it's still trending." Skye said innocently and bounced out.
Freaking child.
Kadesha laughed as she and Victor wrapped things up.
†
It had been a week since she left everyone know she was Kadesha Williams, also KDA. Since then, she had been on several interviews where she unashamedly told everyone who she really was.
Sure, they were hate comments. People brought up the case about her father or how she dressed. They criticised her, some went under her videos and started spamming "murderer's daughter" on almost everything.
On days like that, she found comfort in the arms of her two favourite people; Victor and Victoria. Sometimes, she drowned her sorrows in dance practice or group hangouts with her friends or dance group. At times, she found comfort in the arms of her roommates, especially at night.
None of them treated her differently. It was like she didn't even say anything at all. Same dumb jokes, same playful taunts. Nothing changed. She didn't even get pitiful looks, just like nothing was wrong. Like she was fine.
And truly, that was exactly what she needed.
★
Block 20 room 10
Victoria was on her bed, watching a kdrama while Cody just finished streaming and was busy arranging her devices in her cabinet. Only one window was opened while the conditioner was on, creating a chilly atmosphere.
A knock suddenly came on the door and the handle twisted open. A girl peeked in. Brown hair and eyes, freckles on her nose and cheeks, cute round glasses perched on her nose and a slender figure. She looked like someone who would fit in the gymnastics club immediately.
"Hey Vee." She waved at Victoria and stepped in. She was dressed in fitted jean shorts that showed most of her thighs and a bra top.
"Baby." She cooed and met Cody halfway with a hug. They pulled apart and pecked each other on the lips. "How was streaming?" she asked and walked over to Cody's bed to sit.
"Great I guess. I'm just tired sweetie." Cody groaned and lay on the bed with her head on her girlfriend's lap.
"I'm trying to watch a movie." Victoria muttered and the girl shot her a playful glare.
"Please leave us alone Vee." Cody muttered in a sleepy voice. Victoria looked up at her relaxed position.
"Just three seconds on Lisa's laps and you're sleeping. Whore." She scoffed and got back to her movie. Cody raised her middle finger at her absentmindedly, enjoying the way Lisa's hands combed through her hair.
Victoria suddenly sat up and groaned before hurriedly getting up from the bed.
"What's wrong?" Lisa asked. Victoria's hurried movements made Cody peek at her with one eye.
"Choco. Bye girls." She said and left the room. Cody relaxed deeper into Lisa's laps.
"I hate Choco's family so much." She muttered.
"Me too baby." Lisa quipped, softly stroking Cody's hair till she fell asleep.
★
Block 28 room 16
Victoria walked in without knocking and closed the door behind her. Skye and Kadesha were sitting with Amelia who was sitting still, hair poured to cover her face while her head was completely bowed. Her hands were vibrating in Skye's.
"Hey girls. Davis texted me to check on her." Victoria explained and sat in front of Amelia on the bed. She gently parted her hair and gently tilted her face up. Her eyes were red with anger and her face was tear streaked.
"Baby girl." Victoria cooed and slowly brought both of her hands together. "Can you calm down?"
"Stop it Vee, just stop." Amelia yanked her hand back, ruffling her head like she was high on drugs.
"I don't think you want to say that. She really did it this time." Skye muttered while Kadesha nodded.
"What did she say this time?" Victoria asked and Skye played a video. It was an interview where Amelia's parents and younger sister were present.
"I must say, your daughter's ballet light display was absolutely amazing. Some people say it wasn't slow and boring like other ballet performances. It really had life." The interviewer joked.
"Well, my family are a lineage of dignified people in the society of course. You wouldn't expect that I would deliver nothing short of amazing." Elena, Amelia's younger sister, said confidently and her parents smiled.
"Of course. The Mansehs isn't exactly a name that is toyed with in the society. I know you are proud of your daughters—"
"Daughters?" Mrs Manseh cut in and laughed like the interviewer had just made a joke. "Correction ma'am, I only have one daughter. The other one is a has-been. She is nothing but a disgrace." She said bitterly, ignoring her husband trying to get her not to say anything.
"It is true. My sister has brought nothing but confusion and shame in the name of change." Elena added. The interviewer was so shocked.
"But her dance group managed to land a performance at that same event with the Crests. And their name—"
"And so? She dresses like a boy. Is that normal? Street dancing? Afro fusion and Amapiano? Dressing like some wannabe? That is not my daughter."
"Okay okay, turn it off." Victoria immediately paused the video and turned the phone face down. "That woman is an absolute bitçh. A f-cking perfectionist who only sees things from her left butt cheeks." Victoria spat angrily
"Right? How in the world does a woman say this about a daughter who just chose to do what she wants? It's not like she smokes or drinks or expose her body. Heck, she doesn't even have a boyfriend or fling or anything." Skye added.
"Wait, you mean to tell me that this bítch is naturally like this? She says stuff like this about her daughter?" Kadesha fumed.
"I'm tired! I swear I'm so f-cking tired. What else does she want? What else should I do? I tried to make them see that with it without being that perfect ballet loving and princess like behaviour, I can still make them proud. I tried. I have a perfect grade, I do gymnastics, I go for their stupid etiquette class and learn how to play dumb instruments and even attend boring family functions in big ass ball gowns and wear makeup. And that one time I wore a jumpsuit, which even the host said was very classy, I was a shame to the family. A stain to the name. And when I got tired of ballet and opted for gymnastics, I was violent. When I allegedly 'beat' up a guy who was trying to corner me, I was a monster. When I decided to dance, I was the greatest sinner. Even when everyone, the society they are trying so hard to please, the other families, saw me as some amazing person, they still saw me as an object of ridicule to their precious name." Amelia pulled at her hair, raging in anger while her entire body vibrated.
"Hey Choco stop." Kadesha pulled her hand away while Victoria held the second one.
"I'll call Mavis and Grace." Skye said and stepped out of the room.
"I hate them! I hate them so much. Arrg! They make me so mad it's intoxicating." Amelia raged, trying to yank herself free. Victoria and Kadesha held her firmly to prevent it.
†
Amelia was lying on Grace's laps while Grace pressed a cool towel to her forehead. Mavis held both her hands and gently massaged it. She had stopped vibrating and her eyes were normal again. The room was quiet.
"Why are you all silent?" Amelia asked, looking around the room. "What? Do you all think if you stay quiet I won't burn the school in anger?" She joked but noone laughed.
"It's not funny. Why would she even speak like that?" Skye asked rhetorically.
"Someone who told her not to embrace black culture? Yeah she's a psycho. I don't know why I'm surprised at this point." Mavis muttered.
"Honestly, without the name, Miemie has already achieved so much. So screw the name." Grace scoffed and brushed a braid away from Amelia's face.
"I didn't want to be that daughter, you get?" Amelia explained softly.
"No matter what you do, you will always be that daughter to them. So stop impressing them. Just do you." Skye said and everyone nodded in agreement.
"But please do remind me to never make you mad." Kadesha joked and everyone laughed. "She broke her phone and the wall it hit. Girl you badass."
"I have issues." Amelia explained as she sat up.
"You were vibrating. You don't have issues, you are a freaking bull." Kadesha pressed on and Amelia threw the towel at her.
"Bully." She muttered as she stood up.
"Well, I've gotta go. Cody sends you virtual hugs and kisses and middle fingers to your family." Victoria said as she left.
"I second that." Grace joked.
"Dear lord." Amelia laughed
★
Kingston Mall
Kadesha scanned the trolley until her eyes landed on a pack of coloured marshmallows. She picked it up.
"Boo!"
Kadesha looked unfazed, staring back at Skye on the other side through the empty space where the marshmallows used to be. Skye frowned.
"No fair." She pouted and left. Kadesha chuckled and dropped the pack in her shopping basket. She continued looking through the shelves.
"What are you looking for?" Skye asked, leaning down to what Kadesha was looking at.
"Davis wanted me to get some things for Choco to calm down." Kadesha muttered, picking up a can of cocoa powder.
"Not that. She prefers this." Skye picked up another brand and collected the one with Kadesha. "She likes Browns' better." She added and skipped along.
"How are they even twins?" Kadesha muttered to herself and shook her head, tossing the cocoa powder in the basket. She was leaving when her eye caught chocolate powder. She immediately threw five packs in without thinking and grabbed whipped cream and condensed milk. She went to the fruit section. She grabbed bananas, grapes and frozen berries in a pack, all while dreaming of a fruit parfait and smoothie.
She looked in her basket and realised she needed granola. She went to grab one packet and smiled in satisfaction.
She went to the counter to pay.
"Kadesha Williams." The cashier muttered with a smile and handed her a card after payment. Kadesha smiled back and collected the card.
"The new strings are on the house." The cashier said with a wink. Those were the new strings for her guitar.
"Really? Thank you so much." Kadesha beamed and the cashier winked as she left and another person came up to check out her things.
★
Block 28 room 16
The room was dimly lit by candles and in the middle were the girls, seated in a semi circle and in their middle was an entire tray of snacks of things they like, even down to beverages.
"Okay. I just set up the projector. Let's start our girls night." Skye announced as she connected her laptop to the projector.
"Before we start, I want to thank you girls so much for making me feel better. I thought I might go crazy earlier." Amelia joked but was genuinely grateful.
"Anything for you little girl." Skye ruffled her hair and she shot her a glare.
The projector displayed a bonfire simulation, adding to the mood of the room. Kadesha picked up a biscuit and ate it before grabbing one of the plates. Amelia opted for a parfait while Skye chose a plate of chips.
"So, pick a question." Skye nudged Amelia, pointing to a bowl filled with small folded paper. Amelia picked one at random and opened it.
"Okay, favourite roommate." She read aloud before tossing the paper away. "Kadesha." She grinned.
"How dare you pick favourites?" Skye pulled her hair and she smacked her hand.
"Then why add the question moron? I don't have any favourites."
"Better." Skye huffed. Kadesha laughed and picked next.
"Most quiet roommate. Amelia." She answered and tossed the paper away. Skye was next.
"Favourite moment in the room. Ooh. Karaoke night." She immediately said. Kadesha rolled her eyes with a grin.
"Okay, most likely to cross boundaries. Skye definitely." Amelia crumpled the paper and tossed it away.
"I second that." Kadesha agreed while Skye pouted. Kadesha picked up a paper.
"Any flings so far?" She read and thought for a moment. "None." She answered after a while and poured herself a cup of smoothie.
"My turn." Skye picked a paper and her face flushed pink. "Um, most embarrassing thing that has happened to you ." She stuttered as she read and cleared her throat. "I dressed like my sister to her gym and a girl was trying to flirt. The moment I said I was Skye, she rolled her eyes and left."
"Damn." Amelia burst in laughter while Kadesha was trying –and failing –not to laugh.
"Shut up." Skye shoved some chips in her mouth. Kadesha pulled her into a fake hug, patting her back.
"On the bright side, you avoided an almost relationship." She joked and Skye pushed her away.
They continued playing, taking turns and having fun. The snacks and drinks were slowly disappearing, so were the papers in the bowl. They were laughing till they cried and most times, Skye was chasing Amelia with her slippers and Kadesha had to interfere.
"Okay okay. Last question goes to Kadesha." Skye announced and gave Kadesha the last piece of paper. Kadesha read it and froze. The smile died on her lips and her throat suddenly felt tight.
"Kadesha, what does it say?" Skye asked with concern, trying to think back to any question she wrote that was too personal.
"I'm good." Kadesha forced a smile and cleared her throat. "Talk about your hero." She read aloud and dropped the paper.
"My hero is my dad. And he is my everything. See, my birth mom and he are divorced because they married on a contract. She still comes and they aren't exactly fighting but they had different loves. So after having me, they divorced on mutual terms. No fights, no drama. Then my step mum. She's such a darling. Before her, my father refused to get married because of me. He said I was young and couldn't decide who was best as my mother. Don't get me wrong, I love my mum. She never gave me a reason to hate her but, my dad is my world. He has protected me more times than I can count. Seeing people speak about him like they know him, saying he endangered my life with the deal he did, it drives me insane. I know he's innocent. But the thought that maybe, maybe he really isn't, it haunts me every time. I want him back. I miss him so much."
Skye and Amelia hugged her trembling form. She hugged them back. They didn't say anything to each other, the hug spoke volumes already.
★
The Principal's office
The office was big, painted in cream colour and floored with ceramic tiles. An office desk and leather swivel chair stood at the end of the room. To the left were shelves that held files, books and awards. There was also a water dispenser and a mini fridge behind the desk. The picture of the school founder, late Dr. Maurice Kingston, hung proudly behind the desk along with his coat, the one he cherished because that had been the very thing he had left of his brother who was building the school with him. To the right were pictures of each set that had ever graduated from the school and other memorial pictures hung on the wall. A printer, photocopier and file cabinet lined the walls. The office also had an en suite
Kadesha entered the office and found their current principal and only daughter of the founder, Emily, making a call when she entered. Emily smiled and guestured to the chair opposite her table and ended the call.
"Good afternoon principal E. Busy I see?" Kadesha asked casually and Emily sighed.
"You have no idea. Granola bar?" She offered and Kadesha shook her head. "Alright." She put the bar back in her desk drawer. "Honestly I thought you would be the student with the most passes this few weeks." Kadesha laughed at that statement.
"Why? Cause I sing?"
"Yes." Emily laughed. "Jokes apart. I love the way you adapted Miss Williams. You don't skip classes or miss practicals. I'm proud."
"Thanks Miss Emily."
Emily smiled and stood up. "Your mood today, however, is very foul. Your teachers had to ask me so I called in your roommates." She walked to her door. "They said it was your father's birthday." She paused and turned around to the picture of her father. "I know how that feels." She muttered with a sad smile before opening her door.
Kadesha forgot how to breathe. Her knees bucked as she stood, staring at the figure at the door. Tall, broad shoulders, beards and an overgrown long hair with simple clothing.
"D-dad?" She mumbled. Her father ran to hug her with teary eyes. She broke and hugged him back, sobbing into his shoulders.
"I was released." Her father muttered. Kadesha's eyes flew open.
Released?
How?
The charge was heavy, so how?
"Surprise." A familiar voice called and Kadesha looked up.
"Y-you?!"