Star packed her things neatly, her thoughts swirling as she went about the task. Mandume left to his room, his expression tight and unreadable. Tiffanie had followed him, but Star could feel the tension hanging in the air. When Mandume left, Star quickly sent him a message, her fingers tapping nervously.
"Tiffanie is behind you. Please don't say something mean to her... For my sake, please. She thinks we're dating."
Moments later, Mandume's response came through, curt and to the point.
"Yes Star, you may think that we're not dating, but to me, you're mine."
Star let out a breath she didn't know she was holding, the weight of his words both comforting and unsettling. "Okay," she replied.
When Star was done with her room, she decided to check in on Bonita. New to the house, she had no idea whose room was whose. She wandered upstairs and knocked on the first door she found, but there was no answer. She continued to the next door, but as she raised her hand to knock, she heard a voice—Maria's—coming from inside the previous room.
"Now where did I put that letter? I have to find it..." Maria muttered to herself.
Star knocked again, but the room fell silent. Confused, she spoke from the outside. "Madam… I am looking for Bonita's room. Mind if you direct me?"
No response. Growing frustrated but unwilling to back down, Star decided to move on. Just as she turned to leave, Bonita appeared.
"What are you doing at my dad's room?" Bonita asked with a furrowed brow.
Star explained, "Your mom is inside, so I was asking her about you, but she didn't answer me."
Bonita frowned, shaking her head. "Mom is inside? No one goes into that room, no one even has the key. So, how is she inside?"
Star, confused but insistent, replied, "I heard her talking from inside."
Bonita marched towards her father's room, calling for her mom. "Mom, mom, mom," she shouted, but there was no answer. Turning to Star, she said, "Are you crazy? Mom isn't here! You must be hearing things. Come on, let's go."
Just as they were about to leave, Maria emerged from the opposite room, looking confused. "I heard you calling me. Is something wrong?" she asked.
Bonita shot a look at Star. "Star was at my dad's room, thinking you were there," she said flatly.
Maria quickly explained, "Ah, no, no one opens his room. We don't have the keys to it. This is my room, Star."
Star gave a puzzled nod. "Okay, now I know. That's your room."
Bonita led Star to her own room, muttering under her breath. "This is my room."
Star smiled. "You have a nice room."
Bonita gave a small smile. "Thank you."
Star shifted the conversation. "You said you were looking for me. What's up?"
Bonita laughed lightly. "Hmm, so you scanned me and concluded that I prepare dinner? Let alone cook?"
Star, taken aback, asked, "You don't cook?"
Bonita chuckled. "Mom cooks. She must be in the kitchen preparing it already."
Star nodded. "Oh, okay. So show me the kitchen."
Bonita pointed toward the stairs. "It's just downstairs, opposite the living room."
Meanwhile, Mandume had reached his room, but moments later, Tiffanie entered. She wrapped her arms around him from behind, but Mandume stiffened, feeling a wave of disgust rise in his chest. Tiffanie didn't seem to notice, or if she did, she didn't care.
"So, I'm glad that you still care for me, babe?" Tiffanie purred, settling onto his bed.
Mandume, his mood darkening, replied with a sigh, "You think so?"
Tiffanie beamed at him. "Yes, love. And before you assume anything, your sister called me over for a sleepover. We have a test tomorrow."
Mandume shot her a confused look. "My sister called you? And you're in my room? Don't you think that's a bit… lost?"
Tiffanie's expression shifted to one of hurt, and she stood up, facing him. "What's with you? What have I done so wrong that you can't forgive me? I'm always trying hard to bring this relationship into the light. It's like I'm a man in it, but you can't see it. You can't see me, Mandume. Why are you doing this to me?"
Mandume didn't respond, instead turning toward the bed. Tiffanie stood there, fuming, but eventually, her anger seemed to dissipate, replaced by a calm resolve. She lay down beside him, taking a deep breath.
"I'm sorry. I yelled at you like that," Tiffanie whispered.
Mandume nodded, though his thoughts were elsewhere. "Okay, so you said you came to study. Why don't you start now, while dinner is getting ready?"
Tiffanie nodded eagerly. "Yeah, we'll start later. I want to spend this time with you."
Mandume couldn't help but think that Tiffanie was genuine in her feelings for him, but something about their relationship just didn't sit right with him. His instincts screamed that he was in the wrong place. "Oh God, how did I get into this situation? I love Star, and you know it. Please, help me get out of here," he thought, his mind filled with confusion.
"Okay, let's at least play a game if you don't want to study," he suggested, trying to placate her, though his heart wasn't in it.
Tiffanie's eyes lit up. She immediately agreed, but Mandume couldn't bring himself to share her enthusiasm. He just went through the motions, unsure of how to make this situation end.
In the kitchen, Star was alone for a moment before Maria walked in. "Oh, Star dear… what are you doing here?" Maria asked, her voice warm.
"Can we prepare dinner together?" Star asked hesitantly.
Maria hesitated before shaking her head gently. "Oh, no… you go to your room. I'll prepare it myself."
Star, feeling a deep longing, persisted. "No, no. I'm here to prepare dinner. My night won't feel right if I don't. Please allow me. I want to feel mom's presence in my life again. We used to prepare dinner together."
Maria's expression softened, her eyes filled with sympathy. "Oh, dear… you're so lovely. It's okay, if you insist."
Together, they set to work in the kitchen, the silence between them filled with an unspoken understanding. As Star chopped vegetables, her mind wandered back to the moments she had shared with her mother in a kitchen much like this one. Tears welled in her eyes, but she quickly wiped them away.
"Are you okay?" Maria asked, noticing Star's sadness.
Star nodded, though her voice cracked as she spoke. "Yeah, I'm fine… it's just that I miss Mom. I hope she's safe wherever she is."
Maria patted Star on the chin. "Of course she's safe… Don't be sad, Star. You're affecting the baby."
Star smiled weakly, placing a hand on her stomach. "Yeah, I know. He's alright. He's strong, just like his mother. Nothing will hurt him until he arrives in this world."
They giggled softly, the shared moment of tenderness settling over them like a comforting blanket.
But Maria's instincts were sharp. She knew there was more to Star's story than she let on. Was she truly just an innocent girl caught in a tangled web of emotions, or was there something deeper at play here?