Maria's frustration bubbled over as she paced in the living room.
"Just when I thought she's going for good…now she's staying for a year, and we're still in March…nine full months to go! Gosh!" Maria vented, her voice sharp.
Bonita stood in the doorway, her expression calculating. "Mom, see… Star will destroy us! Why can't she just go to her mother up north and transfer to a northern college? She's intelligent, I'm sure they'd accept her right away."
Maria paused, considering. "Oh, really? That sounds like an idea... Honestly, Star has something about her that I just can't figure out. She seems... off."
Bonita's eyes narrowed. "Rudra seems to like her. I saw the way he was looking at her... like he's ready to marry her…"
Maria's lip curled with disdain. "Hmm, I saw that too. But… Star has to leave before I hear Mandume call her his girlfriend."
"I'll ask her if she can transfer. And mom, have you noticed? She hasn't eaten your food since the day she threw up from it," Bonita added, a mischievous grin tugging at the corner of her mouth.
Maria frowned. "Yeah, I noticed. She buys her own food and cooks it."
"Why do you seem powerless when it comes to her? We can't get rid of her unless we make her life here unbearable. Tell her to stop cooking her own meals if she can't eat mine. Tell her, Mom! Do you think she'll rebel? No, she'll have no choice but to accept it!" Bonita declared, her tone resolute.
Maria's eyes brightened with a sudden idea. "It's already been stopped. I was thinking the same thing earlier today. I'll tell her she has to pay for the electricity if she keeps cooking separately. That girl's too comfortable in this house."
"Let's put the pressure on her. Let's see what she's made of!" Bonita grinned, determined.
Meanwhile, Mandume and Star sat on the bed, the air between them thick with unspoken words.
"But how do we start?" Mandume asked, his voice soft yet uncertain.
Star smiled, her eyes glinting with a secret plan. "Don't worry. I have a plan."
Mandume stood up to leave, but his trouser cuff caught on Star's ankle bracelet.
"Oh, sorry!" Star said, bending down to untangle it, but Mandume stopped her.
"No, I like it like this," Mandume said, his voice warm.
Star raised an eyebrow. "Meaning?"
"Meaning, we're staying like this for the rest of the day," Mandume replied with a smile.
"Ah… did you realize your hairy trouser cuff got stuck on my delicate, beautiful bracelet? It could break easily," Star teased, pulling her ankle a little farther from him.
"If it breaks, I'll buy you another one—the original one that can't break," Mandume said with a grin.
Star moved her ankle swiftly, detaching herself from him. "What did you do that for?" Mandume asked, his tone puzzled.
"For my bracelet's safety," Star replied coolly, a mischievous sparkle in her eyes.
Mandume chuckled. "I see how it is."
Star exaggerated a snore, cutting him off as he started to speak. "You're crazy, Star," he laughed.
Star didn't respond, continuing her 'sleep' act. Mandume gently shook her. "Star, Star," he said softly, but she kept snoring.
"Oh, so now you're pretending to be asleep?" Mandume said, his voice light.
He tickled her. Star burst out laughing, grabbing a pillow and throwing it at him. Soon, a full-blown pillow fight broke out, and they ended up side by side, sprawled out on the bed. They stared at each other in silence for more than twenty seconds. Star tried to look away, but Mandume stopped her.
"I've never had the courage to talk about my father… I've always felt defeated when I try to bring him up. But when you came into my life, you brought light, something I've lacked for years. Today, you gave me the courage to speak up… and not just about my dad, but also about how I feel about you. Star, I love you," Mandume confessed, his voice filled with sincerity.
Star's heart raced. His words echoed in her mind, 'Star, I love you.' Panic settled in, and she abruptly stood up, her chest tightening. She couldn't stay there, her mind spinning. She rushed to the parlor outside, tears brimming in her eyes.
"Uh oh… that wasn't how it was supposed to come out," Mandume muttered, following her.
Star sat on the floor in the parlor, overwhelmed by emotion. She whispered to herself, "Oh Lord, why is fate against me? I love Mendu, I do… but I'm pregnant. How will he handle this? Pregnant with someone else's child? I can't do this. I've already ruined my life, my future with him… Tiffanie was right, Mandume is blindly in love with me."
Mandume approached, kneeling beside her. "No, I'm not blind, Star. I love you just the way you are."
Star looked at him, startled. "Really? Will your family accept me? They won't accept someone pregnant with someone else's child… Look, Mendu, I don't want to cause drama or pull you away from your family. I came here to live, not to fall in love."
Mandume took her hands in his, his voice unwavering. "I love you, Star. That's all that matters, not my family. I accept you, and I'll support you."
Star shook her head, tears falling. "You don't see me, Mendu. You don't see what's really going on."
Mandume leaned in closer, his voice soft but firm. "Yes, I do. And this baby… it's not illegitimate to me. This baby is a blessing. If it weren't for this baby, your mom wouldn't have let you stay here. This baby gave you shelter, it brought us closer, and it made me confess my love for you."
Star broke down, her body trembling. Mandume wrapped his arms around her, offering comfort as she cried.
After a moment of silence, Star wiped her tears away, still shaken. Mandume pulled back slightly, his hands gently brushing her hair.
"I've loved you since the day we met. You helped me with those earphones in the library, and the moment your hand touched mine, I felt something in my veins, something I couldn't ignore. At first, I thought it was pointless because of Tiffanie, but the more I see you, the more I'm drawn to you. I'm not asking you to love me back, Star, I just want you to know that I do. And one more thing—this baby, he's never illegitimate to me." Mandume gently placed his hand on her stomach.
Star stared at him, tears falling silently down her face.
"I love you, Star," Mandume continued, his voice filled with quiet resolve. "And you can't stop me."
Star, trembling but filled with warmth, leaned in to kiss him. Yet, flashes of her painful past interrupted her. Her feelings for Mandume were intense, but she couldn't escape the haunting memories.
She took his hand, tapping it gently, a soft smile crossing her lips. "I… I love you too, Mendu."
Mandume's heart soared with excitement, and he pulled her into a tight embrace.
"I understand you, Star. You just need to be strong. Soon, it'll all be over," Mandume whispered, holding her close.