Tallulah's POVI couldn't help but check my makeup over and over again on my phone's screen as I stood at the university's bustling cafeteria, nervously scanning the room for Connor. We had agreed to meet here for coffee, and despite my initial reservations, I was determined to approach this with an open mind. It wouldn't be fare to write him off just because of his looks which made him look like a dangerous gangster. The sight of him sitting across the room at he extreme end had taking large breaths as I prepared myself to meet him. Spotting him at a corner table, I made my way over, my heel slapping against thw tlles as i maintained the posture wuth a warmth on my face that resonated wjgh my burning chest.Connor looked up as I approached, his face breaking into a warm smile. "Hey, Tallulah! Glad you could make it," he greeted, gesturing for me to take a seat across from him."Hey, Connor," I replied, returning his smile as I settled into the chair. The aroma of freshly brewed coff
Tallulah's POV One afternoon, as we sat under the shade of a large oak tree near the campus pond, Connor brought up his plans for the upcoming semester break. "I was thinking of visiting my family back home," he said, twirling a blade of grass between his fingers. "It's been a while since I've seen them, and I miss them.""That sounds nice," I replied, watching the sunlight filter through the leaves above us. "Do you go home often?"He shook his head, a wistful smile on his face. "Not as often as I'd like. My family lives a few hours away, so it's not always easy to make the trip."I nodded sympathetically, understanding the challenges of balancing university life with family obligations. "I hope you get to see them soon," I said sincerely. "Family time is important."Connor's expression softened. "What about you, Tallulah? Any plans for the break?"I shrugged, unsure of how to answer. "I haven't really thought about it. Maybe I'll visit my parents for a few days.""Sounds like a goo
83. Kathie's POVThe following days of lectures came in a rush, each day filled with two or more lectures which lasted two hours each. There was so much information to take in as the lectures did their best to make sure that everyone understood what they were teaching. I knew it wasn't this way in other colleges. I heard from my friends that their lectures don't even bother to come to classes most times, and when they did, they taught their courses to a class of over two hundred students, not caring if the students understood what they taught or not. I wouldn't blame them though, imagine having to make each of those hundreds of students understand each lecture. It would be exhausting. The only suffocating thing about this school was my new roommate, Bella Terrace. I wouldn't exactly use the word ‘suffocating’ due to the fact that it was a sweet kind of uneasiness I felt whenever she was present in the room. Most of the time, she was always on her PC, typing quickly in a manner that
Kathie's POV The days blurred together in a whirlwind of lectures, assignments, and the steady rhythm of Bella's presence in our dorm room. Each evening brought a quiet routine: Bella engrossed in her coding projects, me buried in textbooks, both of us occasionally exchanging brief words or glances that seemed to convey more than what was spoken aloud.One particularly exhausting Friday afternoon, after a marathon of classes, I returned to our room feeling drained. Bella was already there, as usual, her focus intent on her laptop screen. I flopped down on my bed, staring up at the ceiling with a sigh."You look beat," Bella remarked, her voice breaking the silence. She glanced over at me with a mixture of concern and curiosity.I managed a weak smile. "Yeah, these lectures are really taking it out of me."Bella nodded sympathetically. "I get it. Want me to make some tea again? It might help you unwind."I hesitated for a moment, touched by her thoughtfulness. "Actually, that sounds p
Lililan's POVThe sight of the three siblings, Tallulah, Marcus and Kathie leaving the house in the sparkling Ferrari threw my mind into tides of thoughts as I wondered how their school would be like and how they would cope now that they would be away from home during the weekends. I wasn't that worried about Marcus since he had already been in school for four years, graduating with a perfect grade. My concern was about the girls, Kathie and Lula. Before I graduated highschool, I had met Tallulah's father and had the affair with him that changed my life forever. My dream of going to college to study a course which would help me do what I loved was destroyed with the sight of that strange but handsome fellow. When I found out I was pregnant and was far from the prevention stage, I kept the secret away from my grandmother who I loved since I had lost my parents when I was just ten years old. Life was already rough for us since she and my uncle struggled to pay the fees and afford my e
Marcus' POVThe sight of the other students lifting their hands to answer questions, and the sound of their voice as they did so enthusiastically gave me irks. It reminded me of the first year of school when I had been like them, doing all I can to stay relevant and loved by the lecturers. After a while, I saw the real pictures and realized that it was all unnecessary since it only mattered if the exams and tests were passed properly.Most of the students in my department were men who were advanced in age, some even as old as my father. They must've come to take the course just like my father made me do because they needed the certificate for a job they wanted. The thought of how long I was going to have to deal with this unending circle of classes, tests, and exams annoyed me deeply. Not just a week or a month, six whole months which would probably rob me of my mind before I was halfway through it.I thought of just leaving and spending the rest of the session hanging out with some
Marcus’ POVMy mind wandered about, trying to imagine why she wasn't taking her calls, considering the fact that it was already 9am and the carteen must have served her dinner an hour ago which would have given her enough time to be in her room at this hour. I dialed the number over and over again, but it was still the same result. The series of dial tone beeps on and on until the call was cut. The only two reasons I could think of was either she was asleep or she just didn't want to talk to me. But both reasons seemed strange due to the fact that I knew Tallulah never slept early nor would she want to avoid speaking to me. We hadn't gotten into any dispute lately, and most importantly, the last time we parted after she strode into her dorm, her chins were flushed against her will with a warm smile across her lips. I could feel a smirk creeping across my lips as I thought of how perfect she looked as she walked away into the girl's dormitory with her box trailing behind her. Even t
Tallulah's POV “Fuck, it's cold.” I voiced, pulling the sheets above my head. The heater had begun saturating the hotel room, and the air freshener had a pleasant smell. I can't believe I'm at a five-star hotel, with a credit card in my purse containing thousands of dollars. And it was all thanks to my mom who got engaged to Mr Winston, a wealthy ship builder. I can't wait to meet my step family. But this was no time to be hiding underneath a blanket, I should be out there celebrating with some drinks at the bar. After all, my days of being broke were over, and my mum was finally getting married after decades of loneliness. •••••• The elevator doors slid open, revealing the passage leading to the hotel's bar which I strode into. But I began having second thoughts when I noticed the crowd of people in the room. Unlike other regular bars, they were all mannered, having small talks, and holding glasses of expensive drinks and wine. The music being played on the speakers was slow and
Marcus’ POVMy mind wandered about, trying to imagine why she wasn't taking her calls, considering the fact that it was already 9am and the carteen must have served her dinner an hour ago which would have given her enough time to be in her room at this hour. I dialed the number over and over again, but it was still the same result. The series of dial tone beeps on and on until the call was cut. The only two reasons I could think of was either she was asleep or she just didn't want to talk to me. But both reasons seemed strange due to the fact that I knew Tallulah never slept early nor would she want to avoid speaking to me. We hadn't gotten into any dispute lately, and most importantly, the last time we parted after she strode into her dorm, her chins were flushed against her will with a warm smile across her lips. I could feel a smirk creeping across my lips as I thought of how perfect she looked as she walked away into the girl's dormitory with her box trailing behind her. Even t
Marcus' POVThe sight of the other students lifting their hands to answer questions, and the sound of their voice as they did so enthusiastically gave me irks. It reminded me of the first year of school when I had been like them, doing all I can to stay relevant and loved by the lecturers. After a while, I saw the real pictures and realized that it was all unnecessary since it only mattered if the exams and tests were passed properly.Most of the students in my department were men who were advanced in age, some even as old as my father. They must've come to take the course just like my father made me do because they needed the certificate for a job they wanted. The thought of how long I was going to have to deal with this unending circle of classes, tests, and exams annoyed me deeply. Not just a week or a month, six whole months which would probably rob me of my mind before I was halfway through it.I thought of just leaving and spending the rest of the session hanging out with some
Lililan's POVThe sight of the three siblings, Tallulah, Marcus and Kathie leaving the house in the sparkling Ferrari threw my mind into tides of thoughts as I wondered how their school would be like and how they would cope now that they would be away from home during the weekends. I wasn't that worried about Marcus since he had already been in school for four years, graduating with a perfect grade. My concern was about the girls, Kathie and Lula. Before I graduated highschool, I had met Tallulah's father and had the affair with him that changed my life forever. My dream of going to college to study a course which would help me do what I loved was destroyed with the sight of that strange but handsome fellow. When I found out I was pregnant and was far from the prevention stage, I kept the secret away from my grandmother who I loved since I had lost my parents when I was just ten years old. Life was already rough for us since she and my uncle struggled to pay the fees and afford my e
Kathie's POV The days blurred together in a whirlwind of lectures, assignments, and the steady rhythm of Bella's presence in our dorm room. Each evening brought a quiet routine: Bella engrossed in her coding projects, me buried in textbooks, both of us occasionally exchanging brief words or glances that seemed to convey more than what was spoken aloud.One particularly exhausting Friday afternoon, after a marathon of classes, I returned to our room feeling drained. Bella was already there, as usual, her focus intent on her laptop screen. I flopped down on my bed, staring up at the ceiling with a sigh."You look beat," Bella remarked, her voice breaking the silence. She glanced over at me with a mixture of concern and curiosity.I managed a weak smile. "Yeah, these lectures are really taking it out of me."Bella nodded sympathetically. "I get it. Want me to make some tea again? It might help you unwind."I hesitated for a moment, touched by her thoughtfulness. "Actually, that sounds p
83. Kathie's POVThe following days of lectures came in a rush, each day filled with two or more lectures which lasted two hours each. There was so much information to take in as the lectures did their best to make sure that everyone understood what they were teaching. I knew it wasn't this way in other colleges. I heard from my friends that their lectures don't even bother to come to classes most times, and when they did, they taught their courses to a class of over two hundred students, not caring if the students understood what they taught or not. I wouldn't blame them though, imagine having to make each of those hundreds of students understand each lecture. It would be exhausting. The only suffocating thing about this school was my new roommate, Bella Terrace. I wouldn't exactly use the word ‘suffocating’ due to the fact that it was a sweet kind of uneasiness I felt whenever she was present in the room. Most of the time, she was always on her PC, typing quickly in a manner that
Tallulah's POV One afternoon, as we sat under the shade of a large oak tree near the campus pond, Connor brought up his plans for the upcoming semester break. "I was thinking of visiting my family back home," he said, twirling a blade of grass between his fingers. "It's been a while since I've seen them, and I miss them.""That sounds nice," I replied, watching the sunlight filter through the leaves above us. "Do you go home often?"He shook his head, a wistful smile on his face. "Not as often as I'd like. My family lives a few hours away, so it's not always easy to make the trip."I nodded sympathetically, understanding the challenges of balancing university life with family obligations. "I hope you get to see them soon," I said sincerely. "Family time is important."Connor's expression softened. "What about you, Tallulah? Any plans for the break?"I shrugged, unsure of how to answer. "I haven't really thought about it. Maybe I'll visit my parents for a few days.""Sounds like a goo
Tallulah's POVI couldn't help but check my makeup over and over again on my phone's screen as I stood at the university's bustling cafeteria, nervously scanning the room for Connor. We had agreed to meet here for coffee, and despite my initial reservations, I was determined to approach this with an open mind. It wouldn't be fare to write him off just because of his looks which made him look like a dangerous gangster. The sight of him sitting across the room at he extreme end had taking large breaths as I prepared myself to meet him. Spotting him at a corner table, I made my way over, my heel slapping against thw tlles as i maintained the posture wuth a warmth on my face that resonated wjgh my burning chest.Connor looked up as I approached, his face breaking into a warm smile. "Hey, Tallulah! Glad you could make it," he greeted, gesturing for me to take a seat across from him."Hey, Connor," I replied, returning his smile as I settled into the chair. The aroma of freshly brewed coff
Tallulah's POV Connor’s invitation caught me off guard. I hesitated for a moment, unsure how to respond. He seemed sincere, but after everything with Marcus, I wasn’t sure diving into something new was a good idea. Yet, there was a curiosity tugging at me, urging me to step out of my comfort zone.“Um, sure,” I finally replied, trying to sound casual despite the flutter in my chest. “Coffee sounds nice. But as I said earlier, I'm not interested in seeing anyone right now, so I'll have to decline. I'm sorry.”The silence followed my rejection, my heart pacing firm each second that passed, not knowing what to expect from the latter.“That's alright. He voiced, breaking the silence. And as I said, I just want us to be friends, nothing intense. So we can still have coffee tomorrow to get to know each other.”“I'm sorry. I'll be occupied tomorrow.”“When will you be free?” He asked, almost immediately.It seemed like he wasn't willing to back down to the extent where he had begun to lie
Tallulah's POVThe calmness in the air was quite palatable, bringing me relief as I stared into his expression filled with remorse. I admired his bravery, not afraid to stand his ground regardless of who was against him, as long as protecting me was involved. After a few seconds of staring, he shrugged lightly, his eyes shooting at the car.“So, are you going to drive off, or not?” he asked, my brows rising in confusion.My fingers felt the keys in my palms, realizing that he had given me his car keys a moment ago. I was beginning to remember the conversation we were having about me taking his car while he walked to my dorm, and I had also remembered my firm resolve not to let him off easily.“Are you sure you want to hand the love of your life over to me?” I asked, earning a chuckle from his lips.He snickered. “Come on, Lula. We both know you're the love of my life. That car is just a substitute now that you're my step sister.”I found the joke awkward rather than funny, but I smile