Eight years ago:

I was annoyed.

Mum held my hand tight as we walked into the big fancy building, making sure I wouldn't run off.

She knew me too well.

Our security stayed outside, and a few people stopped to stare. Well, duh. If you see a dozen armored men walking around like a parade, of course, you'll look.

Ugh. I felt like a zoo animal. All this fuss just because her friend opened some five-star restaurant? Big deal.

I clicked my tongue, irritated. Mum glanced at me before stepping through the doors.

With a smile, she bent down a little. "Ada, I promise, this won't take an hour. After the adults finish talking, I'll take you straight home."

Liar. If she said an hour, that meant at least half the day.

But I was a good girl. Making Mum happy was my job. Yep, that's just it.

So, I smiled up at her. "Don't worry, Mum. I trust you."

If I couldn't escape, I might as well make her feel guilty.

She shifted uncomfortably, then led me inside.

The restaurant was huge and weirdly quiet. Tons of people were eating, waiters moving around, but somehow, everyone acted like noise was illegal.

I snorted. Old people and their etiquette.

Boredom hit me like a wave, and I made sure it showed on my face. Two men in tuxedos walked toward us, clearly meant to receive us.

I rolled my eyes. I was eight, not stupid. Who stands behind a door, waiting to welcome someone? These guys had to be weird.

Maybe we could be friends.

"This way, Madam," one of them told Mum, gesturing toward an elevator.

I frowned. "Hey," I waved. "What about me? I'm with her too, you know."

The man blinked at me like he'd just noticed I existed.

Insulting.

I knew I was small, but he didn't have to make it that obvious.

My frown deepened.

The other guy quickly spoke up, flashing the kind of fake smile I'd seen too many times—the one that said, this child is trouble.

Which, okay, fair. But I wasn't completely irrational. Mummy and Daddy raised me better than that.

"Apologies, Miss. My partner lacks experience," he said, bowing. "Madam and Miss Storm, please follow me. CEO Lyra is expecting you both."

I raised an eyebrow. "Don't bow, sir. You're too old for that. Keep some pride."

Wait. That didn't sound right. I was the child here.

Whatever.

The man's shoulders twitched. Maybe he was laughing. Or maybe my imagination was acting up.

Mum just watched me with that weak smile of hers—the one that meant where did I go wrong with this child?

We stepped into the elevator, and I noticed the two men subtly inching away from me.

Hey, I don't bite.

Guess I wouldn't be making friends today.

I sighed, stepping in with zero expectations. This was going to be a long day. I wanted to stir up some chaos—just a little—but Mum wouldn't be happy.

So much for being a good girl.

The elevator dinged open to the second floor. The men led us down a boring hallway, with me dragging my feet behind Mum.

The place was filled with glass offices and people glued to desks, working on... whatever boring things adults do.

My frustration built. I'd rather die than sit through this. All this trouble just because Mum's friend wanted to meet me? Couldn't she just visit us at home?

Whoever this friend was, she'd made an enemy.

The men stopped in front of an office. Right then, the doors burst open, and a crowd of people spilled out—old men in tuxedos, ladies in dramatic dresses and too much makeup, all chattering about boring things.

My brain worked fast. Fancy suits, boring talk, too many papers.

Business meeting. Yep. I'm a genius.

Then, a young woman stepped out, and the whole crowd practically parted for her.

I narrowed my eyes. Boss alert.

She had to be the owner. The so-called friend Mum dragged me here to meet.

The woman's face lit up when she saw Mum. "Victoria!" she called, rushing forward and hugging her before Mum even reacted.

I scowled. Only Daddy and I got to hug Mum like that. Now I disliked her even more.

Mum smiled. "Lyra, I told you I'd surprise you! Ada wanted to meet you too, so I figured, why not kill two birds with one stone?"

I frowned. This was a test, right? Mummy always said to tell the truth.

"Hey, I didn't—"

Mum clapped a hand over my mouth. "Oops, my hand slipped."

Lyra rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. You totally dragged the poor child here."

She turned to me, curiosity in her eyes. Then, she bent down to my level.

Ugh. I hate when adults do that.

"You're adorable," she said, swiping a finger over my cheek.

I smacked her hand away. "Don't touch me."

Her grin didn't fade. "And sassy."

I squinted at her, then turned to Mum. You're friends with this lady?

I sighed. "You two are going to talk about boring adult stuff, right?"

"Ada..." Mum warned.

"Relax, I just have a small request. No way am I sitting through that."

Lyra gasped, feigning hurt. "But I wanted to get to know you."

I crossed my arms. "Lady, you reek of boring. My life is way too exciting for someone like you."

Her eyebrow twitched.

Did I care? Nope. Mummy and Daddy said to always speak my mind. That means I was being a good girl.

"I'll just look around," I added. "Not like there's much to see here anyway."

Mum sighed, exchanging looks with Lyra. Then, Lyra laughed.

"Hilarious," she said. "How did you—Miss Prim and Proper—give birth to this?"

Mum stammered. "S-she's still my cute little girl."

I hated this conversation. Turning away, I walked off. "I'm leaving."

Lyra called after me, still laughing. "Let the men follow her. Even though it's safe, we can't take risks."

I blinked. The two guys were still here? Wow. They really had no escape plan.

"Whatever," I muttered, heading toward the elevator.

Mum's voice stopped me. "Ada."

I turned. She gave me the look. The one that only I understood.

Don't cause trouble... please.

I rolled my eyes. I'll try.

The two men trailed behind as I reached the ground floor. The restaurant was just as dull as before.

I scanned the room and spotted the open kitchen, where chefs arranged food behind glass. Maybe that could be interesting.

Jogging over, I waved at an older cook. "Hey, what're you making?"

He frowned, then softened when he noticed my guards. "Spicy Tuna Tartare, Miss."

I studied the dish. "Looks kinda bland. Shouldn't there be more pepper?"

The cook chuckled. "Too much spice and the customer might choke."

I tilted my head. "Now doesn't that sound exciting."

I kicked my feet against the chair, watching the cook shift uncomfortably under my gaze. He looked like he'd rather be anywhere but here, but that wasn't my problem.

"I don't get it, young Miss," he muttered, scratching the back of his head.

I huffed. Why were adults so slow? "It's supposed to be spicy," I reminded him, rolling my eyes. "If the customer is choking, that means it's working. Who's it for, anyway?" I turned my head, scanning the restaurant.

Not that I cared. I just wanted to see my little experiment in action.

The cook let out a breath, like I'd just told him he wasn't getting fired today. "The young man in the blue shirt, just behind the window at the end of the hall."

I barely spared the guy a glance before something way more interesting caught my attention.

At a table near the back, four kids-my age-sat stiffly, all dressed in black. They looked like tiny ninjas, but they weren't even talking. No food, no drinks, just sitting there, silent like they were in a horror movie.

Weird.

I slid off my chair, already losing interest in my choking victim. Who cared about some random guy when there were actual mysterious kids sitting right there?

Marching straight to their table, I planted myself in front of them. Four sets of eyes snapped to me instantly, like I'd just ruined some super-secret ninja mission.

Oh, please.

"Hey, Jerry," I called over my shoulder to one of the bodyguards trailing me. That was a name I made on the spot, but it will be me and Jerry's little secret. "Be a good boy and fetch me a chair, will you?"

Jerry obeyed without question. That's why he was my favorite.

"Hi," I said, planting my hands on my hips. "I'm Ada. What's your name?"

The only girl in the group-brown-eyed and pretty-peeked at me with big, shaky eyes before quickly looking away.

"Leave," one of the boys ordered, voice cold as ice.

Oh?

I turned to him, taking in his scowling face. He had the whole broody, don't-talk-to-me thing going on, and I already knew exactly what to call him.

"Mr. Grumpy," I decided.

Jerry returned with a chair, and I plopped down on it like I belonged there. Mr. Grumpy glared, but I ignored him.

"What are your names?" I asked, swinging my legs.

The girl hesitated before whispering, "Aisha."

Ooooh.

I gasped dramatically. "No way. My name starts with an 'A' too! That means we're totally best friends now."

Aisha blinked. "Really?"

"Obviously. It's a sign." I nodded seriously. "We have to take it very seriously."

The cutest boy I had ever seen chuckled, making my brain short-circuit for a second.

"I'm Luke," he said. "That's Obinna, and over there is Matthew. Don't mind Matthew-he's rude to everyone."

Ohhh, so Mr. Grumpy had a real name. Not that I was gonna use it.

I turned to Obinna, the smallest of the group. He hadn't spoken a word, but I didn't need him to-his stomach was growling loud enough to introduce itself.

"Hey, Tom," I called, waving lazily at another bodyguard. "Get us something to eat, will you?"

Obinna's stomach rumbled again, and I smirked.

"We're not hungry," Mr. Grumpy growled.

I gave him a look. "No kidding, Sherlock. That totally explains why Obinna's stomach is singing a full concert. Wow, you're such a genius."

Luke burst into laughter, and Matthew-Mr. Grumpy-looked like he wanted to throw me out the window.

"Only dogs growl," I told him sweetly, then turned back to Aisha. "Anyway, your hair is really pretty."

Aisha blinked, like she wasn't used to compliments. "Thank you," she said, then frowned. "Dogs. Do you have a dog?"

The question was so random I almost laughed.

"Nope. I have a cat. We call her Kittypaws."

"Not cats," Aisha declared, shaking her head. "Cats are bad. I want a dog."

My jaw dropped. "Excuse me?! Cats are adorable. Dogs are not as cute. End of discussion."

Aisha pouted. Clearly, she disagreed.

Luke tilted his head at me, his cute face full of curiosity. "Why are you being nice to us? You don't even know us."

I shrugged. "I was bored. But now I changed my mind. You guys are weird, and I wanna know why. But," I gave a dramatic sigh, "it'd be rude to ask."

Matthew narrowed his eyes. "Things like what?"

Hook, line, and sinker.

I grinned. "Like, why are you dressed like ninjas? You don't act like friends or siblings, but you're together. And where are your parents? I mean, I'm super jealous you're out without an adult, but still. And finally, why is it just me noticing how weird this is?"

Silence.

No answers.

Figures.

Just then, waiters arrived with trays of food, setting them down in front of us.

I turned to Obinna, my voice softer now. "Want me to feed you?"

Obinna hesitated, glancing at the others.

"Eat it first," Matthew ordered, his voice sharp.

I froze.

Oh.

They thought I poisoned it.

Eight-year-olds. Thinking about poison.

I was actually a little impressed.

Luke gave me an apologetic look. "Sorry, Ada. It's not you. Just... humor us, okay?"

I sighed dramatically. "Fine, fine. You guys are so dramatic."

I took a sip from each drink, then grabbed a spoon and took tiny bites from all the plates.

The second I swallowed the last one, they attacked the food like starving wolves.

I sat back, wide-eyed.

Okay. Exactly how long had they gone without food? Hours? Days? A whole lifetime?

Obinna didn't even bother with cutlery-he was just shoveling food into his mouth with his hands.

"That's unhealthy," I muttered, ruffling his hair.

Five minutes. That's how long it took them to clear everything. This was food meant for ten adults.

"Do you want more?" I asked.

Aisha wiped her sauce-stained mouth and smiled. "You're a good person. Nothing like me."

That... was a weird thing to say.

I waved her off. "Crazy people like us gotta stick together."

Mr. Grumpy, of all people, spoke up next. "Your outfit is terrible."

I blinked. "Excuse me?!"

He smirked. "You look like you came from a circus. You should fix that."

Oh, now I was mad. This dress was one of my favorites, and I admit, it was multicolored and a little weird, but still pretty.

Yet, Mr. Grumpy just knew how to ruin the mood.

"I DO NOT dress like a clown!"

"Obviously," Matthew said, still smirking. "Clowns don't know they look like clowns. It's quite great fashion to them."

Luke coughed into his fist, trying (and failing) to hold back laughter.

"You dress better than a clown, Ada," he offered.

I clenched my fists. "That. Doesn't. Help."

Obinna grinned. "Don't pay them any attention, your dress is lit."

Okay, now I liked him.

From there, the conversation turned into chaos. We talked about school, ranted about how terrible it was, then got into a heated debate about how boys were gross. The boys did some ridiculous victory dances when they won arguments, and I had to grab them by the hair multiple times.

We were loud. Loud enough to annoy every single person in the restaurant.

I didn't care.

For the first time in forever, I was having fun.

"So I looked her in the face and told her," Matthew said, slipping into a smug grin, "You just helped yourself to a big dish of frog meat. How does it taste this time? Still delicious?"

We all burst into laughter. I clutched my stomach, half-wheezing, half-gasping for air. It wasn't just the joke-it was them. The way we'd been talking for hours, how easy it felt, how natural.

We weren't just friends. It was something deeper. Something real.

"Which middle school do you have in mind, Ada?" Aisha asked suddenly.

The laughter died down as they all turned to me, waiting for my answer.

"Nerland," I sighed. "Not really negotiable. Granny decided that."

They all made an "oh" sound, but something about the way they shifted in their seats made me pause.

That was... weird.

For a few seconds, no one spoke. It felt unnatural, like they wanted to say something but wouldn't. Then I noticed they weren't looking at me anymore.

They were looking at the door.

Frowning, I turned to follow their gaze.

Outside the glass doors, about a dozen men in suits stood, watching.

No-watching them.

Obinna stood up immediately. "I'll call you," he said, the rest of them rising too. "We need to leave."

"I could escort you," I offered, getting to my feet.

"No." Aisha's hands trembled as she shoved me back into my seat. "Please, stay. Don't step outside with us."

I narrowed my eyes. "If you don't want to leave with them, just say the word. My family is powerful enough to give whoever's threatening you hell on earth. No-fuck that. I alone am enough."

Luke smiled, but there was something sad behind it. "We get it. You're a Storm. But we aren't in danger. We're just going home."

Aisha's shaking hands told me otherwise.

But if I pushed too much, they'd just dodge the question.

I gave up.

They looked at each other, something unspoken passing between them. Then, all at once, they turned back to me and pulled me into an embrace.

"You are my sanity," Obinna whispered.

"You are my friend," Aisha added.

"You made me feel human again," Luke murmured, voice trembling like he was barely holding himself together.

"You keep me grounded," Matthew mumbled, just low enough for me to hear.

My brain short-circuited.

What was I supposed to say to that?!

But before I could even process it, before I could tell them something-anything-they were already walking away, disappearing through the doors with the suited men.

"What the hell was that?" I muttered, shaking my head.

That strange, uncomfortable loss settled in my stomach again. But I didn't have time to think about it.

Mum stepped out of the elevator, her friend trailing behind. She looked rushed. Worried.

I raised a brow. What could possibly get her so worked up?

That's when I realized the restaurant was almost empty.

It was still an hour until dusk.

Weird.

I didn't even notice people leaving. Then again, I'd been so caught up with my new friends, the apocalypse could've hit and I wouldn't have noticed.

"Get up, Ada. We're leaving," Mum said the moment she reached me.

"What's the rush?" I asked, standing. Not that I wanted to stay here any longer anyway.

"There's been a mass murder," Mum said impatiently. "An explosion. A hundred people dead."

Lyra sighed. "Vicky, relax. It'd take a fool to cross the Storms."

"I know," Mum snapped. "But I'm not taking any chances with my daughter."

"Did they get whoever did it?" I asked as we walked toward the doorway.

Mum let out an irritated huff. "Of course not. Since when were the police ever that responsible?"

Oof. She was really pissed.

"They only caught footage of four black-clothed silhouettes in a moving vehicle after the explosion. Tell me, what good is that?"

Four.

Four figures.

Four kids in black.

My brain immediately supplied the image of my friends.

I shoved the thought away.

No. That was ridiculous. It wasn't every day you saw eight-year-olds driving a car.

And they weren't murderers. They were like me. Kids.

Right?

The little army of armored soldiers surrounded us, leading us into the Mercedes Maybach. The convoy moved out the moment the doors shut.

And through it all, one thought kept repeating in my head.

I hope they're okay.

Present day:

I grabbed my toothbrush and headed to the bathroom, a grin stretching across my face. Finally, school was resuming after the longest, dullest vacation in the history of vacations. Sure, Hawaii had its beaches, fast food, and picture-perfect sunsets, but I'd take the chaos of Nigeria over all that any day.

Yes, I mean Nigeria, in Africa. But don't get me wrong, Africa wasn't pretty, and for someone like me who hated ugly it wasn't exactly a dream place. But for a family as special as mine that travel around the world for a little task such as looking for special potatoes, it was our home ground where we were god.

Over here I could retain a bit of normalcy without scores of cars escorting me when I want to have an orange juice at a cafe downtown, or a couple of security men running background checks and interviews on anyone that tries to approach me, and it gets even more ridiculous when a kid of four had his first interview simply because he walked to me.

Already dressed for school in my multicolored velvet top and black trousers, I trudged out of my room, feeling like a million bucks—or at least like someone who hadn't completely messed up their outfit. My black leather boots clicked against the tiles as I walked, my ponytail swaying behind me. I carried my laptop like it was made of glass, carefully balancing it while nudging the door shut with my foot.

"Good morning, Miss Ada," Officer Bernice greeted, standing by the door as still and serious as ever.

"Morning. Here, take this," I said, shoving the laptop into her hands like it was the most natural thing in the world. She didn't even flinch, just followed me down the curved staircase, her footsteps clicking in sync with mine.

The other officers greeted me as we passed. I barely glanced at them. Honestly, did they expect me to respond to each one? I wasn't running for office. By the time I reached the car, I would be out of breath and ready to collapse.

At the base of the stairs, I walked into the sitting room—scratch that, the ballroom. The place was ridiculous. Marble floors gleamed under a parade of chandeliers, and plush cushions stretched as far as the eye could see. TVs were scattered everywhere, each tuned to something different. News, football, cartoons—pick your poison.

Dad was lounging on a couch, one hand scrolling through his phone, the other gripping a glass of—wait, was that liquor? Seriously? He was smiling at whatever was on his screen, taking slow, sneaky sips like he thought he was being subtle.

"Dad," I called, making him jump. The man practically tossed the glass behind his back, but it was too late. Busted.

"You never listen, do you?" I said, plopping down beside him. "Your doctors told you to quit drinking. Remember your liver?"

"Adanna," he groaned, rubbing his temple. "Enough with the lectures. You're going to be late for school."

Ah, the classic deflection. Alarms started blaring in my head. Something was up. Now what was this old man trying to hide.

"The contract," I said, narrowing my eyes. "Who are you awarding it to?"

"Zil Limited," he answered reluctantly. "They submitted the best proposal."

"What kind of 'best' are we talking about here?"

"Money," he said, waving a hand dismissively. "They want seven million euros to clear the land before construction. Now, have you eaten breakfast?"

"Bernice brought it to my room," I replied, unimpressed by his blatant dodge. "What about Mom? Any updates?"

His face tightened. Gotcha.

"The WHO extended her contract. She won't be home for another three months."

Three months?! My heart skipped, but I forced myself to stay cool.

"She was supposed to come home today," I said, rolling my eyes. "Guess promises are out of fashion now, huh?"

Dad sighed. "Adanna, she's saving lives. It's important work."

"Sure, Dad," I said flatly. "Saving lives. Amazing. Meanwhile, she just disappears for months, like it's no big deal."

I snatched his glass and shoved it into the nearest officer's hand. "Get rid of this," I snapped, then grabbed my laptop from Bernice and stormed out before I could say something I'd regret. The tears stinging my eyes weren't because of Mom. Definitely not.

The drive to Nerland High School was uneventful, as usual. By the time I walked into class, Mr. Adeleke's glare was waiting for me.

"Miss Ada," he barked. "First day of school, and you're late?"

"Get a wife, snappy old man," I mumbled under my breath, sliding into my seat.

My friends—Aisha, Luke, Obinna, and Matthew—acknowledged me in their usual ways. Aisha waved, Matthew winked, and the other two just nodded like the cool kids they thought they were.

---

By lunch, we'd all gathered at our usual table in the cafeteria.

"How was Hawaii?" Aisha asked, practically bouncing in her seat.

"Terrible," I muttered, stabbing my food with unnecessary force. "I couldn't step outside without an escort."

"You're missing out," Luke said, smirking. "Hawaii's amazing. Last time I visited I danced some kind of Hawaiian dance with some elderly ladies at the shore while little kids beat tambourines and cheer at my magnificence."

"Stick to your food, Hollywood," I shot back, pointing at his overflowing tray.

It's great injustice that he was given such a cute face. This gigolo.

"You won't even finish half that taco," he quipped, clearly enjoying himself.

Before I could fire back, Obinna jumped in, shaking his head like a disappointed parent. "You've changed, Ada. Usually, you'd have a sharper comeback. Now you're just... boring."

I gasped. Dramatically. "Excuse me? I am NOT boring!" My voice cracked halfway through, and Aisha lost it, laughing so hard she had tears streaming down her face.

"You sound like a baby!" she wheezed, barely managing to stay upright. Even Matthew joined in, his chuckles loud enough to turn heads.

I glared at them, crossing my arms. "You're all the worst."

Once the laughter died down, Aisha knocked on the table. "Guys, aren't we forgetting something?"

They stared blankly.

"Ada's mom was supposed to come home today," she reminded them.

"Oh yeah!" Matthew exclaimed. "We totally remember, don't we guys?"

"Of course," Luke continued, with that irritating smile only him can give plastered on his face. I felt like rubbing it off. "I had Curtis call in his jazz band you know. There will be trumpets, violins, a lot of flowers and butterflies."

Obinna nodded after him, drinking his juice and looking at me with his serious face.

I rolled my eyes. I am pretty sure they would remember International Chicken's Day (if that even exists) over my mum arriving today.

"She's not coming," I said quietly, stabbing my food again. "Three more months."

The table fell silent. Obinna stood abruptly. "We'll go get her."

I almost choked. "She's in a high-security lab in Washington," I said. "What are you going to do? Kidnap her?"

He didn't even blink. "If that's what it takes."

"No!" I shot back, blocking his way. "She'll come back when she's ready. Don't do anything stupid."

"But—"

"Don't."

Aisha placed a hand on his arm, and he reluctantly sat back down.

"Promise me," Obinna said, his voice low. "Promise me you'll stop pretending like everything's fine."

I raised an eyebrow. "Who's pretending?" I snapped. "But sure. Whatever."

There was silence for a while, and then Luke whistled, and it sort of eased all of the tension. But somehow it also made the situation so funny that we all broke into a laugh involuntarily. It wasn't everyday we found ourselves acting so serious.

"That was scary babe, you looked you were ready to land a punch into Obi's guts," Luke grinned.

I got annoyed. The meanie was making me look like some burly man into arm wrestling, but I am just pretty and petite. Before I could retort in one of my most favorite compositions about myself and how such barbarity is unbefitting of me, the bell just had to go off.

Darn it.