The cheers of victory faded.
The applause from teachers dimmed.
And slowly, Kingstar's spotlight cooled.
Now in Form Three, pressure mounted WASSCE, leadership, choir demands, and internal doubts. He was known as the golden boy… but even stars get tired of shining all the time.
Then came Raymond.
A final-year student with the kind of confidence that ignored rules and attracted attention. Raymond didn't care about grades he cared about fun, freedom, and the thrill of breaking bounds.
"Kingstar, you too serious, chale. Life no be only books."
And just like that, Raymond pulled him into a secret world nightlife beyond the school walls.
The jump.
Every weekend, a few boys snuck out, scaling the broken back wall behind the school's garden. At first, Kingstar hesitated. But curiosity is a loud voice and one Friday, he gave in.
That night, in Adum, at a popular spot filled with SHS students pretending to be older, he saw her.
Pearl.
She wasn't loud.
She wasn't wild.
She was… graceful.
With her neatly braided hair, soft dimples, and calm presence, she sat with her cousin sipping pineapple juice. The boys were making noise, but Kingstar's world muted when their eyes met.
He froze.
She smiled.
And somehow, with the help of Raymond's teasing and a bottle of Coke, he sat next to her.
"Hi… I'm Kingstar. I sing."
She chuckled, "I can tell. Your voice is gentle."
They talked for thirty minutes like they'd known each other for years. He didn't lie. He didn't pretend.
And for the first time in weeks, he felt… peace.
But the night got late. The bill came.
And reality hit, he had spent part of his school fees again.
It wasn't just about the money now. It was what he was becoming.