Adora!” Mr. Okonkwo’s deep voice thundered through the marble halls of their Asokoro mansion. “How many times do I have to tell you to stop acting like… like a street fighter?”
Adora rolled her eyes, hoodie pulled over her head, barely acknowledging the lecture. Her parents’ shouting was routine, but today, there was a new tension.
“You are grounded!” Mrs. Okonkwo snapped, pointing at Adora’s sneakers as if they were a crime against civilization.
Adora had spent the morning racing friends through Jabi Lake’s jogging paths and climbing the hills near Millennium Park. She laughed, tumbled, and flaunted her tomboy mask—covering the curves her parents scolded her for—but today her rebellion seemed pointless.
“We’re sending you abroad,” Mr. Okonkwo announced. “You will finish your schooling in China. They teach girls to be disciplined, elegant… controlled.”
Adora froze. Her friends waited outside, ready for their usual fun. Leaving Abuja, leaving freedom, was unthinkable.
“China?” she scoffed. “You want me to become some… quiet, fancy girl who bows and smiles all day?”
Her parents exchanged a look that said: We’ve tried everything. Adora’s defiance, legendary in their household, would not stop them.
And so, her journey began—not on Nigerian streets, not among friends—but in a world far away, where rules were foreign, bullies were different, and the challenge of merging her proud Nigerian identity with a completely new culture awaited.

By the next morning, Adora's arrival had become the hot topic of the entire school. Whispers floated through the corridors, echoing off the pristine walls.


Adora, dressed in her usual hoodie and sneakers, strode down the hall, backpack slung over one shoulder, headphones around her neck. Heads turned. Some students nudged each other. Phones were subtly raised, snapping secret photos.


Bold, brave, and unapologetically Adora. She repeated the motto quietly, letting it fortify her confidence. She had survived curiosity, stares, and even mild judgment before—and she could do it here.


A small group of students approached, their expressions a mixture of curiosity and mischief.


"Ni… hao," Adora greeted, her broken Chinese earning a giggle from the group. She grinned. "I'm Adora. From Nigeria. Don't worry—I bite only if I have to."


The students froze for a moment, unsure if she was joking—or serious. One boy whispered something in Chinese, the others laughed, but Adora didn't flinch. She tossed her hoodie hood back and winked.


By lunch, the story had grown. Rumors spread faster than she could eat her snack:


"She dresses like a tomboy, but she's… wow."


"She talks funny… but she's confident."


Some admired her courage. Some rolled their eyes, unsure what to make of her. And somewhere in the crowd, the first whispers of disapproval began—the beginnings of school bullies sizing her up, curious if she was really as untouchable as everyone claimed.


Adora found a quiet corner by the cafeteria window and pulled out her notebook. She jotted a few thoughts, letting the chaos of whispers wash past her.


Bold, brave, and unapologetically Adora. She wrote it at the top of the page, underlining it three times. This motto wasn't just a saying—it was a shield, a sword, and a promise.


No matter what stories they told, no matter how curious or skeptical they were, she would remain exactly who she was. And if anyone tried to push her around… well, she knew how to defend herself.


Her arrival had made waves, yes. But this was only the beginning


Chapter 4 - CHAPTER FOUR The Talk of the School