The golden tent buzzed with tension after Bianca's sabotage. Naki had worked harder than ever, forcing herself to stay upright under the weight of whispers. But trouble, she would soon learn, had a way of finding her no matter how far she ran from home.
It arrived in the form of two very familiar voices.
"Step right up, ladies and gentlemen!""Prepare for the show of a lifetime!"
Naki froze mid-stretch. She knew those voices. She dreaded those voices.
Sure enough, from behind a stack of costumes tumbled Ama and Kojo—the mischievous juggling twins from the Mensah Circus—dressed in patched coats and wide grins.
Naki nearly dropped her chalk bag. "You two?! What are you doing here?"
"Surprise!" Ama sang. "The Mensahs were too small for our greatness.""So we decided to join the big leagues," Kojo added, puffing his chest. "Rosa's troupe needs stars, and who better than us?"
Naki grabbed them both by the arms, dragging them behind a curtain. "Are you insane? If Madame Rosa sees you here—"
"She'll beg us to stay," Ama cut in."She'll beg us not to cause trouble," Naki hissed. "You have to leave!"
But the twins were already wriggling free, their juggling pins clattering onto the floor. Performers turned to stare.
"What is this?" Bianca's sharp voice rang out. She crossed her arms, smirking. "More clowns sneaking into the tent? Figures."
Laughter rippled.
Before Naki could answer, Rosa's heels struck the floor like thunder. "Explain. Now."
Ama and Kojo bowed dramatically. "Madame! We are humble jugglers from Ghana, ready to elevate your troupe with our daring brilliance!"
Rosa's eyes narrowed. "You are not part of this troupe. Remove them."
Guards began to approach, but Ama and Kojo panicked. "Wait, wait! Just one chance! Watch this!"
In an instant, they lit their pins with stolen torch oil and began juggling fire. The crowd gasped as the flames whirled dangerously close to the silk banners.
"Stop!" Naki cried. Without thinking, she leapt forward, catching the flaming pins midair with a series of rapid flips. She tossed them back in rhythm, weaving herself into their routine before disaster struck. For a moment, the chaos transformed into brilliance.
The audience of performers clapped, some genuinely impressed.
But Rosa's face was carved from stone. "Mensah," she said coldly. "Do not think I do not see through this. You covered their foolishness—but now their foolishness is yours."
Bianca smirked triumphantly.
The guards hauled Ama and Kojo out, their protests echoing down the hall. Naki stood in the ring, clutching the charred pins, the stench of smoke clinging to her.
Whispers circled like vultures:"She's dragging her village circus here.""She'll ruin Rosa's name.""She doesn't belong."
Naki's chest burned. She hadn't asked for this, but once again, she was left carrying the blame.
As the tent emptied, Sky passed her with a crooked grin. "You're good at cleaning up other people's messes, clown girl."
Naki glared, but his next words softened the sting. "But you made it look like a show. That's something even Bianca can't fake."
Still, Naki knew the truth. Rosa's patience had limits. And tonight, her reputation had been singed as badly as the banners.
The curtain had hidden Ama and Kojo's chaos—but the lies it left behind now rested squarely on her shoulders.