Monday morning at ZIA felt like walking into a crime scene. The air in the courtyard was electric, but not with the usual pre-exam jitters. It was the hum of a digital forest fire.
Leya walked through the gates, her cello case feeling like a hundred-pound weight. She didn't have to wait long to see what had happened. As she passed a group of senior girls, they didn't just whisper—they went silent, their eyes darting from their phone screens to her face with a mixture of pity and predatory glee.
"Nice dress, Kapiri," someone called out. "Did it come with a 'Property of Tembo' tag?"
Leya stopped, her stomach dropping. She pulled out her phone. The school's private forum was trending. The top post wasn't about the gala performance; it was a photo.
It was taken from the wings of the ballroom, through the gap in the curtains. It captured the exact moment Zazu had stood close to her before she went on stage. In the grainy light, his hand looked like it was resting on her waist, and they were leaning in, their foreheads almost touching.
**THE CAPIRI CONTRACT: IS THE GOLDEN BOY PAYING OFF THE DEBT IN PRIVATE?**
The caption was a masterpiece of Musi's brand of malice. Beneath it, the comments were a swamp:
*"She's using him to keep her scholarship."*
*"Like mother, like daughter. Always looking for a shortcut to the vault."*
*"Wait until Chileshe sees this. RIP Kapiri."*
Leya felt the walls of the courtyard closing in. She turned to find a way out, but Zazu was already there.
He looked like he hadn't slept. His tie was undone, and his eyes were dark with an anger she hadn't seen before. He was heading straight for Musi, who was leaning against the fountain, surrounded by a laughing audience.
"Zazu, don't," Leya whispered as he passed her, but he didn't hear her.
Zazu grabbed Musi by the collar of his blazer, slamming him back against the stone lip of the fountain. The laughter died instantly.
"Take it down," Zazu hissed, his voice trembling with a terrifying, quiet rage.
"What? It's just a photo, man," Musi gasped, clutching at Zazu's wrists. "I didn't know you were so sensitive about your little charity case. Everyone's seen it anyway."
"Take. It. Down."
"Zazu! Stop!" It was Headmaster Chilufya, sprinting across the grass with two security guards in tow.
Zazu let go, his chest heaving. Musi slumped against the fountain, coughing and straightening his blazer with a shaky hand.
"My office. Both of you. Now," Chilufya barked. He looked at Leya, who was standing ten feet away, frozen. "You too, Miss Kapiri."
---
The Headmaster's office was a vacuum. The only sound was the hum of the air conditioner and the rhythmic ticking of a grandfather clock.
Musi sat in the corner, looking smug despite his ruffled collar. Zazu sat in the middle, staring at the floor. Leya sat as far away as possible, her hands clenched so tight her knuckles were white.
"This," Chilufya said, sliding his tablet across the desk. The photo of Leya and Zazu flickered on the screen. "Is a violation of the Academy's code of conduct. Not the photo itself, but the disruption it has caused. Musi, you will be suspended for three days for cyber-bullying and inciting social disorder."
Musi's smirk vanished. "Sir, I was just—"
"Silence. And you, Zazu," Chilufya turned to the Golden Boy. "Physical assault is grounds for immediate removal from the prefect board. Your parents have been notified."
Zazu didn't even flinch. It was as if he'd expected the sky to fall.
"And finally, Leya," the Headmaster said, his voice softening into something more dangerous—pity. "The board met this morning. In light of the 'distraction' your presence continues to cause, they have decided that the Legacy Scholarship is no longer a viable investment for the Academy. You are being given one week to settle the full term's fees, or your enrollment will be terminated."
The room went stone-cold.
"That's not fair," Zazu snapped, standing up. "He's the one who posted it! I'm the one who fought him! Why is she the one being punished?"
"Because in this world, Zazu, the person with the least power always pays the highest price," Chilufya said, looking tired. "The decision is final. Unless the Kapiri estate can produce twenty thousand Kwacha by Friday, Leya will be withdrawn."
Leya didn't say anything. She didn't cry. She stood up, grabbed her bag, and walked out of the office.
She walked past the lockers, past the whispering students, and straight to the music room. She didn't take out her cello. She just sat on the floor in the dark, the silence of the room finally matching the silence in her head.
The door creaked open. Zazu walked in. He didn't say a word. He just sat on the floor across from her, the silver shilling from his pocket clinking as he set it on the wood between them.
"I'll get the money," he said.
"No, you won't," Leya replied, her London accent flat and dead. "Because then I'd really be what they say I am. A debt you're trying to pay."
"Then we find another way," Zazu said, reaching out. He didn't touch her, but his hand stayed inches from hers. "My mother has a ledger, Leya. A secret one. The one she used during the audit. If we find it... if we find the truth about why your father was really targeted, the scholarship won't matter. The whole board will be running for cover."
Leya looked at him. The "Prince" was talking about treason against his own family.
"Why?" she whispered.
"Because I'm tired of living in a story where you're the villain," he said. "And because Friday is a long way off. We have time to burn the house down."
---