Kendi

Backlash, Pressure, Survival—Eyes watching. Lines tightening. One move from being boxed in.

One girl. Two crushes. Zero slack from the universe.

My life plan was simple:
Study.
Study harder.
Don’t embarrass the family.

Dating? Nowhere on the list.
But feelings? They have their own logic—unchallengeable, unpredictable, unstoppable.

Then—worst plot twist ever—Uncle Lenana decides to moonlight as both family watchdog and border control officer—catching me at the bus stage with my two crushes: Alex and Leo.

I already know what’s next: my parents. Basically the entire African Union of Strict Guardians.
What to expect:
Grounding? Check.
“We raised you better than this” speeches? Double check.

But what really scares me is what one careless moment could do—to Alex’s already fragile world, and to Leo, who never asked to be dragged into my mess.

And just to make life extra fun? Chess Nationals are around the corner—and I need to be focused.
But focus? Oh, that’s a totally new story of late.

If I want to keep my crushes intact, chase my Olympiad dream, and survive parental wrath, I’ll have to make my boldest move yet—sacrifice.
Yep, like in chess. Sometimes you give something up to seize control of the game—forcing your opponent to react to you instead of the other way around.

Kate: “Bold strategy, genius. Sacrifice sounds noble—until it’s your heart on the board.”

Kendi: Backlash, Pressure, Survival is a sharp, witty, high-stakes YA rom-com about crushes, chaos, and the cost of growing up when every move feels like checkmate.