The Crown of Thorns

1~The Introduction

  "Come on Harmony! Have some fun!" Sam yelled at the top of her voice.

Samantha Baker and I had been close since our first year in high school. Our friendship defined the law of attraction. "Like poles repel, and unlike poles attract."

Samantha was outgoing, vibrant, and with an affinity for the crazy outside social life. She was what one would call a wild butterfly.

Me on the other hand, I was totally the opposite of what she was.

I was raised by a strict overly religious father. My father was a devoted missionary and pastored in the local church in the neighborhood. I was taught to shun things like hanging out in clubs, putting on clothes that revealed so much skin, and of course, stay away from toxic alcoholic drinks and drugs. Not to forget the religious doctrines that taught me to stay away from the wild social life. My father called it "the sinful pleasures of life."

Yet, here I was with Amy; At 2:00 am. I was perched on a stool experimenting alcoholic spirits that were alien to my tongue. I was dressed in netted black stockings, a very tight tiny leather mini skirt, and a crop top with spaghetti sleeves. If my father had walked into the room, he would have given me an endless lecture accompanied with numerous sermons from the holy book.

From my wardrobe choice, to hanging out in the club that night, it was all Sam's idea.

A judgy person might be quick to label her a "bad influence." But for me, Sam was the very best person that added color to my life. I had most of the very exciting escapades of my life because of her.

I met Sam in high school freshman year. Whilst everyone was excited to graduate from the elementary stage and make it to a more advanced level, I was very crestfallen.

I had just moved into the neighborhood after relocating from a little insignificant town down in the hills of Africa. I felt out of place, and for almost a week, I did everything alone.

I am mixed race. My father is purely white. While on his one of his Christian missions in Africa, he met my mother.

She was in her early twenties, a college drop out with a struggling music career and trying to survive. She did a cover of one of my father's favorite songs at a friend's party he had attended. He was very awed by her performance and got in touch with her after the party. He was saddened to learn about her struggles as a college dropout and struggling musical artist. Because he was into charity work, he offered to sponsor her music career.

They kept in touch even after he left back for the States. When he returned, her career had slightly improved. She got a deal from a popular music studio in town and started releasing her work under their record label. When my father visited Africa again, they went out for dinner to celebrate her progress. Three months later, my mother found out that she was having a baby out of their one-night stand together.

Some people might be quick to say I was a mistake, which I actually was because none of my parents had expected things to go out of hand. My father was a married man with three children already. Also, he had a strong reputation in the church. How would he live up to the scandal when his flock heard after what had happened? Worse, how would he minister them on things like adultery, fidelity, and faithfulness when he had a fathered a child out of wedlock?

For years, he kept me hidden in the dark. My mother used this chance for blackmail and extorting cash from him. He was a renown pastor. The scandal would crash his career and reputation. He kept sending child support and keeping in touch with her. It was the only way to keep her silent.

Eight years down the road, he made the decision that he was going to raise me together with his other children. This was after a huge misunderstanding with my mother. She had diverted to singing sensual secular music and married a club deejay. My father felt that it was not right that I be raised under what he labelled "spoilt devilish upbringing." So, he took a step and I was joined with his other family in the States.