Chapter one

Laura as a young girl had big dreams. Life was had on her, everything she knew about her life was a lie, and she was taught to never talk about her feelings you are mad deal with it, but don't discuss it. She tried avoiding conflicts, she didn't know how to handle conflicts, and she didn't know how to communicate well. She was one of those who thought her family was dysfunctional and that all her family issues will affect her one day. How she acted, behave, how she treated other people her self-esteem, what she values and her beliefs all this let to how she was raise and how she dealt with every obstacles in her way. Growing up was tough for her, she came from poor family. Her father was black and her mother white so she was mixed. "You're too light to be black why do you call yourself that or you belong with your people black you're not white." She had hard time fitting in school and her friends did not understand her how she felt "stop complaining us dark skin girls have it hard you are brown so shut up". Later on didn't have friends she was a loner. Her mother was battling with cancer, while her father would go out to the clubs get drunk. He was cheating on her mother with several women, her mother knew this the whole town knew. Her father was a liar, drunk, cheater and coward. He was nowhere to be find when her mother die. She was a child needed her father to be there. "How could he not come if he can't be here for me, but at least say goodbye to my mother. The woman who stood by him support him love him, remain faithful to him but he couldn't do this one thing show up at the funeral of his wife". Her mother put up a lot with that man, ashamed to call him father. "Why didn't she leave him, was it because of me. Did she stay because she loves me?" All this was hard for her to take in. Her friends where there well Eric only friend she has, told her all will be fine. But she knew things will be hard without her mother around. She was shy growing up, she would pull up this serious face it was intimidating to others, and some thought she was full of herself while she was down to earth. Eric Thompson was one of her friends, only male friend she had. "Man are Disgusting" except for Eric. He had a special place in her heart they knew each other while growing up from same town went to the same school and now both in college.

High school was great she pass with straight As. She wasn't popular, or belong to any group. She was more invisible, one of those people didn't care about or have anything to say or gossip about. Her life was private she loved it that way, having not to fit in. Being considered not cool, dressing hideously. To her it was safe that way she didn't want to let anyone in her life. She had friends but was hard keeping them. She hide behind the tomboy look, she had her own scars. She felt she was carrying the weight of the world. She was more of a mystery to everyone.

COLLEGE

many guys were terrified of her. They were a few who wanted to figure her out. She was a mystery. Jakes a charming guy, all the girls liked him he was from rich family one of those rich enough to bribe the school to enrol their dumb child and make sure the lectures were working hard to get him to pass. His parents were donating to the school every month. They practically own the school, so the lectures would try so hard to make sure Jakes passes his subjects even putting in extra hours. Laura was assigned to team up with jakes on business assignment. The rules she issued to jakes

"We only talk about the assignment no small talk and lastly we will have to do it in the school library, finish it up during lunch breaks. Do you have any questions or something you wish to add? "Laura said. Jakes laughed so hard, "are you for real, well I am down with whatever, but the library is not my thing we could meet up in my place, chill a bit, you could use it". Jakes replied

Laura irritated said "I will just have to do it, on my own not like there's much you will contribute".

Jakes never met someone like her before, he was never ordered around and told what to do and not to do. He was jakes the billionaire son used to get what he wants and ordering people around. He saw this as a challenge, he was ready to change her opinions about guys, make her fall in love with him. That was his mission.

Jakes said "Ok Laura will do whatever you say, will meet up tomorrow at the library. Today really can't, I would say you could come to my place but that's not going to happen is it".

Laura knew he was trying his luck. Laura went home that day, thinking about how she's going to handle the hot looking guy in the college. She called Eric and talked about jakes and the assignment. Eric knew jakes, he said" he is not a bad guy, just a rich spoiled kid but deep down has something he cares about". Don't we all? Laura responded" well I don't care, my mission is to get my education and conquer the world". Eric laughed, Laura responded" what is so funny". Eric said" I just think you and him have something in common, both pretend to be something you're not. His perceived as a rich spoiled boy, who doesn't care much about school and you on the other hand I hate man, you hide behind all this tough act ". Only person who was honest to her was Eric or dare to challenge her. She could have easily ended her friendship with him but something in her didn't allow to end this relationship. She responded" I have work to do, get it done before my drunk of a father comes back home and make noise". While jakes on the other side, was trying to find out who Laura is, he looked her up in the internet and found nothing about her. She wasn't in social networking platforms.

Their lecture said" I hope everyone is working hard on their assignment, remember to use your textbooks and do a research you will present your findings this Friday.

Next Friday I want the assignment on paper hard copies well written and each will sit next to their assignment partner unit the assignment it's done".

Jakes said "Hey beautiful bought you these".

Flowers he hand pick from the school garden. Laura thought it was sweet but she told him "I am allergic to flowers, I don't like the smell."

Jakes said "look at me trying to kill my partner in our first date, I mean our first day of working together."

Laura said "Can you stop with small talk, just pick two topics you want to focus on and I will also pick mine. Will do research on those topics, meet up at the library to go through it".

Jakes trying another approach just to break the ice.

"Sorry about the flowers, truth is you're smart and I'm truly lucky to have you in my team, can we try to be nice to each just to get the assignment done" jakes said.

Laura said "Fine".

Eric went to Laura lunch time.

Eric said "I'm surprise that you don't have a textbook with you, that's your lunch friend or Jakes is your new buddy".

Laura said "He said I'm smart, did he mean that, not the type to be moved by charming words and what game he is trying to play."

Eric said "What game are you playing?" Oh jakes I am allergic to flowers", I think you like him and he likes you too".

Eric took Laura's apple and said "I will leave you to think about that and can't wait to eavesdrop on your conversation in class. "he laughs.

Laura was not at ease, what was jakes playing at, to her everyone had an agenda and she didn't trust anyone. She didn't see herself beautiful, she didn't love herself. "He called me beautiful "she was blushing. "He just a bad boy", she said that out loud and jakes was standing by.

"Sorry to disturb you, I thought we could just discuss these ideas I have".

Laura said "Ideas?"

She was impress jakes was putting a lot of effort in this.

Laura said "will look at them will meet up in 30 minus at the library or you could just sit here will quickly finish up ".

Jakes smile but said nothing didn't want to mess it up, he was having lunch with her while he was sitting there watching her eat and checking her phone. He wondered what she was doing with her phone, he couldn't find her on any social networking platforms not on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. He kept looking at her and try to see if he could see what she was texting or to whom but he didn't want to come out as a weirdo and plain nosy.

Laura said "I'm done here we can go to the library and stop staring at me it's creepy".

Just as he thought he was making progress with her, then this she was hard to figure out. Only dude in the college who knew everything about her was Eric but he wouldn't say anything he was loyal friend. They went to library jakes was on his best behaviour and they were working well together. They stay there until it was closing time. Jakes offered to drop Laura to her home, she didn't want anyone to know where she lived.

"I can drop you off to the bus station, get you a cab." Jakes insisted but Laura kept saying" I'm good."

Laura said" I liked your ideas will kill it on Friday, the presentation but still have lot of work to do, I'm guessing the lecture wants to see if we are in the right track beside he wants it next week and Lot of time to do it."

She was talkative, jakes was listening to her talk trying to figure her out." Fire and Ice" Jakes said that out loud.

Laura said "what?"

Jakes said "Nothing see you tomorrow be safe."

She got into a cab and went home.