0.1 ~ CONCENTRATE

Do what you can, where you are, with what you have.

- Teddy Roosevelt

BLACKIE ~ CHAPTER I ~

Concentrate

My everyday life was the same this morning as it was every other morning - nothing out of the ordinary. I wake up the same time every day of the week, chug a glass of water and step into the bathroom for a 15 minute shower. After that I wear my clothes, already picked out the night before. Today it was an oversized blue knitted cardigan with a pair of dark blue jeans and black air jordans. Then, I go over to my vanity mirror and fix my natural afro hair and apply light makeup.

After picking up my bad and car keys from the shelf in the hallway, I go outside, over to my grey Audi S7, drive over to starbucks and order my usual; a large strawberry mocha frappuchino with no foam and three pumps in a to go cup. I get back into the car, drive over to the school campus just in time to arrange my writing materials for the first class.

My drama and literature lecturer walked into the class as soon as I was ready along with a tall black haired boy. He and the lecturer exchanged a few words before he walked towards the back and sat right next to me.

"Umm...what are you doing?" I asked.

"Sitting down." He replied dryly not sparing me a glance.

"Why here," I asked without thinking. "Beside me".

"Uhh...because it's the only empty seat in the whole class."

I looked around the class only to find out what he said was true.

~Awkward..~ I mused

'Tell me about it.' My subconcious replied.

I just looked at him and nodded, as if the gesture could be considered an apology. I have never been so grateful to be black, if I wasn't he definately wouldn't have missed the very obvious red tint that would paint my cheeks.

I dragged my own cheecks as if it would prevent me from blushing, and whispered to myself; "Focus..."

I turned to look at him, but he was already looking at me. Our eyes met and I quickly looked away, trying to focus entirely on the lecture.

~Concentrate Amara~

~This was going to be a long class.~

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

I couldn't concentrate.

I could literally feel his eyes burning holes in the side of my head. I was present physically, but my mind was painting pictures of him in my head. I was contemplating whether to look towards him or avoid his gaze completely. If I looked, would he already be staring at me? Why was he even staring at me? Is it because I'm black? Does he think I'm unusual? Weird even?

The sound of the professor calling my name brought me back to the present.

"Yes sir?"

"I was calling you, but you didn't answer, is everything okay? It is very unlike you." The professor mentioned.

"Sorry sir, I just zoned out." I replied.

The professor cleared his throat. "Yes, I was saying, we have a new addition to our class." He smiled. "Cole, please come up to the front of the class."

The boy that sat beside me stood up and walked to te front of the class. "Hi, everyone, I'm Cole and I've decided to take up literature as an extra credit course."

"Yes, and since it's late in the semester, I would like him to be tutored by this class' best student." The professor said. He then started walking towards me. "That's you Amara. Do share with him the things we've been doing."

I sank into my chair. Why me? Why did it always have to be me? I sighed and just nodded at him.

"Great, class dismissed."

I groaned as I began packing my things when I felt a presence behind me. I turned around to see Cole. I smiled weakly. "What do you want?"

"You are supposed to be my tutor, remember?" He asked, amusement lingering in his eyes.

I sighed. "Yes, I do unfortunately." I put on a forced smile.

"Look, I don't know what kind of rumors you might have heard about me, but I suggest you drop the attitude and get to know me first." He said

~What attitude is this child talking about now?~

~You are being a bit harsh to him~ My subconcious said.

~I guess you're right.~

I sighed. "You're right, I'm sorry." I stated. "Although, I don't know what rumors you're talking about. Quite frankly, this is my first time seeing you, talk less of hearing about you."

"Really, Oh, that a relief." He sighed.

"Okayyy," I pushed my glassed up my nose. "So, your place tonight?" I said looking up at him through the rims of my glasses.

At first, his mouth hung open, then he gulped and cleared his throat. "First, please don't look at me like that again. And also, you don't have to come tonight, I'm actually free right now."

"Sure, but what was wrong with the way I looked at you?" I asked.

"Nothing," He said all to quickly. "Just dont do it again in public."

"What?" I asked. "Why not in public, and where else would I look at you like that?"

"At my place, or yours, or when we're both alone." He said flatly.

I choked on air. "Why would we ever be alone?"

"For various reasons love." He replied huskily.

"Sure." I replied. "My car is this way."

He chuckled. "Who ever said I was letting you drive?"

"Me." I retorted.

"So you don't want me to drive you?" He said feigning hurt.

"I'm not saying I don't want you to drive, I just don't think it's safe to leave my car here." I argued as he pulled me over to his car.

"Then get someone to pick it up for you." He said opening the car.

I got out my phone and called Cheryl - my best friend -. And told her to come and get the car.

"Get in." He shouted to me over the sound of the roaring engine.

I got in cautiously and closed the door carefully when I noticed that he looked at me funny.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" I asked.

"You're behaving weird, like the car is made out of glass." He stated.

"Oh, it's just that that the car looks really expensive. And so does the leather, I don't want anything to happen to it, you know, because it looks so new like you take really good care of it, which you should because it's good hygiene and yeah." I blurted out in one breath.

His shoulders shook with laughter and just shook his head without saying a word.

We drove in silence for about five minutes. Then I spoke.

"I know you must think I'm weird." I muttered.

"And why would you think that?" He asked.

"I don't know, I've kind of behaved like a dunce throughout the whole of the 3 hours you've known me." I said playing with my fingers.

He chuckled. "I actually don't think that." He said looking at me through the rearview mirror. "I actually think you're a really smart girl with the prettiest eyes and smile I've ever seen." He paused. "You're also really hot."

I gasped. How could he be so indecent? I blushed and smacked the back of his head.

"Ow." He exclaimed. You know, most people just say thank you." He said rubbing the place I hit him.

I rolled my eyes. "Well I'm not 'most' people".

He scoffed. "Go figure."

I rolled my eyes.

"I really can't believe this." I said after moments of silence.

"Believe what?" He asked.

"I've only known you for how how long? 3 and a half hours? And here I am, in your car, going to your house, talking with you like we're childhood friends." I said lying down in the backseat.

He chuckled. "I am said to have a magnetic personality."

"Well, regardless of whatever jazz you used to make me come with you, I'm really glad I did." I said.

He looked surprised "Why is that?"

"My life is pretty boring." I stated as a matter of factly. "I've had the same routine every day for the last 14 months." I paused. "Until you came out of absoulutely nowhere and changed that." I paused again. "Normally I would be at home right now, studying and reading books I've already read like a zillion times." I laughed dryly. "I've been living in Miami, Florida for a year and not once, have I been to the beach."

That sentence seemed to shock him. "Seriously?"

"Yup."

"Damn."

I laughed freely for the first time in a while. " I say all that, and all you could say is 'Damn'? How original."

"No, I meant to say, that was deep and really, really meaningful and heartfelt." He choked out.

"Empathy is so not your thing." I laughed.

He rolled his eyes.

Moments later, he approached a huge silver gate which led to a large modern looking penthouse that overlooked the beach. The censors chimed and the gate opened automatically letting us in. I gawked at the scene before me.

A round fountain was at the center with different specimen of rare fish inside. The water in the fountain flowed into a narrow, manmade stream, which ran around the house and the wooden gazebo and eventually flowed into a private river. The gazebo was covered in artificial ivy leaves intertwined around it's wooden planks with a table and two chairs under it. A huge greenhouse stood opposite it with a toolshed not too far from it.

I looked out the window like an exited child and Cole chuckled.

"Do you really live here all alone?" I asked in awe.

"Yup." He answered. "Three bedrooms, four bathrooms, two living rooms, one kitchen, a lounge, a sauna just outside of the house and a 3 to 12 foot pool."

"Damn, you're lucky." I said with a twinkle in my eyes.

"Let's go in Amara. You can gawk later." He said pulling me along.

My shock multiplied when I stepped into the house. All the furniture was either black, grey or white. The living room on this floor was combined with the kitchen. The living room section had a black L-shaped couch with a transparent coffee table right in front of it. A 35 inch flat screen TV hung on the grey wall with a long, black TV table having silver handles with diamond accents below it.

The kitchen section had a long, black kitchen island with a black and white marble design on top. The island had six tall bar stools on each side and a bowl of fruit in the center. The stove was black with marble accents and an oven under it. Marble slabs extended from both sides of it. On the left of the stove there was a microwave, toaster and coffee pot, all in monochrome colors. On the right, there was an expresso machine and a deep dual sink. Beside the sink was a white plate rack with too many plates for a house with one person.

I took in everything and sighed. "This is beautiful. Probably cost a fortune."

"No actually, it was a gift from my mother before she passed away." He said monotonously.

"Oh. I'm so sorry about that." I said, my expression changing.

"It's all right." He smiled. "Let's go upstairs so you can gawk some more."

I rolled my eyes and was about halfway upstairs when the gates chimed and opened. A few seconds later, there was a knock on the door.

"I'll get it." I said.

I bounced towards the door and opened it to find a brown haired girl.

She looked at me like I was literal dirt and said; "Who are you?"

Words : 2,041

A/N

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