I Love You Mr. CEO

[ Denise's POV ]

The tinkling sound of my old bicycle could be heard by people passing by, as I pedal on the road with it.

The bicycle was given to me by mom at my seventeen birthday party and I'm now Twenty one, yet I'm still using the bicycle even though it is old.

I knew how my poor Mom struggled to get me one. During my high school days, I have always wanted to have a bicycle since I couldn't afford a bike because of our low standard of living. I didn't want the bicycle for fun, but for school.

My school was so far from my house and trekking the long distance from home to my school was always tiring and sometimes I got swollen feets as a result of too much trekking.

I always admired my classmates who came to school with expensive cars and motorcycles. During my high school days, I attended an expensive school, not because my mom could afford it, but because of my intelligence.

I'm not just beautiful, with skin as white as snow but also very intelligent too. I may be so beautiful, but if you ask me what I'm proud of, I'll sharply say it is my brain. Because thanks to it, I attended the most expensive school in America because I ace the exam so well.

But despite being happy about going to an expensive school, which every poor breed like me struggles to go to, I was somehow sad, not because of the bratty students laughing at me for being a scholarship student, because I'm use to it.

It was due to the fact that I trek a long distance from home to school and from school back to my house. I couldn't complain to my mom about it, because I know how hard the woman was struggling to feed me and my sister, Angela.

My dad died at a very young age, I could remember being 10 years old then and my sister Angela, was just a day old. It was a very sad day for us, because my dad was really the best dad.

He always make sure he tells me lots of stories before I go to bed and if you ask me who I was closed to between my mom and dad, I'll say is my dad. My mom is cool though, but my dad is more easy to interact with, that's why when he died I was so heartbroken.

My mom who didn't want to get married again after my dad's death, took up odd jobs in order to provide for I and my sister. And being an understanding girl, I never bothered her with my problems, because I know she has a lot on her plate.

Sometimes when we are asked by our school teacher to buy some school materials I won't tell her, because I know she doesn't have the money and I always get scolded by my school teacher for not providing the school materials.

I always bear the scoldings and punishment I always received from my school teachers, for not providing the school materials.

"Denise, do you enjoy being punished each day at school?" They will always ask me. But little did they know that I don't enjoy any of it, it hurts anytime I'm being scolded or my classmates making fun of me for not being able to provide my school materials.

I always have to endure the pains because of my mom, I pity that woman a lot. So despite wanting to have a bicycle so badly, I never let it known to her.

"You have just a year left in high school and after that you won't have to trek to school anymore" That was always what I said to myself anytime I walked to school and from school back to our one room apartment, that was the only thing my mom could afford.

But I got the shockest surprised of my life on the day I turned seventeen. As usual it was just I, my mom, my sister and my best friend Bella. Bella was my only friend, but she attended a different school and even if I had lots of friends, I won't have bothered to invite them, because we didn't have the money to host a big birthday party.

I was still eating the pizza my mom brought to celebrate my birthday with my sister and Bella, when my mom entered the room with a bicycle. Though it wasn't a brand new one, but it was good as new.

"Happy birthday my beautiful Denise, hope you can manage this? Sorry but I couldn't afford a new one" She said.

I was like what is she been sorry for? Even if is not a brand new bicycle, she still spend money to buy it. I stood up from the blue sofa I was sitting on and went to hug her.

"Thank you mom" I said with tears flowing down my eyes, I was more than happy.

It was then I got to know my mom notice my swollen feets and she also told me that she knew how tired I was from trekking the long distance to school and yet I didn't say a word to her and that's why she took it upon herself to get me a bicycle.

I promised her at my seventeen birthday party that I was going to treasure it with all my life and that's why I'm still using the bicycle despite being twenty one years old now.

I'm done with high school but since I couldn't afford to go to college, I chose to work part-time jobs to support my mom and send my sister Angela to school.

Today happens to be my best day and I'm dressed in my favorite A-line gown because I'm attending an interview in one of the biggest food companies in America.

Though my dream back then in high school was to become a plastic surgeon, but since I couldn't afford to go for med school, I ended up wanting to be a Chef after watching a food competition on TV at Bella's house, since we don't have a television in our house.

At least being a chef sometimes doesn't require your certificate from a higher institution, it requires your skills on how good you can cook and trust me when I say cooking wasn't a hard task for me, but I knew there was more to learn.

Through Bella's help I was able to apply for the job of an intern through her laptop. And I remember it took us some minutes answering the questions being asked online and thankful they didn't ask if I was a graduate or not.

I was more than happy when Bella informed me last night that they sent a notification saying they would love to interview me.

I'm on my way to be interviewed. It might just be the job of an intern, but who cares, it is a stepping stone for me to become a popular chef. I hope I pass the interview.