Tamia LarsonBefore University I don't give a damn 'bout my reputationYou're living in the past, it's a new generationA girl can do what she wants to doAnd that's what I'm gonna do The song by Joan Jett was loud in my ears as I hopped around a few times. I didn't care that the music was loud, I would worry about being hard of hearing in the future. I punched the big brown colour bag a few times. This is what I do to relax and blow off steam. Gunner and I used to practice together, but he left a month ago to serve his country. I punch the bag harder a few times. Having a boyfriend who was in the army was tough. Not one day goes by that I don't worry about him. Boxing and beating on a punching bag helped me a lot, he taught me how to box. He said it would help to release the pent-up anger I had after my father left me, my mom, and my brother, for another family and he was right. "Mia! Tamia!" The distant voice got louder making me look in the direc
Harper RostovRide For You*Present Time* The girls and I were in a serious conversation regarding a book Ophelia's mom left her. She had confided in us after we promised to always remain friends. I would never have thought that Manny was so cruel and that Ophelia had gone through half of what she did. No wonder they say that you should never judge a book by its cover."I think you should forgive your mom. She was in a tough situation." Olivia shares her opinion.Tamia shakes her head while throwing peanuts in her mouth. "It is not my decision to make, but I wouldn't. My daughter would have been more important than money. The best thing she could have done was take you with her and run for the hills.""Right!" Ophelia says pointing at Tamia as if that was the best thing she heard all night. "That is what I said to Kain. What do you think, Harp?"I slumped further down on the couch and thought about the situation. Her dad wanted to harm her mom, so she left. Leaving
Harper RostovRide For You As soon as the door closes behind us Parker turns to face me. His hands were tucked into the pockets of a jean jacket he wore. "Can I get a hug?"I roll my eyes. "Do you think you deserve a hug? You ignored me for days Parker, then you just show up here pretending as if everything is okay."Parker cast his gaze downwards and scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "I'm sorry Harp, I was in a tough situation." His eyes met mine. "Shouldn't I get a hug for facing my fears and going on a plane just so I can be with you?" He did deserve a hug. I was just being stubborn. He could have still replied to my messages to let me know that he was not alright. "You are such a brave boy, come here," I say playful with open arms.Parker smiles sweetly and pulls me into his arms. I melt away in the comfort his body provides and the amazing scent that comes from his body. It was just so intoxicating. "I missed you, Harper." He whispers."I miss
Harper RostovRide For You "I really hope this is the one. I am so exhausted and I have a test to study for." Ophelia says as we walk up the driveway of a four-bedroom house with our realtor Xandra leading the way. We have been viewing apartments and houses from eight-thirty this morning and it is now three forty-four pm. Who would have thought that it would take so much time and energy to find a decent place to live? It made it even more difficult because we all had different tastes and preferences."I agree. My feet are killing me." Olivia says."I can guarantee you, ladies, this one is my favourite and I am sure you will like it too," Xandra says. She removes the key from her purse and opens the door. We followed her in and looked around. So far, so good. I thought as I looked around the big empty space."Didn't she say the same thing for the last two?" Tamia whispers to me as we continue to follow behind her."She said that for the last three." I correct her and she rolls her eye
Prologue There was complete silence, and it was eerie. Night life in the neighborhood of Granville was consistently the rowdiest. It wasn't the finest or safest neighborhood to live, in fact it has the largest crime rate in all of Bridgeport.Normally upon arriving at the bus stop there would be other destitute people lingering the street. Peppers, otherwise seen as the whorehouse of Granville, always have loud music thundering from the speakers. The sound of the music was so intense that the ground would rattle.Tonight was peculiar. The club was closed, and I was alone on the streets. Clutching my bag closer to my side, I increase my speed. There was an abandon building five minutes away where I lived. After what happened ten years ago I couldn't afford a decent apartment and the pay I get from Little Haven diner wasn't even enough to pay for my nursing course.I started a month ago at the Community College over in Bullard; it was ten minutes walk from the diner and
Chapter 1 Fortunate. That is the word I would use to describe myself despite of being dispossessed. I sat watching a police officer drag a prostitute violently to a holding cell, which causes her to swear at him aggressively. Some words that left her mouth I have never heard of before. The worst part about this was that she looked no older than age fifteen.“What are you looking at, bitch?!” she yells. Immediately I look in the other direction, pretending I was not the only one sitting in here gawping at her.I was anxious as I sat in the same spot I was last night. This time I wasn’t here to report anything, and the best part about it was that there were different police officers working this shift. My employer had sent me here in this cold concrete hell hole to give her husband, who is the captain, some work related documents. She gave me strict orders to not open the envelope and deliver it straight to him. If my life was not on the line, I would have left them with
Chapter 2 I woke up with heavy breathing and sweat drenching my body. My dream of a handsome guy coming to steal my heart and treat me as if I was the only girl in the world was altered into a nightmare when Ace appeared and put a bullet through his head. I was sleeping on the floor of a public lavatory; I had nowhere else to go. The shelter a few blocks away did not have any room left. I didn't want to stay there anyway, especially when a perilous man was most likely searching for me. I check my watch to see that it was two minutes to four; it was time for me to wake up, anyway.I had to wake up every morning except Saturdays and Sundays in order to catch the bus in time to reach the diner for my six am shift, which ends at three. After that I have to make my way ten minutes away from where I work, by foot, to arrive at the community college in time for class.I remember when I was growing up I constantly told my papa that I could not wait to be grownup like him. He alway
Chapter 3 For a few minutes, I felt as if he was speaking the truth. His eyes were burning into my own, his face so close to mine. At this moment I completely forgot where we were. His beauty and words had taken me away from reality to a place where anything seems possible.All I had to do was close my eyes and there he was, standing over a dead body while putting his gun in his pocket. That's what brought me back to reality.I pull away from him and focus on the small chip in the circular wood table that resembles the ones from sponge bob only with yellow colour.I had little choice here, I had to listen to what he has to say, "Carry on."He lean back in the booth as he looks at me, "What if I told you I can get rid of all your problems?""I'm afraid that even if you could do that, then there would be new ones; ones that I can not bear."Unless what he was really trying to say was that he is going to kill me and that way all my problems would end.He nods in considerat