THE BILLIONAIRE IS MINE

Vanessa slammed her locker.

"Stupid combination," she mumbled.

Jacqueline bounded up to her in the junior hallway. She sometimes reminded Vanessa of Hunter a spaniel Leonard her brother owned. She trembled with excitement over anything and kept chattering leaving Vanessa wishing she had magic to turn her into a toad like the wishing well.

"Guess what is happening tonight," Jacqueline shrieked.

Vanessa rolled her eyes. She hated guesses but Jacqueline didn't care. She once told an introverted Vanessa that being quiet could make her get a mouth ulcer.

"What?"

"Paige is having a party!" Jacqueline said and whopped loudly causing a few students to look their way.

"So?" Vanessa whispered.

"So?" Jacqueline repeated, her eyebrows drawn together. Vanessa stared at her navy blue deep-set eyes which had widened in surprise. Jacqueline loved parties. She loves music, festivals, concerts and just anything noisy. She was scrappy, fearless and had a smart mouth, unlike Vanessa who was shy and quiet.

Vanessa was everyone’s favourite. At fourteen she was tall and had the perfect beauty of adolescence. People didn't love her just about the way she looked, with her red, wavy hair, her satin skin and hazel brown eyes. She was intelligent and smart. Even her teachers found her irresistible but intelligent. The boys drooled over her. She sat back and enjoyed as everyone worshipped her. She also thought that she had been born as one of the luckiest people on earth. She had a wonderful father and a mother who loved her. They adored her physical beauty but did everything in their power to educate her mind. Peter Alan her father who owned a restaurant taught her cooking, Mia her mother who was a school teacher in literature and Leonard her brother taught her sports. Having such a wonderful family Vanessa grew up happy, intelligent and independent.

Jacqueline stood staring at Vanessa who knew she couldn't keep up the stare. They used to compete with each other who could stare longer without blinking. Vanessa grabbed Jacqueline's arm and pulled her away.

"Are you coming?" Jacqueline asked.

"I don't know," Vanessa sighed.

Jacqueline halted abruptly and turned to Vanessa. She took her hand and squeezed it gently.

"I understand. But you need to get out once in a while to feel free," she said a little too loudly.

Now the motivational talks.

"You can't do anything about Leonard. You can only hope for the best. He also would want you to enjoy your teenage hood because it won't last forever,"

Vanessa looked down at her feet dejected. Three years ago Leonard was diagnosed with cancer. Her mom had given up her job to tend to him at the hospital. She had hoped for his recovery but last month when she visited him at the hospital she found out that his eyesight was failing. She and her mom took turns to read him books.

"Vee?" Jacqueline called out. Vanessa raised her head and Jacqueline pulled her into a warm embrace.

"You could ask your dad to drop you off," Jacqueline said patting Vanessa's back.

"He can't. He has been working late lately," Vanessa replied.

Jacqueline turned to face her.

"Well," she said smiling mischievously. "You could ask Mr Gorgeous," she winked.

They bust out laughing. Mr Gorgeous was Greg Neville, Leonard's best friend who had moved to Houston from Las Vegas twelve years ago. He lived with Nana his great-grandaunt in a huge mansion in Newcastle Estate. He was the son of a wealthy businessman Sir Edward Neville and Vivian Neville. Greg at twenty-one was tall with broad shoulders. He had green deep-set eyes, a well-proportioned nose, full lips and a chiseled jaw. His ash blonde hair was highlighted subtly in a professional setting.

He had met Leonard when he was nine years old at the park. Leonard who had been flying his kite saw Greg sitting alone sulking, came up to him and asked if he wanted a kite. Greg still angry that he had to live with his great grand aunt told him no. Leonard then asked if he had a brother. Greg didn't answer but Leonard didn't mind. He then went on to tell him how he had begged his mother for a little brother but his mother had given him a little sister. Greg had laughed and said he wanted a brother too. Leonard then took Greg's hand and told him since they had both wanted a brother, they could be brothers.

They had both studied at the same elementary and high school. He was one of the popular boys at school. He was also Vanessa's crush. He had known she had a crush on him but treated her as a child. He had a special name for her which was "Pretty little one". Vanessa liked that he had called her pretty but also disliked that he had thought of her as a little girl. And whenever Greg called her by that name she would pout, looking more adorable. Leonard who was fond of his little sister never left her alone. He made sure she was always with him and so Vanessa was able to watch Greg at whatever he did because Leonard and Greg were always together. Greg was strong, charming and decisive. During his teenage years, he had grown into a tall, extraordinarily handsome youth with a mature courtesy. All the girls at school adored and fussed over him but Greg was not excessively interested in them. Greg loved Leonard as a brother. He had sworn to always be there for him and he did. He protected Leonard who was the exact opposite of him. Leonard had been born sickly. He had pneumonia as a child and was always in and out of the hospital but Greg was always by his side. Greg threw a party for Leonard when he had turned eighteen. Nana was away for a medical check-up so Greg hosted the party in the mansion. He had invited only the hottest and most popular kids at school. Vanessa had learnt about the party at the park when two teenagers were talking about it. She had begged Leonard to take her with him but he refused. Vanessa had turned to her mother, persuading her to make Leonard take her along. Mia asked Leonard to take Vanessa with him because he and Greg had lied that they were having a sleepover. Leonard had no choice but to take her with him. At 8:00 pm, Vanessa was ordered to the bedroom upstairs by her brother when the party was at its peak and wild with a lot of teenagers drinking and making out downstairs. Vanessa had gone to bed angry. She lay in bed imagining the things that went on downstairs. She suddenly heard a thud at the door and slowly turned the lock. She opened the door slightly to peek out and she saw a girl and a guy making out in the hallway. The girl who had her arms around the guy's neck was making animal sounds. The guy's arm was under the girl's skirt and Vanessa tried imagining what those hands were doing to her. Her heart thumped as she watched them kiss so passionately. To get a better view she opened the door a little bit wider and the door creaked a little. The guy raised his head to look in her direction and Vanessa shut the door with a slam.

It was Greg! She rushed to her bed and slid into the covers. Her heart was beating so fast. He had seen her. She knew he had known she had been peeking.

Vanessa felt so heartbroken. She knew he had girls flocking all over him but hadn't caught him in the very act until now. She laid awake in bed all night dreaming of Greg kissing her till she slept off.

Leonard woke her up for breakfast the next day but she was scared to go downstairs. And when she did, she avoided looking at Greg who went about his day like he hadn’t done something wrong. She had hoped in her child's heart he would keep himself till she was old enough for him.