Chapter 2 Beauty In The Shadow

Amelia was the kind of girl you didn't just notice-you remembered. Her presence had a way of halting conversations, turning heads, and making time seem just a bit slower in her orbit. She was young, vibrant, and effortlessly beautiful-almost as if God had taken an extra breath when crafting her.

Her skin glowed with the soft bronze of sunlight filtered through warm morning air-clear, smooth, and inviting to the eye. Her face, a perfect harmony of gentle curves and striking detail, held a charm that was both soft and daring. But what truly made her unforgettable was her smile-wide, bright, and contagious. Every time she smiled, two charming dimples appeared like hidden treasures, and the slight, alluring gap between her front teeth gave her grin a playful boldness that drew people in without warning.

Her eyes were an oceanic shade of blue-so deep and sparkling that many swore they could see whole stories in them. Framed with naturally long, fluttering lashes, they didn't just look at you... They spoke to you. Her gaze could pierce and soothe at the same time, igniting admiration and curiosity in anyone lucky enough to meet it.

Her body, slender and gracefully curved, moved with a confidence that didn't need words to announce itself. Her legs were long and straight, as though drawn by the hands of a patient artist, and her hips held the gentle curve of womanhood, promising elegance in every step. She didn't try to be sexy-she just was. Everything about her, from the swing of her hips to the way she tucked her hair behind her ear, seemed to stir something in everyone who saw her.

And people saw her-always.

Men of all ages were drawn to her like bees to honey. Some tried to hide their glances; others boldly stared. But none passed her without a second look. Even women, especially those her age, couldn't help but wish for a little of her magic. They whispered about her, envied her grace, and often tried to imitate her style-though they knew Amelia was simply different. There was something she had that couldn't be taught or bought.

Yet for all her allure, Amelia lived a life shadowed by poverty. Her clothes were neat but worn, her shoes often tired from walking too far. She didn't own expensive perfumes or designer bags-but even without those things, she radiated a kind of richness that money couldn't buy.

What she lacked in material wealth, she carried in elegance, charm, and quiet strength. She didn't beg for attention-attention followed her. She didn't ask to be admired-admiration came uninvited.

Yes, Amelia was poor.

But she was the kind of beautiful that made you forget everything else. The kind of girl who made you believe in poetry again.

She noticed the stares, of course. She always did. But she never let it settle in her head. Not even when her best friend, Tonia, said it out loud for the hundredth time.

"Amelia, if you don't become a model, I swear I'll lose my mind."

Tonia stomped beside her at the entrance of the house, just as she was about to go to the garden very close to the house, waving her hands in the air like a lawyer in court. It was her signature gesture-hands up, fingers flaring, voice rising in dramatics.

Amelia chuckled, drawing a plastic chair closer to her

"And there you go again, flapping those hands like you're addressing a classroom full of naughty kids."

"I'm serious, Amy!" Tonia shot back, dramatically placing her hands on her hips before waving again for emphasis. **"Do you even know how many girls would kill to look like you? With your dimples, your freakishly perfect lashes, and those legs that look like they came out of a runway magazine-you're sitting on a goldmine and refusing to cash it in!"

Amelia rolled her eyes playfully.

"And you, madam Tonia, need to consider becoming a school teacher. You love waving your hands in the air, always trying to prove a point. I can already hear your first class: 'Children! Pay attention when I speak!'"

Tonia burst into laughter, swatting Amelia lightly on the arm.

"You're a wicked girl. I'm trying to help your future, and you're turning me into Mrs. Johnson from fifth grade."

Amelia smiled-her real smile, the kind that showed her gap tooth and made her whole face light up.

They reached a quiet corner of the house, where birds from a flicker and a keranda tree close to the window. Tonia sat on the couch with a dramatic sigh.

"You could be famous, Amy," she said, softer this time. "Rich. On magazine covers. Designers would fight to have you. You wouldn't have to struggle to pay fees or wear hand-me-downs anymore."

Amelia sat beside her, eyes fixed on the leaves swaying above.

"I've thought about it," she admitted quietly. "But that's not the life I want. I don't just want to be seen, Tonia. I just want to go to college, get my degree, and own my own companies one day. Real ones. With buildings, staff, and logos on billboards across states. I want to be known not just for my face-but for my mind."

Tonia was quiet for a moment, her hands finally still. She looked at Amelia with quiet admiration, then sighed dramatically again.

"You're too good for this world. But-when you become a CEO, please let me run your PR department."

Amelia laughed, her voice like a wind chime in sunlight.

"Only if you promise to keep waving your hands like that in board meetings. I want everyone to know who the real teacher is."

They both burst into laughter, the kind only childhood friends could share-deep, familiar, and full of love.

Amelia sat cross-legged on a wooden chair, sipping from a chipped mug of hibiscus tea. Tonia leaned against the balcony rail beside her, legs dangling between the gaps, her fingers playing with the breeze.

She turned to Amelia with a wide smile that barely hid the concern behind her eyes.

"So..." Tonia nudged her with an elbow. "Blackwood University. The Blackwood. You did it, girl!"

Amelia grinned, her dimples sinking deep into her cheeks.

"I still can't believe it. I keep reading the letter over and over, like maybe they'll change their mind."

Tonia laughed, tossing her braids over her shoulder.

"They'd be crazy to. You earned that spot fair and square. That school is lucky to have you." She paused, her tone growing quiet. "But... Amy, be honest. Can your mom really afford it?"

Amelia looked out over the rooftops, her smile softening but not disappearing. The wind tugged gently at her hair.

"I know it's expensive," she said slowly, "and I know Mama's struggling. But Tonia, I have to go. Blackwood isn't just any school. It's the dream I've carried since I first walked into Miss Yewande's business class, in junior class."

Tonia sighed and waved her hands dramatically, as always.

"I get it, I do-but dreams won't pay tuition. That school is full of rich kids with gold-plated laptops and private dorm suites. I'm scared they'll treat you like you don't belong."

Amelia turned to her with fire in her eyes-not anger, but fierce conviction.

"Then let them try."

Tonia blinked.

Amelia sat up straighter, her voice steady, every word edged in quiet power.

"I do belong. Not because of my clothes or background, but because I've worked for this. I've fought for this. Just because I come from a small house with a leaking roof doesn't mean my dreams are small too. I want to prove that being poor isn't a curse-it's a starting line. And I'm going to run this race whether they cheer or mock or ignore me."

Tonia stared, hands now frozen in midair.

"Girl..." she said softly. "You sound like a TED Talk. You're going to make me cry."

Amelia chuckled, setting her mug down.

"Don't cry yet. Wait till I graduate and own businesses in five states. Then I'll fly you out first class just to wipe your tears with tissue made of hundred-dollar bills."

Tonia burst out laughing, wiping a fake tear dramatically.

"Just make sure my office in your company has a window and a coffee machine, Madam CEO."

Amelia smiled and pulled her friend into a side hug. The sunset lit her face like a promise, her blue eyes shining with determination.

"Deal. But only if you dont stop waving your hands like a protest leader in board meetings."

"Never!" Tonia declared proudly, flailing her arms again. "I'll be the most dramatic PR manager in business history."

They both laughed until their sides hurt, their voices blending into the soft wind above the rooftops.

And as the sun dipped lower, one thing was clear-Amelia wasn't just chasing a dream. She was about to chase it until it had no choice but to become reality.

Not knowing that her journey to Blackwood University is the beginning of an uncovered mystery she never knew

Sweetie, I will see you again tomorrow. I will be heading to the street right now to help my mom with her sale, and I will also be going to some families later in the evening to do some cleaning., I need to raise money for school.

Tonia nodded her head with so much pity, they embraced each other, and Tonia left.