From Hate to Love

Marie Richwood POV

Hazel eyes were what woke me up on an early Monday morning, swinging up and down on my pink princess sized bed.

"George get out of my room" I shouted at my fifteen year old brother.

"Fine but mummy says go take your bath and come eat"

I got up and shoved him to the door before going to the bathroom after making sure he left.

He left the room in his brown pajamas pants and shirt, grinning like a crazed hyena, I know it might be rude to call my brother that, but trust me he deserves the name, he is overly energetic I guess he bundles all the energy that was supposed to be used for house chores and empties it all on troubling my very existence

Though I can't claim not giving him retribution, There was a particular period I had warned him not to wear a certain indoor slipper of mine which was unisex and very eye catchy, Dad had gotten me the slipper as one of my 17th birthday gift, it had various colours on it and was uniquely shaped and had a fluffy feeling when one wears it, George accidentally according to him had mistakenly put it in the washing machines with his clothes that shed colour, the slipper had come out in different shades and colour, it was so disgusting yet he had secretly dropped it back in my room all wet discretely placing it under my bed like nothing had happened to it, I found out only later in the night and the next morning my dear brother came tumbling down the stairs like Jack and Jill only he was not fetching the water but tripping over the water.

In fact I knew I found the revenge perfect for George, by chance he happened to step on soap just as he stepped out of his room which was directly in front of the stairs and he did a little dance and rolling over down the 12 steps down to the main floor. When George woke up in the hospital he told my parents the truth but they just ignored him since George was more of a mischief maker as I was, and was told to focus more on recuperating.

According to my parents" it was highly possible he was a victim of his own game plan and I just happened to be with my mom in the kitchen at that hour so it was highly impossible that I was the perpetrator".

My parents didn't think much of it and George ended up sucking up to his leg being put in a cast, his conduct was so funny I couldn't help posting it on our school website

Oh Dear me, George refused to go to school for a whole week after his cast was removed claiming he had the flu.

Life was so fun and I practically ruled Dale High school, I was the official Queen bee, better not get on my bad side, I have the looks to compliment my status, even the toughest of the boys do what I tell them to do just by me giving them a cute puppy dog face, it works all the time, though I made sure to stay away from the violence craved once.

My mom told me I got her killer looks, blond hair, a well-rounded figure with the curve in the right places and I have a full bust which completed my queenly figure and am able to distract a lot of people to my benefit. To the extent that no one would believe me if I told them that I was a virgin. The boys come running when I call and the girls practically adore me everything was going on fine with me being empress at Dale till Dad came with the sad story of Dad being posted to South Africa from his workplace and since it was a long term contract with the company and since he did not to be separated from his family for that long.

There was no way anyone could kick a fuss, we had all seen it coming, Dad had been making trips to and fro to the country in question for years now he was the one in charge of the contract deal.

When he made the announcement at dinner a week before it had been like I was in a trance and the situation did not affect me at all Dad had begun his apologies from Mom since it was going to really affect her cause she owned a baking school in the city, then he apologized to George and I his expression calm and cold like my physics lecturer Mrs Hill, she was such a lively and warm woman on the inside but on the surface and to most of the kids at school you only see a cold hearted strict disciplinarian who is insistent on shoving newton's law down their throat for them to swallow and fully digest it before excreting it out during the exams.

I knew Dad was sincerely sorry his work will disrupt our lives so I quietly mourned my loss and my wonderful prestige at Dale High, I have no one to bully and flaunt my perfect figure at anymore so the only question I had to ask Dad is "What will happen to me Dad I am the Queen of Dale High?"

Dad had looked at me with a painful expression that even with my status as badass queen bee I didn't have the heart to pull that on my Dad, I raised up my hand for him to dismiss the question but my Dad will not let it go.

"Marie "he said looking straight into my eyes taking a hold of my hand as he did so "am sorry I have disrupt your life and separate you from your friends but the thought of me being separated from you for seven years is more painful to me, Don't call me a selfish person but I value my family so much to leave you guys for that long period of time"

He turned to George with the same pleading look, I hate to see any him look pathetic even though I love making people feel pathetic and inferior to me, I could never bare to see such look from my family members ever except George who was so fun to tease.

George on the other hand just sat still like a statue I guess he was going to miss Stacy his longtime crush and a close friend that he never had the heart to ask out, the whole lot was still hard to get down for fifteen year old George Richwood, his short wavy hair sat messy as if a raccoon had a run it, his almond shaped eyes glowing bright with tears if it had been some other time I would have taken a picture but now just the thought of lifting the despair and deserted look off my family members was the only thing that occupied my mind.

So I asked Dad to tell us about the people in it and the exact location of the country.

"We are on our way to South Africa and my Trox Group of company over there wants to have a long standing deal with us, Sorry Sugar but that is all I can tell you for now the move is a highly confidential one I hope you understand me sugar" My dad said between apologies.

"Don't worry we are going to be staying at the company's estate and it's such a refined place" And that was the end of that dinner that day.

Now the current day of our flying to South Africa, I lingered in the shower just letting the water slide over my skin, reluctant to get out for the first time feeling lonely in all my seventeen years of age.

I did not have any friends I will miss except my minions Sasha and Trisha who I love calling twin Geisha, since they somehow had the figure of a geisha they might not probably miss me since I made their life miserably hell

Dale High students might miss me, in the terms of being relieved am finally gone, but I vow to be back as soon as am eighteen Dad would not be able to stop me, I will be able to make my own decisions

It got to me now though, while everyone had people they would miss for the love and over they have been shone over the years, the feeling was strange to me so I just shrugged it off, feeling down was not my style, I was the one who made other feel it not me myself, with a flick of my blond hair, I left the bathroom, putting on my clothes sluggishly though I still added a lot of finesse to my dressing, Beauty Queen is still around, I began to drag my luggage downstairs and get ready for the long journey to Africa.

Dad had better have something good prepared well the world was still mine to rule, with my mind blowing beauty as my flatterers would put it

Well Africa here I come

This queen bee is coming to make her presence known !!!

Bells High School

Cyrus POV

First day of school resumption was usually a happy day for me, since that was what I loved the most, my head buried among pile of books, the interest for studying started when I was a child, my mom was a busy accountant and my Dad a famous lawyer, he works his brain out taking powerful cases one after the other, My parents simply put do not have the time for each other not to talk of me.

Everyone wakes up 5:00am to attend to their toiletries and breakfast is served at 6:00am by our ever loyal cook Mrs. Adams who has been working with my family ever since I was born and practically raised me, Mrs. Adams is an elderly woman in her early fifties, after she serves the meal, everyone eats and we all disperse there at the table, My Mom was usually the first to leave the table.

"Honey be good at school, the driver will drop you" she sashays to me, give me a peck on the cheeks like I was some toddler and then moves over to Dad with her golden bag in hand side hugs him.

"Bye sweetie" That was all, She was gone.

The next is my Dad who preaches propriety and is always lecturing me after mom leaves every morning about keeping a good image at school.

"As a lawyer, I have a lot of people who will want to point out my weaknesses so do not make yourself one of my weakness" he says sternly takes a pause, he takes a sip of his tea, glance at the newspaper in his hands, drops it then turns to face me again with a softer expression as if he never spoke to me in a harsh tone before.

"That is why you have to keep up your excellent performance at school, just last week I followed the State governor to a function and there I met your School Principal, he told me you are the best student in your class and I was so proud, he even says it in the midst of my colleagues, I was so proud of you " he repeats with a face full of smile this time, looking me up as if I had caused him to receive a medal from the president.

Seeing he is being so filial, I decided to burst his bubble "Dad there is a Parents meeting with the principal at 2:00PM today?" I stopped there and obediently drank my tea, expecting the reaction I know he will surely not disappoint me with.

"Sorry love, why don't you ask Mrs. Adams to go, she is around isn't she?" was my Dad shameless reply, he immediately dropped the tea cup he was holding, went to the sofa to pick up his bag to make his escape.

"But Mrs. Adams is not my parent you are?, and besides why should I be the one to tell her that, even if she is to make an appearance you should be the one to tell her that, you are older " I said not willing to drop the matter I walked up to him with a total innocent expression, giving him an expression of a child that was being maltreated to make him feel guilty but my Dad trust me was just a willing donor of sperm to make me, he does not have a single parental bone in his body, I was defeated outright.

"Honey I got to go, I will email her when I get to work" he said before opening the door and he went to his blue range over car and sped out of the compound without a backward glance at the child he abandoned at the doorstep, there goes one of the country senior advocate.

The thing is I do not care, I have gotten use to his behaviour overtime, and I only wanted to shut him up, before he starts preaching to me about maintaining my grades at school.

I turned back seeing Mrs. Adams sited at the dining table, her expression was unreadable, she was such a loving mother to me, I love her more than my own mother

"You were a little too harsh on him just now you know that" she asked looking at me lovingly, as she began packing the plates and cups on the dining table

"He deserves it "I stood up to help her clear the table

"You know I will never abandon you, and do not worry I will be there for the Parents meeting" she said sympathetically

"There is no PTA meeting, it was a lie" I said going to my room to pick up my school bag.

"What if he finds out?"

"He will never find out and you know it"

"That's true" she murmured to herself and followed me into my room sitting on the bed; she began putting things in order

"Now now sugar you need to let go of that feeling, do not go hard on them, they are just busy people at least you are not left alone, I promise to always be there for you" she said pleadingly taking a hold of my hand as I made to go past her

"Yes, but you have your own family too, you can't always be there for me" I said painfully, that was a reality, that stares me in the face all the time

"you are like my son sugar" she says lovingly and stood up, taking the comb from my hand and began to comb the hair I failed to straighten after shower, Sometimes I wonder if to her, I was still not the baby that was handed over to her to take care of when I clocked one year

I am now a eighteen year old youth, I had Dad's height which was 6'3, and my facial looks were mostly that of my mom, she is a fair skinned beauty, my hair grew out was a brown shade like my mom's, my beauty was not usually noticed in our school though since I was the top nerd of the school, and glasses to compliment my status and even if it was no one had the audacity to tell me, they just knew not to

"The driver is here, time for school" Mrs. Adams said bringing me out of my thoughts

"I will get going then"

She gave me a hug before taking me to the car, she instructed the driver to drive slowly like she usually does before the car moved down the bend with her still waving at the car park

The drive to school was silent as usual, nothing interesting happens in my life, throughout the long vacation, I didn't move an inch outside the house just me and Mrs. Adams every single day, no interesting event aside from occasional teasing of my Dad and Mom, my books were the next thing I had for comfort and Dad made sure I had it in abundance at least that a was part of my life, he doesn't neglect

Mrs. Adams had earlier assured me that my Mom and Dad loved each other but it was just their work that got in their way and made them strangers to each other, which effectively affected my upbringing apart from the motherly love of Mrs. Adams I have never even known what love is, kids at school think am haughty but the truth is I can't give out what I don't know and I can't blame them, Life was just too unpredictable.

On getting to School the driver dropped me at the car park and immediately left since students were not allowed to bring their cars to school, only staffs, I dropped and began walking to the school entrance

I saw many familiar faces but since it was not like I knew any one of them on a personal bases, we only waved each other and moved on to our various classes, the morning Assembly was at 7:00 am, so there was a rush for the classroom before going over to the assembly field, As I was passing, I saw a group of students surrounding a particular class, peeping inside and whispering to each other, I moved closer since the class happens to be my next promotional class, I shoved and shoved past their middle, finally I was at the front of the class and my breath hitched, air refused to come out of my lungs, before me was the most beautiful fair skinned lady I had ever seen, she looked up at me and our eyes were fixed on each other, she has hazel eyes, so captivating

My mom is an African Beauty, but this is an American beauty and she is sited on my designated sit which was the first seat at the front roll, her long hair were splattered around her shoulders, her skin was glowing, she was a curvy female and a sensual one at that, she commanded attention at all places, she was a jade like perfect figure

I moved forward to put my bag on the sit beside hers as I sat down she smirked her eyes glowing mischievously

I also smirked inwardly; this is surely one hell of a black bellied beauty, I was wrong to have thought my life was going to be boring forever. This senior year sure was going to be interesting

Marie's POV

I sat as I quietly as I could in the classroom a teacher had been kind enough to guide me to, it was not my culture to be quiet though, but what can I do, it's my first time in Bells, I need to make good appearance even if it is for just a day.

I was about to get up from my sit, turning my golden curls to a side, I looked up to see, what you would call the perfect definition of a nerd, he was a little bit on the fair side though not comparable to my white skin, a big baby to make the description short, I guess someone is yet to lose baby fat, he was so distinct among the crowd who had come to welcome and look at this beauty till they are full.

I immediately marked him to be mine, my own perfect cute bunny, I watched him through a corner of my eye, he walked and sat quietly beside me hardly making a sound, I turned fully to him to fully observe him, I saw he was hanging his head low, refusing to look at me but was observing every of my move and he was fully aware I was staring at him now

It's high time, I let out my colours being low profile was never my thing "The name is Marie ...Marie Richwood " I said extending my hand to him for a handshake but my perfect bunny continued to bring out some boring calculus and biology textbooks into his desk locker, seeing what he was doing, I suddenly became aware, here they don't have locker rooms like my former school instead each students have lockers attached to their desks and its left to you to lock it or not

Seeing I was still being ignored, i grabbed his locker and shut it close, only then was I permitted to see his face, round and shiny brown eyes were looking at me, so beautiful was my first thought that I forgot my reason for being angry in the first place.

"What is it?" he asked sounding pissed.

"What's your name?" I asked still holding onto his locker, our heads only inches apart, before answering me he leaned back into his seat.

"Why should I tell you?" came the annoying reply before he pulled my hand loose off his desk and continue with locker arranging, his beautiful face contorting into a frown

What? No one gets the last word, I do.

"Fine I will just call you nerd then since you totally look like one" I replied not giving up making his brows creased up a little further, smiling triumphantly I stood up determined to play further with him and banged the table so loudly getting the attention of others.

"My Name......"But Mr. Nerd beat me to it, taking advantage of my announcement effort.

"what she means to say is, it's time for assembly, I almost forgot " he pat me on the head since he was a little taller "thanks so much I would have been sanctioned on my first day at school but for your timely intervention " he smirked which made him look creepy according to me since I was fuming, he bent down and pressed a button before a chilling siren noise went off in the classroom, other students immediately blocked their ear and looked evilly at Mr. Nerd who just ignored all the stares and walked out

Looks like someone does a lot of snubbing.

Words like "jerk ", "spoilt brat " I too know" began to flow after his departure as several students murmured and groggily made their way to I guess assembly ground

"He could have just rang the bell, must he put on that damn siren all the time"

I was about to follow the boring procession out of the class when I was suddenly grabbed by the shoulder to see a sweet smiling girl she was so petite and cute 'Care if I show you the place?" she asked in between smiles looking at me hopefully me rejecting her will surely embarrass her since half of the class were paying attention to us

"no problem I don't mind" replying smoothly, talk about minions and I did not even lift a finger, but my minion finding joy was short lived as soon as I remembered it was supposed to be Mr. Nerd job of showing me around in the first place.

I had this faint feeling of being used, my hand still hurt from hitting the desk so hard but I was not the least bit annoyed since he wants to play smart I will just show him who is boss at this game.

I let my pen fall down discretely.

"I am coming I think my pen fell" I quickly bent down before she offered minions they take their job so seriously dear me, I bent down searching for the siren controller near his desk, instead it was attached to the floor, seeing the red like button protruding from the floor, I used my pen to jab it till it broke in two making it impossible to switch on without hurting a finger.

I stood up dazing my minion, oh sorry minions a wonderful smile as I stood up, two girls had joined the other sweet smiling girl, "shall we?"

Soon I found myself on an open field, a blast of hot wind almost roasting me, the girls were talking to me but I was barely listening what's my business with the history of the school, I was feeling hot and itchy.

Noticing my discomfort, sweet smiling girl whose name turns out to be Hannah decided to have mercy on me by handing over her hand fan using her own hands to fan herself.

I was dumbfounded this minion was so loyal, back at Dale my minions though they follow me everywhere do not really care for me like this since I made their life hell

"Sorry it usually gets like this around this time, by December it is going to be chilly cold "Anna one of the two girls explained sounding like she had done me a huge favour by informing me before hand.

"How do you guys survive in this?" looking at their hats and coats, it was so hot and yet they were bundled up like Christie Richwood my aunt, she usually dolls up herself every Sunday from head to toe barely showing any skin as if it would make her anymore righteous, she curses more than anyone in the world, 'Actually we only wear this on when going for assemblies, trying to avoid trouble and we can also wear it in class if we wish since the Air conditioner will be on, so the stress is only in the morning " she explained picking up her steps and dragging me along.

I vowed never to wear this thing, might as well deliver me to a nunnery

We got to the Assembly field just on time to see Mr. Nerd walk up the stage looking serious with his duties; I couldn't hide my curiosity any longer I asked Mercy

"Why is he doing that? What's he doing there? "

"He is a very diligent student according to the teachers and the best student in the whole school so automatically that duty is for him, principal Francis says he is the perfect model student and he is super handsome, almost all the girls are into him Nicole here worships him" Mercy pointed her hand at the other girl who was quite hooked on Mr. Nerd.

"bla bla bla boring story" I commented, still observing him on stage, he looks dashing though I can't help but admit, the perfect African prince

Anna cut in dragging me out of my thoughts "That ITK (means knows too much) Cyrus just likes flaunting his parents status on other kids, you should see the way the Principal treats him, like an African prince"

So his name is Cyrus........... Why the secrecy

"Who are his parents? " I asked but I never got an answer as they all shushed me and made me join the line for our class

Every student had to line up according to their classes, male students also have their own lines, luckily the field was not in the sun it was surrounded by tall tress which acts as shade from the sun, I was behind Hannah since she was short, and the other girls wouldn't leave my side until Mr. Nerd sharp voice rang out and everyone straightened up, looks like he has quite the authority in this school.

"The National Anthem"

What?? They got to be kidding me?

This is torture