Love the way i am

chapter 1

★★JAY★★

I picked all the things I needed and left the city to a small remote town, I've observed this place for a long time and I knew It would be the best option for me, for the while.

After paying the rent, I took two nights to arrange my stuff inside my new home.

I backed the large king-size mirror on the wall, holding a small mirror to my face, from the mirror, I saw the large tattoo which had my name printed on my back, *"Jayden"*

'I have the cutest appearance, but it is not who I am.' I thought with a smirk visible on my face,

My job wasn't as simple as my appearance, I kill people when needed, I have a reputation for defrauding companies, just a small mistake would make me get to you.

Six months ago, I had planned to close one of the biggest companies in the south, which belonged to a mafia lord, it didn't go well, so I had to kill the owner as he was on my neck, but the whole plan B got spoil when a Cctv footage of me killing him got out. The cops were after me, along with his men, I started hiding, sleeping in different places on different nights until I decided it was time to leave the city as other records of my past deeds were already In Light. And that's how I moved here, changing my identity and my appearance, Leaving so much beard on my face which made me look more matured and growing longer hair.

I entered my new home, it wasn't my usual style, A bit small but comfortable, it could pass, I sat on the couch in the living room after having a bad morning which is used to having, watching simple pastries show on the Tv while having hot chocolate. I'm very bad at cooking, I thought of watching it.

throughout my stay here, I don't want to gain attention here, so I would not keep a helper around, guess who's cooking?

I watched how pancakes are been made, and I could almost taste it from the TV. Bringing myself closer, I was about to do the weirdest thing when the doorbell rang.

I don't know anyone here, why would anyone come to my door?

I peeped through the door hole, it was two ladies. Sighing at the unfamiliar faces, I opened the door, I think both their bodies are itching with the way they constantly rotate their hips, like they were preparing to dance and the awkward smiles dancing on their lips, it was obvious they had nothing to say,

"Good morning" one said still smiling,

I sneered at her before answering her greetings "Good morning. Any problem?" I asked.

"Uh-hmm... mmm-" she slapped her companion's arm "You speak."

"Good morning, we found out you're the..." I wasn't listening to her words.

"just go! go!" my head was screaming for me to push them out. now that I think of it, I'm hungry.

"Blah..blah, blah blah blah blah" was all I heard before coming back to reality.

'Dude, this chick's talking,' the thought of hunger was distracting me from hearing their words.

"Ok, Thank you for your acknowledgment, I have a thing... a thing that I Am busy with." I twist my fingers together for my words to have meaning for their understanding "OK, we'll see later" I told with a cocky smile.

"Ok...then... we'll see later" the slim one dragged the fat one away.

I quickly close the door and made my way to the kitchen. There was a wrap of boneless chicken in the fridge, Pasta to deal with, I brought out all the ingredients I thought would fit in the meal, "OK, Jay. you can do this." I sucked some air. At first Boiling, the pasta wasn't a big problem, until it turned overcooked.

"Oh shit, why didn't I learn to cook?"

I poured the overcooked pasta into a pot, placed the chicken inside, poured a spoon of vegetable oil and spices, cheese, yogurt, and some other things which I picked from the cupboard, and lit the stove.

After turning around the fucked up house full of boredom, Boom! my breakfast was ready.

I danced to the kitchen to meet my breakfast, only to open the pot

"This is not so breakfast..."

I turned the mucus meal on a plate, don't know if it's edible?

After having the first taste, I realized, I need to get a helping hand, I'm not good at all at anything related to the kitchen. Putting my spoon down, I turned all the content from the pot into the trash can, My mom gave me a call, long-awaited. "Hello, bae..." I called her in a playful manner.

ever since I was disowned by my father when I turned eighteen, my mom was the only one who cared about me.

"Are you okay? Did you have your breakfast?" she asked.

I turned the phone to the trash can. "About having it ma..." With a wide grin.

"Oh no, my baby is having that? You can't eat it..."

"I don't know, I'll try" I teased, "try from the trash?! You should go out and get yourself breakfast, or order from home delivery."

"So how's your stay? I should assume you haven't caused any trouble."

"Mom... It's just a day since I moved in, what's the worse that could happen, seems like you lost the trust you had for me."

"I would never do that! I still love you as much. OK, Jay, I'll call you back later, take care!"

"Take care," I repeated as she hung up.

The TV show was becoming boring, I picked a habit of Peeping from the window.

If I could see the two ladies who came here a while ago, it would be appreciated.

Maybe one could have magic springing from her hands.

Chapter 2

★★BELLA★★

I carried my bag and walked out of the shop. I'm done with work for today, My days are always hectic, "Open up!" I yelled, My step sister Kelly came to open up, She opened halfway not letting me in, she gave a scornful look, before yelling her mother's name, "Mom! Bella is back." And there came the disturbing voice of the witch, "You?!" She rushed out, "why didn't clean my room before going out?" She glared hard at me,

"Aunt, am sorry. I didn't know it was dirty, I cleaned it this morning... I, Sorry." I lowered my head, she won't listen, she never listens.

Kelly snared at me before going inside, I followed my stepmom to her room. This whole place was a mess, with offensive odors coming from the bathroom, as I would've guessed, she didn't flush after messing up the toilet, as usual. I picked all her dirty clothes which were lying on the floor and took them to the washing machine, cleaning every part of the room, it took some time before I was done with her room, I stood in front of the door, with the bucket in my hand and a sigh escaped from my lips, "Haa... hard work." I exclaimed with the amount of effort I've given, hope she doesn't ruin it. Again...

I went to my room, not mine alone, the room me and my stepsister shared.

She laid on the bed, spreading her hands and her legs with her eyes opened, gazing at the empty ceilings, "Ah...!" She yelled, she ruffled her hair, she looked so confused. She's always like that, not that I care so much, I decided to ask "What's wrong Kelly?"

She stared at me for a while before replying, "You know the empty house next door?" I nod slightly, She always had stories to tell, and I wonder why she decided to tell me this one, she never spoke to me, like having good conversations, nuh-uh.

"Someone's already occupying it. Wow, he looked so handsome, I can still see his face when I close my eyes. Ah... God" she closed her eyes and pressed her hands on her chest, In some fantasy world of hers,

"Is he so handsome? Is he the one making your heartache" I asked In sarcasm, "Shut up and get back to work Bella. I wonder why mom keeps you here, hemp!" She turned her face to the other side.

After making the bed, I had my bath and went to the kitchen to make dinner for everyone.

By the evening, my father came back, it was a routine that I had to attend to him every time he came back, no matter the work I had at hand, I stood at the door to collect his work bag. Kelly ran to him "Dad, your back, what did you get me?" And this time, he went for a trip, and it was another episode of hell for me, Lisa was always on my trails.

He looked at me for a while before handing her the gift bag, but I acted as I cared less, I've longed for the love of this father for so long, for him to get me gifts, call me princess like he called Kel.

I hate my father so much but I can't do anything about the fact that he has to be related to me, I have no home except this one, that's why I still live with him and his new family, They all make my life like hell.

When I was little, my Dad and my Mom always had fights. He would always hit her, probably to show his strength, little things spark them up. I grew up watching them fight every day with my Mom crying over the things he did at the late hours of the night. sometimes, they fought over Money, other times they fought over the fact that my father was a womanizer, a man who had no control over himself.

one day, my Mom carried all her things and decided to leave the house. I begged her so much to let me go with her but she didn't agree. At that time, I was ten, She didn't want me with her. "Bella, stay with your Dad OK, mommy would be back to pick you up." She kissed my cheek, stroking my hair before going back to pack her things, I stood at the corner, heartbroken, 'this would be the end of my family,' I thought.

She arranged all her things, ready to leave when my Dad came back, he saw her leaving,

"Megan, where are you going?" He asked in a hoarse voice.

She gave him no reply, she pulled her luggage bag and made her way to the door, my father stood in her way, they both struggled with the knob, while she was trying to open it, he continued forcing it close, till he pushed her so hard that her head hit the small Table before crashing on the floor, I Ran to her, "Mother, Mom? Get up." Red liquid started flowing on the floor,

"Bella... Pls wake your mom up" he was shaking, He knew what he had done at this point.

"Mom! Momm...!" I pulled her arm, "Mommy wake up" she didn't, she laid cold on the floor, her open eyes were looking empty like she had been drained from all the life.

"I did not kill her... I did not kill my wife... Megan, your child needs you, please wake up." He was defending himself, even though he knew he was guilty.

In a while he called Lisa, she came over and started consoling him. "Don't worry Edward, she died by mistake. Don't worry."

"Lisa, what do I tell the police? How can I explain her death?"

She suddenly pulled his face up to meet hers, "Were you at home when she fell?" My dad shook with fear "no... No! I wasn't"

"That's a lie! Mom and dad struggled with the door!" I yelled, "He killed her, he killed her!"

She pulled me to the corner, raising my chin, "Such a sharp mouth Aye! do you want to be in the condition your mom's in? Your mother slipped, and you blame your father? What sort of a girl!"

Tears stream my eyes "mom is dead, mom is dead" I sat on the floor close to her cold body and repeated, soon the body started to produce an offensive odor, neither my father nor my stepmom had thought of what to do with it. Someone from the neighborhood called the police.

My father was taken to court, Even though the neighbor came to testify about my parent's habits of fighting, Dad still won the case, Lisa did all that so she could be with him.

From that day things at home never remained the same, and soon Lisa brought her Daughter with her to my house. She was about my age. I never knew my dad had an illegitimate child.

She became the princess of the house, while my status changed to a lower one, I turned. I was never given any rights in the house, Lisa buys stuff for her children and me, I'm left to rot when my time came.

My father looked at me, I turned my face to the side, Why pretend to have pity when he only gets gifts for her?

Kelly hugged him quickly, "thank you Daddy" before going back to the room.

"Bella, where's my husband's dinner?!"

"Coming aunt!" I yelled, I almost forgot about dinner. I have to make the food perfect or she'll start yelling at me or even hit me.

I carried the food to the dining, they were both chatting. "Aunt, the food is here," I said with a false smile on my face, which was already making my cheek ache.

She looked at me and hissed "Edwards, I can't bring myself to stop hating this girl, she's just like her whore mother." She was insulting my mother again, I tried to hold the tears which were about to fall while staring at her with blurry eyes."

"And you what are you looking at? Get out!" She yelled.

I ran outside, to the back of the house, the only peaceful place around. Covering my mouth with my hand to stop the noise about to escape my lips, I felt a pair of eyes on me, and looked around to see who it was, it was a guy, wearing a darker hoodie, he was watching me from his window, It could be the new neighbor. I covered my face, to avoid him from seeing me. I look hideous, with the freckles on my face, anybody would run away. Kelly always pointed these out as the first proof of my ugliness.

He was still there, not saying a word, It was rude, I ran inside as he wasn't moving from the position he was, I switched on the light, searching for my things. "Bella, switch off the light, I want to sleep" Kelly murmured, I carried my books to the lobby with a small candle. Lisa hates me so much that she doesn't want me to attend school.

I sat on the floor to read when sleep came to take over, I get so tired quickly, I have to work tomorrow.

"Pls Mommy, don't do this! I can't eat it" I cried. It was the day I was forced to eat my vomit by Lisa, The nightmare continued...

Chapter 3

A 3D GOD

★★BELLA★★

"Pls mom I won't vomit anymore, I don't want to eat this-"

She pushed my head further in the mess, "Eat it, evil child, that looks like her evil mother. Your mother tried to take a place which was never hers, look where it took her! Hmph!" She dusted her foot before leaving, seeing she closed the door, I went to the bathroom to wash my face before cleaning the mess with a rag.

"Mother pls! Don't do this!!" I begged her. This was the day she caught me stealing food from the kitchen, I Would have said taking, but that hoise didn't. I was so hungry that day. I didn't eat anything for a whole day so I stole snacks from the kitchen the moment I had the chance.

She made me stand on ice from the freezer for something her daughter did, my feet became so cold, the air I breathed out was cold, My blood vessels stiff and I fell on the floor. I could not recall how I've survived all the years, her punishment just seems harsher by the day, And I am learning to be stronger.

I opened my eyes, panting loud. It was these memories that hunted my dreams every time I close my eyes.

I slept so long and hadn't realized it was already so late, I have to be at the stall early.

Lisa makes me pay rent to her, unknown to my dad, "Even if your father knows, there's nothing he can do, I already have him under my palm Bella, so why complicate your life more?" These were her exact words.

I did all my work as fast as I could, I was already getting a daily ear full of my lateness at work. And I had a lot of things to meet up with, My cousin still has to settle her tuition fees, I'm not done arranging the money for that and this month bills have to be settle or Lisa would cut my head off.

"Good morning Madam Serena, good morning Zio". I work at this Italian restaurant, my work is to deliver take-outs. I passed the kitchen to the back of the shop, Bruno was there repairing the scooter.

"Ah Bella, you're here?" He said with a wide smile. He forced the scooter to start running, pulling it along with himself, 'he had a lot of strength' I grinned. The smoke from it filled the air. "How do you ride this? You've destroyed it Totally Bella." Bruno asked, still checking around it,

"I've made it still useful for now, use it slowly, don't run too much, you know These things don't have lots of speed." He advised and I nod but didn't accept. What's the fun without speed? And all those hungry customers give an ear-full even if I'm a minute late.

Bruno is the second son of Madam Serena, he's a nice guy, Tall, A cool tanned colored skin, Short black hair which he Never combs, and tattoos all over his chest like he was In a gang before now, and I think he's over thirty-eight this year.

He was married with two kids but his wife died in a car accident after they arrived from Italy. When I first arrived here, he was been exceptionally nice to me, which I accepted until he said he had feelings for me and wants to get married to me but I don't want that! I'm only just twenty-one, plus I don't believe there's love In marriage. Look at my family!

"Bella?"

"Hmmn?" I answered, knowing what he wants to say, it never gets old to him, "Can you still consider my proposer? I promise you, I like you and I think you'll make a great mom for my kids..."

"Bella...?!" Madam Serena called me from inside, here's my chance to go away from him,

"OK Bruno, I'll have to answer madam, we can talk when I get back."

"Madam!" I went inside to meet her.

"I'll give you the address you'll have to deliver all this food." She wrapped the food with name tags on them.

"Bella, don't make another mistake today. First, you'll give this one to mister strong worths. Mr grand and this one would be the last. This is a new address." She demeaned her eyes will looking at it "one mister Richard." She read carefully, "Take the address of mister Richard." She handed me a written note,

"You're familiar with the rest two right?"

"Uh...huh!" I carried the wrapped food to the scooter tank. "Bye Bruno!" I said to him and started The engines.

Thank God, it worked. I wore my pink helmet and belt it firmly before leaving.

I went to deliver the food, one by one until it was the last address. I looked at the address of mister Richards. He lives in my neighborhood.

I drove in the gate, took off my helmet, and covered my head with my big hooded sweater. As I said, I look hideous, he may feel disgusted to eat his food after seeing my face, that I can bet.

I knocked on the door twice, after arranging my cap. The house owner opened the door,

"Good morn..." Wow, he looks so handsome! I thought, lost far away in my head, He looks like a dreamy figure from 3D games. His hair was scattered on his head, his blue eye peering at me, his skin was white as the snow, I think...

"U hmm... Who are you?" He asked.

"Ahem... Home" I cleared my throat before speaking "You ordered take out From yanky bars right?"

He didn't reply. "Here, have it." I gave it to him and bowed as a sign of greetings to the customer, while raising my head, I hit his chin with my head and he bit his lips,

"Sorry sir, sorry sir..." I apologized. His lips were bleeding.

"Why did you cover your face like you want to attend a satanic meeting?" He asked. Satanic?! His mind went too far...!

I rushed from his door back to the scooter. I should leave here quickly I look like a fool.

I tried it, it didn't work "damnn! This stupid scooter!" I kicked it hard and it fell to the floor, its a punishment from the scooter, for driving too hard,

"Ouch! I hurt my feet."

I tried starting it again, and this time, with so much force, it didn't start. How does this trash expect me to run away with it not starting?

The scooter is so light. I lift it from the floor. It was giving me a headache.

The 3D handsome God came to the scooter. I pulled back, thinking he was having other intentions, there's something about him that makes me want to melt, even though he was an older guy, I kept on drooling, never had this happen to me,

He squatted down and joined two wires together and switched it on, it worked!. I look around if anyone was watching me, especially Kelly. She will tell Lisa to kill me.

"Thank... Tank-gou..." I misspoke, "sorry sir, I meant to thank you" I entered the scooter, running away as fast as I could.

I stopped by the side of the road, looked at the mirror. My face was all red. I looked at the visible freckles on my face. No boy would want a girl who looks like a fourteen years old child in the early puberty stage,

I remembered my helmet fell on the floor when I kicked the bike, oh God, I don't want to go back to that place.

I sat on the scooter, deliberating if I should go back or not? I love my helmet, it's my favorite color 'pink'.

wait, what is it I see? I looked carefully at the mirror. my head is swollen and I look more hideous.

I drove back to The stall, I should leave the helmet, maybe another time I would pick it up.

Bruno was cleaning the cabinet "ah... Bella you're back?" he walked over to where I was standing. "what happened to your head? it's swollen."

"it's a minor swell Bruno, it would be OK."

He still rushed inside to get the first aid kit. "come sit here Bella. I've told you, Bella, you're a girl. don't accommodate injuries, it's would make you look unkempt and-" he passed

"Bruno, you don't have to worry."