Chapter one

I woke up to the sound of my phone ringing nonstop. As I reluctantly rolled out of bed and stretched my arm out to the bed table to reach for my phone, I heard someone scream my name from downstairs.

"NEVAEHHHHH"

"IF I DON'T SEE YOU DOWN IN THE NEXT 5 MINUTES, I WILL PERSONALLY DRAG YOU OUT OF BED MYSELF"

Of course, it was Raven. I mean, who else would it be?

 She acts like she has some dominance over me. Which can get extremely annoying at times, considering she is only one year older than me. 

I'm not complaining though. She is like that big overprotective sister that I never had, and I love her so much for that. We have been best friends since knee height, and ever since my mother died, she has been there to support me.

 After my mother was murdered, my father decided that it was best for me to leave Italy to America for my safety.

 I didn't have any relatives here so, Raven's parents allowed me to live with them and took me in as their own.

I took a quick shower and then threw on a casual fit: black ripped denim shorts with a black hoodie, then I put my hair in a puff. I grabbed my bag and shoved a folder in it while shoving my phone in my butt pocket in the process.

I rushed down the stairs into the kitchen.

"Look who finally decided to come down," exclaimed Raven's Dad, while tossing me an apple.

Before I could even say thank you, Raven yanked my arm and pulled me as she ran through the door yelling "goodbyee!" at the top of her lungs

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"Ravennnnnnn, Nevaehhhhh" shrieked a familliar voice from the distance.

As I turned in the direction of the shriek I was overwhelmed with a hug from Willow making me stumble back a bit.

"Heyy," I replied as I glanced around looking for Aliyah, "wheres Aliyah?"

"oh she said she is on her way and she might be a little late but we should go ahead without her"

"oh o-"

"oh, cool let's go"Raven interrupted.

We head on our way into the campus, it has been a long time since we have stepped foot here, six weeks to be exact. 

Already, I wanted to go back home and sleep.

We went to put our stuff in our lockers just before the bell rang, and we headed our separate ways to our different classes.

We finally finished first period and headed to the gathering ground. 

"oh yh Nevaeh Danielle is back"

"Danielle is what?" i almost chocked on my own saliva.

"Danielle... is back" she repeated

"you must be-"

"Oh look who we have here girls"

My toes instantly curled, my fists clenched together as my nails dug into my palms. 

"What do you want Danielle? whatever it is we are not interested"Raven muttered as she turned her head around slowly eyeing Danielle's pathetic little minions: Imani, Precious and Arianah.

All a bunch of stupid ass bitches that can't think for themselves and decides to follow this donuld duck looking bratt, ugh just kill me alreadyy.

"Oh nothing, I just wanted to see how a friend is doing"

" I am not your friend!" I spit back in frustration, while also trying to lower my voice so we do not make a scene.

" Well have you finally gotten over your p-p-p-paranoia"

The moment those words left her mouth a deathly silence filled the atmosphere and I could swear i saw Willow's face turn blood red in an instant.

No one has ever dared to mention  my PTSD or paranoia or even bring up the situation before unless I do, but her i'm not surprised.

" what the fuck did you just say?" at this moment Raven was prepared to pounce 

"I just asked if she still had her paranoia, you know especially after her mother's death, I  mean the guy who killed her did her a favour.. imagine raising someone like yo-"

Before she could even finish her sentence Raven pushed her against the floor and started throwing hands left right and centre.

"Raven stop its ok let her go"

"oh the fuck it ain't, someone needs to teach this girl how to shut her fucking mouth"

At this point a circle was formed around us as everyone started chanting

" Fight, Fight"
"Fight, fight, fight"

"ugh someone get this black dog off mee" Danielle hissed.

everyone went silent.

A sting spiked through my spine as I replayed over and over again what just came out of this oyinbo's mouth. 

Black dog... is that really what she sees us as. This bitch just called Raven a fucking dog. My whole body froze as I felt waves of heat and coldness overpowering me. I felt a certain rage that I have never felt before.

"Bitch say that shit one more time" I spat

"I said someone get this nigga off me-"

At that moment I dragged Raven off Danielle and started throwing in my own punches. Stomach, face , arm , all over I wasn't even looking. All I felt was a fury boiling inside me. No one has ever provoked me to this length. However what she said filled me with indignation. How dare she open her big mouth and call Raven a 'black dog'. A DOG!

Oh no, I wasn't going to have it. Her shrieks and cries were blocked out from the burning rage that was spewing inside me.

The black eye ,bleeding nose, busted lip and purple bruises didn't stop me at all until i felt huge hands around my waist pulling me way from her battered up face.

Before I knew it, I was thrown onto his shoulder as he walked away from the crowd and Danielle.

"Get off me now I swear down."

"If you don't fucking let me go," I tried so hard  to wiggle free out of his grip but it just got tighter and tighter and punching/ swinging arms at his back didn't seem to work, so I did the only sensible thing . Scream.

"GET ME OFF NOW!"

" Can you just shut up!"

While I had my little tantrum I wasn't even observing where this guy was even taking me 

At that moment I was thrown back onto a bunch of cushions

"And just what exactly do you think your doing?" I questioned as I try and wipe of excess blood from my hands.

"just what do you think your doing?" he replied

"giving that bitch what she deserved .. its about time she learned her fucking lesson"

"Yes I know she is a brat, yes I know she is a racist one as well, but beating her ass in school is not gonna help at all.. you could have gotten suspended if I hadn't carried you away so be grateful"

"ok lesson learnt, beat Danielle up outside of school" 

"Whatever"

"Do I even know you?" I sarcastically ask

"The name is Malik, Malik d'Angelo" he replied

"I'm Nevaeh, Nevaeh Hernández"

"soo your Spanish?"

"Half Spanish half Italian"

"Well I'm Italian too"

"I know, I mean it's quite obvious by your last name" I don't know why but I just couldn't help but smile.

There was just something about him. Something that helped me let go of that anger I swore I couldn't calm down just a few minutes ago.

"So what actually happened except for the fact she called your friend a dog? he asked as he placed his warming hand on my thigh.

I don't know why but i soon found myself opening up to him, telling him everything.

"Me and Danielle used to be very close , I told her literally everything. Until one day her father started working for the Berlusconi clan because of that my father banned me from speaking to her ever and lied to her writing a letter to her which till this day I don't know what it says"

"dang"

"yh... after a while my mother was murdered and my father blamed it on Berlusconi but particularly Danielle's father. I mean it makes sense Hernández and Berlusconi have been sworn rivals for a loong time"

"I'm so sorry about your mother's death"

"it's ok to be honest, at least she is at peace"

Without realising my head soon began to sink to his shoulder but he didn't seem to mind, instead he placed an arm around me and I let out a little sob.

"sh sh, its ok, let it all out"

" I got to go Raven and Willow are probably waiting for me"

He nodded as if he was permitting me to leave, not that i needed permission. I got up waved a goodbye with an awkward smile on my face and took my leave.

Just as she left Malik's phone began to ring.

"Have you found her yet?"

"yes , yes indeed i have, Nevaeh Hernández."

"Good, let the plan begin."