CHAPTER ONE

Walking through the street of New York i can't help but seem so contented because I have finally left Jersey I know it's not that much of a difference but this is what I can afford.

Hi I am serene Smiths I am 23 years old and I just escaped from my toxic ex boyfriend. Coming to New York wasn't exactly the plan but I wanted to leave Jersey as fast as I could, Derek wasn't always thar bad but he started doing to much two tears ago.

Currently I am looking for a thrift shop because want to change what i am wearing, I left his house with just a black short and big tees and after wearing it for two days I think It's best to buy something, after a while I saw this shop call *cutesy* and decided to enter and their clothes were actually so cheap I spent 250$ and I didn't regret it. I had saved a thousand dollars before leaving Jersey and I didn't know how little the money was until I leased an apartment which per month was 300$ and for down payment I paid 500$ and after buying clothes I have about 150 left now I have to find a job so I can pay me rent for the next month.

On getting to my apartment i decided to wash my clothes because first of all I am a black girl who is from Nigeria but was brought up in the States, Nigerians feel a certain way about thrifting with talks about it been possessed and all. And no way I am taking any chances.

After washing my clothes I decided to go job seeking. My ex didn't let me do alot but at least I went to college I majored in business so I have a lil bit of experience. But if you are to ask me I want to be a content creator making YouTube videos and all. But currently my phone is so bad a homeless person will reject it, I know I will achieve my goals but I don't just know when I will.

Waking along the street I didn't see a decent job so I just bought Cup ramen for the night and then started browsing online for jobs. Upon scrolling for about 1 hr then I saw a company hiring a secretary. It was the biggest job of the century. And although I wasn't sure I was going to get the role I decided to just submit

After submitting my application for that company I left the cafe and decided to head home, I got a bottle of water because my tap water isn't the best to drink. Knowing how much I had on me I know if I don't start doing something I would be homeless.

I got home took a shower and went to sleep in my cute pokka dot pj.

*nightmare/flashback*

I was just done making dinner for J.D and

I was about to do my online class. He doesn't let me go to physical classes because the world is a difficult place. I understand because he cares about me.

"Sweetheart get the fuck down here" I heard his voice, I immediately ran downstairs because he can be a bit mean when I don't answer him fast.

"Hi babe how was work" I asked him, he just looked at me with so much disgust I thought I stank

" shut the fuck up, why is my food not hot ? " he asked picking the pasta like its poison.

" I made it about and hour ago, I thought when you are back I will microwave it " I explained. Which personally I don't think I did a bad thing. I felt a sting on my face drawing me out of my thoughts, he just slapped me !!

"fucking bitch you can't even do anything right" he yelled grabbing my Braids.

Not my Braids nigga I thought internally.

Hitting my head on the counter and the the attacks started, kicks to my ribs stepped on my hands, then the removed his belt and started whipping me with it and I just started thinking of sunshine and rainbows

Then I started feeling myself slip away and I know what's coming next, I just want to be conscious please God don't make me pass out please God don't make me pass out. I kept repeating it like a mantra in my head but I guess God doesn't listen and then black started doting my eyes. The beating stopped but I felt his hand raise my skirt up, pulling down my underwear and slipping into me, I could feel his breath on me, his thrust started getting faster then he wrapped fingers around my neck choking me hard and then nothing....

"No no no no" I woke up breaking out in cold sweat and then I looked at the time on my phone 4am why can't I have a normal peaceful sleep. J.D a monster he loves having sex when I am unconscious it's weird.

I stood up and went to take a shower the water was very cold I would have loved a warm water but beggers can't be choosers.

I picked up my phone and I saw I had a message from last night from the company I applied for telling me to come in for the first round of interview by 9am today. What the frick it was so fast like how. I guess my nightmare worked in my favour. I looked at the clothes I got yesterday and I knew I had dress pant and a shirt. I also have a black skirt so deciding to go with the pants because the skirt show off My figure a little too much which I don't want. The shirt is big and wearing it with the pant just makes it look like I am normal.

I started combing my natural hair my hair is not curly like other black Americans I have a typical Nigerian hair texture but it's very long so I decided to style it into an afro bun.

By 7am I was out of my house and took the subway, I watched slowly as the scenery changed from worn out to rich-ish scenery. I stepped in front of the building it is called Sicanti. It is the biggest management company in New York with newscasting Station, Modelling station, Radio station, and then their production station which is the biggest. They have many actors and actresses working under them. Even when I was in New Jersey I have always know about them and I always wished to work there or at least visit.

Looking down at my choice of outfit I started feeling down but I just had to enter. The time is 8 am give me an hour to kill, I went straight to the reception desk.

" good morning ma I am here for the secretary interview ma" I said with a smile on my face the woman looked up and her eyes softened a bit.

" good morning dear, take the elevator to the last floor, but you know the interview is in an hour right?" She said

" thank you ma, I know I was just so excited" I replied. I got to that id card scanning thingy and she woman unlocked it for me. Getting into the elevator I just started praying for everything to go right.

Stopping at the 30th floor I stepped out and I saw a man Standing there and I walked up to him to ask where the interview will take place, he told me to walk a little bit and turn right. I saw a lot of chairs arranged and a woman sitting on a podium thingy.

" Good morning ma, I am here for the interview " I said to her.

" Hi good morning to you too, Take this Number card" she said and I was so glad to collectthe number tag . I sat down and within the next 30 minutes people started filling in. They all looked so put together and I started have mixed feelings.

At exactly 9am they called the first person to the room going off the numbers randomly. After calling 5 people they finally called my number and I entered the interview room.

As I entered the room I didn't even look up I scurried to my sit and then I looked up. On a podium thingy two people were sitted a Beautiful woman with blonde hair and a very handsome man with Black hair and the prettiest two coloured eyes mamamia.

I stopped looking at him and focus on the woman who had a smile on her face.

" Good morning what's your name" she asked. " MY name is Serene Smiths "

I replied .

" Serene what sets you different from the rest of the people we have interviewed" she asked and as was about to answer the door bursted open and a lady ran in going towards the man and whispering to him.

I was just sacred because now my brain is jumbled because of the jump scare, they kept whispering and it started getting heated when all of a sudden the man looked at me and then at the woman who was questioning me then told her something which she nodded in confirmation. Oh my God I am scared.

" Serene we need your help can you please Stand up" the handsome man said and I almost melted with how smooth his voice sounds. OmG pretty face and deep smooth voice someone get this man away before I jump him. Holy spirit what am I thinking Jesus cleanse my heart.

" what can I do to help sir" I Said Standing up.

" can you do a 360?" He said and I complied.

" they look like the same but she is definitely bigger on the lower part" the woman said, what does she mean bigger I am thicc now big mam get your facts right.

" we need you to replace a model of ours that got into am accident on her way here, we need to submit a few pictures for us to be able to print out our magazine and we can't get a similar model in such a short time." The pretty man explained.

" don't worry we will pay you and then you will complete your interview. We pay our models 500 per hour but we would pay you 1000 because its impromptu" he said and my eyes almost came out of the socket a 1000 for me to take a few pictures sign me up. ( I don't know how this kind of payments work please bear with me)

" wow okay sir " I replied genuinely shocked.

" fine let's go" he said Standing up

" Nancy continue the interview we will be downstairs"

I stood up with him to walking behind him like a lost puppy.