Befriending The Billionaire's Son

CHAPTER TWO

“I’m sorry to have inspired the showdown. She's always upset in the morning.” Gemma broke the silence after we'd stood opposite each other listening to Coltie's soft snores and watching his chest rise and fall with difficulty as he slept.

Autism was one difficult condition to cater for but his frequent illnesses made it even more daunting. Sometimes, I tried to fit my legs into his shoes and I could feel the pain of being a liability to your family and not having any friends whether older or younger than you are to play with it. It hurt and that's why it killed me whenever I had to choose between catering to his needs and gathering money for college from dancing with my crew.

“And that's going to make me feel better, huh?” I lifted an eyebrow as I plopped unto the couch, the meanest look on my face.

“Mum sees herself in you and that's why she's always hard on you. She doesn't want you to end up like her, sad and alone.” Gemma spoke with concern as she plopped beside me.

I stuck my legs out and began rocking them back and forth like a kid, “Who told you or Mum that I want to love or have company? I'm pretty much alone everyday and I don't seem to want a change anytime soon.”

“And you wouldn't want that change for the rest of your life? Think about it, Vee. You'll need a man at some point and this defiant nature of yours isn't sexy.”

I faced her with a smirk, “I don't want to be sexy then.” I shrugged. “All I need is to have a successful career as a dancer and be like Laurel.” I passed her a glance before adding. “f*****g different men until they lose their minds and breaking the hearts of those who become soft.”

Gemma chuckled and I frowned, wondering what she was finding funny. “That's what I thought at 19 but I'm 22 now and I can't seem to do life with Daniel.” She said dreamily and I faked a gag. “Don't let Aunt Maggie's failed love life and Mum's fake stoicism blind you from the beauty of love and companionship. You won't always be 19 and soon success won't mean what a partner's presence would mean to you anymore.”

I scoffed, “How did we get here, please?” I asked, sarcastically. “I'm not a softie and I definitely won't need a man to be happy. That gender sucks and they'll be only good for hot, sweaty s*x. Period!” My tone was final and Gemma swallowed her words.

“I didn't want to go into convincing you about love though, I just wanted you to know that Mum's only trying to protect you.”

“Protect me?” I cackled, bitterly. “If being a b***h about everything concerning me is what you call protection then I think you need to check the kind of men who do that for you, Gem. You're too beautiful to let that spiteful gender abuse, molest and dump you. Too damn precious!” I concluded and walked out of the room. Leaving her to think about the words I had just carefully spoken.

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I arrived at Aunt Magdalena's house. The only sister and family that my mother had and such a love-starved woman. The kind who never learnt her lessons from the opposite s*x which allowed them to use her and toss her away like a rag.

Going round the house to Laurel's room, I noticed the windows were shot which wasn't strange. I knew she had a man over, might be one with a huge c**k and wanted free s*x from a hyperactive young woman. I shook my head and let my back slide on the wall making my butt hit the ground a bit roughly.

“Ouch.” I winced, rubbing my butt with my fingers. Someone might think that hanging out with a wild girl like Laurel would have effects on my s*x life but it was the reverse. The energy and abruptness of s*x repulsed me and left me postponing the loss by of my virginity till I had my certificate from the Arts University of Risket in my palm. Until then, I stuck with dirty talks and seldom engagements in foreplay.

I jolted to my feet as the louvres made a screeching sound and Laurel's head stuck out. “Mum's at it again. I caught her dude getting his d**k sucked by a couple of naked teenage girls at a club last night. It was so much fun to watch Mum burst into furious tears and whip slaps across his face when he arrived at our doorstep this morning.” She sighed deeply and I cut the tears at the brim of her eyes as she looked down,

“Prolly to negotiate or tell more lies but I had evidence. A picture. She's a mess, I doubt she'll learn.” She concluded and stuck out her hand to help me climb into her room.

I shook off the urge to ask how she really felt about it. Laurel thought that being the heartbreak and lord of the bedroom fun will never make her a second of her mother but with every heartbreak, I knew she was loosing her mind with worry even though she cloaked it with rude, snarky behaviour towards her mother all the time.

“I found something.” She smiled as well settled in front of her laptop, her eyes tingling and I wished I could take a picture. She looked very perfect in such a random pose that I couldn't help but return the smile no matter how heavy my heart was.

“This guy… Freddie.” She pointed her well-manicured nails on the laptop screen. “He posted an advert few minutes ago and I immediately indicated interest because I believe it's something you can do.” She leaned back, giving me the space to read through the advert and their chats.

Laurel frequently surfed the dark web and got lots of menial gigs for better pay in other to cater for her needs and that of her emotionally drained mother. She'd been on the dark web ever since she was a little over thirteen and she's same age as Gemma who hasn't worked a day in her life. Mum detested her sister's softness and rarely helped them with any money unless directly connected to Laurel who had stopped asking after learning how to land bigger gigs on the web , three years ago.

Putting my gnawed nails on the screen, I read out loud. “Looking for a sexy, young lady to find the man in my friend Asher Norman who's never looked at another girl after his breakup five years ago. I'm willing to give out 500 dollars if you can get the tiniest reaction from him. That'll be enough.” Puzzled, I turned to Laurel but only she made a face and urged me to read the texts they'd exchanged.

After few minutes of scrolling, jumped to my feet and headed for the window but Laurel was faster. Life on the street had trained her body even more than rigorous hours of practicing gymnastics. She shut the window before I could get there and placed herself in front of it.

“Stop it Laurel. Let me out!” I barked, inhaling the cigarette smoke she'd graciously puffed in my face immediately I opened my mouth.

“Oops! I thought you needed some money… These kids are rich, Vee. There's only one Asher Norman I know of and he's the son of one of the biggest politicians running for Mayorship of Risket.”

“I know that too and that's a big scam. Can't you see?”

She puffed another ball of smoke into my face, “Don't be silly. I've done a couple of scams myself and fallen into lots of them so I know one when I see it and this isn't one.” She affirmed with a determined look.

I chuckled, “Why will Asher's friend be on the dark web?”

“Who said it was for the masses only? Snap out of it girl, it's 5000 dollars and above that you're staking out of.”

“Okay… If I agree to do that. How will I bring out a reaction from that cold-hearted thing? I've heard of how aggressive and snobbish he could be. Getting a reaction out of him is impossible.” I argued but Laurel bobbed her head in reverse and grabbed my shoulders.

“I know you can. You were the only one who could connect with Coltie right from his babyhood and has been a major part of his journey. Use the knowledge of his autism to get to him.” but I wasn't convinced. I needed more money to get into my dream school and my small dancing gigs didn't bring in much but… I couldn't toy with a politician and worse still at a strip club?

“It's happening in few hours time. You can ring me.” She went on as I climbed out of her window and bade my goodbyes. I had to be home in few minutes time before Gemma left for her classes and Jayden began to demand lunch.

Was I an elder sister or a mum?