Thanks to everyone who decides to stay!.

This story is probably my favourite. I'm working really hard on it and i hope you guys like it.

Do point out any mistakes or typos and I'll be glad to fix it.

The book is M.I.N.E

No stealing please.

[All RIGHTS RESERVED 2021●]

Thanks for reading!

NAVINA'S POV

Bang!......bang!.....bang!!

My eyes snapped open in fright.

Bang!

Who the hell was banging on my door at the ass crack of dawn??. What time was it? I checked my alarm clock and it was only 5:06am.

The apartment better be on fire!.I grumble,sliding out if my queen sized bed.

I dragged my feet towards my front door,where the banging was yet to stop and I twisted my face in irritation

"I'm coming damn it!"

I dragged the door open,ready to cuss the hell out of the motherfucker but my words died in my throat when my eyes landed on my best friend;Dani.

I gave her a comfused look as she bent over,with her hands on her knees and panting. She must have ran the whole way here

we didnt live that far away from each other

. Which only added to my confusion.

"Dani?" I questioned

She abruptly stood up to her full height with a shit eating grin on her pale face. Honestly it scared me but I was used to it. Kinda.

"Igotusanewjob!" She sputteres,her grin growing impossibly wider.

I blinked at her.

"Okay sweetie. Calm down and try again" i said slowly.

She closed her eyes and sighed out before saying again "I got us a new job!" She squeals.

"Oh- wait what!?" My eyes widened at the news. "Really!?" I ask lamely.

She nods quickly. I smiled. We've been looking for new jobs for over a year now without any hope. We both were currently working in a rundown restaurant that didn't pay well at all but we just managing it.

"Come in!" I grabbed her arm and pulled her in before closing the door.

She made her self at home by flopping on my deadbeat couch. I now noticed she was holding a newspaper.

"Okay. Come on talk!" I urged.

"Okay okay. So i went to visit nainai"- her grandma-" in the retirement home,just downtown,last night. Nainai's friend was reading a newspaper but that's nothing new right? But i just had to skim over it and i found...this!" She waves the paper in the air.

"What's in it?"

"Well you know that hot chocolate man who's almost always on the cover of newsline magazine?"

"Yeah?"

"Well his company is looking for young ambitious workers!"

"Okay. What does the newspaper got to do with all this??" I just had to ask.

"The newspaper's got the company hotline,time and date if you wanna go for the interview and i already called to book us!"

"Oh my gosh!" I squeal in absolute excitement. But i still wondered why she didn't just text me all of this?

Well she did say she only found out last night so okay.

"I know right?" She smiles in satisfaction.

After coming down from my high i asked the important question "when is the interview?"

She skims through the paper again and she goes slightly pale.

"What?" I eyed her sceptically.

Her slanted onyx eyes meets mine "the interview is....today"

I probably didn't hear righ-" what!?"

My head snapped to the direction of my wall clock. 5:55am. Okay so i got time? "Wait. What time is the interview?"

"7am"

"Fuck" I shook my head.

"Okay okay. Heres what we'll do. You go home and get ready while i do the same here. And we'll meet at the bus stop at 6:30 okay?" I relayed as calmly as i possibly could.

"Okay" she nods and leaves.

Okay. Now to just get ready. How hard could it be?

|<¤>|

Asking the universe 'how hard could it be?' Automatically makes it hard you know?.

Like my current situation,i can't get into my only good pair of jeans. Granted the last time i wore it over a year ago i was a size three. Now i was roughly almost a size seven.

I wanted to cry. I literally wanted to cry.

"Oh my gosh" it tore. The jeans fucking tore!.

Okay leila. You're not gonna cry. You are not going to cry....i chanted, Feeling the burn at the back of my eyes.

Just find something else to wear. Yeah like what?. Your black pencil skirt you got last week?......

Why didn't i think of that?. You just did bozo. Hm.

After my rather disturbing conversation with myself,I went to my wardrobe and pulled out the skirt.

Let's just hope it still fits me.

It did.

"Alright!" I squeal in delight.

I paired the skirt with a white chiffon button up and tucked it in,then i wore my black stilettos. I pulled my gold braids into a bun with a few dangling to frame my face.

I didn't have time for makeup so i just put on some mascara,dabbed on a little blush and some glossy lipgloss. I was ready to go.

I grabbed my bag and phone and saw a few texts from dani,stating she was waiting at the bus stop. I replied with an 'on my way' and checked the time.

6:32am.

Oh God in heaven. Please let me get this job. I promise I'll give to charity if the pay is hefty. Thank you for my life and those of my friends and neighbours. In jesus name. Amen.

After my short prayer. I made sure i didn't forget my papers and left my apartment. I walked a little over a mile before i got to the bus stop.

Sure enough dani was there in her black skinny jeans that hugged her slender,shapely legs and a white button up with her dark low boots.

Her long dark hair was pulled in a pony tail with a few strands out. She had on minimal makeup.

"Hey D" i greet,stopping in front of her.

"Hey lala. You ready?" She smiled

"Ready as I'll ever be" i sighed "let's go" i said when the bus stopped in front of us.

|<¤>|

One of the aspiring employees came out of the office where we were getting interviewed in, in literal tears.

That sent chills down my spine. Mostly because it was a guy. If this could make a guy cry much less us?.

Dani and i glanced at each other,our expression mirroring each other's.

"Danielle ho?"

"That's me!" She jutted to her feet and hurried into the office.

"Goodluck" i whispered .

40 minutes later.

"Hey how'd it go?" I asked my best friend as she came out of the office. She didn't look crestfallen neither did she look happy.

"Well. I think it went good" she sends me a tight lipped smile that didn't sit well with me.

I didn't push it tho. "Okay" i smiled softly back at her.

"Navina Blackwell?" The receptionist called.

"Thats me" i raise my hand up and stood up,with my papers pressed on my chest.

I turned to dani "wish me luck?"

"Goodluck" she genuinely smiles back.

Roughly 40 minutes later,I came out of the strangley stuffy office. Maybe it was just my nerves but i almost passed out from lack of air.

The older white woman's eyes were glaring at me the whole time and i didn't know why. But that wasn't what bothered me.

What i was nervous about was if i got the job or not. I couldn't come all this way and not get the job.

"Don't call us. We'll call you" she said.

We all know what that means.

"Hey lala. How'd it go?" Dani asked with concern in her timid vioce.

"What can i say than that was one hell of an interview?" I giggle halfheartedly.

She nodded like i was totally right.

|<¤>|

A week later,we still hadn't gotten the call. I was so close to losing hope but i still prayed I'd get the job. I couldn't last one more day at that restaurant.

"Hey lala." Dani greeted.

I hummed a reply.

She frowned "are you okay?"

I stared at her "no" i stated simply.

"What's wrong?"

"What's wrong? You don't know what's wrong?" I raise a mocking eyebrow at her.

She sighed as she realises what i was talking about "is this about the job?"

"Yes"

"Okay. Look. I know we probably won't get the job but i don't think you should worry about it. We'll find another job. I promise" she assured with an encouraging smile.

I stare at her smiling face. She literally was in the same position as me but it didn't bother her one bit. I wish i was strong as her.

"Okay" i sighed and she pulled me in a warm hug.

"Thanks dani" i mumbled.

"You're welcome lala"

We pulled away "you wanna go out this weekend with some of my girls?" She asked.

"Sure. I mean I'm not doing anything else so why not?"

She squeals "we're gonna have so much fun!"

I giggle.

|<¤>|

"Does this scream 'im a hoe just for the night'?" Dani asked as she does a once over in the mirror in my bathroom.

"Excuse me?" I laughed.

"What? I'm looking forward to getting laid tonight" she shrugged.

I just laughed some more.

"Well does it?"

She was dressed in a leather strapped dress. Like literally the dress was just straps. A black leather stripper boot,her hair was pin straight and she had on a smokey eye look with blood red lips.

"Yes. Yes you do"

She squeals in delight while i shook my head with an amused grin. She finally turns from the mirror to stare at me.

She looked disappointed

"What?" I ask.

"Why are you dressed like you're going to a sermon?" She raised her arms incredulously

"What are you talking about?" I played dumb. She might have exaggerated a little bit but she wasn't too far off either.

I was wearing a long sleeved blue dress that touched my toes,and a jacket. My hair was pulled in a pony tail and my face was bare.

"Really?" She gave me a blank look and i rolled my eyes.

"I may or may not want to go out tonight" i mumbled folding my arms.

"Why not?" She asked growing concerned.

I bit my lip.

"Well. I just don't feel like it"I shrugged

She didn't look convinced. She approachs me,then dragged me to my living room before she pulled me down to take a sit.

"Now talk" she demanded.

"I feel insecure of my body okay" i admit,exasperated. "I'm not the size i used to love anymore and i hate that it was because of some guy"

I blinked aggressively to stop the tears that threatened to fall.

"Leila. Look at me" i looked at her "you are beautiful"

I look away not believing her.

"Hey hey. Do you know how many women out there would kill for your killer curves?" She says softly.

"None that i know of" i said.

"Well take me. Do you know how many times I've had to convince myself that i was beautiful even if i didn't have your curves?"

"You're just saying that to make me feel better but now i feel worse. Dani you're skinny and everything you wear fits you" i replied,finally letting the tears fall.

"No no. Leila. You are beautiful. I can't stress this enough. I've had guys ask me if you're single"

What?

"They are always so intimidated by your beauty leila. You have no idea how incredibly beautiful you are inside and out. If i was gay I'd totally hit on you"

I laughed at her last words. But i felt incredibly better.

"Thank you dani. " i pulled her into a hug.

"So" we pulled away with me sniffling "are you ready to let loose tonight?" She smiled.

"Yes. Yes i am" i smiled back.