Leila
Leila
Chapter One
Leila couldn’t believe this her boss at the paper was calling her on the day off to cover this story about some billionare Australian guy named Ryan Brooks , she bet that he was some rich white guy thinking he knew what was best for a third world country. This guy was donating 2 million dollars to the secondary schools and to Sir Arthur Lewis community college. Leila thought to herself sarcastically “ What a saint” She thought that he had motive and the goverment was probably gave him a piece of the island or a entire beach to him. Leila just needed to get up and get her job done and get back to her weekend.
Leila Peters at twenty three was tired of this journalist job, she really was working to save enough money so that she could go and study in the United States . Yes the United States of America, where everyone can be someone, she had dreamed of going to America ever since she was a child, well since her father died when she was seven years old. Her stepmother and her stepbrother and stepsistter didn’t like her and treated her like dirt and Leila lost her beautiful big bedroom and everything that her father had owned. She had the store room as her bedroom. Leila could move as many of her friends had told her too, but she couldn’t afford anything and all the money she had to go school and study law , she wanted to become family lawyer because she wanted to protect children and families like her. It seemed the more she saved, the more there was not enough money to save to move to the United States but she was determied to go if it meant she had to retake her CXC’s again and A’Level’s to get a scholarship. Leila as she got up to go to the shower picked up an old teddy bear that her mother had bought before she was born.
Leila had never known her mother Charmaine as she died when she born, her stepmother would tell her that it was her fault, . Leila could hear her stepmother Vickie now “
Leila you are worthless and cursed. You are the reason your mother’s dead, you bought on the storm that killed your mother. Yes child your father told me” Leila could never answer her back because she thought it was her fault, she came to early and bought on the storm.
As Leila took of her clothes to get into the shower, she watched her body in the glass shower and door and thought to herself “ No man would want this, you are too fat, and and too ulgy” In reality she wasn’t fat and ulgy., Leila was mixed with Carib, East Indian and black. Her mother was half black and Carib and her father was a dougla meaning half east Indian and black. She wasn;t the most beautiful woman but she wasn’t ulgy either. She was a little above average and though she was not fat. She was a normal size woman but she still had no reason to hate her body. She lacked self esteem Leila has never been in a relationship with any man although she dreamed of it. Leila decided to not dwell on according to her , her bad body and went in to the shower to meet up with this Ryan Brooks.
Ryan Brooks was talking on his cell phone with his brother Alan who was the accounat for his company. Alan and Ryan grew up dirt poor in Sydeny Austrailia and they worked hard and became rich. When everyone hears the name Ryan Brooks they think White , Anglo Saxon Australian but in honestly he was not a white completely, his mother Amber was half Maori and half Irish from New Zealand and his father was half Aborgine and half English. The reason that Ryan was headed to the St.Lucia was because , he wanted make a difference, his mother had went to the island and while she enjoyed the beach and the culture. She realizeed that there was massive amount of poor and starving children that did not have food, clothes, books . His mother and him thought if he donated the money to the schools , they would be able to give meals to the hungry students and books and other nesscaities. Ryan knew what it is like to be hungry and without and did not want any child to go through that.
Leila lost track of time and didn’t even realize she only had like 20 minutes to get to George FL Charles airport better known as Vigie Airport. She was thinking back of what her stepmother said that she was the cause of her mother’s death. She couldn’t help thinking about that, she was beginning to get depressed and about to decide not to get to work when her cell phone rang and she answered and it was her boss at the newspaper and television station she worked One Caribbean, Mr. Jean was at the end. ” Leila he said with a raised voice, why aren’t you at the airport, he didn’t even give her a chance when he said ” Leila if you not at the airport in the next 30 minutes YOU ARE FIRED! and with that Leila hanged up, finished dressed quickly and went by the road to catch a bus or a ride to town .
She had to reached the airport in time or else she would lose her job and she needed her job to get away and find a better life in America. Leila had to take two buses from where she lived in Bocage Castries. One from Bocage to Central Castries and one from Central Castries to Vigie Castries where the airport was. Castries is the captial city of St.Lucia and Bocage and Vigie are sub areas in the city and Central Castries is where the businesses and other city stuff happens. Leila still couldn’t believe she was working on Saturday , her day off. She hated this. The sooner she got a scholarship, the sooner she leaves like yesterday’s rain.
Leila finally arived at the airport, she hoped she wasn’t late to meet this Ryan Brooks. She did not know what he looked like . How the hell did her boss think she would finsd out he looked. Leila hoped she would find. She hoped that there were other jounralists around so she coul point him out. Her cameraman Geoff JnBapiste was just behind shouting her name
Leila he said calling her name out of breath looking like he ran a marothon to get to work. Leila then said Geoff you are late you wilkl get us both fired. Geoff ignoriing her said where can we find this rich white Aussie guy. and before Leila could say anything they spotted a swarm of other jounalist sourrounding some guy and when she saw that she told Geoff hurry we need to get him. When they arrive to wear the reporters where standing. She realized someone answer questions. She rushed through the crowd and saw the most handsome man , olive comolexation, brown eyes, blondish dark brown hair. She then realize she prejudied him. He was marvellous.
Leila realized she needed to ask questions. Geoff put on the camera and she turn on her microphone and asked Mr. Brooks what are your plans for St.Lucia? she asked and then he smiled and said My plans for your beautiful island is to help the less fortunate and to help those students who cannot afford to go to school. What do you think is my intentions Miss? he said trying to get her name. Leila responded Ms Peters
Well Ms Peters, My plans for your beautiful island is to give a student and a child to go to school, get an education and move out of poverty. and he flashes a smile at her.
And then Leila said to him well that sounds great , and he said Miss Peters why don’;t you come with me to dinner tonight and I will explain much better my plans for St,Lucia.
Leila was thinking to herself was he asking her out on air and in front of everyone. She felt all eyes on her but she decided to play hard to get. She thought him arrogrant and replied Mr. Brooks, I am flattered but you can answe my questions right now and Ryan said well then I have answered all your questions Miss Petters.
Then Ryan Brookjs then said to the rest of the reporters and journalists that he was done answering questions and they all left includling Leila. Lelia was going write her report , give her video to the anchor but first she was going to edit the interview with Geoff and then go home and enjoy her day off. Leila was smiling she couldn’t believe that a rich handsome man like this Ryan guy foun her attractive. She felt good but knew that she was out of her league.
Out of her league for sure when she went home. Her stepmother Sarah an her two step sisters Marva and Latoya were waiting for her. They were mocking her.
In unions ” Ms Peters why don’t you want to join me and discuss the plans that I have for the island” They had clearly seen the interview, Leila was humiliated and her stepmother then said ” Don’t flatter yourself Leila, no man would want you. He was just trying to get you into his bed and her step mother and sisters all burst in laughter.
Leila then rushed to her room and cried herself to sleep. They were right she though a man like Ryan would be never intereste in her
