Burned [ Ruby Rose ]

1

OCTOBER

"Ma, do you have any cash for me to get Kimora something to eat? There isn't anymore breakfast food." I ask her as I look in my purse only having twenty dollars that I was going to need.

"No." She says as she takes another drag from her cigarette. Nothing is in our fridge besides a carton of spoiled orange juice and the pack of beer she keeps in there. She doesn't even look at me! I make my way to Kimora's room to see her sitting in her bed with her book bag in her lap. She looks at me and frowns, I automatically know she's hungry.

"Come on, we'll stop at Mc' Donald's and get you a breakfast sandwich." I say, I'll have to take an extra shift at work, but the way her eyes light up makes it all okay. We make our way toward the door as I grab my coat. We get her sandwich and then get on the bus to take her to school. It's now 10am so I make my way to the library near by. I sit and reread one of my favorite books, Identical.

I am disrupted from my reading with the sound of a male voice. I look up from my book and I am met with the most beautiful brown eyes God can create. "May I help you?" I say calmly. This unknown man looks at me intently before smirking.

"Just wondering how you're enjoying the book," I don't understand why he's approached me. What's his purpose?

"Im enjoying it just fine, I've read it many times before." I say before closing it and taking a good look at him. He glances at the book before speaking.

"Hopkins? She's a favorite author of mine." He smirks again and I can't help but blush at the way he's looking at me.

"You don't say, mine as well. What's your favorite book?" I ask, actually curious.

He leans down his breath fanning my neck causing me to shiver. "Tricks," He whispers into my ear.

That one is very provocative, a little too provocative. "What's your name?" He asks as he takes a seat next to me.

"Charnae." He stares at me.

"That's pretty." He states, and I can't help but smile. What is this beautiful man doing talking to me, Doesn't he have more attractive women to go and flirt with?

"Let me take you to dinner." He demands more rather than asks. I am taken off guard by his authoritativeness and don't know whether I should or shouldn't. Go out with him! When do you think a man like him is going to come by you again? My subconscious scolds. If I did, he'd be the first man I've ever gone out with. I've only been with one person, and that person was girl. A girl I haven't seen since I was 18. I push the horrible memory of her to the back of my mind.

"Why?" I ask him, staring back into his eyes. "I want to take a beautiful woman out, do I need a better reason other than getting to know you?" He chuckles and I blush furiously.

"Okay." I breath out, accepting his offer.

"When are you free?" He asks pulling his phone out. "This weekend would be fine." I finally speak up after a few minutes. I give him my house phone number and address. "Friday, be ready at eight." He states looking at me and then to my hands that are fiddling with my coat zipper.

"You still haven't told me your name." I tell him.

"Justin." He says slowly. "Friday, at eight. Don't forget. Bye Char." He says before getting up to walk out of the library.

"That's not my name!" I say a little too loudly. Im met with a bunch of people shushing me. He's attractive, very attractive. I've never been attracted to a man before, this feeling is so new.... He smirks again before leaving. God, that smirk.