Love & Lust (CURRENTLY BEING EDITED 2024)

Chapter 1

Belle Fawn

"I'm smart, I'm strong, I can do this."

I ran the straightener through my brunette hair watching as the waves became pinpoint. The blue in my eyes' reflection stared back at me while I tried to calm how nervous I feel. Is my red lipstick too bold? Once I finished my last strand, I stood back to examine my outfit. It was a black pencil skirt paired with a burgundy blouse button-up that was tucked into my skirt.

"Belle, come on you'll be late."

I've been sharing an apartment with my best friend Gracie since college. When we lived in California we shared an apartment too since the dorms were packed. Not much has changed but the setting, we're back in our hometown New York until we go back for college. I've been homeschooled and graduated at seventeen. My parents were my teachers until they hired profesionals as I got older.

Gracie was never homeschooled, so she joined me later on at college which is why this would be my last year and not hers.

"I'm coming." I unplugged the straightener.

College hadn't been a walk in the park for me since I didn't quite get through my socializing stage. I didn't go to any parties or social events just my classes then I went home to Gracie and I's shared apartment. The same with homeschooling I was never allowed friends since they'd distract me. My time was mostly set on my studies as I wanted to get my degree to start working anyway. My parents, wanted that the most of all I'm lucky enough to have Gracie.

Now I'm almost twenty-two, I have an internship set up by my father of course. Today is my first day and I'd been dreading it all week. It was an assistant job to the boss of Grant Incorporate, just for the summer break. My father spoke with the boss ahead of time for this position since they were friends and worked together in the past. My mother also says she just knows it'll look good on resumes.

I dashed around to grab my purse and phone before heading downstairs, "Wow, whoever your boss is is going to drop dead of a heart attack. Look at you!" Gracie beamed with her mouth agape.

A laugh escaped me while she joined me, and we soon headed outside to her car.

"Nervous?" she asked, we buckled up.

I nodded eagerly and she smiled, "Don't be you are crazy smart B."

With that being said we drove off and not slow enough we made it to the big building made of black pane. It read 'Grant Incorporate.' with big white letters at the top. They were known for giving huge loans to charities in need as well as communities, hospitals, and people etc. They also developed many small businesses within their franchise to help employ people. I got out of the car and shut the door behind me with shaky hands.

"Alright, knock em dead, kiddo." Gracie shouted through the window at me.

I rolled my eyes at the remark, "Thank you." I smiled.

Here goes everything I walked up to see people leaving and entering as the time passed. The glass door had been opened for me when someone left, I was able to see more men and women buzzing like worker bees in business attire. In my head I thought at least I dressed appropriately. A desk caught my eye which I assumed to be the receptionist area where I headed straight toward. A woman was on the other side with a computer ready to abide by any of my concerns.

"Hello, my name is Mads. How may I help you?" her aura screamed politeness which calmed my nerves at first.

My words got caught in my throat when I struggled to find words. I didn't necessarily talk to people in my life besides Gracie. I had close to zero socializing skills except for her, who had been the one to talk to me first. So it wasn't out of the ordinary that I always found it incredibly hard to speak to someone. In my head if you weren't someone I regularly spoke to it was a mission to speak to you.