Chapter 1

KIERRA'S POV

“Mi amor”, a voice laden with humour called from behind me and I smiled, knowing who it was before turning.

He pulled me into a bear crushing hug the moment I turned. “God, I can't breathe, ugly.” I squeaked.

He released me and smirked at me, ruffling his dark hair. “Oh come on, princessa. I'm the hottest boy on campus, there's no way you're calling me ugly.” He said, chuckling darkly.

I rolled my eyes as I fell into step beside him and we walked into the hallway together.

All eyes turned to stare as we sauntered in. I rolled my eyes mentally.

Yeah, we're that popular. Okay…quick introduction.

My name is Kiera Martins. Twenty years old, I was in my second year in college, studying psychology - well, I've always been fascinated with the human mind and I thought psychology was it for me.

Wrong, I had no idea what the heck I was doing, but I couldn't go back now.

At least my parents were proud of me. Mama bragged to everyone that cared to listen that her daughter was going to be a famous psychologist.

I chuckled at the memory. Well, that was a teeny little detail about me for now.

Ugly, my friend is actually named Peter, wow…surprised? me too! I always thought his name was really Ugly.

Hehehe, stupid sense of humour I have, I know. Well, Peter was my best friend and we lived across the street from each other.

His parents and my parents did not get along. Yeah, you were waiting for me to say we had Christmas dinners and New Year parties with each other's families?

Well, we were quite the oddball. My parents thought Peter was an arrogant asshole whose parents let get away with everything.

Peter's parents were criminals and everyone knew, yeah.

But they couldn't get arrested because they had some high up politician relative or something who had connections with the police and the feds and every security agent you could think of in our small town, the country, even the whole wide world.

Yep, it was really some deep mafia shit.

I always tried to convince my parents that Peter was nothing like his parents, but they never bought it.

They were convinced Peter was just as “rotten as his fucked up parents” and he would “end up killing me someday.”

Yep, my parents really thought that and every morning both our parents yelled insults at each other across the road and our neighbors pretended to hear nothing because they were scared of the politician relative of course.

But Peter was a sweet old boy. He was definitely arrogant but he was sweet.

And that was why we were popular_he was a criminal's son and I was the friend to the criminal’s son.

They were actually saying I was trying to “use psychology on him” and make sure he didn’t turn out like his parents.

Yeah, like I knew shit about psychology.

As usual, we ignored the glances and strolled to our classroom. Our first lecture for the day was a course we both shared but I couldn't even remember the name right now.

Some student I was, I giggled as we took our seats at the back of the class. The lecturer was yet to arrive.

I used to be serious until second year, when the Lawsons’ moved in across from us and I bumped into Peter Lawson in the school hallway.

Well, all I could say was that in a year, my life changed drastically _ the way I dressed, the way I talked and even the way I thought…

Yeah, you probably noticed that the moment you started reading what was in my head, didn't you? Ahh, the cussing and ill mannered speaking and well every other thing.

It wasn't like I didn't know that Peter coming into my life messed it up, I just didn't care and didn't know how to stop it either and my life had never been all that great before him.

I thought Peter would be the difference my life needed and though my life sucked.

I didn't hate that it sucked until things went ugly pretty fast and suddenly I was left thinking if some divine entity whispered that nickname in a nightmare because ugly is exactly what Peter made my life turn out in the end.

But, at least I was brought back to my old self…kind of, or he drove me to insanity, I couldn't seem to decide which one it was.

I sighed as I laid stretched out on the beach. My sunglasses are perched on my head.

The cool afternoon sun was beating down on me.

I had skipped home to come to the beach for a few days because I needed to unwind and decided a tan wouldn't be so bad.

I had been a little bored since we went on break, so… coming to the beach was definitely on my list of things to do during the holidays.

And, being here alone, I had thought about a lot the past few days. About …my life, my career and my friendship with Peter.

If I was being truthful to herself, my life had direction before Peter came along.

I held a 4.75 GPA in my first year, I even ran my own online clothing store that also offered fashion tips for body sizes and figures.

My parents were proud of me and we had gotten along well then.

Yeah, maybe my life had been a bit stifling and my parents had been a tad bit controlling, but I had my priorities straight.

Then Peter came along and things came crashing down. I liked to believe that he helped me realise I was battling anxiety and depression and helped me get treatment because my parents never believed me.

My confidence level increased and I learnt to say no to customers who were always buying stuff on credit.

But, the worst seemed to outweigh the good. I drastically went down to a 2.2 GPA and my business came crashing down.

I got introduced to night life and parties and clubs and drugs. My dressing changed and I quarreled with my parents everyday.