Chapter 1: Graduating
Anita Baker, a 24-year-old lady, just graduated from the university. She's the first daughter of her parents and has five younger sisters. Her father is a banker, while her mother is a trader. She's fair in complexion, very beautifully shaped with sexy, curvy hips.
Among all her sisters, she's the only white person, while the rest of her sisters are dark-skinned, with some being fair brown in complexion. Anita looks like her mother but is more beautiful; sometimes, her father accuses her mother of cheating on him and doubts he's truly her father, since she is so white. Her mother has always kept silent about it and tells Anita not to mind her father, insisting that she is really his child. Anita’s father even threatens to run a paternity DNA test on her as he cannot understand why she is so white, unlike the rest of her sisters.
Her immediately younger sister, Flora, who is a 22-year-old dark-skinned beauty, also dislikes her, even though she is two years older than Flora. About four of her sisters hate her, except for her youngest sister named Glory, who genuinely loves her. They say blood is thicker than water, but in Anita's case, water is thicker than blood.
Anita's father, Mr. Joshua Baker, does not stop sending her to school; he only accuses his wife of cheating on him and forcing another man’s child on him so he could marry her. Nonetheless, he still sends Anita to the university to study business administration. Anita is so happy as she writes her final exams, and the results finally come out in flying colors.
However, because of her father's constant accusations towards her calm mother, Mrs. Tonia Baker, Anita has refused to accept any relationship from any guy asking her out to be his woman. She only goes out on dates with them but ends up rejecting their love proposals. Anita’s best friend in the university, Temisa Patrick, has also advised her to give love a chance, but she refused, saying, "My father constantly accuses my mother of cheating on him, and yet he still goes back to her and gets her pregnant to birth the six of us. Mother says he loves her, but his daily insults do not show us that he truly loves her."
Anita shook her head as she spoke to her friend when they were still in their second year at the university. Guys are eager to have her—handsome and well-to-do guys—but Anita feels they only want to use her. Once they cross the bridge and break her virginity, they would dump her or accuse her of cheating, just like her father constantly does to her mother, wanting to send both her and her mother into depression.
Anita sits in a private room with her best friend, preparing for their final convocation. "Anita, I am so happy! Finally, we will be parting from this school. I cannot explain how much I have missed home," Temisa says.
"Me too," Anita faintly replies, knowing it isn't entirely true for her as she hates home and knows she will face her father's constant insults towards her and her mother again while her three younger sisters, Flora, Esther, and Favour, will want to torment her, calling her an outcast because they're jealous of her looks, as if it’s entirely her fault.
Anita shakes her head in sadness, and Temisa notices. "What is it, girlfriend? You don’t seem happy, even though you're graduating as one of the best students today in our university?" Temisa asks as she stands up from her seat facing the mirror and walks up to meet Anita, who is sitting on the couch. Anita shakes her head again and stares away from Temisa, not responding.
"What's the problem, dear?" Temisa approaches and crouches in front of Anita, although she knows what the problem is, as Anita has told her why she hates men in general and sees them as scumbags. "Not to worry. When I get home, I can talk to my mother to allow you to come live with us, even if it's just for your I.T., until you get a better job to cater for yourself," Temisa proposes.
"Thank you." Anita smiles faintly, and Temisa responds, "You're welcome. You know you're like a sister to me, so you don't have to worry or cry much. Graduating with a first-class is no joke, so you should be happy. Today is your most blessed day. Come sit here; let me apply some makeup on your face."
Temisa pulls Anita to stand up from her seat, and Anita smiles faintly and walks to sit in front of the mirror in their private room. "You know I don't like makeup," Anita says as she sits and watches Temisa open one of her makeup kits and start preparing her brushes.
"I know, but today is your lucky day, so you should look nice when collecting your awards. So no excuses from you. Just do this for me, okay? It will make you smile throughout today and lighten your mood,” Temisa says.
"Okay," Anita replies. She stares at her beautiful reflection in the mirror as Temisa starts applying brown powder to her face. Temisa begins with Anita's eyelashes, and after that, she switches to working on Anita's cheeks and nose, applying more makeup. As she's finishing up, Anita is stunned by her new look in the mirror, as she has never applied makeup on her face before. Staring at her new reflection, she's speechless as she now understands why Temisa has so many boyfriends.
Temisa is a billionaire's daughter, as her father works for the Benson Group of Companies. The Benson family is one of the richest in their country, and Anita has read about the Benson family and wishes she could work for them. This is the more reason why she studied so hard and read day and night to graduate as one of the best students in her university.
Anita has thought of asking Temisa if she could help her request an application at the Benson Group, but she knew that if she did that, it might seem like she’s trying to gain a favor that she didn’t earn, and it might make others see her as a gold digger or a woman selling her body to men to gain favors from them. So she thought against it and decided not to ask Temisa for her father's help again.
"All done now. Don't you see how sweet you look in the mirror? Oh my God! I am the best makeup artist here on campus!" Temisa fans herself with her hand while Anita smiles at her.
"Don't over-hype yourself too much just for my sake, girlfriend. Yes, you tried, but I still don't like makeup," Anita admits.
"Shut up. I'm hoping a handsome guy will see you today and ask you out," Temisa giggles. Everything about her revolves around guys, as she changes boyfriends every month like clothes, and she's mean when it comes to multiple relationships. She doesn’t care what her fellow ladies have to say, as she also doesn’t believe in love but rather spends time dating different guys.
Temisa never admits to sleeping with any of the guys she dates, which is hard to believe, as she's always seen with different guys—some at the beach, some in restaurants, and some in clubs, taking various photos with them—and yet she claims she's still a virgin, after Anita also told her she was a virgin. That was hard to believe, as Anita didn’t believe her either. A virgin is supposed to be calm and keep to herself so no guy will use her, but Temisa dresses hot, wearing shorts, crop tops, and all sorts of seductive and tempting clothes.
Temisa is a dark-skinned beauty, sexy and curvy like Anita, but she isn’t jealous of Anita for being white and light-skinned. They're in the same department and studied the same course, making them best friends, but Anita is more intelligent than Temisa, while Temisa is the party-hard type.
"Let's go out now; I am sure most of our families have arrived," Temisa says as she quickly packs her remaining things and makeup kits into her bag and zips it closed. She has rented the room they stayed in, so they often stayed back there even though the school is on holiday.
It's their final year to say goodbye, so Anita drags out all her two boxes, as she's already going back home after the awarding ceremony. They step out to witness the university's final event and the awarding of the best graduating student.
Anita Baker is called and awarded a first-class award and recognition for her academic excellence, while Temisa is all smiles as she claps for her friend. Anita then steps out from where she's sitting among the crowd of friends and families who attended the convocation ceremony to receive her award.