DANIEL'S POV
   I stood at the private tennis court of my dorm with my racquet in hand. My friends and I were playing tennis ball with two against two. Roe and I on the left side of the court and Jay and another guy 'Rino' on the other.
   I stopped playing as my head was spinning uncontrollably and all I could hear was her voice.
'...and are you perfect Mister?'
' ...Are you perfect Mister?'
'..... Perfect..?'
I couldn't get the girl off my mind since my previous encounter with her yesterday.
   Even when I went to Roe's I wasn't me, all I could think of was who she was and why my heart thumped incredulously when I saw her face? Or why her eyes and glare seems so familiar? Who is she and why was her presence having such influence on me?
   I mean, I never cared about girls since Goldie left me and I believed all girls are Heartbreakers and evil, except of course my Mom and sisters, Jay's Mom and sister. They were the only females I've cared about so far after my breakup.
   So how is it that she seems to be breaking the strong barrier I've made about myself from women? This and so many questions bothered me. I couldn't tell my friends what happened and Mark was yet to inform me about her either.
I could see the tennis ball flying with speed towards me but I couldn't do anything as my hands seemed to be partially paralysed.
   '...are you perfect Mister?' Her eyes and glare why does it feel so familiar? Have I seen her before? No it's the first time I'm meeting her. But then, what's with the familiarity feeling?
Bangg!!
The ball collided with my head, the impact of the hit making me lose balance and fall.
Just great Daniel! A girl's taken over your thoughts and now you fell.... My subconscious mocked.
Shut up! I hissed inwardly.
Yeah! I do that a lot.
Communicating with myself inwardly is a huge part of my habit.
   "I'm so sorry Daniel, are you alright?" Rino asked as he ran over.
He was the one who tossed the ball.
I smiled wryly as I touched my head.
Thankfully it didn't hurt much and nothing broke, my precious skin that is...
Roe stretched his hand and helped me up, while studying me carefully.
   "It's alright I'm good," I said.
  "Are you sure?" Jay asked as he walked over.
Rino's face still held the apologetic look as he watched me.
He's our dorm neighbor.
   "I'm not bleeding and there are no swells, see?" I said showing them my head. "It hurts a little though, but it's fine. You guys get back to the game."
Roe and Jay chuckled as they exchanged glances before looking at me. I gave them a puzzled look.
   "Game you say?" Roe chuckled "we've been losing for like five times now all thanks to you and your absent-mindedness. Let's end the game guys." He said.
Wait! Have we?
No we haven't! My subconscious scoffed.
The others nodded in agreement.
   "It's not so interesting to see you losing Dan. You that's the King of Tennis ball losing easily like this means something is wrong. Let's get back to the dorm." Jay added with a small smile.
   "Alright guys, you can go ahead. I'll just practice some more." Rino said picking up his racquet.
"Yeah see you around," I said, picked up my racquet and walked with my friends back to the dormitory which was very close.
~~~~~~~
" So Daniel can you tell us what's going on?" Roe asked, leaning on the sofa.
We were already in the dorm and we were in our living room.
Jay bounced a tennis ball up and down as he nodded in agreement to what Roe said.
   "Can you believe a girl asked me if  I'm perfect?" I said the disturbing question that's been bothering me all the while.
Jay stopped bouncing and stared at me with raised brow.
   "What? Why?" He asked surprised.
Roe sat up immediately too.
   "I don't get. Why will she asked that?" He asked, equally surprised.
"Now that's a very good question guys," I said leaning closer.
   "Yesterday Mark and I were walking by the science hallway on the way to meet you at the lab, with him giving me updates about the hotels, when this girl who was so engrossed in her phone bumped into me and slightly stepped on me. Funny thing was that, she only said sorry and walked on hurriedly without looking at me or Mark," They were listening attentively so I continued.
   "....you can imagine how rude that was, so I stopped her and she asked me if I was perfect. Just look at that." I ended.
Roe leaned back on the sofa and looked at me questioningly. Jay smirked knowingly.
   "Dan, what did you say to her or rather how did you stop her that made her reply you that way?" He asked calmly.
Well my friends know me well enough to know when I'm omitting a sentence.
I leaned back on my seat with a shrug.
   "I asked her if she was blind that she couldn't see me coming." I admitted simply.
   "There you go Dan, that was very rude of you. She apologized didn't she but yet being who you are, you still said that. She simply retaliated in the best way possible. I'll even like to compliment her on a job well done. It's really a good thing you met a girl who didn't tolerate that stubborn and arrogant attitude of yours towards their race. Kindly tell us more about her." Roe rebuked.
I rolled my eyes at that.
Jay just smiled.
He loves smiling a lot which is good, but this particular smile was different, what's he thinking?
   "Guys you know I dislike girls and having one stepped on me then rudely walk off after muttering  a low 'sorry' without looking at her victim isn't something to go down well with me. The annoying thing was that when I tried to confront her she called my name." I complained.
Roe raised his brows.
   "Daniel it's a good thing you are this way because of a girl, this is awesome." Jay smiled.
Huh??
   "I'm not anyway. I'm just annoyed that she walked out on me, after ridiculing me and Mark." I defended.
"Tell us all that happened." Jay said.
I told them everything including how she called my name, made a snide comment about Mark and how she rudely walked off.
  
   But I didn't tell them my heartbeat when I first saw her face. If I did they wouldn't let me hear the end of it.
I didn't tell them anything and yet Jay was already catching a hint. He's too smart!
By the time I was done they were already laughing deeply.
   "Hahaha hehe...wait she caught on the fact that Mark's your body guard?" Roe laughed.
   "Someone who knows my name and I don't know hers, it's easy for her to know Mark's identity even when he was dressed simply." I said with an eyeroll.
Roe laughed more.
   "We really need to see this girl Roe, don't you think?" Jay laughed, dramatically clutching his tummy.
   "Definitely! Dan please describe her." Roe added.
I tap my right foot impatiently at their so much laughter.
   "I will only do that when you stop laughing" I said.
They gulped and shut up.
   "Is she beautiful?" Jay asked leaning closely now very interested.
   "Jay must you always be a Casanova? Receive some sense." I smacked his head playfully as Roe laughed heartily.
   "Ouch! That hurts," He said feigning hurt. I grinned.
   "Now listen guys since you asked me to describe her. Yes she's beautiful with a tanned brown skin, she's got height, slender but naturally endowed in every aspect required. Long brownish black curly hair and she's grey eyed."
Jay's face lit up with recognition when I finished.
   "You know her?" I asked interestedly.
Since Mark isn't here yet at least I could do with my friends knowledge of her, if there's any though.
Jay and Roe exchanged glances.
What's with this two and exchanging of looks? Now do they know something that I don't?
"Maybe it's her." Jay said to Roe.
Roe shake his head negatively.
   "For all we know she isn't the only black girl in campus. This might be a totally different person from who you think." He said.
Wait, who?
   "From his description it seems it's her," Jay argued.
   "We can't conclude since we didn't see her. There might be others fitting this same description." Roe interjected.
I looked from one to the other as they argued.
   "Guys! What's wrong with you, can't you answer me? Do you know her or not?" I asked impatiently.
They stopped arguing and looked at me.
   "We ain't sure Dan. The one we think it is might not be the one you met." Roe finally said.
   "Dan can you draw her?" Jay asked.
   "Of course. But why do I to?" I asked dumbly.
   "Please do, that way we'll be able to identify if she's the one we know and tell you what you want to know." He said.
   "Okayyy," I drawled.
I stood up to get my materials from the shelf in the room.
They had better know her.
Yeah, I'm an artist. I draw to while away time or when I'm bored. Painting doesn't take me more than ten to fifteen minutes. It's something I love doing too, aside modeling. I have several art galleries around the state.
   I was out in no time with my tools. I sat down and began to draw and paint her just as I saw her. I painted her eyes just as it was. Even the powerful glare it held that seems to send shivers down my spine each time I think about it. In no time I was done. I smiled at my work, she's really beautiful even without smiling.
   I flipped the framed board so my friends could see her.
   "What the heck!" Roe exclaimed.
   "Damn! It's her." Jay affirmed.
I dropped the picture on the table and stared at them.
   "It's her?" I repeated "who is she?" I asked looking from the photo to them.
Just then, the doorbell chimed. I stood up and walked towards the door. I could still hear them talking.
   "I told you so, didn't I?" Jay said to Roe victoriously.
   "Yes but it's good we did confirmed. Now we have to tell him who she is." Roe said.
   "But he's supposed to know her, didn't he see her at the cafeteria that day?" He added.
   "I doubt he did, remember you guys weren't paying attention back then even when I told you I know the girls, Dan had left Immediately I said that because he didn't want to see any girl and you, you only saw her because you waited with me. I doubt he did since she was backing us." Jay said.
Now what are they talking about?
I opened the door to see Mark standing by the door, he looked apologetic immediately he saw me.
I rolled my eyes and let him in.
   "I'm sorry sir something came up at the hotel that's why I couldn't arrive earlier." He apologized.
   "It's okay. Hope you cleared whatever that is?" I asked.
   "Yes sir." He said.
   "Good. Come sit down and let's talk about your findings."
He walked with me to the living room and sat after greeting Jay and Roe. His eyes located the picture on the table and he was surprised. I shrugged.
   "Get to it," I said.
He brought out an envelope from his bag and passed it to me.
I sat down and try opening it.
   "What could that be?" Jay asked peering closer.
   "Earlier I asked Mark to run an investigation on her. This brown pack here contains answers to probably all my questions." I said
Roe leaned closer.
   "What could it probably contain that Jay and I don't already know?" He asked, looking at Mark.
   "There's more to the fact that she's a dancer." Mark said.
   "A dancer? What sort of dancer? Wait! She's the celebrity dancer Jay's been crushing on? The Dazzling Stars dancers?" I asked skeptically as I stared at them.
   "Yes, she's a celebrity dancer and the leader of the Dazzling Stars Dancers and No, she isn't the dancer Jay's interested in." Roe explained while Jay raised a brow.
   "Interested in? Seriously guys?" He asked unbelievably
  "Who said I'm having a crush on her? I just admire her." He added with a little bit of uncertainty.
Roe rolled his eyes away, I just stared at him. He never admits to the fact that's he's interested in her.
Jay's scared. So scared of commitment.
   He's not even aware of what's happening to him. For all I know, Jay's been interested in a particular dancer for some months now and never fails to watch all her videos. Even his sister Lisa, can testify to that.
Well that's his problem.
Moving on...
   "Mark is that all there's to know about her?" I asked him.
I chose to ignore Jay's denial. I don't have the strength to argue with him. I'm sure Roe doesn't either.
   "No sir, there's more to her personality than this. You can see for yourself in the envelope. Everything you need to know about her is in there." He said calmly.
I nodded and opened the package.
What could be more?
The envelope tore open and some photos and a document fell off. I picked them up and looked at the them.
   There was a photo of her alone, also that of herself and her friends and another of her and the Scotts. Wait! Why is she with the Scotts? Does that mean she's their daughter? I dropped the pictures on the table. My friends picked them up while I hurriedly went through the documentary and jeez! I was surprised at what it says.
   "Damn!" I exclaimed.
My friends peered at me.
   "What does it say?" They simultaneously asked.
   "Her name it says here, are Princess Diva Danielle Scott although her stage name is BLACK DIVA, She's the only child of Mr Timothy and Mrs Elizabeth Scott and the heiress to the SCOTT'S BUSINESS EMPIRE the fifth most successful business industry in America. She's the leader of the DAZZLING STARS DANCERS which is listed amongst the best dance crew in America.
   Black Diva started her career at the age of sixteen with her two best friends 'Rosy and Saline' whose parents are also very popular in the business world.
She graduated three years ago from highschool at  LINCOLN'S HIGH SCHOOL, the best highschool in California.
 
   Presently She's a year two student studying Botany at ROYAL EMPIRE UNIVERSITY, America's third best University. Her current relationship status is..." I stopped reading.
What's my business with her relationship status?
Now I know who she is and why she was so bold.
All the while I was reading, my friends listened attentively to me. When I was through they gasped.
   "Wow! Who would've thought," Jay gasped.
   "Yeah seriously, she doesn't look it. I guess that's one of the reasons why Lucia seems so scared of her." Roe added.
My face turned sour at the mention of that girl's name, reminding me why I'm in Sacramento in the first place.
I hissed inwardly.
I won't and I can't let my father make choices for me. I'm not a small child.
   "Wait did you say her name's Danielle?" Jay asked with a sly smirk on his face.
I know just what he's thinking.
  "Wow Daniel, you guys are namesakes. Isn't this great news?" Roe added smirking too.
  "Don't even think about it." I said with an eye roll.
They laughed.
   "Well Sir, what would you have me do to her?" Mark asked me.
My friends frowned at that.
   "Just let her be. She's lucky her status saved her." I said dismissively.
   "Okay Sir," He said.
   "Were you planning on doing something to her before Daniel?" Roe asked unbelievably.
He's too soft towards females.
   "You know me Roe, after Goldie I've always hated their race." I replied.
   "You are too stubborn headed Daniel. It's great you met your match." Roe said with a smile.
   "Honestly. I can't wait to see the next drama that's gonna enfold between them." Jay added placing a hand on his cheek with his elbow on his lap.
I smirked.
   "Nothing's gonna enfold. Although I don't know why I feel like I've met her before. There's this weird gaze she has that seems to ring a bell..." I looked at my friends, they were looking at me like I just said the unbelievable.
   "I Know it's weird but I just can't help the feeling. That's why I asked Mark to run an investigation earlier. But looking at it now, there isn't anything about her here that seems familiar....Don't give me that look, I guess it's nothing anyway." I leaned back on the couch.
They were looking at me cryptically.
I know it's weird.
I looked at Mark.
   "Have you carried out the instructions I gave you earlier?" I asked.
   "Yes sir. Everything has been cleared. Is there anything I can help you with?" He asked.
   "Nothing for now Mark, you can return." I said.
He stood up and bowed respectfully even though he's few years older than me.
He's a great and humbly guy. One of the reasons why I like him. Although the bodyguard job entitled them all to be respectful, but his was different.
He's kind and nice too.
   "Hey Mark, do take care and extend our regards to our guards." Jay said.
   "Yeah. Hope they are assisting you in every way possible over there?" Roe asked.
   "Definitely sir. We're doing great." Mark said.
   "The appointment with Mr Vegas still holds right, Mark?" I asked.
   "Yes sir," he replied.
   "Alright take care, will see you soon."
  "Good bye," He bowed again before walking out.
   "Now Dan, why do you think Danielle seems familiar?" Jay asked.
   "I don't know. It's just her eyes and the way she glares." I shrugged.
   "Maybe you are mistaking her for someone else. Her photo, what are you gonna do with it?" Roe asked looking at the framed picture on the table.
I picked it up.
    "I guess i'll keep it with me until I unravel the mystery behind this feeling of familiarity I'm having with her." I said.
And just like that, my friends smiled a crooked knowing smile.
   "What?" I asked suspiciously.
   "Daniel, Daniel, It's been awhile we see you this way." Roe smiled.
   "That's true. It's good though," Jay added.
I shrugged it off.
   "We should attend the school's campus fellowship on Sunday guys, what do you say?" I smiled.
   "Oh boy!" Jay gasped. He doesn't like attending church that much. We usually drag him to.
   "Definitely in," Roe Smiled supportively. Jay face palmed himself.
I grinned mischievously, he's definitely coming.