PENNY

PENNY

Rishona A. Hall

Distributed by Createspace

Copyright 2016 Rishona A. Hall

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The Love Shrink (Mr Fixer Upper Book 2)

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SexLovePain (Book 2) - Blossom

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SexLovePain (Book 4) - Passion

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SexLovePain (Book 6) - Perseverance

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Table of Contents

Summary Chapter one Chapter two Chapter three Chapter four Chapter five Chapter six Chapter seven Chapter eight Chapter nine Contact info

Summary

This is a short novel based on a girl named, Iris "Penny" Henderson.

She is a nineteen year old black women who was born with a deadly disease. After her mother died giving birth, she was adopted by a wealthy family. She grew up being the only black girl in the neighborhood. She was teased countless of times for being so thin. The only person who didn't tease her was a boy named, Forrest.

Who turned out to be her hero. Without Forrest, Iris would have given up on life a long time ago.

Chapter one

March 11, 1999

"Twig!! Skinny freak!!! Are you bulimic or something?" Iris Henderson stood on the sidewalk with her bicycle practically in tears. One of the neighbors who lived across the street was with his brother teasing her. They teased her every time they saw her. And even though she heard the same thing each time, it hurt as if it was the first time.

Mason and Forrest Hunter were twin brothers. Mason was the main one harassing her. But Forrest usually kept quiet. He actually spoke to her a couple of times. Of course when no one was around.

"Well, aren't you gonna say something, bony freak?!" Mason shouted. She looked away, proceeding down the street on her bike. "Come on, Forrest." The two brothers proceeded to enter their house.

Present day (Ten years later) - March 11, 2009

Iris had been living with a sickness since she was born. It was transmitted from her mother who died after giving birth to her. She had to take daily medications and see a doctor monthly. If she didn't, her life expectancy would decrease drastically.

Usually, she didn't have an appetite. And when she did, she ate small portions. She felt lethargic and sick all the time. After her mother died, she was adopted by a wealthy white couple who owned a chain of shoe stores. She believed that if she didn't meet The Hendersons, she wouldn't be alive today. They were able to
aff
ord the treatment she needed. And the doctors expected her to live until she was at least 60 years old.

With this disease, she was afraid to get close to anyone. Relationship wise. Because of her disease, she was always teased in school. People thought she was a crack head baby because she was so thin. Her only real friend was Forrest.

She was 19 years old with a bright future ahead. But she still wasn't happy. She didn't think she could ever love. She didn't think she could ever experience love. With her condition that was transmitted through sexual intercourse, she knew it wasn't possible.

Who would feel comfortable having sex with someone with HIV?

She could never have kids of her own. Unless they were adopted.

Forrest, her closest friend didn't even know she had the disease. The only people were her adopted parents and her late mother.

Iris observed a penny that was made in 1987. Whenever she collected a penny and read the year it was manufactured, she couldn't help but wonder how her life would've been being born in that era. Would she have been born with HIV? Would she be white instead of black? Would she have ended up a twin like Forrest?

Forrest nicknamed her, "Penny" because she collected pennies.

He was the only person she loved aside from her parents. And she wanted to tell him a gazillion times about her condition. But she was afraid he would run away. She couldn't bare the thought of losing her only friend. It would crush her.

Besides, he was in a on and
off
relationship with Charlotte Graham. She attended the same university as she and Forrest. Whenever she would see them together, she would wish it was her instead.

Little did she know that Forrest had feelings for her, too. He just never confessed because he didn't think she felt the same way.

A decade earlier (April 19, 1999)

Iris sat in her sixth grade, fourth period class finishing
off
her assignment. There was ten minutes left before the bell rung and she wasn't near finished. She was beginning to panic.

Whenever she panicked, it was like her HIV symptoms flared.

First it started with the heat flashes. Then she began to feel nauseous. This was far from good. If she didn't stop what she was doing and left for the restroom, she wouldn't like the outcome.

She stood up, making her way to the teachers' desk. "Miss Bryant..." The older woman peered over her reading glasses at her. "I need to use the restroom."

She read the time on her wrist watch. "You have ten minutes left. I suggest you finish first." She held her stomach that was bubbling. If she didn't leave, she wouldn't be able to control it.

"But, I must go." The teacher looked back up at her.

"Iris, you won't be able to make it up. If you don't finish..." Miss Bryant stared in shock as she watched a brown substance spew out of her mouth. Iris puked all over her desk. "Iris..." She quickly jerked back to avoid being hit.

"Ewww!!!" She could hear the students laughing at her. She was horrified and disgusted herself.

Because of the incident, Iris was escorted to the clinic. Nurse Betty tended to her. "She's here." The nurse spoke to her mother over the phone. "I understand." She sat the phone on the hook, approaching Iris who remained on the exam bed. "Your mother is coming to get you." Iris sat there in tears.

Once her mother picked her up, she was taken home. "Lay down. You thirsty?" Peggy, her mother asked while sitting on the bed skimming her arm. Iris shook her head no. "Okay. I'll just be downstairs." She stood up, departing the room moments later.

Iris remained in her room not realizing she had dosed
off
to sleep. She was awoken by the sound of her mothers' voice. "Sweetie." Sh
e
f
l
uttered her eyes open, gazing directly at Peggy who stood near her bed side. "Someone's here to see you." She slowly looked away to see Forrest standing in the door way.

"Hey, Penny." He spoke with a smile.

Peggy left the two alone. "What are you doing here?" She asked, slowly sitting up and resting her back against the mountain of pillows.

"I heard about the incident." This wasn't a surprise. Word got around pretty fast in Withering Heights Elementary. "Are you feeling better?" She kept her head down, concealing the tears in her eyes.

"Forrest, will you just leave me alone?" She asked, looking up to reveal the tears in her eyes. "Please." She could tell how genuine his concern was for her. But she hated being so vulnerable around him.

"Um...okay." He hesitated. "Will you call me later?" She nodded meekly. "Okay. I'll talk to you soon." She watched him leave the room.

She had no intentions on calling him. She wanted to be left alone. For the time being.

Present day (March 11, 2009)

Iris finished her assignment and turned it in before leaving her class. She hopped in her Beetle, leaving the campus. Her next stop was her doctors'
offi
ce for a prescription renewal. "I feel fine most of the time. I do occasionally wake up with hot flashes and nausea."

"What about your stamina? Still get tired quickly?" She nodded yes.

"Tired now. Just feel like going to sleep."

After her doctor's appointment, she was on her way home. But she saw a familiar person standing outside of The Pub with a few other guys. She decided to pull up in the parking lot not far from them. He noticed her Bug immediately. "I'll talk to you guys later." He approached her vehicle, a smile forming upon his lips. "Iris, hey." Sh
e
f
l
ashed him a smile.

"Hey, Forrest. What are you doing?" She asked, her eyes wandering
off
to the group of guys talking on the parking lot. "Just hanging out?"

"Yeah. I'm supposed to meet Charlotte." She looked away to put her gaze on the restaurant. "What about you?"

"Ummm, just heading home." He nodded.

"Cool. Well, um if you're interested..." She put her attention back on him who was leaning over her car facing her direction with his head in the window. "You can join us if you're not doing anything." She wasn't that hungry but she didn't mind talking to him.

"Okay." He stepped back, allowing her to open the door and get out of the car. The two proceeded inside.