Gilded Lies
Chapter 1. Sophie's Night
Everyone wants to be rich. Bakit nga ba hindi? Kapag marami kang pera, maraming nagmamahal sa'yo. Lahat kaya mong bayaran. Respeto, oras, kahit katarungan. Mas madali rin ang pag-asenso. Once you have your first million, mas madali kang magkakaroon ng isa pang milyon. Kaya naman marami sa atin ang kayang isugal lahat para lang sa pera. Dahil hindi totoong hindi mahalaga ang pera. Dahil ito ang nagpapaikot sa mundo.
The golden rule; Whoever has the gold makes the rules.
Pero may 1% ng populasyon na kahit gaano karami ang pera mo, hindi mo kayang abutin. You still won't belong unless ipinanganak kang may gintong kutsara sa labi. Sila yung mayaman na ang mga ninuno. Not nouveau rich. hindi yumaman lang dahil sa pagsisikap o biglang yaman dahil sa sugal. Hindi sumikat lang sa social media at naging CEO. Being part of this elite society is pure luck. You need to be born rich.
Kung nirerespeto ang mayaman, doble ang pagtingala sa kanila kahit pa hindi nila pinaghirapan kung ano mang meron sila. But they were able to preserve their wealth for the next generation. Maybe we can give them some credit for that. Mahirap magkaroon ng pera, mas lalong mahirap itong ipunin at palaguin.
From the outside, they seemed to have it all. Pero lahat naman may itinatagong problema. Kahit pa gaano mo ipakita sa social media o sa buong mundo kung gaano ka perpekto ang buhay mo.
Like these characters in my story.
They are very prominent people. They all came from powerful, wealthy clans and despite a few scandals and tragedies, they managed to appear strong and united na tila walang pwedeng sumira sa kanilang reputasyon.
But it's time for everyone to know the truth.
The bell rang at hindi pa man nakakaalis ang guro ay tumayo na ang mga estudyante at nauna nang lumabas ng classroom.
"Don't forget your assignment," bilin ni Ms. Tanner, the class' English teacher. Hawak ang lesson plan, sumunod na rin itong lumabas. "Enjoy your Christmas break."
Kung siguro sa public school ito, malamang sumigaw na si teacher at sinabihang walang mga respeto dahil lumayas na kahit may guro pa sa loob ng classroom.
But it's not a public school. It's Regent Girls Academy. An international elite school for girls.
Things are different here.
"So, see you at my house," Kelsey asked.
"Make sure to have the pool heated," maarteng sagot ni Phoebe.
"No need for that. We have a jacuzzi," tila nairitang sabi ni Kelsey.
"I'm not sure. My parents are out of the country," sabat naman ni Sophia. "I think they're coming tonight or tomorrow but I wasn't able to ask for permission. I don't want to surprise them."
"Come on, Sophie," Raegan complained. "You're always like this. Why don't you ask your brother to bring you? We don't mind having guests. The more the merrier."
"If you're talking about Kearan, he can't. He's busy," tudyo ni Sophia. "I haven't seen him in two months."
Natawa ang mga kasama lalo na si Raegan. She knows that her friends like her brother at aware naman siya that the only reason they want to hang out with her is because of her brother, Kearan Montecillo, aka Spade, the rapper.
But she doesn't have a choice. Being a part of their clique is giving her immunity from the other bully girls. Everyone secretly hates them and yet they all want to be a part of their group.
"Kailan mo ba kami ipapakilala kay Spade?" Jasmine asked.
"Kapag naligo na siya," Sophia secretly muttered before giving her friends a sweet smile, "Soon. He's busy now because of his tour. Maybe sa birthday ko."
Halatang natuwa ang mga ito.
"Promise mo iyan ha?" nagliwanag ang mukha ni Raegan.
"As long as his schedule is free," sabi na lang ni Sophia.
Maya-maya ay nagpaalam na siya sa mga ito. Sila na lang halos ang nasa loob ng classroom maliban sa isang kaklase na tahimik na nag-aayos ng gamit.
"I have to go. Baka nandyan na ang sundo ko," paalam ni Sophia. "See you later, girls."
"We'll be waiting for you," rinig niyang pahabol ng mga kaibigan.
Before going out, napatingin siya sa babaeng tahimik na nag-aayos ng gamit. Bahagya itong sumulyap at nagtama ang kanilang paningin. Agad na nagbawi nang tingin si Sophia at nagmamadaling lumabas ng classroom.
That was Primrose. Her ex-bestfriend. They drifted apart nang maging barkada niya sila Raegan. Prim probably felt left out when she became part of the popular group. Or maybe she was secretly jealous of her already. Maybe, their friendship wasn't real after all. When they fell out, Primrose became close buddy with her mortal enemy, Eloisa.
"Please, ate Hannah," Sophia pleaded ngunit umiling lang ang stepsister.
"Sorry, Sophie. Ayokong mapagalitan."
"They won't get mad at you," Sophia replied. "Akong bahala. They won't know na pinayagan mo ako. Maaga akong uuwi bukas."
Ngunit talagang desidido si Hannah na huwag siyang payagan.
"Payagan mo na," sabat ni Diana, her other stepsister and Hannah's half-sister. "I'm sure Deniece won't mind. May tiwala naman siya kay Sophie."
"Actually, ako mismo ang may ayaw," Hannah admitted at seryosong tumingin kay Sophia. "I don't trust your friends. Mukhang walang paki ang mga magulang sa kanila. Besides, I promise our parents that I'll keep my eyes on you."
Hindi niya masisisi si Hannah. Her friends were loud at medyo may attitude. Nameet na ng ate niya ang mga ito and they were rude to her.
"They're nice. Just a little spoiled," nanlumo si Sophia. She really wanted to go. Maybe, it's the fear of missing out. Ayaw niya ring siya ang maging topic dahil wala siya. "Sige na. It's our last hangout before the Christmas vacation."
"Next time na lang, Sophie. You can invite them here if you want," final na sabi ni Hannah. "Tsaka two weeks lang naman kayong 'di magkikita. It's nice to have a little break from them too."
Disappointed na nagpaalam si Sophia na matutulog na. She heard her sisters talking about her pero hindi niya na pinansin ang mga ito.
After talking to her friends para sabihing hindi siya pinayagan, she decided to watch a romcom movie. She was about to start the show nang marinig na bumukas ang pinto ng kwarto.
It was Hannah.
"Let's go out," aya ni Hannah pagkatapos hilahin si Sophia.
"Where?" Gulat na tanong niya. Hannah never goes out at night.
"Mag didisco tayo."
"Seriously?" hindi makapaniwala si Sophia.
Napatingin siya sa pinto nang sunod na pumasok si Diana.
"Are you sure about this?" worried na tanong nito kay Hannah. "They won't even allow Sophie to get in."
"Akong bahala," bumaling si Hannah kay Sophia. "Sasama ka ba?"
"Let's go, Sophie," aya ni Diana. "We're more fun than your friends."
Masayang bumangon si Sophia at nagtungo sa wardrobe para maghanap ng damit. They're right. Mas gusto niyang kabonding ang mga ito. At least, they don't talk behind her back.
Pagkatapos magbihis ay sumunod namang nag-ayos si Diana. She and Diana shared the same room since they were kids.
Dahan-dahan silang lumabas ng bahay, careful not to wake up their grandmother.
Paglabas ng gate ay hinarang ng guard ang kotse ni Hannah.
"Mag-mimidnight snack lang kami, manong," paalam nito na pinaniwalaan naman agad ng guard.
Hindi pa nakakalabas ng gate ang kotse nang makita nilang dumating ang sasakyan ng mga magulang.
Kinabahan ang magkakapatid.
"They're here?" gulat na tanong ni Hanah. "Akala ko bukas pa sila darating."
"Lagot tayo," takot na sabi ni Diana.
Bumaba mula sa sasakyan ang mga magulang nila.
"Where are you going?" kunot ang noong tanong ni Vernon.
Wala silang nagawa kung hindi bumaba rin.
"Mag-memeryenda lang po sa kanto," Hannah tried to sound casual.
"With that get up?" pinasadahan sila nito ng tingin. "I doubt it."
"We're just gonna chill outside, dad," sabi ni Sophia. Vernon adopted her when she was seven so she calls her dad.
"Saan nga?"
"Pupunta kami sa Chill Groove Disco," pag-amin ni Hannah. "Don't get mad. It was my idea."
"We just want to take Sophie out," paliwanag naman ni Diana. "She was supposed to have a sleepover at her friends but we don't want her to stay at someone else's house while you were gone so we decided to hang out with her."
"Well, hindi ko kayo papayagang pumunta sa Chill Groove," sabat ni Deniece, Sophia's mother.
"But mom, sige na. Ngayon lang," Sophia pleaded.
"That place is lame," dagdag ni Deniece. "Pangit doon. Doon tayo sa BGC. Mas maganda mga disco doon."
Hindi sila makapaniwala sa narinig.
"See you later, hon," paalam nito kay Vernon. "I'll just go partying with the kids."
"Seryoso ka, mommy?" Sophia was amused.
"Well, you need parental guidance so you have no choice but to bring me."
It was one of the best times of her life. Sophia would never forget the first night she went partying and she was glad she had experienced it with her family.
Hindi niya akalain na she would thank her sisters that night for not allowing her to go out.
She found out two days later that something happened during the last day of school. While everyone was excited about their Christmas break, Primrose went missing.
