Heiress?

It was the Sunday of our entrance examination for A University.

I woke up at five o'clock in the morning and had an early breakfast.

Grandma has not gone down from her bedroom so I had to go up and inform her that I was leaving for City Q. It was almost six o'clock in the morning. The exams was at eight o'clock.

I was outside her room when I heard her talking to someone over the phone.

"Yes...I already told you. You have to bring her to A University....What do you mean you have no time?.... She's an heiress, for heaven's sake!" After grandma has spoken these words she slammed the receiver back to its cradle.

What was that all about? Is she talking about me? I felt something was amiss about the telephone conversation of grandma but I shook it off. I don't want anything to affect my state of mind right now. I have an exam and Aaron was going to pick me up. I know Uncle Ben won't do it.

I softly rapped at grandma's bedroom door and called out softly. "Grandma, I'm leaving for A University. I better get going so I won't be late...."

Before I could say goodbye, grandma opened the door with a gloomy face. "Your Uncle Ben won't be able to bring you there. You just go by yourself. I need the driver today. Good luck." She patted my shoulder affectionately.

I smiled at Grandma and kissed her on her cheek then turned and left her bedroom.

As I went out of the mansion gate, I saw a familiar figure leaning on a red Jeep. He was wearing casual clothes and a beautiful smile on his face. I couldn't help but smile back at the very gorgeous man waiting for me.

"Have you been waiting long?" I asked with concern. "Have you eaten breakfast?"

"No, I just arrived. Yes, I have eaten breakfast." Aaron answered as he pulled open the door of the Jeep for me. I happily hopped inside and comfortably sat on the co-pilot seat.

Before I could put on the seat belt, Aaron already did it for me. I smiled back at him after he straightened himself. He walked around the jeep and settled himself on the driver seat.

At that moment, I didn't notice my grandma's piercing eyes as she looked out her bedroom window from the second floor. She didn't look happy at all, in fact there was a hint of ruthlessness in her eyes.

The trip was an hour long but since it was Sunday and there weren't too many vehicles on the road, it only took us forty-five minutes to get to A University.

Before I entered the building where the exams were to take place, Aaron looked into my eyes and gently said, "God bless you. I know you can do it."

I looked up and searched his face for any emotion and found confidence in him. His eyes showed signs of concern and affection. I bit my lip and raised my thumb to him. "Thanks."

"I'll be waiting here for you." He shouted behind my back.

When I arrived at the lobby of examination hall, I saw Molly, and Lizzie and another girl huddled together. James was talking to some of his acquaintances. Brent was joking around with some of his friends as well. Many high school students loitered the lobby and corridors waiting for the announcement to enter the assigned examination rooms.

Looking at all my friends coming together for the college exams I felt a little pain in my chest. I had wished that Aaron could also be here chatting with his friends. However, he prefered to study in a military school. I felt sad for him not being able to join us.

The exam was three hours long. All the math problems that Aaron tutored us were similarly taken up in the exam, therefore, I just breezed through the Math exams. Before I submitted my test papers to the proctor, I checked all my answers and when I felt satisfied, I turned it over and left the room.

James was already at the lobby waiting for Lizzie. He just finished his exams when he saw me and waved at me. Molly came out next. After ten minutes Lizzie came out. When she sat beside James, he immediately put his arm over her shoulder.

"Hey, babe, are you exhausted?" James asked affectionately, then kissed her temple.

Lizzie scrunched up her nose and nodded. "It was exhausting. But I'm glad I didn't leave any blanks."

"I felt hungry just reading all the questions." Molly butted in casually. She searched her bag for a snack.

"Well, it's almost lunch time anyway. Where are we going to grab a bite?" I asked eagerly. I was worried about Aaron outside the building waiting for me. He should have stayed in the lobby but I guess he must be shy to be seen by his friends.

"Let's just go to a dimsum house just around the corner. Its just a five minute walk." James suggested. We all nodded in agreement.

Soon we were out of the building. I could see Aaron at the farthest end of the parking lot waving at us. James saw Aaron and waved back.

"So we have another ride." James pointed to the Jeep beside Aaron. "Molly, you could still ride with me and Lizzie."

Just before we reached the Jeep, a familiar figure blocked my path. He had an athletic build but he was not quite young anymore. It seemed that he just got out of his car.

"Ah, the heiress has finished the exams?" Uncle Ben asked while twirling his car keys. He was carrying a sports bag on his shoulder so I figured he was going to play basketball with his former classmates. He was the only relative that I get along with but when he called me 'heiress' I felt kind of annoyed.

I didn't let Uncle Ben notice my displeasure when he called me 'heiress'. "Yes, Uncle Ben. We were just going to have lunch before I go back." I introduced my friends to him who all greeted him. He just nodded and smiled at them.

"Then probably your friends could bring you home." He said as he looked at my friends with amusement. This morning grandma must have wanted Uncle Ben to bring me to school and wait for me to be brought back home. However, he had other plans that's why grandma was upset with him.

"Yes. Uhm, they will. Don't worry about it." I answered as I held on to Molly's arm. "We'll be going ahead then, Uncle ben."

"Hmm."

We said our goodbyes. I watched him walk away. There were a few men his age who saw him and shook his hand or gave him a pat on the back. They must be his college friends.

I sighed and walked away slowly. I furrowed my brows as I recalled how he called me just now. I had just realized that he said the word 'heiress' with sarcasm.

Was I not a real heiress? My parents business had been growing steadily these past few years. The company even got an award as the most promising medium enterprise in the country. Does a company have to be multi-billion for me to be worthy of the title "heiress?" For whatever reason, I would still be proud to be an heiress of a small retail store. It would just show that my parents doted on me, their only child.

I was confident that I could and I would in the future turn my parents' business into a multi-billion enterprise. I was not my parents' daughter for nothing. They taught me all the things I needed to know in business. They have been training me since I was young and I am an eager and fast learner.

My resolve was firm. I wouldn't want to be bullied by my relatives anymore.

It just made me wonder what caused my grandma and uncles' estrangement with my parents. Shouldn't they be happy that Dad branched off to another business and that his business was doing well, rather, spectacularly? Are they envious or jealous? I wouldn't want to dwell on that matter because it doesn't have anything to do with me, but I was living with my relatives and so I felt I was being pressed between two big boulders.

Therefore, I always wished that high school was over and that I could stay in the dorm during university instead.

I was in a daze thinking about grandma and my uncles while walking towards the dimsum house that I forgot about Aaron waiting for me by the Jeep. James saw Aaron as we approached the Jeep so he called out to him to join us.

Hearing Aaron's name made me withdraw from my thoughts. I stopped walking, turned around and just realized I was five feet away from Aaron already. Aaron looked at me with bewilderment having just been ignored by me. Suddenly I felt my face heat up in embarrassment. I bit my lower lip as it curved downward. My eyes looked up at him with a hint of self-reproach. His gaze softened when he saw my expression.

"I...I'm sorry...I was distracted," I stammered as Aaron approached me.

"Never mind," Aaron said softly, as if talking to himself. He looked ahead and held my arm to turn me around to face the path leading to the dimsum house. "Let's go." He dropped his hands to his side and we walked side by side, following James, Lizzie and Molly.

The boys had ordered a variety of food that we could hardly finish.

I was happy to be with my friends eating lunch. I was happier with Aaron's presence. It was a rare occasion that we could dine together. He was usually working in his part-time job almost seven days a week.

"Bro," James was obviously addressing Aaron. "How I wish you could always go out with us. You're always busy. We all know that you're supporting yourself but, man, you should have time to relax as well. You know the saying 'All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.'"

Aaron just grinned and nodded at his bestfriend. "You know that I'm not only trying to earn for myself." Of course, he was refering to the old woman who brought him home when he was abandoned.