Chapter Two | Labyrinth

The whole week everything went smoothly. It was just full of introduction with different subjects, we even play games with other subject teachers while others we got test.

The whole week went well and it's already the 2nd week of July. It's raining again as i quietly sat down in my seat, reading books to help me overcome the boredom i have. Compared to last week, the classroom was filled with all my classmates talking to each other. Some were even shouting and playing — minding their own world.

I can't really concentrate reading my book but i have no other places to read mine since it's raining hard today. I sigh as i put down my book and leaned on my seat.

I get my earphones and cellphone from my bag and starts playing the song "Labyrinth by Taylor Swift". I close my eyes calming my mind as i listen to the song and it made my own world fall into silence. It was solace — the lyrics of Taylor Swift made my mind puts at rest as i start to think of what love truly means.

I have been with many guys these past years as a means of connections for my family as i am the heir for the company my father built for years alongside my mama. As they say, love is only beautiful at the beginning — in the middle and in the end, that's where challenges starts in your relationship.

And in between my mother and father, they didn't overcome the challenges. I was left out with a loveless childhood. My mama would constantly blame me for what my father did when he lied and cheated on her for years, and my sisters and brothers would comforting me telling me it's alright since i got them. Yet, it felt like no one is really in my side.

I couldn't say i overcome the pain i felt through when i was still a child — but i can say i became a person I don't want to be when i grow up.

I was the youngest of our family, yet my siblings gave me their burden towards me. I became the heir of the family without my consent. I was only but a child when they decided that i should become the heir. Because of that, i fear to disappoint them. Even on little things i must be perfect.

But i am a human too, I make mistakes.

But for me, as an heir for the group there should be no mistakes.

When the chorus of the song came, i open my eyes and glance at the window beside my seat and see a pair of mysterious eyes looking back at me. I felt something strange in my stomach when we both gaze at each other. Flustered, i blushed at how his gaze looked at me.

But it was only for a second when his friend called him as they both talked to each other.

The strange feeling earlier disappeared but my heart starts to beat fast. The image of him staring back at me couldn't get back off from my head. I stared at the wall for minutes until the song finished playing and the teacher came in.

*****

Recess came — everyone's favorite time. Since our classroom is beside canteen, i stood up fixing my hair when a girl named Helen approached me.

"Hi!" She waves her hand at me and i waved back. She looks cute with her smile and how shy she looks like.

"I heard your name is Breanna, right? It's nice to meet you! I'm actually looking for members for filipino performance task," Helen spoke with her cheerful tone.

"Oh.. sure." I answered.

"Do you want to team up?"

"Hey! You're forgetting someone here!" Kate entered the room carrying a small pack of green mango with a spicy vinegar in it.

"Ugh! The smell, Kate! Don't talk with your mouth is full!" Mark almost shouted while he puts his hand to cover his nose.

"Ugh! You're overacting! Like you don't eat green mangoes too!" Kate bickered back at Mark.

"Kate! Wanna team up for the filipino performance task?" Helen asks and both of them agreed.

"How about you, Breanna?" She turned to look up to me and nodded my head.

"Oh, yeah. It's fine." I answered and she nodded. "That's great! Then let's have a meeting later for our performance task, is that fine with you?" Helen asks softly and i nodded while both Kate and Mark answered her question.

*******

The class for today ends smoothly. After the class my groupmates and I went to the field for a meeting to our performance task. After we talked about our plans, Kate decided that we should introduce ourselves again by telling our personal hobbies and interests.

After Mark, Kate, and Helen, it's my turn.

"How about yourself Breanna? What kind of things interests you? Or do you have hobbies?" Kate bombard me with questions and i felt flustered.

"Hey you can't just bombard her with questions." Mark defended me then he turned around to look at me and smiled, "To be honest though, what things do you like to do?" He asks.

Both Kate and Helen laughed at him and they start to tease each other while i quietly enjoyed watching them having fun to themselves.

"Breanna is so quiet. She's also a mysterious type one — you don't know what's going on with her mind." Helen spoke out of blue after their fun.

"Yeah, you don't really know what's going on with her mind." Kate agreed.

I smiled. It's because i am have been trained to separate my emotions from my goals ever since i was a child. They have made me to be the perfect child when I don't even want to. There were times i even want to play with other kids in my age, but my Nanny told me not too because father would get angry.

Father also told me to control my emotions so i couldn't get separated from my path. I didn't get separated and was able to overcome any challenges and became a top student — but in exchange i became someone I don't want to be.

"There's nothing really interesting to myself." I said.

"Are you sure? Come on, now Breanna!" Kate suggested but i look away and just smiled, trying to ignore her please to know myself.

My name is enough for them to know me. I don't want them to know my family problems and how rich my family is — most of all I don't want them to know i am the heir of the family company.

In the past father enrolled me to a private school. At first he was against it because i am the heir — i should be treated with care like a glass. But i insisted and Nanny insisted it too with my mother so he had no other choice but to enroll me to a private school.

Everyone knows i am the daughter of one of Billionaire of the Philippines — the richest person in the country. Because of that everyone treated me good. Not until i found out they're just putting a mask since they're scared of my father or they wanted money when i was in 5th grade.

Disgusted at how greedy they are, i went back being homeschooled until i graduated elementary. And now that i am old enough to support myself, i ran away alone and break my connections from my family.

I wanted to live a normal life — like how normal people do. Of course, i can't change the fact i am his daughter which i find it disgusting — but i also wanted to have my own freedom.

And here i am right now at the present. With only a small apartment as my home, and myself. There's no pressure for inheritance and family constantly pressuring you with their high standards. Only my name is enough for them to know who i am.

Kate keep insisting and i don't have any other choice but to lie and sprinkle some truth in it. I have survived in 3 years for hiding and lying about my identity and personality.

"I don't have anything that interests me. But i like biology. Ah, i also like books to read about some political issues, sometimes it's about fiction. I also like red roses since they look so beautiful when they bloom." I spoke and they felt amazed at how good a liar i am. Of course they didn't know i was lying.

I do like books — but political books and biology are not my forte. I like fictional the most and psychological books. I do like roses but not red. I like those white roses since it looks beautiful. It looks pure and innocent — a nature of myself that i have lost in the past.

After we talked for an hour, Helen decided to go home first and the three of us talked for 1 hour more. After that, we decided to go home since the rain won't stop no matter how much we wait for it to stop. As i was walking to the gates of the school, i saw a glimpse of him.

He was carrying an umbrella and a woman beside him. He was smiling brightly as he talked with the woman. I later then recognized it was Helen and Matthew talking to each other as they both shared umbrellas.

I didn't mind them and i continued to walk until i went passed through them since i was calling for a trycicle so i can ride a jeep home.

After the trycicle driver dropped me off in a gasoline station, i walked for a minute and ride a jeep. I came home late at the evening by exactly 9pm because of the traffic. I open the door of my apartment, closed the door and jumped right into my bed — tired for the day.

Ah, this is nice. Going home without anything to think but your school projects or thinking about your friends for tomorrow — this is the kind of normal life i badly want to feel. And here i am, enjoying every single moment of it.

But as i enjoy my night alone with myself, my phone vibrated continuously and a strange phone number appeared at my screen.

I hesitate to answer the call but i answered it anyway. The phone call looks like it came from Japan.

"もしもし? (Hello?)" I spoke in japanese.

"It's been awhile, Breanna-san." A familiar voice of the man i once dated in the past answered from the next line.

"Naru." I mumbled under my breath, getting pissed to hear his voice.

"That is right! I am glad you still remember me, Bree." He spoke with such excitement in the tone of his voice yet i remained pissed.

"What are you doing? Sigh... nevermind, i am going to hang up this call. And don't ever call me again, bye." I speak and was about to hang up the phone when i heard his voice again. "Aren't you curious why i called you?"

I didn't answer his question and hang up the phone already.

Naru is the person i once dated in my life. My father decided for an arrange marriage between two powerful families however i heavily disagree with the idea of marrying someone i just met. Also, I don't like him. He may be look handsome and innocent on the outside, but he is mischievous and gives mischief to everyone on the inside. He is notorious — the way he treats other people and the way he always teases me. I don't like it. That's why, when i left the family for good it also feels like i left him and our engagement broke.

There is only one thing that i can think of possibility why he called me. It must've been because he enrolled to the same school as i was in. Sigh... when will i'll be free from these?