Thorns of White Rose

Chapter 1 - The Mediocre Beginning

I am firm believer that trying creates an opportunity. When I submitted a scholar application in Stallion University, I raised my hope that I would get in. They accept 5 scholars each year which makes them appear cheap despite being the most prestigious univeristy in town. They justified it by saying that they want to folter only the best and gave them the title Stallion scholars.

"There's nothing you can't do. You really made it, girl!" My bestfriend beside me still stunned from my news. She was born with a gold spoon in her mouth, she would never know how it feels to walk in my shoes.

"It's both luck and dedication. By the way, I want to manage your expectation so I'm telling you as early as now that I have no intention of being fake friendly with your other bitches. We can hang out just the two of us, but I won't go with you when you're with them." She gave me a roll eyes.

From what I heard from her, the students there are filthy rich and "diverse". I can never let my guard down. After years of trauma from my parents, I feel like I can overcome whatever life throws at me. I know it won't be as bad as what I had to experience as a kid with divorced parents who neglected me and made me feel I was the last person who deserve to be loved.

I grew up in a chaotic surrounding. Nobody taught me to be decent, but I learned it myself. While I was witnessing failed relationships of my parents and family members, I toughed out by learning to be content with myself.

My mom and dad got a divorce when I was 10. They had to undergo several betrayals, physical and mental torture with each other before letting go. The young me witnessed it all, and wounded me. My mom was a cheater and my dad was obsessed with work. When they separated, my mom immediately settled with someone else and started a new life. I have never seen her that happy with dad. My father went to Singapore to start his new company with the help of his relatives. They suffered a lot with each other and me, when they moved on in life, they became the happiest version of themselves and forgot they brought me to this world.

I got tossed away, and had to live on my own. Before dad left for Singapore, he left the house under my name and requested her sister to watch after me. She took responsibility of raising me even when she didn't have to. She was there as a mother, father and bestfriend when I can't trust the world. She remained single all this time, and showed me that living alone can be the best thing you do for yourself - she was a living example of a strong independent woman.

"Congrats, Laurian! You made me so proud as always!" I closed my eyes when I heard a loud popping as soon as I entered in the main door of our house. It was Aunt Royce. I did not expect her to be home this early.

"How did you find out?" I smiled a little when I read the letters arracnged on the wall. It says Congrats, Laury. She is always the best.

"This is no big deal. But I really appreciate your effort. You even went home early." She pulled me to sit on the couch. She seemed to have something to spill looking all excited.

"Guess what?" I shrugged my shoulder. She's unpredictable, all I know is she's going to announce something big.

"Your dad's company will finally extend their branch here! He's coming back next week!" I tried to show as little reaction as possible. I never spoke to him since he left.

"G-good thing. You will finally get to meet again. Is he staying at this house? I was able to save a lot from the allowance you were giving for the past 7 years. I can get a condo in Manila, I might settle there for good." I never really thought about that. I haven't planned anything yet, but my instincts told me to go far away from home now that dad is coming back.

"Really? You can tell me all about it, I will listen. Want me to help you look for a condo unit? I assume you'll come home every weekend or every 2 weeks, right? You won't leave me alone for good, right?" I laughed with the sudden change of mood.

Everything I am, I owe it to her and me. We were both growing old together and we are deeply connected, I can never leave her grow alone forever.

"You can visit me there, I can visit you here anytime. I promise that I will finish school and pay you back with big interest. Let's travel the world together, Aunt Royce." That's on our bucket list. Once I graduate from college, we'll start saving so we can travel together.

Right now, I consider us to be in the middle class, still far from the filthy rich students of Stallion. But I know how to deal with those type of people. I'll just have to try to survive everyday until I get used to it.

Aunt Royce never mentioned about dad after that day. She knew that I still haven't forgiven him for abandoning me. He didn't get married again, but his success has always been more important that anyone and anything else.

My bestfriend Aubrey and aunt Royce helped me to prepare everything that I'll be needing to move to the capital city. It's my first time to be away from home. Three days before the semester starts when I moved to my new place.

"Okay, let me just stay for the night and check if it's safe to be alone here." Aubrey and I laughed when Aunt Royce said that. The condo offers a high-end security, it was the first thing I considered when looking for a place.

"I'll stay for the night too. I'm so tired that I don't think I can drive."

That night, I catered them in my own condo. I made them dinner and then we watched a series in Netflix which we didn't get to finish. They both got knocked out. Even I try, I couldn't sleep from the excitement and fear.

In the next days, I familiarized myself in the public transportation and routes. I own a white Vios which Aunt Royce gave to me when I was 15. I know how to drive, but now that I am in a big city, I feel like I would try commuting for the first days.

Aubrey is too generaous to drop by at my place to give me a ride to school on the first day.

"We can just live together. I asked my dad if I can get a condo unit in the same building, but he declined the request. Maybe next year." She laughed. Her parents might not be ready to have her away from home. We're still seventeen.

I tried to hide how fascinated I was in the university. From the entrance, I can see expensive cars. I heard buildings here were donated by the richest personalities in the country. There's a lot of celebrities studying here as well.

"Loosen up a bit, lady. People here don't bite, so relax your shoulder. You belong to a place like this." I rolled my eyes. I am not the classy type although my parents are rich, they never looked after me and never influenced me.

"I just want to graduate." I joked. 

It was still early, so she toured me around. The first thing she bragged about was the Fontanilla Hall, the gold inside was blinding.

"I don't understand why people are so obsessed with... money and all that's shining. Are you like that also?" Her jaw dropped as if she can't believe me.

"I'm jealous with that mindset. I wish I'm not greedy too. But in my world, figures are power." I mouthed okay with disgust.

It's still unclear to me why I'm here. One day, I heard this school from Aubrey, and when she told me about it, I felt like I wanted to go here. I am never obsessed with money or wealth, I grew up in province with a simple life. I tried to brush off the question from my head, I should just focus ahead. I will find my purpose soon.

My morning classes are done. I had lunch alone because Aubrey had to attend her club's meeting. She's part of a cheerleading team since junior high.

I can see some students giving me the eye, but I never once felt out-of-place. We are wearing the same uniform and I bet I am smarter than them. What's there to be insecured about?

The first subject in the afternoon is the only class where Aubrey and I are classmates. She enrolled late because she thought money would work in arranging her schedule, but it turned out to be a disappointment. She got really late schedules, and she had no choice but to take them. While I was given top priority in choosing my schedule as a "scholar".

We chose the seats at the back. She haven't had lunch because of that meeting. I was going to brought her some snacks, but she texted me she's going out to a restaurant after the first class in the afternoon. She got a really long vacant after that.

A young man came in from the front door. I don't understand why the girls were murmuring like he's an actor or what. I can see that he has a normal body frame for his age, mediocre looks too. He smiled ang greeted us welcome back to school. His voice was hoarse, and those eyes were dark. He still looks mediocre, not worthy to be admired. I sighed in disappointment, girls here have low standards.

"Oh my fucking..." Aubrey's jaw dropped, and my brow raised. Even her?

"I want to introduce myself. I will be your Calculus professor for this semester, Kale Alejandro. You can just call me Sir Kale." Our eyes met for a brief moment. He looks really young.

Some girls in my class act like they know him even before. Good for them.

"He's so mine!" Aubrey jokingly whispered. I just shrugged my shoulder. He might be generous in giving a grade. There's no other way I'll like him if not for that.