The Next Heiress

Chapter 1 - Invitation

MODERN ERA. YEAR 2021.

"Ugh, there you go again," a small grunt escapes from my cherry-glossed lips.

The girl in front of me pouts. "Come on! Talk to me."

In annoyance, my head rises up. It is almost an hour since she's bugging me with her endless gossip and lame jokes. When I look at her, her small, oval face casts a pissed-off look. One of her brows is lifted up, and her arms are crossed. Definitely not the best reaction that you'll ever see, but forget it, this girl is that one person who can really pull off that kind of expression.

I giggle at her. "You're cute, Brielle. You know that, don't you?"

She shakes her pointer finger from side to side, not buying my little compliment. "Celine, don't you ever dare to—"

"I'm not kidding. It's true!" I push her in a playful manner and move a thick strand of my hair off my face. The weirdo bursts into laughter.

"You know me so damn well," the girl says, raising the upper corner of her lips to form a smirk. "You know how to play with my feelings," she adds, then makes finger guns matching with a click sound from her tongue.

A warm smile grows on my face when I remember the day Brielle and I became best friends. We met when we were in ninth grade. Our first encounter with each other happened in the weirdest way. During our school's intramurals, I hid in one of the toilet cubicles when a guy pointed out loudly in public that I had a big, dark red spot on my uniform pants. I was in extreme embarrassment, and I felt helpless because my period had started before its designated date on my phone's calendar. Among the girls who had seen me, she was the only one who gave me a sanitary pad.

"Every girl knows the struggle, so why shouldn't I help a sister out?" I could recall her saying that in an approachable tone accompanied by a bright smile on her face.

Yes, I know it was my fault for forgetting to be prepared, but that already happened. All of us have experienced being careless, right? Well, I admit it, but despite that shameful episode, who knows that good things come after the bad ones?

After that incident, Brielle and I have started hanging out, that later ended up in a series of visiting each other's house, going on a shopping spree in thrift shops, making dumb scrapbooks of celebrities we ship, hating the same entitled girls in our school, practicing on each other's face for our makeup skills development, and even daydreaming about our marriages with our crushes. The two of us have shared tons of memories, secrets, foods, and even our panties. The rest? It is history.

"Hey! You have been looking at him for hours!" My best friend yells at me, snapping me back to reality.

Quickly, my eyes blink several times. When I glance at her, I lift a brow. "No. I wasn't. I was thinking about some—"

"Hmm, let's make a bet," she interrupts, tilting her head.

My forehead creases. "What?"

Once more, she crosses her arms. "I'm going to bet that you don't even remember our topic. Are you in?"

"You're weird, Bri. Just stop it already," I reply, rolling my eyes as far as I can. "That was true. I was just in deep thought."

"Whatever," she scoffs. "You've been denying you like him for about...wait, three years? So, I wouldn't be surprised if you deny staring at him."

Brielle is saying the truth. There is one guy that I really like. He's a well-known student here at my school. Everyone admires him for being so good in academics, arts, and even sports. Yes, not just us students, but there are some teachers too who seem smitten with his charm. I don't even know how my feelings started in the first place. All I know is one day, I have already fallen head over heels for him.

"Excuse me. He's single now. I don't see any problem with it," I reply, feeling a little confident.

Well, most of the students say that he's absolutely a full package. That's one of the reasons why many of his fangirls are trying their best just to be noticed by him. Unfortunately, he had a girlfriend before. The girl is a Thai, an exchange student. Her name is Chokdee Thanomwang. When the news popped inside the campus grounds, almost every female student envied her, including me.

Within a year and a half of their relationship, I watched him, pouring all of his love, attention, and efforts into her, while I was here, suffering in silence. They were once a model couple. Even if the girls felt jealous, everybody admired them, but their reputable title eventually faded when they broke up. Everyone was shocked. Some said that it might be due to Than's plan to go back to Thailand. Despite this, there are others who say that they're still on good terms.

"But girl, he doesn't even know you," Brielle snorts. In a dramatic way, I put both of my hands on my chest, acting like I'd been stabbed deeply by a huge knife. We both laugh at our stupidity.

The thought of confessing my feelings to him was never a good idea for me. Never have I planned it within my three years of liking this guy. I never assumed that he would even like me back. My hopeless heart has already accepted the fact that I will always be and remain one of those several girls in my school who can adore him from afar, and I'm quite contented with it.

"Justin! Hey! Justin!"

Immediately, my daydreaming session stops when Brielle's loud voice echoes in the whole cafeteria. The students pause from what they're doing. Their eyes are all on us, staring sharply like wolves hunting in the forest in the middle of the night. The whole place is so silent that I could hear the sound of my hard breathing. Seconds later, different whispers are exchanged.

"Oh please," my head nods in shame. I close my eyes, quietly hoping that the ground will eat me and bury me in its stomach.

Suddenly, footsteps are heard walking towards us. In each step that he makes, my heart beats in a complicated manner that I've never felt before. I cross my fingers, wishing that the human who's approaching isn't the same guy who's on my mind.

"What is it?" A soft voice asks us.

In a slow manner, I raise my head to look who's speaking. The moment my eyes land on his gentle ones, a funny feeling enfolds my stomach. Seeing his eyes in a closer view for the first time, I notice that they have a rich shade of brown hue and upturned shape. They gaze before me as if they are trying to intimidate my presence. Standing near us, he appears to be between five-eight to five-ten with a build of a teen athlete. As my sight wanders around his face, I take a moment to appreciate its features. He has bushy brows that pull strong attraction towards me, a snub and small nose that gives innocence vibes, somewhat thick lips that suit his face nicely, and a protruding jawline that hallmarked his facial features, alongside the skin that kissed the sun.

A masterpiece of the gods, I utter to myself.

"N-nothing. It's just...you know...Celine and I-I were—Celine! Go, talk to him! You're the one who told me to call him, right?" The awkward silence finally ends when Brielle responds to his question.

I gulp down, sending her a piercing stare. To add more warning, my hand crawls slowly until it reaches her right arm. I pinch it with a semi-intense pressure that makes her flinch a little. This girl doesn't know what she's getting our selves into. She always lets me get involved in everything she does in her life. From this day, I can officially say that I'm starting to hate her.

"Oh, I know you!" Justin replies, smiling brightly. "You're Celine Suarez, right? Number twenty-nine in Red Lady Spikers? Well, I heard you're doing good."

My eyes blink rapidly as I try to process his surprising compliment. As I touch my chest, my right palm could feel the small, tightening movements within it. Am I still alive?

"Yes, that's true! She's a great volleyball player. You can watch her when she's training. It's on Tuesdays and sometimes on Fridays," Brielle answers him for me, stealing glances at me with a smug look on her face.

This girl surely gets her confidence back on track when there's a topic. She has a lot of talents. It includes saving a poor girl with instant breathing problems in front of the fine, young man that she drools for every night. I'm taking it back. I can't hate this girl.

In response to her, he nods, then shows a smile once more. "Sure. I'll watch whenever I'm not too busy at the organization," Justin takes another glance at me before walking away from us. I watch as his feet move with poise. Unexpectedly, he takes one more look at us. "Eat your food well," he beams.

After telling me a sweet reminder, he proceeds. When he reaches the table where his friends are ingesting their lunches, he resumes eating his meal. Meanwhile, I touch my chest again to check if my heart has stopped functioning. Fortunately, it still beats, and yes, only for that guy.

Brielle finds my arm under the table and pinches it hard, just like what I've done to her.

"Stop! It hurts!" I scowl, moving her hand away from me. The pinch leaves a visible mark on my skin.

"I can't believe it. Justin just talked to you! Seriously, I'm dying right now!" She whispers, struggling to control her voice.

"Yeah, it's obvious," I giggle at her. "I hope you'll be inside a coffin soon."

Brielle hits my arm, then rolls her eyes. "Hey, if it wasn't because of me, you wouldn't be able to have your first interaction with the man of your dreams."

I scoff, hitting her back. "So, should I say 'thank you' to you?"

"Nope! That isn't enough. Give me all of those," her lips ball up to point something in front of me.

I look down at my food container and see all the Mini Egg Pies, waiting for somebody to take a bite of them. They are so fascinating in my sight. My mom bought these creamy custard-filled desserts last night. They are super buttery, and I'm very fond of them. She knows that I don't like eating sweets that much, but this snack is an exception.

With an annoyed face, my eyes squint at Brielle. A satisfied smirk forms on her lips. This girl is so smart when it comes to playing games and childish things like this. Once again, I roll my eyes, but this time, I do it as far as I can. The gesture makes her laugh loudly.

"So...?" She tilts her head as she waits for my answer.

I am about to give up on the hardest decision of my life, when all of a sudden, a tiny hand grabs one of my sweets. With wide eyes, my head raises up to look, and I see a guy shoving it inside his mouth. He stares at me, enjoying every chew of it in front of my face. My fists clench as I hear the sound of my beloved Mini Egg Pies getting crushed by the teeth of this prick.

"Hmm. This is so yummy," he munches.

"Excuse me? What the hell?" Brielle pushes him away. The guy just laughs at her reaction. His eyes and lips form into three curve lines, looking like a real-life smiley face.

"Ugh! Jim!" I exclaim in annoyance, standing up from my seat.

Once more, the students around look at us. Surprisingly, I find myself crumpling both of his uniform collars. Brielle gasps in shock. She tugs my gray uniform skirt to make me sit. Despite my actions, the guy remains unintimidated. He glances at my balled-up fists on his collars, then chuckles. Seconds later, he leans closer and whispers something in my ear.

"Ahh...Celine is mad at me again," his calm tone replies, taunting my irritated face. "It's been a long time, don't you think?"

My grip tightens. "Give it back to me," I order angrily.

Jim puffs and opens his mouth to show that he's already gulped it inside, then he laughs. "You're overreacting, Celine. You saw it. It's just one piece—"

"But it's my favorite!" I snap.

The guy sighs. "Okay. I'll buy you another one. Just let me go," he raises his hands in defeat.

I tighten my grip more. "I don't care. You already ate it. I won't let you go."

Brielle pulls my skirt again. "Girl, stop this! He's right. You're overreacting! Celine!" She whispers through her teeth.

I look around. People are already staring at us. I continue to scan the place to know if Justin is seeing us too. My eyes find him, drinking his banana milk while watching us. He doesn't seem bothered at all, but when his friends whisper something to him, my cheeks heat up. Slowly, I lose my grip on Jim's collars until my hands are completely free from them. Feeling embarrassed, my head lowers and I sit down quietly.

"Are you okay?" Jim grabs one of the chairs to sit down with us.

"Wow, Jim. You came here and took one of her favorite desserts away without her permission, then you'll ask that? Man. You're incredible," Brielle fans herself to cool down. I bet she doesn't want to get involved so she continues eating at her seat.

"Please go away," I tell him, narrowing my big eyes. "I hate you so much."

Brielle faces me with a questioning look. It seems like she wants to ask me if I'm serious about this situation. Obviously, I'm not. I may overreact, but I'm not that shallow, yet I need to act as if I am.

"I'm sorry," Jim says softly. He gets something from his pocket. It's a Goya chocolate bar. He hands it to me and gives me a shy smile on his full lips.

"I don't know if you like this brand, but here, accept it. I bought it in the store before I went to school because I was craving something sweet," his head lowers. "I was about to eat this when I saw your egg pies that seemed more delicious."

I give him a weird look.

"Go, get it. I won't accept a 'no' from you," he offers in a serious tone.

My head shakes. "But Jim, you bought this for yourself. It's yours. Hey—"

Before I could reject it, he's already stood up from the chair and walks a few inches away from us. As I stare at the brown sealed chocolate bar, my shoulders fall. I feel so bad about myself.

Jim Salvador might be that one classmate who's very annoying and nosy, but the classroom won't be alive if there are no class clowns like him. Yes, he likes making jokes even if most of them are just plain stupid. He has been my classmate since seventh grade. I can't exactly tell if we're friends because he always appears out of nowhere just to tease and burn me up.

Fortunately, I'm one of those people who don't take his pranks seriously. I always just brush them off to avoid conflict as much as possible. Sometimes, I really get mad at him, and when he starts to notice my clap back, that's the perfect time that he would be sweet and act caring. Up to this day, I still don't know if his apologies are sincere. He's weird, I know.

"Celine, I'm sure you know that you'll always be my best friend, but girl, your situation is so messed up," Brielle finally speaks before I could feel worse.

My lips curl up in disappointment. "I know! I screwed it up. I'm such a terrible person."

Using both of my hands, I hold my head and let my elbows lean on the beige round table. Suddenly, the visual representation of my life pops into my mind. It's all ruined. I have already eliminated some good percentages of my already fragile reputation. What could go worse?

"Hey, that's not true," Brielle grabs my hand, giving me soft strokes. "You just need to fix your mistakes and learn from 'em," She assures, giving me the warmest smile that she could ever make.

At least, this gal knows how to make me feel relieved even just for a moment.

"Thank you," I smile back and pause for a while. "Wait. Could you help me distribute these?"

I pull my bag close to me, putting my hand inside. It searches and gets the little letters that I made on the computer last week. I show them to Brielle. Her eyes immediately sparkle as fast as the Christmas lights that my mother turns on when the holidays are approaching.

"Ahh! I almost forgot that you're turning eighteen!" My best friend quickly gets one of them from my hands and opens it.

"'I cordially invite you to become a part of my eighteenth birthday. Come and celebrate my new journey with me.' Wow. This doesn't sound like you," she pushes me playfully.

From her hands, I steal the invitation and hide it. Brielle just laughs at me, shaking her head.

"But I do love the colors of it though," she compliments to soften her rude remark. I remain silent, showing a straight face to bluff a message that I'm disappointed by her reaction.

"Fine," Brielle rolls her eyes, tapping the table loudly. "So, what's the deal?"

I chuckle. My best friend knows it when I'm already annoyed, and that's one of the things that I like about her. She surely knows how to vibe with my body language. From my bag, I give her a handful of my invitations. Using my right hand, I lower her head to match my own level of posture.

"We have to distribute these by shooting them inside the lockers after the class dismissal. Do you understand?" My head nods in a repetitive manner, waiting for her response.

She lifts a brow in approval. "Sure, girl."

"Good," I cross my arms at her. "That's a perfect time, so they won't see us putting it randomly or...it'll be awkward," I explain in a low voice.

"I get it," Brielle nods. "But can I say something?"

"What is it?"

She pinches her chin. "Why don't you just send a virtual invitation on f*******:? It's different now, Celine. You could just—"

"I know, I know," my mouth heaves out a sigh. "But I wanted to be like this. Plus, I don't want my efforts to be in vain."

"Okay, if that's what you want. We both know how old school you are," she crosses her arms and gives an annoyed smile. "So are you telling me that we'll just put 'em there later and—wait!"

I furrow my brows in confusion. "What?"

Brielle gasps in shock. "Look! Your finger is bleeding!"

"My...w-what?" My voice trembles.

To check it, I swiftly raise my hands. The blood on my left ring finger is flowing immensely down to my arms. My eyes widen in horror. I glance with a worried look at my best friend. Quickly, she gets some tissues from her purple bag to wipe the dribbling red liquid.

"Celine, where did you get that?!" She asks, scolding me like my mother. "The cut looks deep!"

I shake my head nervously, agitating at the fact that even my brain doesn't have a single idea why it happened. I haven't even felt a little pain that may cause me to notice it beforehand.

My heart pumps fast. "I don't know! It just appeared!"