ELITE ACADEMY: ICE AND GOLD

CHAPTER FIFTEEN: STARTING OF DEPRESSION

⸻

A private jet touches down smoothly on the runway.

The engines slow.

The door opens.

A woman steps out.

Elegant. Poised. Expensive from head to toe.

Dark sunglasses. Silk scarf. Heels clicking with quiet authority.

A bodyguard follows, rolling her suitcase.

Cameras flash in the distance.

She doesn’t look back.

A sleek black car waits at the foot of the stairs.

The door opens.

She gets in.

The car drives off.

⸻

Later.

A high-end café. Glass walls. Soft jazz. People who don’t look at prices.

Mr. Alejandro de la Vega sits alone at a corner table.

Tailored suit. Gold watch. Calm but distracted.

He checks his phone once.

Then—

She walks in.

The same woman from the airport.

The café seems to pause.

Her bodyguard stays behind as she approaches the table.

She removes her sunglasses.

A slow smile curves her lips.

Alejandro stands slightly.

ALEJANDRO

(soft, surprised)

Megan.

She sits across from him.

MEGAN

(smiling)

Alejandro…

Longest time.

She reaches across the table and takes his hand.

He doesn’t pull away.

They sit like that for a moment.

Unfinished history hanging between them.

ALEJANDRO

I didn’t think you’d come this fast.

MEGAN

You called.

I always come when you call.

A waiter brings drinks without asking.

They’ve been here before.

ALEJANDRO

I want you to come to the mansion.

Next week.

Megan’s smile falters—just a little.

MEGAN

Your wife?

ALEJANDRO

(cold laugh)

She stopped being a wife a long time ago.

She only loves herself… and her mirror.

Megan studies him.

MEGAN

And Aria?

ALEJANDRO

I need someone who will love my daughter.

Not throw money at her and call it care.

Megan nods slowly.

MEGAN

You know I’d never hurt her.

Anyone who belongs to you… belongs to me too.

A beat.

Then—

MEGAN

But Alejandro…

I want to bring Thiago home.

Alejandro stiffens.

MEGAN

I’ve missed my son.

For years.

Her voice softens.

MEGAN

The last time I saw him, he was still in the orphanage.

I used a different number.

Sent gifts. Letters.

She swallows.

MEGAN

He never knew it was me.

Alejandro listens closely.

MEGAN

I thought he was safe.

I didn’t know i took everything from him.

Her fingers tighten around her glass.

MEGAN

I failed him.

Silence.

Alejandro reaches across the table.

ALEJANDRO

Bring him.

She looks up, shocked.

ALEJANDRO

As long as you treat Aria like your own…

Diego has a place in my home.

And in my heart.

Megan’s eyes shine.

MEGAN

Thank you.

They clink glasses.

But beneath the elegance—

Secrets settle.

Decisions are made.

And somewhere else…

Two lives are about to collide.

Cut to black.

⸻

Aria’s room is dim.

Only the soft glow of her laptop cuts through the darkness.

Her curtains are drawn.

Her desk is messy — books pushed aside, her phone face-down, untouched.

On the screen:

Search after search.

Name after name.

Thiago.

Nothing.

No records.

No tagged photos.

No history.

It’s like he doesn’t exist.

Aria leans closer to the screen, frustration tightening her jaw.

ARIA (V.O.)

No one is this invisible… unless they’re hiding.

She types again.

Different spellings.

Different locations.

Still nothing.

Her fingers tremble slightly.

Her mind flashes—

The pendant.

The boy with his mother.

The photo that fell from Thiago’s bag.

Same eyes.

Same face.

ARIA (V.O.)

If I had both pictures… I’d know. I’d be sure.

She exhales sharply and pushes her chair back.

Stands.

Paces.

Runs a hand through her hair.

ARIA

(frustrated, whispering)

This doesn’t make sense.

She drops onto her bed, staring at the ceiling, fingers digging into her hair.

ARIA (V.O.)

Why is everything leading back to him?

And why does it feel like my dad is standing in the middle of it?

Suddenly—

Laughter.

Loud voices echo through the mansion.

The sound of heels.

Shopping bags rustling.

Her door swings open.

Lila and Sienna walk in, arms full of designer bags, glowing like chaos wrapped in perfume.

LILA

(grinning)

Guess who just survived retail therapy?

SIENNA

And guess who’s coming with us for round two?

Aria doesn’t move.

Doesn’t smile.

She sits up slowly.

ARIA

(flat)

I’m not in the mood.

Lila pauses, eyes narrowing.

LILA

You?

Not in the mood for shopping?

She drops the bags dramatically.

LILA

That’s illegal, Queen Aria.

Sienna laughs and tosses a bag onto the couch.

SIENNA

Seriously, what’s wrong with you today?

Aria hesitates.

Then—

ARIA

(low, overwhelmed)

I’m just… stressed.

Lila rolls her eyes and flops onto the bed beside her.

LILA

You’re overthinking again.

She waves a dismissive hand.

LILA

So what if there’s a picture?

So what if it looks like Thiago?

Coincidences exist.

SIENNA

(smiling teasingly)

Exactly.

What, you think he’s your long-lost brother or something?

She laughs.

SIENNA

Please.

That would be way too dramatic — even for you.

Aria looks away.

ARIA

You don’t get it.

Her voice cracks just a little.

ARIA

I’ve never felt this confused before.

Everything feels… connected.

And I hate not knowing.

Lila sits up, suddenly serious.

Then—

LILA

Alright. Enough.

She grabs Aria’s wrist.

LILA

Up. Now.

ARIA

What—

SIENNA

(interrupting)

Shower. Deodorant. Outfit.

LILA

You’re coming shopping.

ARIA

I said I’m not—

LILA

Baby girl, stress gives wrinkles.

SIENNA

And freckles.

LILA

And pimples.

SIENNA

And queens do not break out.

Aria scoffs despite herself.

ARIA

You’re ridiculous.

LILA

And you’re coming.

They pull her off the bed.

ARIA

Hey—!

They shove her gently toward the bathroom.

LILA

Five minutes.

SIENNA

If you’re not out, we’re picking your outfit ourselves.

ARIA

That’s a threat.

They slam the bathroom door and laugh from outside.

Aria stares at her reflection in the mirror.

Still confused.

Still unsettled.

But—

For the first time that night, she exhales.

ARIA (V.O.)

Maybe… one break won’t hurt.

She turns on the shower.

Steam fills the room.

Outside, Lila and Sienna argue over bags and outfits, their voices loud and alive.

For now—

The secrets can wait.

But Thiago’s name still lingers in Aria’s mind…

Unanswered.

Unresolved.

And dangerous.

Fade out.

The mall was buzzing with weekend shoppers. Light reflected off polished floors and glass storefronts, chatter filling the air. Aria, Lila, and Sienna moved from boutique to boutique, arms full of hangers and bags, laughing, teasing, and debating which outfits would make the perfect statement at tomorrow’s party.

ARIA

(rolling her eyes at Sienna)

No, girl, that dress is way too much. You’ll blind everyone with all that sparkle.

SIENNA

(teasing)

And you’ll look like a queen of mysteries with your broody look. Come on, pick something fun for yourself!

Lila giggled, waving a pair of sequined heels in front of Aria.

LILA

Queen Aria doesn’t stress over sparkle, she’s already the sparkle, you just don’t get it.

Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the mall, Thiago, Luciano, and Rico wandered through the men’s section. Luciano laughed, holding up a designer jacket.

Thiago dragged his feet behind Luciano and Rico, who were comparing leather jackets and sneakers like kids in a candy store. Thiago wasn’t paying attention; his mind was elsewhere. The mall’s bright lights and chatter barely reached him.

LUCIANO

Yo, look at this! Who knew malls had anything decent for us?

RICO

(grinning)

Finally some variety. I’m telling you, Thiago, this is gonna be fun.

Thiago, however, moved silently, almost detached, lost in thought. The idea of moving into the Alejandro mansion and everything it implied weighed on him, leaving him distant even in the crowd.

And then… coincidence.

A display of handbags wobbled dangerously above the escalator. Aria, stepping back to admire a sequined dress, didn’t notice it tilting. It toppled toward her just as Thiago, who had been lost in thought, stepped into its path. Instinctively, he caught the falling display in his arms, pressing it safely between them.

Aria froze. Their eyes met. She blinked, startled, then… she stared. Really stared. Something in the way his structured, His jawline was sharp, the muscles along his arms flexing as he held the weight effortlessly shoulders and lean frame filled the small space between them made her heart skip. He didn’t smile. Didn’t laugh. His expression was annoyed, like she had inconvenienced him.

“You… aren’t going to get down?” he asked, voice low, almost teasing, though the annoyance lingered. “Or is this your way of flaunting around me?”

Aria’s eyes widened. “I… I—uh…” She wanted to step back, but her feet felt glued. He was too close, too… magnetic.

Luciano and Rico were at the far end of the mall, comparing leather jackets, laughing loudly, oblivious to the tension. But the noise didn’t matter. Aria couldn’t hear them. Thiago’s presence had pulled her into a different world.

He finally shifted, letting the display slide safely to the floor. Still, he didn’t step back completely. “You know,” he murmured, voice quieter now, “some people don’t know how dangerous it is to stare.”

Aria blinked, trying to pull herself together. “I—I wasn’t…”

“Sure you weren’t,” he said, one eyebrow arched, “but I’ll let it slide this time.”

Her pulse raced. She noticed the way his fingers relaxed around the edge of the display. The slight tilt of his head as he studied her, like he was measuring her reactions.

“Do you… do you always walk around like this?” she asked, voice barely above a whisper.

Thiego gave a small shrug, nonchalant. “Walk around like… what?”

“Like… like the world’s just waiting for you,” she said, cheeks hotter by the second.

He tilted his head, his eyes catching the overhead lights. “Maybe it is,” he said softly. Then, louder, with a little edge: “Or maybe it’s just that you weren’t paying attention.”

She swallowed. He was close enough now that she could see the faint crease between his brows, the way his lips pressed into a line when annoyed—but even annoyed, he was… irresistible.

A sudden crash from a nearby cart startled them both. Thiago exhaled, tension easing slightly. “Can you stay on your feet,” he said, one hand brushing back stray hair from her face as he stepped around the fallen bags.

Aria’s breath hitched. “You… you didn’t even—”

“I did what?” he said, voice low. “Admire a spoilt brat? Worship you? Or make sure you notice me? Spoilt brat”

She yelled nervously. “How dare u!!.”

THIAGO

(flat, almost annoyed)

Can I help you with something? Or now you’re stalking me.

ARIA

(stammering, flustered)

Uh… I—I didn’t… I mean… just…

Aria swallowed, trying to steady herself.

ARIA

(cutting herself off)

I… I just came to… check the shoes. Yeah. Shoes.

Thiago didn’t say anything, just gave her a long, unreadable look before turning back to the jackets.

Her chest ached with frustration and curiosity.

ARIA (V.O.)

Why does it feel like he’s everywhere… like every step I take, he’s in the same space?

And that photo… that pendant… it’s all connected.

Sienna called her, holding a glittering dress.

SIENNA

Come on, Aria. Shopping waits for no broody queen.

Aria nodded reluctantly, slipping the photo into her bag. But her eyes kept drifting to Thiago.

⸻

The bass from the club still throbbed in Aria’s chest as she stumbled out into the cool night. Sienna and Lila laughed beside her, teasing and egging her on, hands full of leftover drinks.

“Come on, Aria! Drink up, this is your serum!” Sienna yelled over the music, tossing her a shot glass.

Aria squinted through the flashing neon lights, blinking like the world had too many colors. She barely caught the glass before Lila shoved another one toward her.

“You never lived my life,” Sienna slurred, leaning closer. “I have to deal with my drunk mom—she makes me sick, sad, angry… so I just drink it away. You need to do the same!”

Aria tipped the glass to her lips and swallowed. And then another. And another. Soon, her body felt like it wasn’t hers anymore—just loose limbs, spinning head, and a burning warmth creeping from her stomach to her skull.

By the time her bodyguard appeared to take her home, Aria was wobbling dangerously, giggling at nothing and everything all at once. The cool night air did nothing to sober her; it only made her shiver in the best kind of dizzy.

She vomited on the driveway before the car, a small, messy projectile, and laughed through it. “Oops! Guess I’m extra tonight,” she hiccuped.

The drive home was a blur of flashing streetlights, the smell of alcohol, and her muttered drunken thoughts. By the time they reached her house, she could barely remember how she had walked, how she had laughed, or how she had been thrown into the seat by her patient bodyguard.

The car door swung open. Aria stumbled out before the bodyguard could even help her. She barely noticed the driveway under her feet. She bent over, throwing up violently, and hiccuped, laughing through it.

“Oops! That’s… a lot!” she slurred, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. “Wow… I really needed that.”

Her bodyguard groaned, crouching to clean the mess. “Miss Aria, please—let’s get you inside.”

“I’m fine! I’m… I’m perfectly fine!” she insisted, staggering forward like a newborn deer. “Just… just a little… hiccupy, that’s all.”

The front door opened. And there they were: her parents, sitting stiff and impatient in the living room. Her dad, face flushed with anger, cleared his throat.

“Aria, you’re home late… again,” her dad began, voice sharp. “It’s… it’s 11 p.m., Aria. You’re still a teenager, and—”

Aria spun toward him, wobbling. “I’m… I’m drunk, Dad! Drunk! Drunk and… and beautiful!” She flopped onto the sofa like it was a stage, hiccupping with laughter.

Her mom crossed her arms. “Alejandro, leave the girl. She’s just… a teenager. Let her—”

“Still drunk!” Aria shouted, pointing at herself. “Me! I’m drunk! And you! You’re the reason!” She jabbed a finger at her mom. “You ruined everything! You care about shopping! Vacations! Your stupid parties! You don’t even love me! You don’t love me! And you’re so pathetic!”

Her dad stood, trembling with rage. “Aria! Manners! Have manners, young lady!”

“Manners?!” she bellowed, spinning toward him, hair tangled, eyes glossy. “You too! You cheat! Walk around with other girls! Mistresses! Leaving your family for… for nothing! Do you even care?!”

Her voice cracked with anger and sorrow. She staggered toward the fridge, yanked it open, and grabbed a bottle of alcohol. She didn’t pour a glass—she tipped the bottle straight into her mouth, spilling some over her chin.

“Ahhh! Refreshing!” she hiccupped, tossing the empty bottle onto the floor. It rolled against the wall, clattering. She stumbled back, threw her arms out, and yelled: “I HATE YOU TOO!”

Her parents froze, mouths open, stunned by the hurricane of raw teenage fury that had just exploded in their living room.

Aria flopped onto the sofa, head spinning, half-laughing, half-sobbing. “I’m… I’m free! Freeeee!” she mumbled, eyes fluttering shut.

The room was silent for a moment. The hum of the fridge and the distant city lights outside were the only sounds. Then her mom whispered, almost to herself, “She’s… growing up too fast.”

Her dad just shook his head, muttering, “Alejandro… what have we done?”

Aria, still drunk, muttered incoherently, arms flopping to the floor: “I… I just wanted… wanted… to be… happy… hic… happy…”

And then… the door to her room slammed. Hard. Echoing through the house. The night swallowed her chaos, leaving the house quiet but heavy.