CHAPTER ONE
Christy Sterling had always been the shining ray.
Wherever she went, she always get everybody's attention. Heads turned, everything stopped. She was the only daughter of the Billionaire Sterling family, wealth, power, and prestige wrapped in silk and diamonds.
At Sterling Elite High School, mere mention of her name echoed through the walls. Teachers smiled when she walked in a classroom. Students shifted and makes room for her to walk in every corridors. Even the principal stood when she past.
That morning like every other morning no difference.
Christy stepped out of her luxury car, sunlight shining off her silky hair. Her heels clicked majestically against the floor. A group of girls instantly circled her.
"Christy! Did you see the new collection of Louis Vuitton bag posted online?"
"Christy, we're going shopping during the weekend, right?"
"You look marvelous today!"
She laughed lightly and elegantly. Everything about her is a fairytale.
Until the new student eventually arrived.
A slight disruption raised near the school entrance. Suddenly every students turned their attention. Murmur started and curiosity turned into judgmental gossips.
A girl stood outside the school entrance, looking so out of place which drew so much attention towards her worn-out school back. Her uniform was not glossy and well ironed surely secondhand. Her shoes were not worth a second glance. Her hair was tied in a simple ponytail hairstyle with minimal accessories.
But her eyes were fiercely Sharp, Confident and Determined.
Emma Hart.
The girl who won her way into Sterling high school through national scholarship.
Among Christy's friends one of the girls scoffed.
"So that classless girl is the new scholarship student?"
"The low class who luckily earn high on the exams?"
"Why is she here in the first place? She'll ruin the school's image."
Another girl chimed in and whispered but cruel.
"She probably smells of poverty."
Everybody's laughter echoed.
Emma's tightened her school back and her face stiffened, but she kept going. A step at a time, moving forward refusing to look afraid. Still, the strange wall around her was obvious. No one welcomed her, all she got were eyes striping out every fiber in her.
Just silent rejection.
Christy watched the scene unfold before her eyes. Something about the girl's courage stirred her. Not pity recognition. She knew what it's like to be lonely, even if hers came from a different cause.
Christy gracefully raised her hands even before the teacher could speak.
"She can sit next to me Sir."
The class was shocked by her gesture.
The teacher blinked. "Are you sure… Christy?"
Christy smiled. "Absolutely Sir, I don't mind at all."
Whispers spread. Emma's eyes widened like an oval. She was taken by surprised for this unexpected kind gesture, followed quickly by caution.
She slowly walked toward Christy's nervously and sat down beside her.
Christy shook her hand toward Emma, "I'm Christy."
Emma hesitated before replying, "I'm Emma Hart."
Their first words were simple.
But fate had already taken note.
Lunch break came in quickly like the blink of an eye.
In Sterling High school, lunch was not just ordinary food. It was a display of status and class. The center table was preserved for Christy and her inner circle.
Christy carried her tray and casually sat as usual. Without hesitation, she patted the seat beside her.
"Come sit with us Emma."
Emma paused. Every instinct in her told her to decline. But declining a kindness like this is the quickest way to become a permanent outsider.
She nervously sat.
The chatter around the table suddenly died completely.
Sophia Lane, one of Christy's very good friends gave Emma a dirty glance then followed with fake politeness.
"So…s Emma, right? Where are you from?"
Emma steadied her voice before responding. "Old Creek District."
Sophia's smile faded away. Old Creek was known for cramped houses and scattered roadside markets.
"Oh" Sophia said lightly. "Interesting… very interesting."
Emma knew exactly what she meant.
Another girl chimed in. "Do you also work regular jobs Or does your family struggle to meet ends need?"
The question was packed in a smile but sharpened like a sword.
"My mother works really hard and I studied very hard. That is more than enough I guess." Emma answered softly
"Can you believe it Emma top the highest ranking marks in the national scholarship exams, so she earned her way here" Christy interrupted.
The girls nodded, pretending to accept it. But their eyes still carried judgment.
Emma look down at her own meal. Her food is nothing compared to the expensive meal on Christy's tray.
Peanut butter and jelly sandwich, nothing luxury just eat for survival.
As she sat at the mixed of wealthy kid with wealth she had never touched before, something strange stirred in her chest. Not gratefulness, not bitterness but something very sharp and yarning.
After school hours the cloud gathered and darker, suddenly rain began to pure heavily.
Christy opened her umbrella and offered Emma a ride home.
"Come on Emma let me drop you home, it's raining heavily"
Emma shook her head declining "Thanks but no, I will catch the bus"
"In this heavy rain?"
Emma shook her head "Don't worry about that am used to it already"
Christy grabs her hand without thinking twice.
"I insist and you are coming with me today, you can catch the bust another time."
Before Emma could say anything, the driver opened door. Warm leather seats, soft lighting and strong smell of wealth welcomed Emma into a world she never tasted.
Emma quietly sat stiffly, hands on her laps, cautious not to stain anything.
They drove across the city passing poor neighborhoods into a quiet and expensive neighborhood with massive and exquisite buildings with trees behind gigantic gates.
The car stopped.
Emma's breath caught.
A magnificent mansion stood before her. Tall white walls. A fountain dancing in the center giving aesthetic ambiance and soothing sound. Lights glowing softly through the windows.
"Welcome to my home" Christy said gently.
Emma stepped out slowly. It felt like walking into a dream so different from what she normally dreamt of.
Inside, maids greeted Christy with so much respect and offered Emma a drink. She decline respectfully, unsure of how to handle the expensive glass she was offered.
Christy led them to her room a room bigger than Emma's small house. A dreamy walk-in-closet, way too many clothes, shoes, bag, accessories and a whole designer perfume collection all in Christy's closet. A glam room fit for a princess and a balcony overlooking the city skyline with breath taking garden view.
Emma sat on the edge of the bed.
Christy studied her. "Why are you always quiet?"
Emma whispered, "I've never been to a house as beautiful as this."
"OMG your house is very beautiful, you are very lucky to have a soft life not like ours."
Christy smiled. "You'll get used to it very soon."
Emma looked up. "Really?"
Christy reached out and squeezed her hand. "As long as we are together as friends this will be your life soon."
"FRIENDS!!!"
The word rang deep inside of her.
That night, Emma returned to her small house. The ceiling fan making some unforgiving weird loud noise enough to make someone loose a sleep.
Her little brother slept on a thin worn out mattress. Her mother washed dishes in the tiny kitchen with little ventilation.
Emma lay down and stared at the cracked ceiling licking water droplets dew to the heavy rain that happened earlier.
She thought of the Christy's beautiful mansion, the soft queen size bed fit for a princess. The effortless laughter, the way Christy she live her life without worrying about anything. s
She shut her eyes and whispered into the darkness.
"I will never be powerless again in my life I promised."
In a quiet mansion, Daniel Sterling leaned against the balcony railing, watching the rain.
He had seen the way Emma looked at the Sterling house.
He had seen hunger behind politeness in her eyes.
And for the first time that day, he said under his breath,
"That girl is not to be trusted completely."