The Billionaire's Daughter

Growing up as an only child was not easy. Expectations were high. I have no one to depend on but myself whenever my parents were out of town for their respective jobs. I grew independent not because I had to but because I wanted to prove to myself that I can always survive whatever circumstances life throws my way.

Being Saphira Zobel Castello will always be a challenge. Not only do I have to live up to the fame of being the only heiress of a shipping magnate but also because of the influence of having a mother who is a senator.

"Saphira! Please come down here at my office this instant."

I heard my mom's voice in my room's intercom. Yes, since our house is huge, three-storey high with 10 bedrooms, the use of intercom is essential.

"Coming Mom!"

Both of my parents have their own office at the first floor where they stay most of the time whenever they are at home.

"Mom, you called?"

"What is this?"

I looked at the piece of paper she was holding and I knew that I am in deep trouble.

"An invitation to my graduation?"

"I am very disappointed in you Saphira. How can you let this happen? Weren't you studying all the time? Do we need to hire a tutor for you?"

"Mother, I am doing well in school."

"Doing well? Is this what you call doing well?"

"Mom, please calm down."

"How can you let yourself be on top 2 of your class when you could have been the Top 1?! I have not raised you to be second best!"

I should have been hurt by her outburst but that is just a normal thing to hear from her every time I did not meet or surpass their expectations.

"I'm sorry mom. I really tried my best, but I guess someone else is better."

"Nonsense! You can't say you TRIED your best if you are not on top! And don't ever admit that someone else is better than you! You are a Zobel and Castello! You are a descendant of a family of achievers. . ."

As she recited her verses, I did too, simultaneously in my mind since I have memorized her lines a long time ago.

". . .greatness and intellectual beings unsurpassed by even the most prestigious names in history."

"Mom, we cannot do anything now. I have done the best I could and besides, the one on top has a scholarship and he needs to graduate Valedictorian so he could have free tuition fees at any school that he applies to. And please don't try to meddle on this as the results were already printed, the school will lose its credibility if you will try to change my rank into number one again as you did the previous time."

"Saphira! Are you even listening to yourself? Why should I care if he is the reason you are behind in your class!? And. . . and I did not meddle with any of your school rankings!"

"Mom, being second place out of 250 hard working students in a prestigious school is not being behind my class. Mom, I know what you did. I heard you talking to someone on the phone the last time."

I remembered when I was on my freshmen year. I heard my mother on the phone.

"Director Gomez, I am sure you know my connections and it will not be good for your school's reputation to decline my request. If you can make my daughter be the first on her class this year, it would give great honor to me and my husband."

"Marvelous! I will deposit my regular donation to your scholarship foundation next week. Thank you."

Because of that, I vowed to always study harder to ensure my slot in the top spot. So that my mother will not use her influence again.

Going back to the present time, I think I should have kept my mouth shut as my mother's face is now livid and turning red in anger.

"Enough! Stop reasoning with me otherwise I will send you to a European Boarding school!"

I know I should have kept quiet but I am near my limit.

"Mother, you cannot send me to Boarding school. You need me here with you and Dad. I am your only child, how can you send me away just because I answered back?"

"I did not raise you to be disrespectful and disobedient! Get out of my face now before I lose control of myself!"

Sighing and accepting the fact that she will never change, I went out of the room and called my best friend who means the world to me, my only friend.

"Franco, its me Saphira."

"Of course I know its you! That is what caller IDs are for. This birthday gift of yours is pretty neat not to mention your face that seem to flash unending on the screen whenever you calls."

"Dummy! A simple Hello would have sufficed but you had to blabber all that nonsense!"

"Hello Saphira. How can I be of help to you today?"

"You're such an ass do you know that? But speaking of help, can you go out with me today? I need someone to talk to."

"Sorry, bestie but I have work at the café today. Bill got sick and I had to fill in. But since you are my favoritest person in the whole wide world. I can meet you at 5 pm, after my shift."

"Franco, there is no such word as favoritest."

"You really are a smarty pants aren't you?"

"Haha. Funny. Okay I can just meet you there later after your shift. I will just do some of my chores here at home."

"Chores? How come you have chores again when you have 6 maids running around your four storey house?"

"Correction. Three storey."

"Gotcha! I knew you'll correct me. You always do!"

"Silly! You know I want to do stuff on my own. I'll be doing my laundry today and then clean my room."

"Room?! You call a quarter of your floor a room? Are you sure you can finish that by 5 pm? I may just spend my forever waiting for you here."

"How can you tell that quarter of the floor is my room, you haven't even seen our house!"

"You told me that your room occupies most of the top floor so I just know that you have a huge room to clean."

"Franco. . ."

"Alright then, just text me when you're on your way. Enjoy your CHORES!"

"Bye dummy!"

We may bicker a lot but he will always be my source of amusement, well, my only source of fun, friendship, my source of everything, to be exact.

This is a routine Franco and I established on our more than 1 year of friendship. We hang out a lot whenever we have spare time. Our usual bonding session is studying, we are study buddies and academically, we are indestructible when we are together.

He was a transferee student from a public school on our senior year. Due to his excellent academic standing, he was given a slot at the International School where I was the top student since 1st grade. One of the reasons why I do not have any friends, I focused more on my studies and neglected any invites to socialize. As I have said, I have to uphold our family name's legacy.

Our history together was like a steady but steep roller coaster ride.

"I'm Franco Briones, Hi!"

"Are you talking to me?"

"Yes, who else is here in the Library at 7 am in the morning but us?"

"Oh. Hi then. Saphira. Nice to meet you, I guess." I answered him without really looking at his face.

"Won't you even acknowledge my presence by looking at me and shaking my hand which has been extended and waiting for your infinite grace for more than 5 minutes now?"

When I lifted my head to look at him, I was shocked by how good looking he was. I wonder how on earth could he be talking to me if he was this good looking? I was momentarily transfixed on his gorgeous green eyes that seem to drown me with its depth, his pink lips which draw my gaze. Even his unruly dark brown hair fits him perfectly.

"Earth to Saphira. and may I please have my hands back?"

I immediately let go of his hands that I did not even remember taking. I must have really looked like a love stricken fool that day. I was lucky he did not pay attention to my shameful behavior that day and never did mention it again.

"You look really good. I mean, good to meet you. Ahhm. . . I'll just see you around!"

I immediately packed up my things and left the library hoping that I will not meet him again.

But, fate as always, never answered any of my wishes.

It turned out, Franco was my new block mate for the entire year. Not to mention our seats were arranged alphabetically.

As the teacher arranged our seats.

"Briones, Franco. Castello, Saphira."

"Hi Seat mate! Good thing we're already friends now."

"Ahhh. . . I guess so?"

"Oh come on Saphira, being friends with a poor chap like me will not give you a virus. . . ."

He must have seen the change in my expression when he said those words basing on the sudden panic on his face and his change of demeanor.

"Oh shit! Sorry, I did not mean it like that."

"Its okay. I'm used to it."

I should have been used to it by now but I still took my things and went out of the room towards the girl's washroom before the tears poured down my face.

Being me everywhere else had its perks but being me at school is very painful. I was bullied a lot because they see me as a snob and a geek. Another reason for not having friends.

"Hey Castello! What's the matter? Senator Mommy can't save you from your tears?"

"Come on girls, I don't want to be in the same room as that drama queen!"

"If I know, she's crying because her big time daddy cannot give her the new car model she wants. Or she was not allowed to have another plastic surgery to fix her nose!"

"Rumor has it that she's not even a real Castello. She doesn't even fit the pretty name or the pretty face of her parents."

"Hey Castello, why the crying face? Did your imaginary boyfriend break up with you?"

"Let's go girls, we're going to be late for PE class which some snob here is allergic to. She doesn't even want to perspire or to even get tired. What a shame! She's missing all the fun."

Finally, the group of girls who always gave me hell, went out of the washroom and gave me some peace.

I cried so much that day. Not because of the hurtful things they said but because I was fed up that even a stranger who doesn't know me at all will think that I am a snob.

"Saphira? Can I come in?" I heard his voice before he peeked inside the washroom.

"Franco? What are you doing here?"

"Is that a yes?"

"No! I mean, no of course you can't come in. Why did you even follow me here? Please go away!" He was unstoppable. He went inside, closed the door and blocked it with his frame.

"Look, I'm sorry okay? I did not mean to imply anything, I did not mean it that way. I was only joking and I didn't know that you have issues here at school."

I looked at his sincere face and I can't help but feel more sorry for myself.

"I don't need your apologies. It was my fault to be affected. They may be right. I'm really a drama queen."

"Look, I heard them. Sorry but I did and I'm just wondering why a pretty and intelligent girl like you lets herself be bullied that way?"

"Stop saying things that aren't true. Just leave me alone. Please just go away."

"Saphira. . . please."

"Please, you can't make me talk to you now. Just go."

"Alright, I will leave you alone for now, but just think of this, I am your friend now. Whether you want to or not. I proclaim myself as your new found friend. I would rather have one real friend here than a bunch of fake and fancy know-it-all like those girls. I hope you'll stop crying soon. I'm really sorry Saphira. I really am."

He tried to approach me but I backed up. He looked at me sadly one last time before he left the room.

I skipped the rest of the classes that day. There were some days when I just need to pretend to be sick just to have a peace of mind, at home, away from the bullies that make my already lonely life more miserable.

There were nights I cried myself to sleep, hoping that I have someone to talk to. Someone to share my worries and fears. Someone to tell me I look awful when I cry. Someone to hold my hand and tell me that everything will turn out alright. Anyone. Just someone who will be my friend.