CHAPTER 1
Business
I was raised by a well respected family known here in Sariaya, the daughter of the Francisco and Angelica Tecson who owned one of the  best beach hotels and the largest farm in Sariaya, ang pamumuhay sa probinsyang ito ay malayong malayo sa ibang normal na kabataang gaya ko o tanging ako lang ang ganon.
I was just 11 when they started to stop me from everything, no friends, no toys, and whatever I want, I was just 11 when they start explaining things I don't want. They always talk about business and start teaching me about it. 
The other kids are waking up to watch their favorite cartoon in the morning while I have to wake up to catch up with my schedule. Everyday is like a hell day for me. Business issues are everywhere, papers are my toys, I dont even have someone to talk about my day.
I looked at the mirror as it reflected the beauty of my face, from my chinky eyes, pointed nose and a bright pink lips, the shape of my face is just like my mother, a round one, I have a fair skin that makes me stunned out whenever I go out for a dip in our beach.
"Don't you like your face?" my mother asked me one time when she caught me seriously staring at my face it looks like I'm memorizing each part of it.
Honestly speaking, I love it, I love every inch of it, I love how it looks perfectly fit my body but I'm just looking at the mirror because it's reflecting me, it's like I'm seing my other self, the one that is not existing and barely breathing, the one who's free to do whatever she wanted to do.
"Nothing." i shook my face and put a smile in my lips.
I just look at her one more time and started to walk away, I'm planning to take a dip now since the sun is ready for the sunset, I always love watching the sunset, the way how it fully ended so the darkness will start to take over after the bright yet beautiful in the eyes sunset.
"Don't forget the party later, comeback before 7." alam kong may iba pa siyang sasabihin pero inunahan ko na siya. Sa ilang taon kong pagsasanay para maging isa sa kanila, masasabi kong alam ko na lahat ng pasikot sikot. I'm now 15 and yet I still do not have the freedom I want.
Maybe in my 16th I will, they will give it, hopefully.
In a life being a Tecson is so lucky for them, imagine having a nice home, money, and other luxuries everyone dreamed for but here I am, slowly taking insecure of them, a happy family and the freedom they have.
As I look the clean blue ocean of Sariaya, I am always attracted by the beauty of it not just the beauty but it feels like the ashes of the dead, they happily died that they wished to be thrown here, maybe they are aware of their own death that's why they wished to  here. 
Being one with the ocean feels like I am one of the fishes, fishes that has only limits where to swim, if they go beyond their limitation they would die and if swim with the fishermen they will get caught.
After minutes of taking a dip I just look at the wide ocean in front of me, my body was under the warm ocean covering me to the cold wind blowing around, what a beautiful way to say that it is the end of the day. I don't know if it is really an coincidence or my mother told everyone to not take a swim everytime I will have a dip because everytime I go here  the people are starting to pack their things and leave me. It hurts me everytime, It's like I don't have the right to socialize and meet anyone.
But tonight feels like something new, I can feel someone staring from afar. I look around and found a man intently watching me. His hair is swaying with the wind, I can't clearly see his face. He was just standing there like he own the whole beach, minutes had passed with us two staring at each other until he was the first one to decide to turn around and leave me.
Para akong nahihilo sa mga tingin niya mula sa malayo kahit na hindi ko mamukhaan kung sino siya. Muli akong lumingon sa malawak na dagat. He is the only one who had he guts to stay even for a short time with me. I am somehow happy with what happened. 
I decided to go back home when I don't see any trace of the sunset, the moon and the stars lightened my way to home, our mansion is not far, 10 mins from here when you're taking the road, I still don't know how far it could be when I just walk. I wanted to try but I guess I could not.
The driver was waiting me in front of the entrance of the beach, I adjust my sight and I saw a maid holding a towel for me, we started to walk to the car and as soon as I sit there my secretary started to show me the details of the party.
"Sino sino ang malalaking tao ang naroon?"  I asked, this is normal question for me, this is how they trained me to be. To know every status of each person and know  who I will be talking to, I don't think having a secretary for a 15 years old is a necessary.
She started to mention the surnames of every person who have the name in the same industry with us. When we got home, my father is already in his suit, I walk to him, how attractive a middle aged man my father is, I just can't wait to see mom wearing her gown, surely the both of them would look an elegant couple who will caught everyone's attention.
I am not mad to my parents given the fact that how they treating me but still my father is secretely spoiling me with everything that I want kahit hindi ko hinihingi binibigay niya, I am so thankful for that and that thing alone can cope up with the reasons I have to leave them.
I entered my crowded room, it's already 6:30, still early for me but it's better, I only spend one hour on each parties I go to, I walk to the bathroom and have my bath, I only took 20 minutes there, I only put my underwears and a bathrobe when I sat down for my hair and make up, I'm already used to this, someone putting attention to me when clearly I can do it for myself.
"Your face looks stunning even without make up." I just smiled at her in the mirror, I was just looking at my reflection the whole time they are doing things with my face.
Minutes passsed by and they are still bsy fixing my hair and make up.  Nais ng bibig kong magsalita at magtanong ng mga kung ano anong bagay na noon pa ay gusto ko nang malaman ngunit sadyang nasanay na siguro talaga sa paraan ng pamumuhay na tinuro nila.
"Is my mother ready?" I asked, usually she goes here to see if everything is okay but I did not feel any trace of her existence in my room. My hair is already done, it is in a messy bun that looks elegantly together with the crystals and pearls. A little bit touches for my make up and I'm done but my mother is still not checking up with me.
I realized how stupid I am, I want freedom but still looking for my parents presence everytime. Well it is not bad, I am just a caring daughter, well maybe?
"I am here, you really look like me,huh?" I smiled and look at our reflection, she aged a bit but it is not visible in her face, she looks young for her age, I wonder how would look like if I  am in her age, I wish I would look the same like her. My only difference with mom is our nose and skin, I have the pointed nose of dad while she have the small but proud nose, she looks paper white while I am just fair. Her hair is curly in the end while mine is  straight.
I smiled at our reflection before I turn around to wear my gown. I entered my walk in closet and wear the silver long gown, it really looks stunning and perfectly fit in me, my body is already kind of mature compared to the other's at my age, the gown hugged my body sexily than I expected. I partnered it with a silver stilletoes, I look older than my age, maybe 18? Who would thought I am just 15 when I already know about business.
Lumabas ako at muling hinarap sila, I look at them with no emotion. We walk out of the room, they are carefully guiding my every steps. This is the life of a princess, a life with so much attention with her every steps. People guiding her around and people waiting for her call.
My mother discussed me what is the party all about. It is a 50th anniversary of one of our partner in the hotel and lots of investors and business man from high end companies are coming, we or I must be careful and wear the face of an business and well respected woman.
We're already in the party, nilibot ko ng paningin ang bawat sulok ng mata ko pero  wala ni isa na gaya ko nag iisang anak ng mga kilalang tao pero hindi masaya. I saw teenagers but they are a bit older than me and  they're in one group and wear their best smiles, in years spending time learning about business and the people connected to it, I know what is fake and not, maybe I am the only one who's not happy here, they have wine in their hand and probably they really knew each other and get along well unlike me.
Alam ko na ang gagawin ko, uupo lang ako rito hihintaying tawagin ng mga magulang at ipakilala kung kanino. There's a time na naririnig ko na lang sila na pinagpaplanuhan ang isang kasal, maaaring kasal ko pero hindi na ako umiimik hangga't hindi nila sa akin sinasabi ng harapan but that's what I expected, am I ready for it?
"This is my daughter, Selene. Our unica hija." Pagpapakilala sa akin ni daddy sa isang may katandaang lalaki, he's the owner of the dairy products near our farm if I am not mistaken.
"Selene Rhia Tecson, Sir. You're the owner of the Masda Dairies?" I asked shaking hands with him. I am wearing the smile of the business woman they taught me of.
"Yes, Hija, I never expected a young aged girl like you know how to socialize like your parents." It is a compliment but somehow I feel unhappy with that. People is insecure of my knowledge about business while I am busy crying because of it. I never wished to be like this, I nver dreamed to be like this. 
"It is not that hard to know some details about it po." I proudly replied, they all laugh with that, this is how my world works. Socializing only with the labeled names, I can not laugh with people below my status.
Ilan pang mga tao ang nakilala ko, I even closed a deal without the papers just because of my appearance, they thought I am that interested with our business, they thought I will be the key for more succession of my family. They thought I am better than their children.
Sa huling taong kinilala ko sa gabing iyon, hindi ko alam na iyon na pala ang simula ng pag iiba ng tungo ko sa magulang ako. Ang pagpa plano ng kasal para lang sa kapakanan ng negosyo, buhay ko kapalit ng pera at pagkakilala. I expected this situation everytime but I did not expect it will really happen.