The Seven, and their Wealth.

XIX - Joburg By The Dam Festival (1).

It was a leisurely Friday afternoon, and for Kiara, it was a yet a regular one. After spending a brief time on campus, she was shuttled over to Sandton City, where regular shopping sprees would take place. It consisted of an arduous (for the chauffeur, that is) and a methodical trip around the luxurious shopping centre, visiting a select group of stores for her upscale wardrobe.

It was a vast collection.

So vast that Kiara had it divided into several categories, all organized for the different seasons they would be optimum to be worn in. There was campus clothing, consisting of a diverse mix of branded track wear and enviable dresses that weren't found just anywhere. Home apparel consisted largely of black, breathable clothing items. The sleepwear varies from Italian silk gowns to Chinese cotton pyjamas. The real jewel in the crown, however, was the section of clothes that had all the branded limited-edition clothing, aptly titled Limited Edition.

The housemaids aided Kiara in bringing up the Jimmy Choo, Burberry, and Michael Kors – among others – shopping bags and placing them on an island in Kiara's vast walk-in closet.

She was going to have a blast organizing them all, as was customary. She seldom allowed anyone else to touch what was hers, fearing that they might be damaged. Not even her mother was allowed to touch her without her permission. Given Kiara's impressive eye for fashion, it did go without saying that Fhulufelo was sometimes playfully envious of how her daughter's selection of outfits would outshine hers.

Kiara had begun the ritual of unboxing her gifts by first eyeing the vintage check, block-heel ankle boots for Burberry and addition she was deeply excited to wear, and right before she continued. She was interrupted by her vibrating phone on the island.

It was Sasha.

'Hey Miss K,' she cheerfully greeted. Nothing made Kiara happier than reviewing the clothes she bought. 'Is everything good?'

'Where are you?' Sash asked, not so enthusiastically.

'Uh, at home. Why?'

'You were supposed to be here thirty minutes ago, Miriam and I have been waiting.'

Kiara was puzzled, as she wrapped the silk scarf around her neck and admired how dapper she looked in the nearby full-length mirror.

'Waiting? Where are you guys waiting?'

'Don't tell me you forgot. What's the excuse this time?'

Kiara chuckled, oblivious to how serious Sasha was being.

'Late for what friend?'

'Tonight is festival night, and you promised you would show up this time around.'

Kiara grimaced, as the memory of her promising Sasha and Miriam to come to the Joburg by the Dam Festival seeped in. It most certainly was no secret that Kiara did not spend that much time with her friends. While they did tend to kill time together, it was not always the case because she found joy in doing other things – things that she feared would be the reason why Sasha and Miriam would not want to be friends anymore.

It was a friendship founded on lies. The girls knew that Kiara was endowed, but they did not have the full picture. Kiara often was picked up and dropped off in the most inconspicuous spots to avoid coming into contact with her friends. They did not know Kiara's real identity, and she was the heir to the Harding Mining fortune. They did not know where Kiara lived.

To them, Kiara Octavia Harding was just Kiara Nomthandazo Zungu – the girl from Centurion.

'Oh, was that tonight?'

'Nomthandazo Zungu, if you know what's good for you. You will get dressed and uber yourself down here. There is no way you are skipping out on this, not after you promised.'