Flying Without Wings (Del Gallego Series #1)

Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Guerrero

The way my gaze fixed on my reflection, it was as if the world I'd seen was someone else. I saw there a woman who's staring back at me for so long... but her eyes tell me that she's sad... and silently suffering.

I unconsciously touched my necklace. My fingers slowly run through its features. The yellow, internally flawless diamond from a rose gold setting glimmered. It was stunning, especially the gold splendid details.

A piece of jewelry that epitomizes beauty and elegance, exactly like everyone expects me to.

I looked at the reflection again and let out a sigh.

"Do you really think I'll fit in, Zavia?" nag-aalinlangan kong tanong sa aking pinsan.

I can see her rolling eyes in the mirror, which I'm used to, before she stood up. She walked with grace toward where I was seated. She rested her hand on top of my right shoulder and heaved a sigh.

"Athena, mi prima, sino ba ang magandang gaya mo ang hindi mag babagay sa ganoong klase ng okasyon?" She shook her head in disbelief.

Napanguso na lamang ako dahil tila hindi naman iyon totoo.

"Dios mio! Isa kang Herrera, Athena! And everyone knows that Herrera always reigns at the center of the crowd!" she proudly uttered as she looked at me in the rococo mirror.

Hindi ako kumibo sa sinabi niya.

Tinitigan ko lamang ang aking magandang pinsan sa repleksyon nito sa salamin. Seryoso niya iyong binitawan, tila walang bahid ng pag-aalinlangan.

Zavia is a fine woman with a great figure and eye-catching smile. I admit, my cousin is screaming classiness, like what my Mama itches for me. Mas lalo pa siyang gumanda sa suot niyang pink corset cowl satin gown na nagpapakita ng kanyang perpektong kurba sa katawan.

She was born to be in this kind of life, meanwhile, I'm her antithesis.

I don't like the crowd, to begin with.

I just felt how suffocating it was to be in this place. When every time there are eyes lingering in my direction, it's like, I need to watch every action that I need to take.

I'm not into it.

My family are prominent in keeping the public's interest and attention ever since before. Ngunit hindi pa rin ako sanay. Hindi ko pa rin makita ang sarili kong namumuhay sa ganitong uri ng karangyaan.

Perhaps, the reason why I'm feeling this is because of how I was raised.

I honestly don't know why my parents have chosen me to live in an isolated place—one of the uncountable properties of Herrera. It's an island in the Visayas region. I was taught through homeschooling and nurtured in a very strict environment.

Hindi ako kagaya ng ibang ordinaryong estudyante at dalaga na may kalayaang pumili ng kanilang gusto. Nakasanayan ko na kaseng sila ang pumipili ng mga bagay na dapat para sa akin at dapat nilang makita sa akin. Kagaya ng pag-pili ng mga eskwelahang pinasukan ko. I finished high school last month and now my parents want me to study in Barcelona. It is where all my cousins and brothers grew up to.

Nakakainggit.

Ngunit isinasarili ko na lamang iyon dahil wala naman akong magagawa.

Life is like being alone for me. It was how I perceived it, but I don't know how it pertains to other people like Zavia. Siguro kahit gaano karami ang taong nakapaligid sa atin, iilan lang ang tunay na nagpapahalaga sa ating presensya. Minsan, gaya sa buhay kong ito, hindi ako sigurado kung meron nga ba.