The Shining Glory of the Queen

Chapter 1

"If you don't qualify in my standards, then you don't qualify for the world"

- Arissa Castillo's motto

"Is this really a pancake?" I ask while arching my brow on the dish they served.

"Yes, ma'am," bulong ni Kim, yung pinaka bagong katulong namin dito sa bahay.

"Eh bakit ka bumubulong? May halimaw bang kakain sa'yo kung sumagot ka ng maayos yung tono?" sabi ko nang natatawa.

"Ah—eh, sorry po Ma'am," sabi niyang nauutal. Ayaw na ayaw ko yung mga taong nauutal sa harap ko. My god!

"Ugh, umalis ka na nga. Bumalik ka na do'n sa kusina," sabi ko habang tinataboy ko siya gamit yung kamay ko.

"You really should be nicer to people, Ris." biglang sulpot ni kuya Drake sa likod ko.

He was topless and he's wearing grey jogging pants. Not that I'm ogling my brother pero let me tell you, he's the hottest pilot on the job. Kita yung V-line niya kasi low waist lang yung pants. Not to mention, tanned din yung katawan niya at madalas siyang mag-work out.

Imbis na siya yung manligaw sa girls, yung girls na yung nanliligaw sa kanya. Inaakyat nila yung gates namin. It's kind of annoying, but still, it's pretty amusing.

"Saan ba 'ko dadalhin ng kabaitan na 'yan?" sabi ko naman before cutting the heart-shaped pancake in the middle. "Magiging famous ako? Gagawan ba nila ako ng rebulto sa tabi ng Malacañang?"

"Gusto mo gawan ka namin? Kaya naman, Ris," sabi niya sabay tawa. Tinignan niya kung paano ko pinang-iinitan yung pagkain ko. "At tantanan mo na nga 'yang pancake, konti na lang, pati yung plato masisira na eh."

"Hindi naman sana ako ganito kung nanahimik ka na lang nung dumating kang kupal ka," I said before eating a bite-sized pancake na tinusok ko sa fork ko.

"Alam mo, makakahanap ka din ng katapat mo diyan sa kamalditahan sa kokote mo," derederetso niyang pagsasalita.

Pag talaga ako, hindi nakapagtimpi, isasaksak ko 'tong kutsilyo sa hita niya. 'Di ako nagbibiro, huwag niya 'kong simulan ngayon, galit ako sa mundo.

"Hoy! Nakikinig ka ba, Ris?" sigaw ni kuya.

"Hindi. 'Di ba obvious? Ang bobo mo naman," sabi ko before drinking my orange juice.

"Maldita ka na talagang hinayupak ka, ang sarap mong—"

"Ang sarap ko? You wouldn't know. 'Di naman ako mahilig sa incest," pagtigil ko sa pananalita niya.

"Arissa Jae Castillo!" sigaw ni Mama habang papasok sa dining room.

"What? He started it!" sabi ko sabay turo kay kuya Drake bago huminga ng malalim. "I'm going to the office, wala na 'kong ganang kumain."

Lumapit sa'kin si Mama tapos hinawakan niya yung dalawang kamay ko. "'Di ka naman gan'to dati ah. I raised you to be better than this. This isn't who you are."

Nanlulumo yung mata niya na parang naiiyak na siya. She'd always look at me like that if nag-aattitude ako dito sa bahay. It's almost as if she was pleading about something. Anyway, despite that fact, my expression was unmoving. My eyes stay cold while I continue to stare at her upset demeanor.

"Then who am I, Mom? If you think that this isn't me, maybe you don't really know me," sabi ko before stepping out of the dining room and finally leaving the house.

Sumakay ako sa Toyota F1 na pinark na ng valet namin sa harap ng bahay. I don't have my own chauffeur kasi I know how to drive na. It's not like I can't live on my own, di'ba?