Chapter 1: Odd Mysteries Necklace  

Are you tired of being chained into school and house, house, and school routine? Being unable to do the fun things girls your age do, hang out with friends, clubbing, and partying. Are you always dreaming every night that you will wake up with no more stressing thoughts of going to school and preparing school materials? Being tired and impatient at the same time hoping days will come where you can have all the time for yourself. Well, I feel you. I to have the thoughts about giving up this tiring and boring life but hey! We must have been born for a reason right. One of these days we can have the time we needed badly, all for ourselves.

By the way, you all can call me Rianne Carpolya pronounced as Ray Anne. Friends call me Riri pronounced by them as Rayre. I have this long wavy black hair that is longer until to my buttock and I am sure that I inherited it from my mother. I have brownish eyes that I have taken after my father, reddish lips, and fair skin that usually look suntanned due to helping my father on the farm. A typical NBSB (No Boyfriend Since Birth) girl that the people around her call fat and ugly. Well, it sucks to be me right. Anyways it’s already college graduation season so it's time of the year to get so busy preparing.

“Gosh! I’m tired. It’s time to find a place to rest, right Riri?” Sandra Vadezco my friend for 2 years now said, we sort of meet on one of the most boring subjects of our course.

Sandra is the same age as me 21 of age, she has this black shoulder light straight hair, black eyes, pinkish lips and she is fit and sexy. When we are together people always say that we are like the number 10. Wherein 1 as Sandra who is fit and sexy.... while I am the number 0 since I am fat and not so pretty. We just laugh it off and never give a big deal out of it even if it is hurtful sometimes.

“Hmnnnn as far as I can see crowds of costumers are flocking everywhere. Where do you suggest we can rest?” I ask her as we look around the place hoping to find an empty bench or a stall with seats.

“Let’s try downstairs, hopefully, we can find an empty place to rest.” Sandra said as I follow behind her, we head towards the escalator hoping to find a place to sit and rest our tired feet.

We both are graduating students of Saint Bernard University so, like the others, we are also having our graduation shopping here in SM mall but unfortunately since its graduation season families are also in a rush shopping due to this mall’s graduation season sale Bazar.

“Gosh, why are there too many people in this mall!” I said and Sandra nod.

I sigh as we came into the underground floor of the mall where the escalator is not functioning and there are only four stalls on it. A CD store with fewer customers inside, a lotto stands, an under renovation Western Union Bank and an antique shop that is wider and looking so clean and cool inside. Odd, I didn’t know that the mall has such stalls on this underground floor. Well, we never came into this part before so I can’t recall seeing this floor at all.

“What do you think about that antique shop?” Sandra asks as we look at the stall.

Seeing that empty customer waiting area and the seemingly cool temperature of the inside I look at my friend and then nod.

“Looks refreshing inside, right? I wonder why there are fewer people on this floor.”  I said as I look around the place.

We are both holding our heavy shopping bags in our hands firmly and we walk towards the empty antique shop, William’s Antique Shop. The sign says and we casually push the glass door as we silently enter the store. We see no customer in, a storekeeper is not in either but we just head towards the waiting area with this wide sofa nonetheless. The cool ambiance of the place made me sigh in relief.

“We can’t just sit here without buying anything. I don’t think the storekeeper will be happy seeing us just logging around here without purchasing anything. That will be so improper; don’t you think so to Sandra? Wait for me here and I’ll look around just a little bit then we can interchange later on. I will rest later while you will also look around. We don’t know you might see something you will like in this place. After all, it seems like almost all the fast-food chains here are full. I doubt that we can find an empty table right now.” I said as I look at Sandra who looks at her wristwatch then take a deep breath.

“I guess you are right. We can return upstairs by 1 pm or so, for now, we should rest for a little while mean…… these bags are freaking heavy. It made me wonder if we bought some rocks. And not to mention… people are pushing everywhere and I know you hate being in crowds like me. Go on and leave your shopping bags here. I’ll exchange with you later on.” Sandra said as she sits on the sofa she constantly fans herself with her hand.

“Alright, hope we can buy everything we will need this day so that we can focus on next week. Practice is next week and I know our professors will make it our top priority. I bet everyone is looking for a way to lessen graduation stress, I mean preparations are way too hassle and expenses are way too high. Ooh scary, you will be fine here right? I’ll come to see you later on.” I said as I laid my shopping bags on the floor beside her.

“Gotcha!”  Sandra answers as she smiles at me then she fixes the shopping bags on her side.

I look around the sections of the antique shop until I came to the Clothes Section. I see a lovely leather jacket thinking about my brother I smile and take it. As I continue browsing I came into the Jewelry Section still thinking of my awesome brothers. I have 4 cool and loving brothers, not to brag but they are also awesome and caring. First is Vinze who is a doctor and he is 29 of age, second is Roven a 27 years old computer expert… shhhh this is a secret but he calls himself a hacker and many companies are after him, third there is my 25 years old brother Aaron a singer of a famous band named The Hackers and he is the only one with a girlfriend among my brothers, then lastly there is Charles a 24 years old hotel owner. Being the last and the only girl among my brothers they treated me like their princess, it is so embarrassing sometimes when they call me Princess in front of people.

“Hmnnn I wonder what my brother Roven is up to this day? He said he has something to do in a company that has been attacked by a computer virus.” I sigh as I think of how my brother helps that company.

My bank account actually is always full of money they secretly put in it. I always argue this to them since dad gives me weekly allowances in cash. Not to mention my allowance send by my loving mom back in England is also directed into my account. I mean, how I am going to use such an amount of money when I am not like any other girl who spends money on anything like shopping, clubbing, and partying.

“I wonder… how is mom doing back in England? It’s such a pity she won’t make it to my graduation day. It turns out that she has a mission in Egypt, I think.” I said with a sigh and feeling of sadness followed by longing towards my mom whom I rarely see because of her work.

Oh before I forget.... not to brag but my mom is an archaeologist in England and a part-time professor in a university there, cool right. Her name is Rosalyn Carpolya; I think I inherited my sense of adventure and thriftiness from her. My dad is also an amazing dad he is a landowner back in our province. At first, he was just a simple hardworking farmer but through hard work from all of them, dad now manages a wide land with some trusted workers.  My dad’s name is Vencent Carpolya. Actually, only Sandra and a few of my trusted friends know my family background, sad to say I am an antisocial person so I don’t mingle with others unless they are interested to talk to me. I don’t particularly go around telling everyone about my family background.

“It’s a relief dad is always here for us but… being surrounded by just boys makes me a little bit lonely. It will be cool having mom here to help me with my clothes and staff. Well, let’s just suck it up at least my Brother Aaron’s girlfriend Suvana is here to help me.” I said trying to cheer myself; days like this without mom are really frustrating.

I look into this lovely golden earring and thinking it will match my dress I take it and walk to the counter to pay. There is no storekeeper or cashier there so I ring the bell then wait as I constantly look around. My attention got caught by the displays on top of the glass counter. To that lovely necklace that has 5 different stones. The pendant is diamond-shaped gold. Each corner has a stone. On top is a green one, the second on the right is brown, below is red, on the left side is blue, and then the center is a big diamond that is glimmering. I step back when it suddenly vibrates then glow really bright, I ended covering my eyes as something appears before my eyes. There is this tiny creature with a lovely wing flying before my eyes smiling.

“What- What the.......” I utter in disbelief as the creature waves at me.

“Hi.” She said and I step back in surprise.

Then everything returns to normal, I look around to see Sandra but it seems like nothing happened since she is still fanning herself. That light and that little creature we people call fairies? Did that really happen or is it my imagination? I immediately shake my head as if by doing so I can clear my thoughts. I look again at the necklace that is so pretty.

“Probably- probably just my imagination, this is not really happening. My emotions must be playing tricks on me.” I sigh as I look at that tempting necklace as if it is begging me to take it.

I start to touch the pendant but upon contact with my fingertip, I feel this sudden electricity that runs through my whole body. Still shock, I look at the necklace LIKE WHAT ON EARTH IS GOING ON?