Chapter 1: Size 9

I tried to open my eyes, but they won’t cooperate. I slept late last night because I was too excited for today. The loud ringtone of my phone filled my ears, and it made me get out of bed. Still, with my eyes closed, I reached it even though I don’t know where exactly it is.

The call suddenly ended. I thought of going back to bed, but it rang again.

“What do you want?” I said to whoever is trying to ruin my day.

I heard a chuckle from the other line.

“Still in your pajamas? Maybe you want to consider getting ready?”

I glanced at the wall clock of my room and saw that’s it just seven in the morning.

“I might want to go back to bed, Rueben,” I answered.

“You can but-”

“Hello?”

I gave up as soon as I heard Sara’s voice.

“Jael, do you know what time it is? Get up now and get ready! We have a lot of things to buy at the mall. We should be home before dinner,” she stopped for a while as if she said something wrong. “No. We should be home before preparing for dinner.”

I let out a sigh and ended the call.

Seems like my siblings are way more excited than me.

I have no choice but to leave my precious bed. Before taking a bath, I went to my Youtube channel and saw that I already surpassed 98,000 subscribers. I’m not sure if this will reach a hundred thousand before the day ends, but my family is claiming it already.

I left my room and asked one of our maids where is everybody.

“Sir Rueben and Ma’am Sara are already at the clubhouse,” she answered me politely.

“Okay. What about my parents?”

“They’re-”

My attention was caught because my mother surprisingly came out of their room and shut the door behind her really loud.

“Mom,” I called her with an amused look.

She was surprised to see me. My eyes landed on the envelope she was holding, and she immediately put it behind her.

“Where are you going? I thought you have no plans for today?”

We’re supposed to celebrate my achievement tonight, but she’s all dressed up.

The door opened and closed again, and this time, it was my father.

“You’re going, too?”

With half mouth opened, he walked towards us and get the envelope from Mom.

“Are you headed to the clubhouse?” He asked.

I nodded and can’t take off my eyes from what he’s holding.

“Your mother and I will be back before dinner,” he said with a smile.

I wanted to ask why and where they are going, but I think they’re having a fight based on my mother’s look.

“You promise?” I asked for assurance instead.

“Of course, love. We won’t miss this,” and he planted a kiss on my forehead.

My mother left first. She ignored me and went downstairs in a swift.

“She’s just not in the mood. Don’t worry,” Daddy said like he’s sure of it.

I headed to the clubhouse even though the scene earlier won’t leave my mind. As expected, my cousins are in complete attendance except for the kids, of course.

“Advance congratulations!” David welcomed me with a kiss on the cheek.

“Stop. I condemn you for saying that,” I said while pointing at him.

“Woah!”

“I should not let you spend time with my brother anymore. You’re starting to be like a walking dictionary,” Aaron put his right arm around my shoulders.

“Okay, let’s go! No time to waste!” Sara led everybody to the car.

We decided to form groups and split up so we could go home early and prepare.

“The boys will be assigned to choose the menu for our dinner later. Hana and I will buy the decorations. Abigail will buy the gifts-“

“Gifts? There are gifts?” I asked excitedly.

“Of course,” Rueben said.

“Aw!”

“And you, Ms. Elizabeth Jael Valmonte,” my sister pointed at me. “Can do whatever you want except coming with us.”

“So why did you even bother waking me up?” I frowned.

“Because we have to make sure that you’ll leave your bed and live like everyone else, Jael.”

All of them laughed at Abigail’s sarcasm.

What’s wrong with sleeping? I love my bed.

I saw them disappear before my eyes. My brother looked back at me once again and gave me a sign that he’ll call me.

I ignored him because he always does that.

So where can I go while I wait for them?

I decided to enter the department store. If it’s true that I’ll reach a hundred thousand subscribers before this day ends, it won’t hurt if I get myself something as a gift. But what could I give to myself? What could I possibly want at the moment?

I went to the bags section and browse the designs. Maybe I can buy a new one for the upcoming school year, right?

I chose the Logo Print ECONYL Backpack of Burberry in Dark Birch Brown. Then I proceeded to the shoe section afterward.

“Are these the only designs available?” I asked someone to accompany me.

“Here in the department store, Ma’am, yes. But if you want, we have a physical store on the ground floor. I’m sure you can choose something from our variety of designs. The limited-edition ones are also there.”

“Okay, thank you.”

I bit my lower lip as I walked away from the lady.

I entered the store and immediately wander my eyes. What should I choose between sneakers, flats, or heels?

Should I buy heels? I don’t have one yet.

“What specific color and design do you want, Ma’am?” Someone went to me.

I smiled. “None. As long as it caught my attention, I’ll buy it.”

She understood what I meant, so she stayed behind me the whole time while I was looking at the shoes. They are all beautiful, and they look sophisticated. But they lack something. They lack impact.

“What’s that?”

I went to the pair of heels displayed in the middle of the store. It has lights surrounding it.

It's gorgeous. It has structured heels in antique gold-toned metal that says "YSL." The color's black, but it's terrific.

“Do you want to try it on, Ma’am? It’s the latest piece from our collection,” she said to me. It’s the same lady earlier, but some of her colleagues surrounded me, too, when they saw that I was interested in this.

“Size 9, please.”

I looked around the store as I wait for her and my heels. I noticed a guy entered, and he went straight to the same pair of heels I just adored.

“I want a size 9 of this,” I heard him say, too.