Chapter 7: The Gift Box

Years had passed and Samantha was now in high school. Albert who skipped a couple of years was graduating at the age of fourteen while Samantha was in her freshmen year.

The same with Andrea and also the rest of Albert's friends, they continued their schooling in Georgetown. Vanessa who bullied Samantha in their primary years also studied in the same school. She was as arrogant as ever. Samantha on the other hand was as meek and as lowly as she was on her first day in Georgetown.

"Hey, Sam! Have you heard the news? There will be a modeling agency that will visit our school next week. They are going to choose some students to be part-time models for a teenage magazine. I would like to join but I am sure my parents won't allow me!" Andrea spoke in a lengthy manner.

"Why won't they allow you?" Samantha narrowed her eyes at the book she was reading. She flipped the page and stared at her.

"Girl! A daughter of a captain joining some photoshoots for a magazine? A big no! I would be exposed. You know pretty well that my dad started hiding me from the media last year!" Andrea twitched. She also crossed her hands over her chest.

They were sitting on the bench under the pine trees waiting for their first period in the afternoon. They had just finished their lunch at that time.

"Yup! I think your father has a point. He just thinks of your safety!" Samantha nodded.

"I will be like an undercover agent from now on!" Andrea sighed feeling frustrated.

Since the shooting incident happened in her father's camp last year, Andrea's family became vigilant. She now went to school with ten bodyguards operating incognito.

"Sam, two o'clock. B*tches are approaching!" when Andrea whispered and glanced at Vanessa and her friends.

They were striding in big steps with chins up and chests out like they owned the land.

"Hey, servant! I'm joining the photoshoot!" Vanessa lordly uttered as she pushed Samantha's shoulder.

"What is your problem? So what if you are joining that st*pid photoshoot?" Andrea exclaimed as she rose from her seat right away.

"I'm not talking to you, Andrea. Do not meddle!" Vanessa arrogantly glared at Andrea which made her raise her eyebrow.

"Then leave her alone! If not you will regret it!" Andrea stressed out in a whisper as she moved her body closer.

Vanessa stepped back but her face was firm showing haughtiness like a boorish princess.

"Alright! I won't say it. But somebody will tell you soon!" Vanessa sneered.

"Let's go, girls!" she then turned around.

Celine and Sylvia followed with a curved smirk.

"Those b*tches, seriously! They don't end the day without pestering you. What do they want this time?" Andrea sat beside her as she fixed her skirt.

"Andrea! I feel like I don't want to attend our next class anymore!" Samantha felt she had lost interest in attending the last three-period classes because of Vanessa.

"So, do you want to skip classes today?" Andrea flickered her eyebrows agreeing to whatever was in her thoughts.

"Sort of!" Samatha showed a sheepish smile.

"You go, girl! Come on! Let's get our things in the classroom first!" she almost dragged Samantha going back to their classroom only to see that her school stuff was scattered on the floor.

She hastily ran and picked them one by one. Andrea also squatted and helped her. When they're finished, Andrea glared at their classmates who were laughing at her almost worn-out bag and cheap notebooks.

"Who did this?" in a flaring tone, she asked them.

They pretended they didn't hear her and started keeping themselves busy. When Andrea stared at Samantha, she was looking down and some tears dropped on her old sneakers.

"Let's get out of here!" Andrea took her bag and dragged Samantha out of the classroom.

"Andrea, where are we going?" they were striding in big steps. Samantha was almost running as Andrea's grip was really tight.

"We're buying you some new stuff, okay. Do not say, No!" Andrea gazed at her when she was about to refuse. Samantha pursed her lips at once.

"Those d*mn good for nothing b*tches. Who are they to treat you and your things like that? Just because they were born with silver spoons in their filthy mouths, they can already bully you? And on daily basis huh!"

Andrea was fuming in anger as she kept on dragging Samantha going to the parking lot.

Little did they know that Albert and his friends were watching them at the corner and they heard everything Andrea had said.

"I think something happened to her again!" Eddie shook his head with annoyance.

"What did they do with her this time? Since she came to Georgetown, she never had a peaceful day at school!" Chester seconded while his hand was hanging on Albert's shoulder.

Albert was also enraged with what happened to her but he kept his cool. He called Andy instead.

"I want you to do something!" he ordered in a lordly manner.

Andrea's family's car stopped in Cols Shopping Mall. Samantha was adamant to get out for this was her first time stepping into a shopping center.

She was one of the Michaels' servants but her mom never allowed her to go with her every time she went to buy some groceries.

"Wow! So elegant!" she gaped her starving eyes at the magnificent decorations attached to every wall and every store.

"Come on, Sam. Rick needs to park the car in the basement!" Andrea nudged her elbow. She had no choice but to get out of the car and go with Andrea inside.

"Andrea, this is my first time going to the shopping mall!"

Samantha whispered while holding the hem of her blouse.

"Don't worry! We are going to have fun today. First, let's buy you a bag!" Andrea took her to the branded school backpacks displayed on the glass wall.

She gasped in shock when she saw the price of every bag. Holding Andrea's hand, she beseeched her friend not to buy any for she couldn't afford the price.

That was already her mom's three months salary.

"No! No! I will pick one for you!" Andrea sternly uttered.

"But!"

"No buts, okay! Just let me do the shopping!" as Andrea took a simple but elegant pale pink branded backpack with a free shoe bag and clutch bag with a strap, Samantha bit her lower lip.

"Such an expensive bag!" she commented inwardly thinking it was a waste to spend a huge amount for just a bag.

After the bag, they also went to the shoe section and stationery shop. Andrea bought everything Samantha needed including a new set of uniforms.

"We still have time for some makeover!" Andrea smiled.

"Makeover?" Samantha repeated.

At first, she had no idea what Andrea told her but when they were entering a beauty salon, she finally grasped the idea.

They brought Samantha into the mansion with lots of shopping bags in her hands. When she arrived in the servants' quarter, her mom, Fe was flabbergasted.

"Sam, did you dye your hair?" her mother asked when she saw her with wine color highlights.

"Ahm a little!" Samantha shyly replied.

"What are these? Who bought these?" she scanned all of the stuff inside of the shopping bags one by one.

"My friend, Andrea bought all of these, mom!" Samantha smilingly uttered.

"Did I not tell you not to receive gifts from anyone, especially from the wealthy people?" she scolded her daughter at once.

"I refused but she insisted!" she twitched her lips.

Fe was about to say more when Andy knocked on their room.

"Good evening, Fe. Sam, where did you go a while ago? We were waiting for you in the parking lot!"

"Andrea brought me home, Uncle!" Samantha politely replied.

"Andy, what's that in your hand?" Fe asked when she saw the big gift box he was holding.

"These are for Sam. Young Master told me to buy them for her!"

He put the box on the table and smiled at the two stunned people.

"Gotta go!"

When Andy left, Fe opened the box and she almost fainted when she saw what was inside.

"Mom, what are they?" she anxiously asked.

"Here! See them for yourself!" she moved the box closer to her side.

Samantha's eyes went wide as her mouth hung open.

"Sam, what have you done?" Fe asked her still dumbstruck daughter.