Chapter 2: The Place Where It All Began
"Hi Lori! Look at you. You have become a grown lady now! As I expected, you are pretty like your granny," the man beamed with a bright smile.
Lori was her nickname!
'Wait! This voice…'
Loreen gazed at him much closely. Though he was dressed well and looked neat, much of his hair had turned gray and there were wrinkles here and there.
His appearance had changed quite a lot over the years due to aging, but he was indeed someone she knew. He looked as kind and gentle as he was in the past.
"I knew it! Uncle Chester it's you!" she gasped and covered her mouth as she finally recognized him.
Uncle Chester was her late grandfather's best friend, and Sera's driver since they were little.
"How are you, Uncle? I have not heard from you for more than 10 years! Sorry, I was not able to recognize you quickly. My mind is occupied with a lot of things."
Loreen apologized quickly. Uncle Chester had always been kind to her. It was rude of her not to recognize him immediately.
"It's okay," Uncle Chester smiled. "Anyway, we must go. Let's continue our talk in the car. The Young Miss is surely waiting for you."
Loreen was delighted to have met their Uncle Chester once again after so long.
They had a quick catch up about his family and their stay in Australia.
She learned that all his children had successfully completed their studies and were working too. She was happy for him. All his children listened to his wise words and grew up nicely.
"How is Sera now?" Loreen inquired since Uncle Chester had witnessed how Sera had been the past few years.
"The same as usual. Nothing changed," Uncle Chester sighed deeply, and Loreen froze at the helpless look on his face.
'Nothing changed?!' she suddenly had a bad feeling about their meet up. Maybe she should leave while they haven't reached their meet up point.
Loreen suddenly came to her senses as memories of what Sera was like in the past resurfaced.
'I shouldn't have agreed to meet up with her. I thought she had changed after all these years, so it was alright to meet up with her. If she hadn't, what will she do this time?'
Loreen's face went blank. She felt like she was stabbed in the back again.
She had to be careful of Sera because Sera had some tendencies that had led to them being estranged for a while.
Sera was not her childhood friend but her childhood bully.
Since they were both adults now, Loreen thought Sera must have had changed already, which was why she suddenly called her.
'What should I do?'
But Loreen could not back out now. If their other batchmates were joining them, Sera might make her look like a coward or someone who does not remain true to her words if she does not show up.
Besides, more than 10 years had passed. Who knows, Sera could have changed a bit, but their Uncle Chester did not notice.
Uncle Chester saw how fast her aura changed but was not able to ask why because they had already arrived.
They stopped in front of the most popular 5-star hotel in the city, Exclusive. One of the things they were known for was their special bar for wealthy people.
Loreen barely cared about its existence before since she was very busy with her work and study. She might not even be allowed to enter.
She quickly opened the door before Uncle Chester could do so. She was not used to other people opening it for her. He laughed and waved goodbye.
"Sera," Loreen immediately spotted the former with her showy and daring dress.
"Loreen! Finally, come on. Let's go," Sera gave her a hug and Loreen hugged the former too.
Sera showed a membership card, and they were led by the staff to an enormous pavilion.
Loreen was overwhelmed. The place was indeed Exclusive. Everything was grandiose.
It screamed of class and riches. Wherever she glanced, everything looked expensive and glamorous. And yes, even the people inside.
'What am I doing here again?' she couldn't help but ask herself.
Loreen felt out of place and further realized how poor she was.
Everybody looked rich and classy except for her. They were all dressed so well.
Meanwhile, her dress was something she had bought from a thrift shop years ago. It wasn't in the least bit glamorous or classy. It was outdated and literally old.
If she had known it would be like this, she wouldn't have agreed to come here.
Loreen could not help but wish the ground would open and swallow her whole. Or that she could just vanish into thin air before anyone sees her so out of place and makes her a laughingstock.
Sera noticed her reaction. She quickly pulled her to their table where all sorts of expensive drinks were lined up.
"Here! Have a drink. This will calm you. I am not surprised that you're gonna act that way," Sera handed me a glass. She looked natural in a place like this. She was used to all this.
"Yeah, maybe it would have been better if we just met in a café, instead," Loreen sighed dejectedly, and Sera laughed.
"Relax. All you need is some drinks, and everything will be alright. Cheers to your firsts!"
'Firsts?'
"Cheers!" Loreen raised her glass and gently clinked it to hers even though she was not sure yet if she should indeed be drinking here.
She took a sip from her glass and blanched at the slightly bitter and biting taste of the liquor. It also had a sweet taste though so she could take it.
"You haven't gone out indeed," Sera chuckled and easily drank hers.
"Yeah, that's me," Loreen admitted.
If it was just her, there was no way she would go to places like this all on her own. She barely even had a break or the time for this kind of thing.
"Where are the others?" Loreen looked around. She had not spotted any of their batchmates.
"They are still on their way. Let's drink first since they were caught in a traffic jam. It might take too long," Sera glanced at her phone.
"Right," Loreen agreed since she knew just how bad those traffic congestions could get.
"So, how are you? I heard you're an awarded social worker. Have you made a lot of money out of it?" Sera inquired.
"No. Just enough, but I love my work. It's all I have now. How about you? How's your modelling?"
For Loreen, social work was not just about how much money she earned from it. It was more about the experiences and lessons she gained and the people they were able to reach.
But of course, she also needed the salary. Still, she was doing it because it was one of her late grandma's passions. Something like a calling.
Loreen realized she enjoyed doing it too, so she remained in that line of work.
Not that she was going to do it her whole life. It was just that this was where she felt like she should be for now.
"I gave up modelling last year, I needed to focus on our business. The company keeps on growing and my family pushed me to become the CEO of one our new ventures. I hate it, but it seems like I have no choice as money keeps my blood running. Hehe," Sera smiled manically.
"Wow, congratulations. You are way too far to reach now," Loreen gasped in awe.
She couldn't help but wish she was born with a golden spoon in her mouth too.
Sera did not even take her studies seriously, but she was already a CEO so early on since her family owned the business.
Loreen, on the other hand, had to work super hard to get to where she was. And yet, she was still struggling.
The world, indeed, wasn't fair.
Sera was a big spender too, but they had a lot of money, so it was alright. She was known as a spendthrift ever since their childhood. A lot of people even sided her all the time just to be included in her spending sprees.
"Thanks! How about you? Why won't you venture into business too? Are you still contented being, you know, humble?" Sera laughed mockingly.
"Yeah. It's better than making my life more miserable. I can't afford to venture into business yet," Loreen couldn't help but feel offended, so she took a huge gulp of liquor from her glass.
She was not trying to be humble. She simply lacked the resources unlike the way Sera does where everything was provided.
Loreen did not choose to be born poor. Lucky for Sera to have been born rich and have all her necessities and wants fully provided by her family.
'After all the hardships I went through, if I could choose, I would have chosen to be born rich. Didn't she already know that?'