It was late a night. A 15-year-old girl is over the moon as she receives an email that will change her life. An email coming from her dream Academy. PHIA (Prestige High International), is an academy that everyone wants to get into.
The most prestigious Academy in the country. Getting here means you're future is secured. You can easily get into your dream universities and have better luck in finding a job that would make you have the lavish life you always wanted.
"Ahh, I got in," Iris said happily as she still couldn't believe what she read. She kept reading and reading it. Her smile is so big that I think it already reached the sky.
"Oh, I got in! I got in" She couldn't help herself but jump at their tiny house beeming with Joy.
"Ate would be proud to hear this," she said. She eagerly waited for her Elder sister. She can't wait to tell her about this wonderful news.
She hears the sound of the door opening. She couldn't contain it any longer as she ran as fast as she could to her beloved sister.
She grabbed her sister's arm and shjumpedds and jumped tagging her sister along.
"What's wrong with you?" Her sister who just came home from work asked about her sister's sudden behavior.
Her sister stopped jumping and looked at her sister with a smirk on her face. She is holding her phone. "Look" she excitedly said as she showed her sister her phone to make sure she read the email herself
"What is it?" Her sister was puzzled by her sister's behavior. She leans closer to the screen and reads the following text. Her eyes lit up. She was shocked and looked at her sister asking her 'Is this true?'. Iris excitedly nodded her head repeatedly.
"Ahhh!" They both shouted at Joy and jumped around like some kind of little kid who just got a very wonderful gift.
"Since my sister is so smart I'll cook you're favorite dish" Valentine is so proud of Iris more than anyone. More than Iris herself.
Iris was so happy that she didn't know that this so-called blessing/ gift would mark the beginning of a tumultuous chapter of her life.
***
Valentine POV:
A Year later...
I am at the busiest restaurant now working as a waitress. That was the only job I could find as an undergraduate student who just wanted to support herself and her sister.
Our parents died two years ago and since then I have been the one who provided for my sister's needs. I drop out of school to find a job and this job is one of them.
"hey, over here" I was about to put the dirty dishes in the sink when one of the customers called for me. I put the dirty dishes on the empty table and walked to the customer.
"Yes?" I ask
"Let me ask you a question?" She started calming herself then. "how hard is your f*cking job?!" She yells so loudly that I'm sure her voice is already heard from the next town "I order my steak medium rare not well done. And didn't I specifically ask to put extra gravy on my mashed potatoes? And look at these vegetables! do you expect me to eat this disgusting thing" I had no idea what she was saying at all from all the shouting and yelling and the food in her mouth, also her voice was so loud that I thought I was going to be deaf soon. I just guess that she is complaining about what is wrong with her dish.
I keep my head down as she continues to make a scene. I'm just too afraid to say or do anything. I wanted to correct her order but whenever I tried to do anything she shouted and looked for more faults.
"My order is so simple how can you mess up with that? How hard can you're job be than mine? I came here tired from all the important work to have a lovely lunch to put on my stomach and this! This is what you serve me! Where you're a manager. I want to talk to you're manager" I panicked when she said that she wanted to call our manager. She can't do that. I need this job and I couldn't possibly be fired.
"Maam, there is no need for that," I said calmly "How about I take this order and change it to another one" I panicked and got her plate on the table. Because of her anger that she kept banging on the table, she accidentally touched the plate resulting in me dropping the plate onto her shirt which made her more furious again.
My eyes widened as the customer was now flaming in anger. I panic and grab a napkin to wipe the stain off the customer's shirt. "I'm so sorry. I'm sorry" I kept apologizing even though it was not my fault. The customer is always right about what they say.
"What happening here?" my heart stopped a beat when I heard the manager of this restaurant. I panic even more as I see him coming.
"And who the f*CK are you ha?!" - the customer
"I'm the manager of this restaurant ma'am," our manager said calmly
"Ahh. You're service sucks! Don't expect me to rate this a 5-star restaurant and I'll make that all of my friends won't come here" the customer threatens
"I'm sorry for my waitress behavior pls let's not go that far. Well prepare another dish for you and it's for free-" the manager tries to negotiate with the customer.
From all this commotion, television news is playing in the background.
Breaking news: PHIA is supposed to be celebrating its 20th anniversary when suddenly it was interrupted by a student who jumped off from one of the buildings of the prestigious academy. The victim is identified as Iris Santiago-" as soon as the news reporter said Iris's name. Valentine's attention is caught. She didn't care about the commotion as she only cared about watching the news making sure that she heard that right.
"The student was brought to the hospital immediately after it was found. The police said the Iris Santiago case is one of an attempted Suicide case"
My heart sank as I heard the news. My face went pale and my strength Suddenly went downgraded. I could barely stand on my feet. Did I hear it right? Iris Santiago? My sister? I just heard it wrong..my sister wouldn't do such a thing.
