SECRET INHERITANCE

CHAPTER 4: ENCOUNTER

The morning sunlight streamed through the window, gently rousing me from sleep. I stretched, feeling a bit more refreshed than the night before. Lily, already up and buzzing with energy, was snapping pictures of the beautiful garden outside our window.

"Good morning, sleepyhead!" she chirped, turning her camera towards me. "Ready for our first Manila adventure?"

I groaned, feeling the weight of yesterday's anxieties still clinging to me. "I don't know, Lily. I'm still a little nervous about meeting everyone."

"Don't worry, Airhene," she said, squeezing my hand reassuringly. "Everything will be fine. Just try to relax and have fun."

Just then, Elaine entered the room, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Good morning, ladies! I have a surprise for you both. It's a beautiful day for a beach outing. Are you ready for some fun in the sun?"

Lily squealed with excitement, her camera already clicking. "Beach! This is going to be amazing!"

I tried to smile, but the knot of apprehension in my stomach remained. "A beach? That sounds nice," I said, hoping my voice didn't betray my unease.

"It's a bit of a drive, but I assure you it's worth it," Elaine said, her smile widening. "We'll be at a private beach, just us girls. Think of it as a chance to bond and unwind."

Lily was already grabbing her beach bag, while I hesitated. I didn't want to seem ungrateful, but the idea of a surprise outing with Elaine felt a little...off. My dad always spoke of her kindness, but I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something she wasn't telling me.

"Airhene, come on," Lily urged, pulling me toward the door. "Don't be a party pooper! This is going to be fun!"

Elaine's SUV was already waiting, and as we drove away from the city, I couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding.

We arrived at a secluded beach, the white sand shimmering like diamonds under the blazing sun. The ocean, a deep azure blue, stretched out before us, the waves crashing gently on the shore.

"Wow, Elaine! This is incredible!" Lily exclaimed, her camera clicking furiously. "It's like something out of a dream!"

I stepped out of the car, feeling the warm sand beneath my feet. The salty air filled my lungs, and for a moment, I felt a glimmer of peace. Maybe this was just what I needed. A chance to relax, to forget my worries, and just enjoy the beauty of the Philippines.

Elaine, with her usual infectious enthusiasm, was already leading us toward a beach umbrella set up near the water. "Let's find a good spot for our beach day!"

We settled down, and Lily was already snapping pictures of the breathtaking scenery. "This is going to be epic, Airhene! We'll be famous on Instagram! Just wait and see!"

As I tried to soak in the beauty of the moment, a commotion caught my attention. A group of teenagers, their laughter echoing across the beach, were surrounding a young girl who was clearly distressed. She was trying to keep her distance, but they seemed intent on making fun of her.

Lily, ever the compassionate one, immediately jumped to her feet. "That's not right! We have to help her!"

I hesitated, my own beach trauma flashing through my mind. I wanted to help, but the sight of those teens made my stomach churn.

Lily, oblivious to my hesitation, was already heading towards the group. "Hey! Leave her alone!" she called out, her voice filled with righteous anger.

The teenagers turned, their smiles turning cruel. One of them, a girl with fiery red hair and a confident swagger, stepped forward. "What's it to you?" she sneered, her voice laced with sarcasm. "This is our beach. We can do whatever we want."

Lily stood her ground, her gaze unwavering. "You're being mean. It's not okay to bully her. Just leave her alone."

The girl scoffed, "She's just a loser. Nobody likes her anyway. We're just having some fun."

Lily, her voice firm, "You're being cruel. It's not right. And besides, I don't think she's a loser at all. She's just trying to have some fun."

The girl's laugh was sharp and brittle. "Fun? Don't be naive. She's just trying to make a scene, trying to get attention. It's pathetic."

I watched as the girl, who I had never seen before in my life, snatched a beach ball from the distressed girl, and with a cruel smirk, tossed it into the ocean. The other teenagers erupted in laughter.

My heart ached for the girl, who had her head bowed, her shoulders slumped with shame. The girl who was the target of their cruelty... It was as if I had been transported back to the day my own life changed forever.

"Leave her alone," I heard myself say, my voice weak, barely a whisper.

The girl who had snatched the ball turned to me, her gaze cold. "And who are you?" she asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Trying to be a hero?"

I felt a wave of heat flush over me, a sudden surge of fear. There was something about her eyes, a cold glint, a knowing look, that made me shiver. "It's not right to pick on someone smaller than you," I said, my voice still trembling.

"Oh, really?" She laughed, her voice echoing with a strange arrogance. "You think you can tell me what to do? This is my beach. My rules. Get lost."

I felt a surge of anger, mixed with a deep sense of helplessness. This girl... She was someone I had never encountered before, yet her words, her tone, pierced me deeply. I was terrified of her, of the cold fury she radiated, but I wasn't going to back down.

Lily, oblivious to the icy stare the girl was giving me, stepped forward, her gaze full of determination. "Look, I don't know who you are, but you need to stop this," she said. "You're being really mean, and we're not going to stand for it."

The scene that followed was a blur of angry words, shoving, and a growing sense of dread. It felt like I was watching a nightmare unfold, a nightmare that was all too familiar.

"Lily, let's just go!" I shouted, my voice shaking with fear, but she was already in the middle of the fight.

Elaine, I noticed, was watching the scene unfold with a detached expression. Her smile had vanished, her eyes narrowed with a cold, calculating look. It was almost as if she was expecting this to happen.

Suddenly, the girl lunged at Lily, shoving her to the sand. Lily stumbled, landing hard on the beach.

"Hey!" I screamed, my voice filled with fury. My fear momentarily forgotten, I rushed forward, my instincts taking over.

But before I could reach Lily, the girl grabbed me by the arm, her grip surprisingly strong. "Stay out of this," she hissed, her voice dripping with venom. "This is between me and this girl."

The girl's eyes held a flicker of something dark, something I couldn't quite decipher. Her gaze was cold, hard, as if she was looking at me with disdain.

As she shoved me back, I noticed a glint of metal flash beneath her sleeve. A knife? My heart pounded. This wasn't just a childish fight; this was dangerous.

"Please, stop! You're going too far!" Lily cried, scrambling to her feet. "You're hurting her!"

I stumbled back, my hand instinctively reaching for the crescent moon necklace that my grandma had given me. It was a small comfort, a whisper of her presence, but it felt like a tangible connection to my past, to a time when I felt safe and loved.

Elaine, still observing the scene, finally stepped forward. "Hey, that's enough! You're embarrassing yourself."

Her voice was sharp, a command rather than a request.

The girl paused, her gaze flickering between Elaine and me. She let go of my arm, but her eyes were filled with a simmering anger. "Fine," she growled. "But you haven't seen the last of me."

With that, she turned and stormed off, her friends trailing behind her. A collective sigh of relief escaped Lily and me.

Elaine walked over to me, her touch a gentle but firm grip on my shoulder. "Are you alright, Airhene? Did she hurt you?"

I shook my head, my voice barely a whisper. "I'm okay. But she was carrying a knife..."

Lily ran to me, her face pale. "Oh my God, Airhene, are you okay? She was going to hurt you!"

I hugged Lily tight, my body trembling with a mixture of adrenaline and lingering fear.

"I'm okay, Lily. But something's not right. This girl... She's not who she seems to be."

Elaine stepped back, her expression unreadable. "You're just being a bit dramatic," she said, her voice laced with a hint of annoyance. "It's just a teenage fight. She's just jealous because you're so beautiful, Airhene."

I wanted to believe her, to push away the growing fear that coiled inside me, but I couldn't help but feel that she was hiding something. The way she dismissed the girl's actions, the cold glint in her eyes as she watched us, made me wonder if Elaine knew more about the girl than she was letting on.

"I think we should leave," I said, my voice shaking. "This beach is starting to feel... unsettling."

Lily nodded, still clearly shaken by the encounter. "Yeah, I'm with you. I'm not sure I want to be around that girl."

Elaine, her gaze fixed on the spot where Crystal had disappeared, smiled. "Okay, but don't worry, that was just a minor hiccup. We have so much more to explore. There's a beautiful restaurant overlooking the ocean, and I've made reservations for dinner. It'll be the perfect way to end our day."

I nodded, though my unease remained. Something about Crystal's presence, the way she looked at me, the way she acted, had disturbed me deeply. It was like I was staring into a dark abyss.

As we drove back to the city, I looked at Lily, who was struggling to contain her nervousness. I knew she was trying to be brave for me, but I could see the fear in her eyes.

I reached for her hand, squeezing it gently. "It's okay, Lily. We'll be safe. We're together."

But even as I spoke the words, I couldn't shake the feeling that our adventure in Manila had just taken a dark and unexpected turn. And I was starting to realize that our journey would be anything but a walk in the park.

Elaine, who had been unusually quiet during the drive, finally spoke. "You know, Airhene," she said, her voice soft, "it's a shame that you and those girl didn't get along. She's a very important person. Her family has a lot of influence here. It's important to keep on her good side."

I felt a chill run down my spine. Her words were dripping with meaning, but I couldn't quite decipher them. What did Elaine mean by "important person"? Why was Crystal's family so influential? And why was Elaine so concerned about making sure I stayed on their good side?

I looked at Lily, her face a mask of confusion, and I knew that we had a lot more questions than answers.

This was only the beginning of our adventure, and I had a feeling that things were about to get a lot more complicated.

The restaurant Elaine took us to was indeed beautiful, perched on a cliff overlooking the glittering Manila Bay. The sunset painted the sky in hues of orange and purple, casting a romantic glow over the tables.

But my heart wasn't in it. I couldn't shake the unsettling feeling that had settled over me since our encounter with that girl.