Fiction: Group 2
RAGS TO RICHES?
ISF Academy, Kwok, Kleio - 10, Fiction: Group 2
arth to Lady Sophie. What did I just say?” sneered a mocking voice in the background. “Oh!
Miss Lavinia!” Sophie jumped so high that her glasses slipped off her nose and clattered to the
floor. “I beg your pardon, what did you say?”
Her classmates snickered at her little blunder. “Detention! Stand at the back of the room.” The teacher
commanded, fixing her icy blue eyes on Sophie. Everyone – except for Sophie - collapsed into a fit of
giggles. “But, Miss Lavinia…” She stammered, weakly protesting. Her failed attempt just gave an excuse for
her classmates to laugh harder. She felt her face turn beet red as she scurried to the back. At least she could
have some peace there. She hunched up and her mind drifted back to the three boys…
While reading the newspaper yesterday, one particular article caught her eye. It was about three little boys.
They lived in a poor village in the hills of Zhaoqing, in the western part of the Pearl River Delta. The boys’
parents had passed away long ago. They had to depend on their grandmother, a disabled and half blind
elderly woman. Their house was rickety. When a typhoon hit Zhaoqing, their dilapidated house collapsed.
She always presumed the Pearl River Delta to be rich and prosperous. Back in the old days, the Mainland
side might be lagging behind, but now… not really. The media is flooded with news of its successful
enterprises and flashy gossips of its billionaires. Her cousins overseas envied her life, saying that she was so
lucky. What she simply didn’t understand was the number of poor villages and poor people. She thought the
Pearl River Delta was paradise. Maybe it wasn’t the case.
The image of the three boys, huddled together, shivering from the rain, cold and hunger haunted her. The
article had got her thinking. Wasn’t the Pearl River Delta supposed to be…
marvellous
? Wasn’t it the home
to some of the most vibrant cities in China? She herself was living proof. Sophie lived in a decent spacious
flat in Hong Kong. She went to the best schools. She had an abundance of toys and books. She ate the best
food and wore high quality clothes. What she desired, she could have.
Her mum was no help. Her answer was short and brisk. “Sophie, you are very lucky. Treasure it. We work
hard. We have lots of savings. We have a good life.” She paused to blow her painted nails. “Nice?” Seeing
Sophie’s expression, her mother added, “Sophie, sorry! Some people are not so lucky. They are poor. This is
how things are. The world is big, and you have to rely on yourself.” Just then, the phone rang. Her mum
rushed over and pressed it to her ear. “Sorry, honey. Talk to you later.” Their conversation came to an
abrupt end. Sophie gnashed her teeth and drifted upstairs, depressed. No answer! Seems like she had to delay
her quest – yet again.
Sophie longed for an answer. She wanted to help, and she wanted to know why something like that could
happen. She searched frantically. She asked everyone in sight.
She knew better than to ask her classmates. They gave her the “
are you nuts?”
look. She was sure they
wanted to say, “What on earth are you talking about?” but they didn’t want to offend her. When she
stormed away, they would roll their eyes and make rude faces and gestures at her. She daren’t ask her
teachers. They already disliked her enough, and she didn’t want to get on their wrong side. They would
probably say, “That is irrelevant. Focus on your assignments and lessons. If only you had such passion and
energy in my class…” Then they would promptly pretend she wasn’t there.
Suddenly, the bell rang. Once again, Sophie was jolted out of her thoughts.
“Class dismissed.” Sophie was heading towards the door when a sharp voice cut in. “Sophie Wong. I would
like to have a
private
word with you.” Sophie numbly stumbled to the front. Her classmates barely
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