Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1 • It's been three days since the incident between me and my parents and I still have no intention of consenting to that arranged marriage. I also locked myself in my room for three days. I have no intention of showing up or talking to my parents because I am still sulking with them. "Baby please open the door. And eat." Pity Mom said. I was fired because of that. I will open the door as long as they stop their antics. I didn't answer and instead I called Aera who had earlier called me. It rang three times and she answered immediately. "It's good that you thought of calling me too. Why don't you answer our calls? Where have you been and why have you been absent for three days? Do you want to meet me tonight?" Aera was kind to me. I took the phone away from my ear because of her scolding. I immediately pictured Ae's face with her expression and I'm sure I'll be hit when I'm with her. Last night she called me but I wasn't in the mood to answer that because I was still emoting. I couldn"t help but cry every time I remembered the events. "A-aera..." I cried calling her name. I can't help it. "Hey, are you crying there? I haven't even hit you yet." She said jokingly but there was a trace of recollection in her voice. They didn"t even know what was happening to me because I didn"t say. I would have liked to but Dad wouldn't let me out of the house because I might run away forever and never come back when I tried to do it a few times but unfortunately they always catch me. That's why I chose to lock myself in my room. I also don't want to see their faces. "C-can you come here to the house?" I still can't stop my voice from cracking. "Why? What happened?" "I'll just tell you later when you get here." "Aera, who are you talking to there?" Mom still couldn't stop pitying me, which I ignored. "Okay. Don't worry I'll be there in ten minutes." It's not difficult for Aera to come here because it's Saturday and there's no school so I'm sure she can come. She said goodbye to me because she was going here. Mom also stopped annoying me. Maybe go to work. I got up from my seat and faced the mirror. I smiled bitterly because of my overall appearance. A pale and blast Night is before me now. I don"t eat at the right time because I don"t want to catch them Mom on the chin. My eyebags are getting bigger because of the tears. I got my clothes ready and decided to take a bath. It took me a few minutes in the bathroom before I stopped. I want to feel the cold water so that I can never forget the events After I got dressed I heard a faint knock from the door. "Your friend is here tonight." Manang's words. Mom is gone. I left my room and went down the stairs. I caught up with Aera in the living room who was impatiently waiting. She looked at me with a frown mixed with concern. "Hey witch, what happen to you? and your pale?" She asked with a raised eyebrow. I smiled wryly and sat down next to her. The there I burst out everything. I told her everything that had happened since the pageant. "They did that to you? Really?" She asked incredulously. I nodded which caused her to shake. "I can't believe it. It's a good thing you didn't try to run away." She said still shaking. "Ahm actually I really did that but they caught me." I will admit. She turned to me with raised eyebrows. I started to back away because I expected her to attack me again but I was stopped when her expression suddenly changed. From a harasser to amusement. "Woah really? But you got caught because you're weak haha." Its a joke. Suddenly I was stunned by what she said. Yes I'm weak I can't defend myself from my parents because I'm weak. Ae's smile suddenly disappeared because of my expression. It sneezes poorly. "Ahm sorry, I think I popped your ego." Sorry for this. I circled her. "You don't have to. Its true." I admit with a sad expression. Aera lasted at home for two hours and we did nothing but be emotional. She gave me some advice and promised to keep everything I told her secret. It wasn't that I was hesitant with my other friends but I decided not to report my situation first because they might worry about me. I want at least one of my hobbies to be reprimanded and that's Ae. When she got home I hurried up to the bedroom because I didn't want them to catch up with Mom. But it was too late because I was just going up when they entered the living room and they caught up with me immediately. "And last you came out too." Mom said alive. I just stared at her and was about to go up but I stopped again. "Where do you think you're going?!" Because of Dad's shout. I was blown away by the wind and bravely faced him. I need to be tough. "In the room where else?" My bold answer. I saw how Dad wrinkled his palm in anger. I shut him up. "You're really rude! Be respectful!" Dad said angrily. I smiled bitterly because of what he said. "Rude? You're the reason I've been rude! If only you hadn't been so selfish, I wouldn't have been that!" I answer back. "We didn't become selfish children, we did it for you — for your future. We want your life to be peaceful when you graduate." Mom said tearfully. "Is that your solution for my future? You must be stupid then. I can work after I graduate. What you said is that you did it for yourself-so that you can be even richer and be known by all over the world and- " "How dare you talk back to your mother!"-Dad. I winced at what Dad had done. Its the second time he slapped me. I was grabbed by my sore cheek and started crying again. But instead of acting, I wiped away my tears and smiled wryly. "There you are again. Does it feel good to slap your daughter over and over again Dad? Is it comforting? Because I felt like slapping me is becoming your habit." I said to him. Dad didn't speak right away because of what I said. Mom kept crying as she hugged Dad's arm. "I'm sorry daughter." Only Dad said. I ignored them and started walking up the stairs. Mom tried to stretch my hand to stop me but I just tapped her and left. "Do you think you can stop this agreement? Sorry daughter but you have no other way. You need to marry him! Because I say so!" Dad chased after me but I just ignored it. You're wrong Dad, there's still a way. To be continued...