Engagement

"What did you say?!" gulat na gulat ako at ikinakalma lang ako ni Mommy.

My brothers face is smiling while my Daddy is a bit angry.

"You are going to marry the only heiress of Rivera, and you have no right to disapprove it," matigas na aniya ni Daddy.

I started crying, no words came out to my mouth, i know na kahit anong sabihin ko si Daddy ang nasusunod, si Daddy ang dapat masunod.

Hindi ko alam, ano ba ang nagawa kong mali sa buhay para maranasan to? Daddy hates me since i was young, na kahit hindi nya sabihin ay ramdam na ramdam ko, he only likes Kuya not me, not his only daughter.

"I know you hate me Daddy, but this is not a solution-"

"Pinagbigyan na kita sa anong gusto mong kurso Acelle, pati ba naman dito susuwayin mo ko?! stop pursuing your passion! walang magagawa yan sayo! ako, ako may magagawa sayo! and is to make your life better!" napailing ako at mas lalong umiyak, i glance at Mommy and Kuya, umiwas lang sila ng tingin.

So alam na pala nila to? pinlano na pala nilang sirain ang buhay ko?!

Since i was young i didn't receive as much love i deserve, my parents are always away, my brother doesn't care about me, ako lang! ako lang ang umalo at nagmahal sa sarili ko, they didn't even attend my graduation! and also stop pursuing my passion!

"But Daddy-"

"Acelle, this is the only thing you can do for us, we're family right?" napailing ako sa sinabi ni Kuya.

Family? is this called family?!

"You're engagement is tomorrow, you will not attend your cooking contest!" aniya ni Daddy.

This is unfair! this is so unfair!

"M-mommy," pagmamakaawa ko saaking ina.

"I'm sorry anak, this is for the better," umiling ako at mas lalong umiyak.

"Mommy no, you know what's better for me Mom, you're the only one who knew that!" umiling si Mommy at tumulo na din ang nagbabagyan luha.

"Why me Daddy? I'm so young! marami pa kong pangarap! Kuya can do it," malakas kong sigaw, buong buhay ko ngayon ko lang nasigawan ang Daddy ko.

I respect him, yes, but this isn't right!

"You can do that Acelle, once you get married, and you're Kuya is marrying Ginny Samaniego," takang tumingin ako kay Kuya umiling lang sya at tumango.

"I have to do it sis, and you have to do it too," so napipilitan din sya?

"Our relationship with the Novaldez cause a damage to our company, Fin plan was caught, all of that thing was well planned Acelle, i think you should know, para layuan mo na din ang anak nilang lalaki, do you understand?!"

Napatulala ako sa sinabi ni Daddy, so it was planned? but hindi sinabi saakin ni Acye?! but does he know?

"What do you mean?"

"We have to know our competitors Acelle, malaking pursyento man ang nakuha natin sa mga Novaldez ay hindi yon sapat para isalba ang kompnaya natin, Acelle sila ang dahilan kung bakit tayo nalulugi ngayon! sila pala ang may plano para saatin! did you get it? you need to marry the young Rivera to save us!" si Kuya nagalit na galit sa bawat salitang binibitawan.

"You know how much i love Dalia, Acelle but she betray me! at alam kong ayon din ang ginagawa ni Acye para makuha ka! at para maisagawa nila ang plano nila para sirain tayo ng tuluyan!"

Napailing ako, tulala habang nakatingin sa kanila, Mommy is now crying niyakap sya ni Daddy maging si Kuya.

"Nakikita mo to Acelle?! maghihirap tayo kung sarili mo lang ang iniisip mo! you need to give something for us! hindi ba sapat na pinaaral kita at pinalaki ng maayos!" aniya ni Daddy.

I can't believe this! I can't believe this is happening to me.

Walang salitang namutawi saakin at diretsong tumakbo saaking kwarto.

Bakit? bakit laging nalang ganto? are my feelings aren't valid? why do i need to sacrifice myself to them? because we're family? ni minsan ba tinuring nila akong bilang pamilya?

Kuya loves Dalia? pero bat naging ganon? bat hinayaan nya lang mapunta sa puntong ito?

Nakatulog na ata ako sa kakaiyak buong magdamag, nagising lang ako sa pagring ng aking cellphone.

Acye:

Good Morning! hope you have a great day! tatapusin ko lang ang pending works ko dito, see you later.

Pagkakita palang ay agad akong naiyak, hindi dahil sa saya, kundi sa lungkot.

Totoo ba na ginagamit mo lang ako? impossible ba na mainlove ka sakin ng ganon ka bilis?

Are they lying Acye?

Sana hindi to totoo, sana panaginip nalang lahat ng ito.

Tanghali na ng bumaba ako saaking kwarto, i need to stop crying and set things up, walang magagawa ang pagmumukmok, at alam ko na sarili ko lang ang makakatulong saakin, sarili ko lang ang masasandalan ko.

Wala akong naabutan sa hapag kundi ang bilin ng aming mayordoma.

"Acelle, hija sarado daw ang cafe nyo sabi ng Mommy mo, ang mas maganda raw ay manatili ka nalang dito sa mansyon at darating na ang mga mag-aayos sayo para sa engagement party mo,"

Napatingin ako sa mga tao sa paligid ko, i think that they are following me, and i will not allowed it, humikab ako at kinuha ang pangtahalian ko.

"Sige po Manang, sa taas na ako kakain,"

This is unfair! at hindi ako papayag!

I want to make decisions for myself, not to control by anyone specially my Dad, nakakapagod din, making myself be control just to make Daddy love me, pero hindi eh, kailan man ay hindi ako minahal ng Daddy ko.

I text my friends and then Acye.

Ako:

Can you pick me up, outside our village?

My Bff's:

Sleep over tayo guys?

Hindi ko pa nakikita ang reply ng aking mga kaibigan ay bigla na nagring ang aking phone.

"Hello?"

"Ofcourse hon, no need to go outside, susunduin nalang kita sa bahay nyo-"

"No, don't do that Acye!" nagpanic na ako at binilisan ang pagbihis.

"Okay, okay calm down-"

"Sa school mo nalang ako sunduin!"