The moment the Ynareses walked out of our house, furious especially Milena Ynares, because of what I've confessed, that's when I felt my body shiver. Tila binuhusan ako ng malamig na tubig at natauhan sa lahat ng aking mga sinabi.

Though a part of me doesn't regret what I did. Because I just told them the truth.

"What the hell was that, Amaryllis!" Dad shouted even we're still in front of the food. Bumagsak ang palad niya sa salaming lamesa, dahilan kung bakit gumawa iyon ng ingay na nakapagpapitlag sa aming mga kasambahay na nakatayo malapit sa hapag.

Mom's massaging her temple while gently shaking her head. Alam kong ilang sandali na lang ay magsasalita na rin siya.

"Are you even thinking? Why would you tell those in front our visitors? Pinalaki ba kitang bastos?" Nanlilisik ang mga mata ni Dad ngunit hindi na ako nagulat doon. It is Rodolfo Ynares' family we're talking about. Ang kaibigan at kapartido niya.

I lowered my gaze as I know what I did is wrong.

"Is it true, huh? That you have a boyfriend? At the age of seventeen, you have?"

"Yes, Felix. Kanina ay ayaw pang umuwi ng anak mong iyan dahil lalabas daw kasama ang nobyo," Mom muttered and slowly shook her head again in disappointment. "I don't know what I'd do with that daughter of yours."

"What?" Nahuli ko ang pagyukom ng kamao ni Daddy. "Break up with whoever your boyfriend is. You're too young for that shit!"

"I've seen your grades. For pete's sake! Ganoon na nga ang grado mo at may gana ka pang lumandi?" Mom tightly shut her eyes closed. Tila hindi matagalan na makita ako. Nang muli niyang idilat ang mga mata ay muli siyang bumaling sa aking direksyon. "Paano ka makakapasok sa law school kung ngayon pa lang, ganyan na kababa ang mga grado mo!" she shouted.

I chew my bottom lip. Why are they like this? I'm always doing what they want. I always do what I think can make them happy.

My grades are not low, they just have high standards. I ranked third in my class. I almost aced all of my classes yet they're not contented with it.

They want me on top but I can't!Anong magagawa ko kung iyon lang ang kaya ko? I'm always studying. Ginagawa ko ang lahat at hindi ako nagpapabaya sa pag-aaral ngunit hindi nila nakikita iyon.

Like it was a shameful thing for them that the Governor's daughter is just third in the class.

Matamang akong nag-angat ng tingin sa aking mga magulang. My brothers were just silently eating their food. Tila ayaw ng makisali pa dahil takot din na mabaling sa kanila ang galit ng aming mga magulang.

"I heard you joined pageant?"

Agad akong napabaling sa direksyon ni Mommy dahil sa sinabi niya.

My eyes widened as I repeatedly nodded me head. "Y-yes, Mom. I ranked f-first runner-up--"

"And you're proud of that?" She sarcastically cutted my words.

"Stop joining pageants, that's cheap! That would just stain your name when you're a lawyer already."

My mouth hung opened upon hearing her words. I thought she'll be proud because that's first runner-up.

"I'm n-not planning to enter law school, Mommy, Dad."

Naeeskandalong namilog ang mga mata ni Mommy.

"I want to be a fashion designer and not a l-lawyer, Dad." Pag-amin ko. That's what I really like. I have no interest in being a lawyer.

"Jesus Christ," Dad whispered. "Are you even my daughter? Your ambition is too low."

I bit my lower lip. Is it my fault that I'm not like him? My father aspires to become a President, reason why he's too conscious right now that he's already the Governor of our province.

It is a shame for him to have a daughter who wants to become a designer. I don't know what else I can do just to make my parents contented. I'm already doing everything I can but it is always not enough. 

I wonder when would I be enough.

Napapailing si Daddy at ang mga sumunod na salita niya ang nakapagpabagabag sa akin. "You're marrying Draven Ynares and enter law school with him. That's final, Amaryllis," puno ng awtoridad na sambit niya.

The next day, their words are still etched in my mind. Para bang isang palasong may lason ang mga salita nila. It almost killed me and I can't recover fast from it.

And Dad's last words are still bothering me. Dahil alam kong kapag sinabi niya, talagang mangyayari iyon.

I didn't go to our university. This week is our foundation day. May program lang at wala namang klase kaya't matapos akong ihatid ng aming driver sa unibersidad ay hindi ako pumasok. Instead, I went to the nearest cafe. I called Maverick and asked him to fetch me.

I texted Chaileigh too if she's at our university already and after saying yes, I asked her if she can meet me.

Ilang sandali lang ay agad ko nang nakita ang bulto niya papasok ng cafe. "Rylli!" she called and sat on the chair in front of mine. "Problem? What happened?"

"Dad wants me to marry Draven Ynares. I can't, Cha." Marahas ko siyang inilingan. "I won't marry him!"

"What?" Namilog ang kanyang mga mata at napapantastikuhan akong tinitigan. She let out a sarcastic breath after a while. "Nababaliw na ba si Tito? My goodness! That Ynares was involved in a rape case! Hindi napatunayang may kasalanan ngunit duda ako na hindi binayaran ang judge."

Marahas siyang napabuga ng hangin. "Huwag kang papayag, Rylli. That is insane! And you have a boyfriend."

Naramdaman ko ang pagsikip ng aking dibdib. "P-pero si Dad. You know him, Cha."

Sandali siyang natahimik at napahilot sa sentido. Isang buntong hininga ang muling kumawala sa kanyang mga labi bago muli ako matamang tinitigan. She leaned on the table, inclining her body near me. Tila ayaw marinig ng kung sino man ang mga salitang sunod niyang bibigkasin.

"Why don't you elope with Maverick? Then marry him when you turned eighteen. Ilang linggo na lang 'yon. Saka ka bumalik kapag kasal na kayo."

My eyelids blinked at what she said. Natigilan pa ako at bahagyang nahiwagaan sa suhestiyon niya. Agad na binalot ng takot ang aking sistema. My parents would kill me for that. I don't know if they'll try to find me but maybe the first thing they will do is to keep quiet. Dahil eskandalo iyon sa pamilya lalo na kung makakalabas iyon sa madla. At hindi ko alam kung may babalikan pa ba ako kung sakaling gagawin ko iyon.

Chaileigh's words stayed in my mind and somehow, a part of me is considering it. But I'm still hesitating.

It didn't took Maverick a while to picked me up. Chaileigh's boyfriend came and fetch her, kaya't hindi na siya inabutan ni Maverick.

His concerned eyes bore unto me the moment he went inside the cafe. I forced myself to smile at him but he didn't return it like he knew there's something wrong with me, kaya't hindi siya makangiti sa akin.

"How are you? What happened?" Bungad niya sa akin nang makalapit siya sa aking kinauupuan.

Hindi siya umupo kaya naman tumayo ako upang mapantayan siya. "I'm fine." I smiled. "I'm really sorry for what happened last day. Let's go out today. I'm free for the whole day."

But he gently shook his head on me. "You won't skip class, even if it's just a foundation day when you're alright."

Napawi ang aking ngiti dahil sa sinabi niya. Because he's right and how did he even noticed it?

I lowered my head but I immediately felt his hand caressing my back. "Let's talk about this on my car."

Inilibot ko ang aking tingin sa kabuuan ng paligid at natantong masyadong maraming tao sa cafe na ito. Some were even my schoolmates.

Reason why I agreed on Maverick and he immediately guided me towards the exit where his car is parked. 

I settled at the passenger's seat while I waited for him to go to the driver's seat. Nang makapasok siya ay hindi niya binuhay ang makina ng kanyang sasakyan. Instead, he shifted on his seat and fully faced me.

"Will you tell me what happened last night?" marahan at nananantyang tanong niya.

I heaved a deep sigh before shifting my body towards his direction. "The usual." My shoulders lifted for a shrug to make it seems like its nothing but somehow, I know he knew me already. We're neighbors since we were kids. He went to Russia with his biological dad but he's now back and now we're together. He knew it already that it wasn't nothing.

"I told them I won't go to law school and... that I have a boyfriend. They told me words again. Nothing new."

I caught him blinked for a consecutive second. "I thought you doesn't want them to know that you have a... boyfriend?"

Yes, I asked him if we can keep our relationship in private or at least from my parents. Because my parents would surely won't like it. Maverick agreed without even questioning what I want. Kahit na alam ko na kung siya ang papipiliin ay gugustuhin niyang harapin ang aking mga magulang.

But I can't shut my mouth up when they're already pairing me with someone. "They want me to marry the son of my father's friend. Kaya na-nasabi ko."

Nagtangis ang bagang niya bago mariing napapikit. "How are you?" tanong niya at hindi ko na napigilan ang emosyon.

My eyes watered while I'm staring at him. "I'm s-scared." I hastily shook my head as I started fidgeting my fingers. "I don't want to marry anyone else. A-ayaw kong mag-law school. Dad would s-surely make it happen. B-babe, ayaw ko."

I bit my lower lip as my tears rolled down my cheeks. Just imagining marrying someone not Maverick scares me.

"Shh, calm down. Babe, calm down." His hand went on my face as he gently cupped my cheeks, making me faced him. "We'll find a solution to that. You won't marry anyone you do not love, huh? I promised you that."

Umiling ako ngunit hindi niya hinayaang makawala ang aking pisngi. But his touches are still gentle like he's making sure I won't get hurt. "Dad will force me, Mav." I whined. Na tila masosolusyunan ang aking problema kapag ginawa ko iyon. "Help me, p-please."

"I'll face your parents," he stated.

Agad na namilog ang aking mga mata. I instantly shook my head. "No. H-hindi madadaan sa ganoon 'yon, Mav. Lalo nila akong hihigpitan."

Chaileigh's words flashed back in my mind. A part of me is telling me that's the only solution to this. I have no choice other than that. Hindi ko mapapakiusapan si Dad o kahit na si Mommy. Wala ring magagawa si Maverick kapag nagkataon.

I can go back to my family when I'm married to Maverick already. Wala na akong pakialam kung pilitin nila akong pumasok sa law school. Just... I don't want to marry Draven! I don't even know him, we just met because of our family. Wala rin kaming kaswal na pag-uusap. I'm uncomfortable to him and its Maverick I really want to marry.

"I'll just talk to them--"

"No. You told me you're leaving for Russia again, right? Ka-kailan? Sasama ako. Let's e-elope."

A furrow immediately formed in his forehead. Tila hindi nagustuhan ang tanging solusyon na naisip ko. But I can convince Maverick more than my father. Matigas si Daddy at kailan man, kapag sinabi niya ay hindi na iyon mababali.

"D-do you wanna marry me?" Determinadong tanong ko.

He cocked his head for a nod. Bakas pa rin ang kunot sa kanyang noo. "Yes, Rylli. When you're ready, I will. We won't let you father force you to marry someone else not me, huh?"

"I'm turning eighteen at the end of the month. Let's elope and we'll go b-back when we're married already."

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