i.
Warning: Vulgar words and violence ahead.
Alodia felt a strong warm and scorching slap right when she stepped into the doorway of their dining room. A dangerous slap from her brother. Galit ito nang malamang may karelasyon si Alodia na isang binatang mababa ang estado sa buhay.
A shiver ran down her spine.
Napahawak agad ang dalaga sa kanyang pisngi. Her cheeks are still red and swollen not because of Aaron's slap but because of what happened to her last night, her father slapped her several times for many reasons. She's going through hell almost everyday, at halos nasanay na siya ro'n.
Being a Feroz is a very hard job. Pinapahalagahan ang pera at utak bago ang emosyon at kasiyahan.
Alodia is a good and caring child, mula bata hanggang sa nagdalaga siya ay mayro'n na siyang malasakit sa pamilyang kinabibilangan niya.
Her life before her mother's death was perfect and beautiful. Her dad wasn't abusive, Aaron was nice to her, everything was going very well. On a snap of a finger, everything changed. Ang ilaw ng tahanan na si Alessandra ay namatay dahil sa isang aksidente, kasama ro'n ang labing-dalawang taong gulang na si Alodia.
***
Alessandra was driving their car with the 12 year old Alodia being with her in the front seat.
"Mom, do you think I'll be a good fashion designer too like you when I grow up?" her one and only daughter Alodia happily asked.
She pinched her soft cheek and smiled. "Of course mooncake, you will be an excellent fashion designer like mom...more than mommy. "
The little girl smiled widely, admiring her beautiful mother. Binalik niya ang atensyon sa sketchpad na hawak niya, she was playing with her sketch pencil when suddenly it slipped and fell from her fingers. She was patiently reaching for it, but her arm were too short.
Nahulog iyon sa paanan ng kanyang ina. They stopped at a traffic light nong maabutan sila ng red sign.
"I’ll get it for you, mooncake."
Alessandra demanded to get the sketch pen from the ground to her feet because she still have 30 seconds to do it safely as she thought.
And then the accident happened, a big truck accidentally hit their car. A traumatic incident that nobody wanted. Alodia survived, but her mother didn't make it.
That's when everything started to change. Her father blamed her for her mother's tragic death.
***
"Manglalalaki ka na nga lang, minalas ka pa. How did you end up shackling yourself with a beggar who's only using you for spare change? How dumb can you be, Alodia?"
Alodia didn't bother to say a word. Napatingin nalamang ito sa 'mesa where her dad, Arthur and his new wife, Beverly was calmly eating. They were too unbothered to care about Alodia being slapped by her half brother, well in fact, they love it when she's hurting.
She had grown accustomed to being pitied and mistreated by her brother and her "family"-not the exact definition.
Everybody isn't very proud about Alodia, she has always been neglected. Definitely not the favorite child. She's constantly seen as the black sheep, stupid, burden, and the almost rejected child. No one in this house understands her, nobody treats her with empathy and care like when her mother was still alive.
On the contrary, her obedient and intelligent brother, Aaron, is praised by her dad and everyone for his great contributions to the family’s business at the age of 24. She’s not as smart as him, completely the opposite. She only have her skill and passion for fashion design. Despite her being 21 and making her own career, tutol parin ang buong angkan niya sa kanya.
Mabait naman sa kanya noon si Aaron, he was a caring and a protective brother way back. Her father’s first love was her brother's mother, but her dad married Allesandra first. In other words, Arthur had a child out of wedlock before marrying Alodia's mother.
As the future heirs grew up, Aaron’s attitude changed. He engraved in his mind that Alodia was his rival and a threat for his beloved and dreamed position, to become the next in line with their father. Alodia on the other hand don’t even see herself being in the business industry. Hindi pa nga pumasok sa isip niya na pumunta ulit sa kompanya nila. The last time she visited the company was on her 11th birthday, when her mother accompanied her to see his father.
Kahit halos isumpa na siya ng kapatid, she's still beyond happy and grateful that she could still admire her brother's achievements from afar. She respects him the best she could.
“Enough, Aaron. Kumakain kami dito, I want to enjoy my food. You already know that Alodia will never change. Kung gaano ka katalino, gano'n naman ang kinamangmang nitong kapatid mo.” Arthur insultingly uttered looking at her daughter in disdain.
A tear escaped from her eye, at agad niyang pinunasan iyon gamit ang kanyang palad.
Kahit manhid na siya sa pisikal na pananakit ng mga ito, iba parin ang sakit na berbal.
She always feel like she's not included in this family, in everything. In meals, they don't want her to join them. And when she does, just like now, she always become the main dish of their ridicule.
“It’s not surprising anymore. That's why she chose fashion design as her college program. She took that useless degree over a degree in business and over the company. Ayaw yatang malaman ng iba ang kabobohan niya. Kawawa ang company kung-ah never mind,” Beverly added with a fixed mocking smile towards her.
Beverly is Arthur’s second wife. She’s only six years older than Alodia and three years older than Aaron. Clearly, she's just her for the money.
“This is a family matter, you better shut your mouth,” Aaron retorted to Beverly.
Matalim naman na tiningnan sa mata ni Arthur ang anak na lalaki.
Alodia secretly smirked at Beverly’s aggrieved and annoyed face. Buti nga sa kanya, masyado siyang feeling kadugo.
Despite everything, she found reasons to continue her not so called 'perfect life'. Fortunately, she’s already in her fourth year of her fashion design program, and she truly love the field she chose. Namana niya ang pagkahilig sa fashion design from her model-turned-designer mom.
Most especially, she have a very loving and reliable boyfriend who understands her more than anyone in their house. He's an architecture major, which makes them very compatible. Ayaw niyang malaman ng pamilya niya ang tungkol kay Lyle, because she know what her family is capable of doing to her boyfriend. Pero huli na ang lahat, hindi niya alam kung paano nalaman ng pamilya niya ang tungkol kay Lyle. Halos tatlong taon niyang tinago ang relasyon nila ng binata mula sa kanyang pamilya. Kaya nakapagtataka kung paano't sa isang iglap alam na ng mga ito ang tungkol sa lalaki.
Alodia is strong but she’s not that brave to go against her family. Hangga't wala pang ginagawa ang kuya at ama niya, she wants her boyfriend to be safe. Iisa lang naman talaga ang gusto niya, to be happy with the perfect relationship she created with her man. Twelve years of her life was perfect, and the rest is hell. Halos araw-araw niyang sinisisi ang sarili sa pagkawala ng kanyang ina, she felt like she’s a curse. At ngayon na nakahanap siya ng taong nakakaintindi at nagmamahal sa kanya, she found hope. Pag-asa na maibalik niya ulit ang perpektong buhay sa paraang alam niya. A PERFECT RELATIONSHIP, a date to marry relationship. Gusto niyang maranasan ng matagal ang naranasan niyang saya at ginhawa noon.
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When Love is a Burden
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