When Love Break Ties

Chapter 10: Nathan's Growing Distance

Nathan stared at the blinking cursor on his laptop screen. The words for his latest assignment-due tomorrow-refused to come. He had spent hours typing and deleting, struggling to focus. His thoughts, instead, spiraled around Abby's story, the raw and painful truth she had shared about her family. It weighed heavily on him, like a stone lodged deep in his chest. Every day since her confession, something within him shifted, unsettling the balance between who he was and who he was becoming.

Abby had revealed a side of family life that Nathan had never truly considered. He had grown up in a tight-knit, loving environment where family meant everything. His parents were always there-caring, guiding, and providing. But as Abby's bitterness toward her mother and their ongoing legal battle played over in his mind, Nathan began to feel a strange disconnect from the once comforting notion of family. Was his family really that different, or was it possible that they, too, could be controlling and suffocating in ways he had never noticed?

He glanced at his phone, noticing the missed calls from his mother and a few unread messages in their family group chat. His mom had been trying to reach him more frequently these days, perhaps sensing the distance growing between them. He didn't feel like talking. He didn't feel like explaining why he hadn't been replying. The conversations they had seemed shallow now-conversations about everyday things like what he had eaten for dinner or updates about his younger siblings. It all felt... irrelevant.

Nathan pushed his laptop aside and rubbed his temples. The truth was, he no longer felt the need to maintain the same closeness with his family. A few months ago, he would have eagerly picked up the phone, keen to hear his mother's voice or laugh at a joke his father made. But now, those interactions felt more like obligations than genuine moments of connection.

Was Abby right? Was he, like her, shackled by a family that wanted to control his life under the guise of love and care?

The thought unsettled him. He had always been proud of his family. But lately, the idea of them pushing him in directions he wasn't sure he wanted to go felt suffocating. His parents had always encouraged his writing, but they also had opinions on the kind of life he should live-the kind of stability he should seek. They were well-meaning, but now, under the lens of Abby's influence, their advice felt more like expectations he was supposed to meet rather than choices he could make for himself.

It was like a film had been lifted from his eyes, allowing him to see the subtle ways his family had nudged him along the path they wanted for him. When he had told them about the writing workshop in Tokyo, they had been thrilled. But behind their excitement, he could sense their hope that he would return with new opportunities, more success, and perhaps even the start of settling down into a more traditional life-one with a steady career, a family of his own, and a life that reflected the values they held dear.

But what if that wasn't what Nathan wanted anymore?

The thought of returning to Manila after the workshop and falling back into his family's expectations felt stifling. And it was all because of Abby. She had opened his eyes to the possibility of living life on his own terms, of breaking away from the bonds that held him. Her story, though painful, had given him the courage to question everything he once believed.

Nathan's phone buzzed again. This time, it was his father.

He sighed and let the call go to voicemail. He didn't have the energy to pretend that everything was fine. Deep down, he knew that his parents wouldn't understand the changes happening inside him. How could they? They had always been supportive, always loving, but they had never questioned the way things were supposed to be. The family had a structure, an order, and Nathan had always fit neatly within it-until now.

As the days passed, the messages from his family grew more frequent. They missed him. They wanted to hear from him. His mother sent him pictures of his siblings, their usual banter about the small joys of everyday life continuing as if nothing had changed. But everything had changed for Nathan. The more time he spent with Abby, the more distant he felt from the life he once embraced. The life he was expected to return to.

Abby's world was different-free, chaotic, and filled with uncertainty, yet there was something liberating about it. She didn't have the same ties to family that Nathan did, and though he had initially pitied her for it, he was beginning to see the appeal. She had the freedom to make decisions without the weight of familial expectations hanging over her. She could live her life on her own terms, without anyone telling her what was right or wrong.

One evening, Nathan found himself on the phone with Abby, as they often did when they weren't together. They talked about everything-from their days in Tokyo to their future plans. But tonight, the conversation took a more serious turn.

"I can't keep pretending with my family," Nathan confessed, his voice low. "I feel like... they don't really know me anymore. Or maybe they never did."

Abby was silent for a moment, and then she spoke, her tone calm and understanding. "It's not easy, you know. Breaking away from family, from what they expect of you. But sometimes, it's the only way to find out who you really are."

Nathan listened, her words sinking in. "I've never thought about it like that. I always felt like I owed them something. Like, because they raised me, I had to live the way they wanted me to. But now..."

"Now you're seeing things differently," Abby finished for him.

"Yeah," Nathan admitted. "I guess I am."

They spoke for a while longer, but even after their conversation ended, Nathan's mind kept turning. Abby had been right about her family, and though their situations were different, Nathan couldn't shake the feeling that he was starting to see the same patterns in his own life. His parents, though well-intentioned, had always steered him in the direction they thought was best. But now, he wasn't so sure that their idea of the best was the same as his.

The next morning, as Nathan prepared for another day at the writing workshop, he made a decision. He would start pulling away from his family. He needed space-space to figure out who he was without their influence, without their expectations guiding his every move. He would still love them, of course, but he needed to step back. He needed to find himself, and he couldn't do that if he continued to play the role of the dutiful son, always eager to please.

It wasn't easy. Over the next few weeks, Nathan found himself ignoring more and more of his family's calls and messages. His mother's concern grew, and his father left long, heartfelt voicemails that tugged at Nathan's heart. But every time he felt the urge to call back, to reassure them, he stopped himself. He wasn't ready to explain. He wasn't even sure he could.

Instead, he threw himself into his writing and his relationship with Abby. With her, he felt a sense of freedom he had never known before. He didn't have to be perfect, didn't have to live up to anyone's expectations. He could just be himself, even if he wasn't entirely sure who that was yet.

But the more time he spent with Abby, the more he realized that his growing distance from his family wasn't just a phase. It was becoming a part of him-a new way of looking at the world, at life, and at what it meant to be happy. And while it scared him, it also excited him.

For the first time in his life, Nathan was beginning to see that maybe, just maybe, family wasn't everything. Maybe there was more to life than the ties that bound him to the people who had raised him. Maybe, like Abby, he could find his own path-one that didn't revolve around the expectations of others.

As Nathan sat at his desk, staring at the latest message from his mother, he felt a pang of guilt. But it was quickly overshadowed by a newfound sense of clarity. He loved his family, but he couldn't let them dictate his life anymore. He had to make his own choices, even if that meant walking away from the people who had always been there for him.

He typed out a quick response, brief but polite, and then turned his attention back to his writing. His family would always be a part of him, but they no longer controlled his life. And for the first time, Nathan felt free.