His Invisible Mask

#1

There had been practically nothing special about my life—nothing to tell a story about. I was just a girl living in New York City—a girl who hid herself inside a blanket, reading books in her phone. My parents were practically the busiest persons in the world. But it was not like they were businessmen or anything.

I eventually decided to let myself walk out of my room and went downstairs to where dad was. Joining him, I heard about how people constantly grumbled of how unfair life was. Some people were rich and they practically got everything while some were just born poor and owned nothing besides hardships.

I wasn't included in any of the people above. I was born in a middle class family. My mom worked as an officer in a company located in the center of the hustle and bustle city, New York. Dad, on the other hand, worked as a Mathematics teacher in a high school nearby my house.

I lent my ears to listen to dad worrying about how the principal of the high school he was working at, was talking about transferring him to another school which was better than the school he was working at now. I even heard that the school dad was being transferred to was quite prestigious.

I was glad for him knowing the fact that the principal transferred him to a better school because he appreciated my dad for being a great teacher.

I thought dad was feeling the same about it but seemingly, he wasn't. A dark mood came over him as I kept on asking about the transfer. So, I decided to inquire a last question—maybe.

"Dad, is there anything bad about the promotion? You should accept it because, you know, teaching in better school will make your work easier." I uttered when we were having dinner in a dining room without mom around.

Mom called us just now, telling us that she presumably got home late again. Mom still had no idea about the promotion and I was sure mom would be just as excited as I was once she knew about it.

Or was I just hoping she would?

"I'm glad to hear the principal complimenting me about my teaching skills. And yes, the school he's sending me to is prestigious but I find staying here will be better. Don't you think so?" Dad questioned. I sighed as I placed the chopsticks down onto my plate.

"Why, is there something bad going to happen if you get transferred to another school?" I asked. Dad nodded hesitatingly.

"I need to move to Alabama, Grace. I don't want to leave both you and your mom." Dad exclaimed and looked down, refusing to have his eyes meeting mine.

So that was all about it. That one reason just erased the excitement I had in me about dad's promotion.

I knew mom and dad had been constantly arguing and dad had been extremely quiet when mom talked to him about this one man who just came to work in her office a couple of days ago when we were having dinner together.

I knew dad was envious. I told mom about it because I found it cute that my dad envied someone. Mom grumbled of how childish dad was and that she didn't like it. I sensed that something was wrong between them, so I would always try to be the one strengthening their relationship. I believed that was one of the purposes a child was born.

"I want to follow you." Dad looked up, his eyes widening as if I just uttered something stupid.

I was serious about following him. Living with him would be better than living with mom who'd got no time to spend with me. She was busy all day and all night with her works. I wouldn't care anymore if mom wouldn't let me. I would still insist on following dad.

I knew that something like this might lead them to have an argument again but I knew too well how my future would be if I was just locked in this house merely accompanied by a cacophony of sounds that would assault my ears. I would eventually get bored or likely die due to boredom.

Between mom and dad, it would be safe to say that I liked dad better than mom. Mom was too busy working. In other words, mom was too busy trying to be rich.

Dad heaved a heavy sigh and left to go upstairs to his room. I knew he'd have to discuss this with mom first and I was pretty sure mom would say no about me leaving along with dad for Alabama.

But it wasn't like I would obey mom. This was the only opportunity to rebel against mom anyway. Because all this time, I had been an obedient daughter only to realize that mom was taking a toll on me because of my obedience.

—

"Come on, she has rights to choose what she wants!"

"What if she chooses to commit suicide? Would you let her do that?"

"Please, it's not like that! She knows what's best for her."

"I won't let her live with you. I'm the mother. I gave birth to her. She stayed in my womb for 9 months and here you are, trying to take her away from me!"

"I'm her father. If I don't exist, Grace doesn't."

"I'll never change my mind. If you want to go to Alabama, go all by yourself. Don't take Grace along with you!"

I heard every single word that escaped my parents' lips. This was my expectation. I knew they'd argue again especially since this involved me. I knew it was my fault to be stubborn but like dad said, I knew what was best for me. I was hoping that either mom or dad would say that the decision would be all up to me. If it really was, no matter what circumstance it was, I would always be on dad's side.

During my pre-teen years, I spent my time playing with dad. Never did mom let me play with her because she was busy as always.

She busied herself with works that seemed to be increasing day by day. Despite her working that hard, her boss somehow called dad one day, telling him of how one of his employees, my mom, never got her works done. Since then, dad started worrying about mom and he wanted her to stop working in the company. Mom could just find new job with lesser works but it was mom herself that was being stubborn. The salary was a lot. It was totally understandable at first but as time flew by, dad couldn't take it anymore. There was once that dad turned red with fury due to mom's stubbornness.

That was how they ended up arguing every single day. Dad decided that staying as middle class family would be fine but mom decided that she wanted to be rich so that she could always get to buy anything she desired.

I was just grateful for who I was. I was grateful to have a family. I wouldn't ask for more.

The sound of glass being thrown to the floor brought me back to reality and my eyes glued to the door of my room that was shut tightly.

Before I knew it, I rushed to dad and mom's room just to find the scattered glass everywhere on the floor. Mom broke into tears and collapsed onto the floor while dad was boiling in rage.

The room that was supposed to be filled with light from the sun somehow turned dark. Dad's fist came down on the table with a loud bang.

A haze of fear surrounded me. I didn't like this moment. I knew that mom and dad had been constantly arguing and I should've got used to it already but I didn't like it when their argument reached this level.

I looked up and my heart sank when I saw how bad the relationship between mom and dad was. Never did I see dad being this furious and I thought that when dad was angry, his wrath would never turn into violence.

But it just did.

I guess there was a story for me to tell after all.

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