The Price of being Pretentious

Chapter Nineteen: Lost

I watched Paris's car leave like he was on a race before I started tread again on the road alone. Tears flowed from my eyes feeling sorry for the pain that I caused to the man that I cared for. How did going home become this hard? I was dragging my trembling feet keeping them in motion. Our house was just a few blocks away, but I wasn't sure if I would return home right on time. I felt like I would fall at any moment. The moment I got home to an almost empty house, I headed towards my room and cried until I fell asleep.

I woke up with puffy eyes. I stared at my calendar of activities. Then it occurred to me that finals were approaching steadfastly. This was practically a sign that the season of graduation was just a month away. It only signifies that I had to do well on these exams so that I could escape my fate of being beaten. This would be the last exams in high school, then I will turn to legal age. I was trying to hope for the best. And not to end up marrying someone I don't have romantic feelings, except for friendship.

'I should start reviewing from now on.' I muttered as I jumped out of the bed.

I headed for school and noticed that the house was no longer uninhabited. I saw dad at the breakfast table reading the newspaper, while my mother was in the kitchen. I was at the doorstep wearing my school shoes when that monster spoke.

'You will come with us and meet the Richards this Saturday. We will talk about your engagement.'

I secretly rolled my eyes. 'Yes, dad. Mom, I'm going.'

Mom headed towards me and handed me my breakfast. 'London, don't go to school with an empty stomach. Munch this on your way.' She said in a weak voice.

'Thanks, mom.' I only waved at her, scared that I might press on some of her bruises.

I'm pretty sure she had a new one already. Damn it! She did have one. I eyed her shoulder trying to hide it within her jacket. I headed outside as fast as I could. I sighed in discouragement, which was the only thing that I could do. Hang in there, mom. I will get you out of this mess. I walked out of the house with my head held high. Like a soldier, I was driven in determination to gain victory in this battle. What a productive week! Are you joking with me?! A final exam on Friday and a meet-up with Scot's parents on Saturday. Just thinking about it makes me exhausted. So much for being exhausted, I should be planning something right now to escape this marriage arrangement. I can't do this alone. I need people to help me out.

Today was something like a career assessment. They gave us forms to write what we want to be in the future. Then we are called one by one by our teachers for counseling asking us the same series of questions. I stared at the white sheet of paper. I already wrote my name, age, class number, and everything else except for the question: "What do you want to be ten years from now?"

I don't know if I'm scared to write what I want to be, because my dad won't agree on everything that I would scribble on this piece of paper or I don't have an idea what to be in the future. I toyed with my pen the whole time. I took a glance at my seatmate's work, then I frowned as I saw that her paper was almost filled with words. Giving up, I nosedived on the desk. It was shameful to be entitled as the "Class Genius", who cheated on the last final exams during the last semester and now I have no idea what to be in the future.

'I'm sorry, Ma'am. I haven't answered the question yet. I have too many options that I don't know what to take up.' I said as I handed the form to our teacher after the class was dismissed.

'That's fine. Take your time deciding. I'm sure many universities were dying to accept you.' Our homeroom teacher proudly said.

I managed to smile. I sighed as I turned around. I didn't know thinking what to be in the future was this hard. Since all I did was follow someone's orders.