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"I'm giving you your last warning, Lali. Get a boarding house at this instant or just come back home." I pulled my phone away from my ears afraid that mom will destroy my ear drums.
My coffee that was long cold lost its scent already, I just settled myself playing with the coffee stirrer.
"Mom, trust me, I'm fine. I'm an adult." Truth is, no, I am totally not okay. I am in a city with no friends nor mere acquaintances, and this coffee is not helping my nerves.
"I don't understand why you're suddenly moving out. Only if your father is against it as well, you won't be stepping a foot out." she said, I can even imagine her eyerolls.
See, this is why I was itching to leave. I hate being caged, all my life I have to live with high expectations and restrictions, imagine how suffocating that is. Being the only child has its pros and cons, although I enjoy the luxury of having every nice thing a daughter could ask for, sometimes, no most of the times, it makes me feel empty inside.
I just turned 19, I'm supposed to learn a lot of things about life and yet, I'm still oblivious of the outside world. Aside from the fact that I never attended a school, never had a friend, I also never experienced romance. Yes, I'm Lisa Manoban, 19, the biggest virgin you'll ever meet.
"I can be independent, mom. Watch me." I can't.
"Okay, if you're acting like you don't need my help, fine. You do you. I'm just concerned about you, sweetie."
"I cannot let you worry about me all your life, mom."
"But a mother's worry for her daughter, never ceases."
Hearing mom's tender voice just makes me wanna go home and hug her. However, I have a lot to prove to her. This is my only chance and if I fuck this up, I'll never get it again.
I remembered how lonely my childhood was, while our neighbors' kids play outside, I was there by the window just watching them, wishing maybe I could join. Then my personal tutor will arrive, her hair tied in a neat bun, wearing her pointy eyeglasses and a stack of book on her hands.
She's a gorgeous woman. She has this wide lips that is accentuated with the mole on her cheek. Being a child, I looked up to her the most. There were moments I would put a dot on my lower cheek in poor attempts of copying her beauty mark, she never noticed it.
I call her Leilani, and that's all I know about her. During our classes, she won't entertain any questions unrelated to our topic. She's strict, but somehow, I feel comfortable with her. I don't know, she just have this motherly vibes going around.
She suddenly disappeared when I turned 15, without any traces left. When I asked my mom about it, she just shrugged me off. The next day, I had my new tutor.
"Ah shit my head's spinning." The café that was earlier silent was suddenly filled with chuckling noises from a group of friends that entered.
"I'll call you later, mom. Bye." She quickly shoved her phone inside her pocket then prepared to leave. Everyone in the group was knocked out on the table. The coffee shop owner looked at everyone with an apologetic smile. He smacked the heads of the newcomers, he must be friends with them because they all just laughed.
