Chapter 9: No Choice

OH, MY GOD! Napaaga ka!"

I bolted inside the condo and threw my bag away, disarranging the glass souvenirs. Hindi ako makapag-isip nang tama sanhi para magpapadyak-padyak ako sa inis at galit.

"I hate them!" hiyaw ko. "I hate them! I hate them! How can they make me suffer more!?"

"Ana, wait! What is going on?!"

Naglakad sa harap ko si Eliza at hinawakan ang magkabilang balikat ko. Her eyes look so confused and worried, and I even promised to behave in front of her.

Pero hindi ko kaya sa oras na ito. Parang nabasag lahat ng plinano ko sa buhay. I can't contain my anger knowing that any time soon, my parents would push through it and I would be locked up in a boring, lifeless, lonely marriage! Forever!

"Tell me what the hell is going on, Ana!" Mas tinaasan ako ng boses ni Eliza. "Sabihin mo sa akin, Anastasia! May nangyari ba? May humahabol ba sa'yo? And the dinner, how was it? Did something come up again?"

I frowned, then shook my head slowly and repeatedly like a child. Eliza tucked