Nine
761 Words
"Hey." I heard someone said beside me and I looked up to see who it was.
I frowned as the guy seemed to be invading my privacy by approaching me and attempting to sit beside me at the bench.
We passed by The Golden Gate Park on the way to the mansion so I decided to get some air here.
Thankfully, it isn't too far away from the house. I hailed a cab and it took me almost twenty to twenty-five minutes to go here after our heated discussion back home.
"You might be needing this." He said flashing me a friendly smile.
"I appreciate the offer but can you please leave me alone?" I snapped, my attitude started to flare up. He raises both his hands as a sign of surrender and began to walk away leaving me as I wished to.
I sighed and started to admire the serene view of the park.
We are from Sausalito. One of the beautiful cities in San Francisco.
If there is one thing I love about the area where we are at, it's the cozy vibe the location gave.
We are, specifically, at the Bridgeway, Promenade. So there is quite a lot going on here.
I found this beautiful Garden of Shakespeare's Flowers and I was instantly swept away. I walked a few more steps and discovered that it is not too far from The Japanese Tea Garden and San Francisco Botanical Garden.
The place is a sight to behold. It was calming and peaceful.
I barely took notice of the time until it gets a little dark. I stared at my phone when it rang.
It was Kuya Benson. I hesitated picking it up for a while since our argument but decided against it.
I may knew the place but not memorized my way back home. I just have to swallow back my pride.
"B", he said as soon as I placed the phone on my ear. I did not speak and let him talk. "I'm sorry, okay. Can we talk about this at home? Where are you?"
"I'm at Golden Gate Park. At the Japanese Garden Tea House." I told him and sighed.
I can already feel the cold breeze of the night and I began to shiver.
"Be coming there. Buy yourself something. Paying you later." Kuya Benson said and hung up.
I heaved a sigh and placed my phone back to my jacket's side pockets. I roamed my eyes around and saw that there were very few people inside so I entered the place.
"Hello, what do you feel like having tonight?" The kind woman asked me with a smile.
I felt safe in her place and I answered, "Hi. What would you recommend?"
"Well, I can see that you look a little lost? Maybe, this will soothe your thoughts." She smiled and turned her back on me to make something.
In only a matter of minutes, she served me with a Genmaicha, a green tea and kuzomochi, sweet rice cakes. I was enjoying the food until Kuya Benson arrived.
"Sis." he started and sat down beside me. I sighed and faced him, his face was ashen and I could tell what happened back there at the mansion pained him as well. "I did what I have to do. Ayokong itali ka nila sa iba. Mas mabuting sa business ng pamilya natin ang maging thinking nila kesa magstay ka dito sa mansion. I know Grandlolo has other plans with you and that is not acceptable to me, at least."
"What do you mean, Kuya? I don't even have the slightest idea what's really going on with our family!" I exclaimed and sipped on my tea.
"If you will stay here, I have a hunch that he will put you in an arrange marriage with their comrades in the business..Yes, it may sound the same having to run our business in the Philippines, but when you are actually there, they won't be making nor extending efforts to reach out to you just to pacify their demands. Makukuntento na sila sa akin na gawin ang gusto nila, to think, I am the older one between us. And, the closest thing they have here." He explained.
Suddenly, I am enlightened. He finally brought some sense to it.
"Alright, fine. As long as I get to go home and study there. I don't want to leave the home which Mom and Dad created for us." I said and he nodded, smiling.
"As you wish, B." He said and ordered himself a drink.
- Writer
