BETWEEN FAMILY AND LOVE

You were born from a rich family until your father died due to his illness. You lived in a small house with your mother, younger brother , and , your younger sister. When your father died, your dad left your family nothing but debts. Literally, your family is now poor. Your mother still hasn�t recovered until today so you took the responsibility to work for the family in order to live harmoniously. She was hopeless. She did not even take care of you and your siblings. She even told you to stop attending college for she can�t afford to pay it. is ten years old. He�s deaf and mute since birth. He does not attend school because of his condition. Your only way of communication is through sign language. You have a younger sister named . She�s fifteen years old and attends high school in a public school. You take care of him since your father died. The only asset your family has is the small convenience store with a small house attached at the top of it.

One day, your former stocks dealer went to your store to ask payment for the stocks that were delivered to you before. He has been coming back and forth to your store and grew tired of it, so he became rude and insulted you. You fought back and they got all your stocks and left. You were fixing your store when a guy approached you. You thought that the guy was your former dealer who insulted you so you grabbed a book near you and hit him without looking who he was. You hit him hard and another guy stopped you. You noticed he was not the guy who insulted you so you stopped hitting him and apologized. The guy, who approached you, introduced himself. said, �Hi I�m and this is my assistant, . We�re dealers of household commodities. We stopped by just to offer you our products and services.� You answered, �I�m . My store is small and as you can see its not working well so I may not be able to pay your terms.� He said, �Don�t worry! I�ll give you twenty percent discount and you can pay it within two weeks.� You smiled to him and said, �Really? Thanks! That�s a big help for my store.� He said while giving you a package, �Here�s our product sample. Try this. If you need stocks just let me know. Here�s my calling card.� He handed you his calling card. After that they said goodbye and left. You went upstairs to bathe . After bathing him, your mother told you to go to your godmother and give her the bags she ordered. You dressed up, brought your brother, and went to your godmother�s house.

At your godmother�s house, she gave you the payment for the bag and invited you to her son�s birthday party for tomorrow night. He�s name is . He was your former lover. As you were talking to your godmother, you did not notice that had left. Next thing you know you heard noises outside the house. You went outside and saw the truck almost hit . You shouted at the driver who by the way is . He apologized to you but you kept on shouting and scolding at him for him being wreck less. got out of the truck and tried to fix the situation. He offered you a ride home in which you accepted, but in one condition though, that he would drive. You sat at the front beside him along with between you two. was at the back of the truck.

Then you reached home. You invited them in and they accepted. They followed you walk from the store up to your house. You left them and went to the kitchen to get them drinks. and seated at the living room while waiting for you. approached and showed him his broken toy. He gestured that would fix it through sign language. Luckily, he knows how so he understood him. He helped fix his broken toy. As you went out the kitchen holding a tray with juice and sandwich in it, you saw getting along well with . You smiled and then came out from her room. She saw and she smiled to you and teased you. saw you and he smiled. You went to the living room and gave them their snacks. Afterwards, they said goodbye and left.

The following day is �s birthday. Your mother told you that she couldn�t come to the party because she doesn�t feel well. So she asked you to go alone and give her regards to your godmother and . You went alone to the party. You dressed up with simple yellow short-sleeved dress. At the party, everyone was well dressed except you, so you felt left out. You were bored so you went out to the garden and you didn�t notice that followed you. You talked for a while but then were interrupted by his girlfriend. She insulted you, so you walked away. While walking towards home, you cried. Then suddenly the heel of your right shoe broke. You cried more and throw the heel to the wall. and saw you, so they pulled the truck over to check on you. asked you what�s wrong and you told him about your shoe. laughed and hold your left leg. You were curious why he hold your leg and you complain, �What the hell are you doing?� He said, �I�m helping you with your problem�. You asked, �By holding my leg?� He then said to , �Sir, can you hold her hand for a second?� holds your hand. You complained to him, �Why are you holding my hand?� said sarcastically, � told me to.� lifted your left leg and removed your shoe. He broke the other heel. You asked him with anger, �Why did you do that?� defended, �You said you broke your shoe so I broke the other one so you can walk properly.� You got angry and hit him with your arms. laughed and stopped you from hitting by holding you. said to , �That�s what you get from fooling around.� defended, �I was trying to help.� And you laughed, laughed too. invited you to take you home and you accepted.

At the doorstep of your house, told you that he likes you and wants you to go out with him. You told him that you could meet tomorrow at the park and you�ll bring with you. After that, said goodbye and left. Your mother was watching you without you noticing it. You went in and saw your mother in the living room. She confronted you and told you that you can�t have any boyfriend and that you are too young to have one. Afterwards, you went to your room to sleep. You never told your mother about your date with . In bed, you were thinking of him the whole night and you can�t sleep.

The following day, you asked permission to your mother that you will treat out and that you will play with him in the park and she agreed. At the park, you met up with and enjoyed the rest of the day in the park. It was getting late when invited you to take you home but you resist. Afterwards, you went home and followed you making sure that you and will go home safely. After you reach home left.

The following day, you were in a good mood. noticed it and so she teased you again. You were laughing so hard that your mother heard it from outside the room. She came in and scolded both of you. You went on to what you are doing while continued to study, then your mother left. After cleaning the room, you went downstairs to the store to fix the stocks to be delivered that day. and came and helped you fix your stocks that they brought from their warehouse. Afterwards, invited you to watch a concert of . You accepted it and told him not to pick up. Afterwards, they left.

That night, you told and that you will be gone for a while and that you will watch �s concert at the plaza. You also told them not to say to your mother that you are with . Afterwards, you left. You met up with at the plaza and watch the concert. Meanwhile at your house, doesn�t want to eat dinner and was shouting to him. Your mother was angry with the noise and asked what was going on. She asked where you were, and accidentally said with anger that you were at the plaza watching the concert. Your mother got angry and went to the plaza. At the plaza, you enjoyed watching perform, when your mother came to you and slapped your face. Everyone was watching. tried to help you out but your mother shouted at him. She hardly dragged you with your arm away from and the Plaza.

At your house, your mother scolded you but this time you shouted back. You told her that you love and you are tired of taking care of your family. Your mother slapped you again. You shouted and said that if you leave, don�t ever come back. And so you went to your room and packed your things. and were crying. Your mother just stood there and watch you pack your bag and leave. Afterwards, she went to her room and cried. You went to �s place.

At his place, you knocked at the door and he opened it. You asked him if it�s okay with him for you to stay at his house and he agreed. You talked about what happened. You slept to his room while he slept on the sofa in the living room.

The following day, just came from work and told you that he was promoted as a supervisor and that he will be assigned to another place. He talked to you and told you that he wants you to come with him and get marry. You hesitated and told him that you miss your family and that you wanted to go home. He talked to you sincerely and admitted that the promotion was offered to him the day after he met you and did not accept it at first because of you. He doesn�t want to leave you but then that day came when you chose him rather than your family so he accepted the promotion. You told him that you love him but you love your family more. He understands you and tried to accept your decision.

The following day, helped you fix your things. He drove you to your house. You hugged him and went upstairs to your house. There, you surprised your family. You apologized and you all cried. Your mother admits that she was wrong and that she was worried sick about you leaving the house. She never meant what she said to you. was there looking at you and your family. He smiled and left.

The following day, went to your house and bid farewell. You gave him a necklace as a remembrance. He gave you a ring. He was supposed to give it to you at the concert but the thing happened and he got no chance. You told him that you will go back to school to pursue your dream. He was happy for you. Bad thing is you will be apart for a long time. told you how much he loves you and that he will be back soon. You hugged him and you both kissed passionately. left and you watch his truck disappear from your sight. You know that your roads will cross again soon.

THE END!!!