I clutched tightly to my skirt, sweat formed my forehead, and tears was threatening to fall off my round eyes. My family and his family were busy with their conversations, while I was busy dealing with my head. How can I cope with this man? I can't marry this man. He is a drunkard, a womanizer and a drug addict. I had seen him with my women, infact, he had hurt a woman before. He had abused a woman in front of me, and disfigured her face. Was I next. I touched my face in worry. I can't marry him. He deserved any of my stepsisters, not me. I am not beautiful like those two, what does he see in me?

"She had been talking about you all day." I heard father's deep voice. If this people I consider as my family could ever care about my happiness. All they ever wanted was money and power, while I wanted freedom and love. But this people got the money and the power they had always wanted, and I never got mine. Oh, I wish this was fantasy, so I can live in a fairytale land, and love someone else; someone better. Not this drug addict or this abuser.

"Really? I don't think she had." He said to my father, looking intensively at my face.

"Why do you say that son?" Father questioned worriedly. "She look tensed up." The man, Ken spoke up. I lift up my face to look at his. He was smirking widely like a mischievous villain he had been. I turned my head to meet my family glares. Especially my father and my younger step sister. My step mother smirked, while my older step sister was eating, minding her business.

"Why are you tensed up." Father grabbed my hand gently, but tightly, whispering words to my ear. I turned my head to look at him, and quickly bowed my head. Oh, those murdering eyes sure could kill one alive. I am sure those eyes were the ones that killed my poor mother.

"So dear, what do you think about my son?" His mother questioned. I don't think anything about him. I hate Ken and wish to distance myself from him. I prefer getting married to a poor man and die of poverty, than to marry a man who can possibly end my life.

"I..." I wanted to say something, but my father cut me off.

"She had been talking about him throughout the whole day. She loves him and couldn't wait to get married to him. You know youth of this days, they want to get married the quickest." father lied. I would never think about a man like him. And besides, I just finished college. All what had been in my head was to look for a good job for myself, and I haven't gotten time to think about a man. I have work to do, a job to find, and not get myself engaged with a man.

"Really, that's wonderful." His mother said and I sighed. Only if father could let me speak up and say my mind. I have a lot of words to say against this engagement, but father wouldn't let me.

"Really? But I think her eyes still says otherwise. Why don't you let her talk instead, Mr. Simpson." Ken suggested. Wow, it looked like this man doesn't like me the same way I also do not, and that was wonderful. And thank goodness he wants me to talk instead of my father doing the talking.

"Okay." Father turned to look at me, telling me something with his eyes. He sure wanted me to lie, having an undying love for him. Well, that's not gonna work. But my words...

"I...I.. don't know what to say." Now there I go again. Nerd talking. Oh, i wish I wasn't a nerd. I was a courageous nerd though. I am very sure my courageous side will be switched on anytime soon.

Father chuckled, obviously happy with my reply.

"See, there's no need to worry Ken. She likes you." He said to Ken who gave me a wicked smile.

"Come. Sit beside me Leticia." His mom offered, tapping on a sit beside her.

I stood up, then went to sit beside her. And also the other side her was Ken, who was ogling at me. Evil man!

"Oh, the two of you are going to make such beautiful babies."

What?! I wanted to yell. She is thinking of babies now uhn?

"You two are so young and beautiful, I wish I could go back in time and date my husband again."

She continued talking, which got me really pissed off. And now she is talking about what she would name her grandchildren when she has one.

Ken stood up and sat right beside me. My father and stepmother was grinning from ear to ear, really excited with what was unfolding in front of them.

I wonder why he took a turn to sit beside me though. He suddenly grabbed my hand, which shocked me to bones.

"So you like me uh?" He muttered those words into my ear.

Oh no, I can't take this anymore. I don't like him, and I am not sure i would like him. And I don't like how this woman was singing praises of the both of us, like we were really going to get married for real and I also don't like the way he took my hand like we were couples. I stood up on my feet, shocking the entire people seated on the table. They all looked at me wondering what I was about to do, especially my father who was glaring at me. But I don't care anymore.

I grabbed my backpack, before eyeing the people on the table, starting from that drunkard of a man. Oh how much I hate his face.

Then at my father who was staring at me with a questioning gaze. If eyes could kill someone right now, his eyes would have stabbed me in a million places long ago and a one now. But I do not care.

"I am sorry. But I have to leave now."

"What do you mean by that?!" Stepmother hit the table furiously, glaring at me. I gathered all the courage in me, before turning my face to look at her.

"I can't marry him. You can't force me to marry someone I don't love all because of money. So I am leaving." I turned around to leave.

"Leticia, If you dare walk out of that door, just forget the fact that we ever know you." Father threatened. Really? Then I prefer running away other than getting married to my nightmare.

I avoided him, walking out of the house angrily.

*

I was on a moving bus, staring at the window blankly. I just can't forget what my father had said earlier on. All because of money, he had decided to cut ties with his daughter. Have he forgotten about my mother? How it was before? We all loved ourselves before that woman and her children barged into our lives like pests. I was my father's favorite then, and we had lived a wonderful life as a family, until death decided to be selfish taking my mother away, bringing in a three nightmare I always wish to go away. But gosh, I don't really understand how that woman got to brainwash my father so easily. I can't. I just can't. The bus suddenly came to a rough halt, snapping me out of my thoughts.

The passengers went to check what was wrong, and what caused the holdup. I just sat there minding my own business.

"Atkinson street." I heard from the bus driver. We are here already? I was planning to go get my luggages out of my parents home, and go somewhere far. Just far away from their faces. Especially from my wicked stepsisters.

I hopped out of the bus. I still wore my backpack, and thank goodness I was in a comfortable jean and shirt outfit today, so I could walk as much as I want. I walked down town, only to hear police sirens from a street not to far away.

"What's wrong?" I muttered to myself, still walking down town, and not stopping. People were peeping through the window, checking what was wrong while I avoided them due to my mood today. People started running Helter skelter, running for their lives. It seems as if it's a robbery or something. I turned around to see three cars coming speedily towards me. I could recognize the two cars behind. There were the police cars, and the one at the front was definitely the thieves. Robbery in the day? I was shocked to my wits, as I stared at the three cars which were moving very fast towards me.

I was very lost and confused, and especially scared. Was i going to die? That question rang on my ears.

Vroom!! Splash!!

That was the sounds i heard before going down the abyss of darkness.

I clutched tightly to my skirt, sweat formed my forehead, and tears was threatening to fall off my round eyes. My family and his family were busy with their conversations, while I was busy dealing with my head. How can I cope with this man? I can't marry this man. He is a drunkard, a womanizer and a drug addict. I had seen him with my women, infact, he had hurt a woman before. He had abused a woman in front of me, and disfigured her face. Was I next. I touched my face in worry. I can't marry him. He deserved any of my stepsisters, not me. I am not beautiful like those two, what does he see in me?

"She had been talking about you all day." I heard father's deep voice. If this people I consider as my family could ever care about my happiness. All they ever wanted was money and power, while I wanted freedom and love. But this people got the money and the power they had always wanted, and I never got mine. Oh, I wish this was fantasy, so I can live in a fairytale land, and love someone else; someone better. Not this drug addict or this abuser.

"Really? I don't think she had." He said to my father, looking intensively at my face.

"Why do you say that son?" Father questioned worriedly. "She look tensed up." The man, Ken spoke up. I lift up my face to look at his. He was smirking widely like a mischievous villain he had been. I turned my head to meet my family glares. Especially my father and my younger step sister. My step mother smirked, while my older step sister was eating, minding her business.

"Why are you tensed up." Father grabbed my hand gently, but tightly, whispering words to my ear. I turned my head to look at him, and quickly bowed my head. Oh, those murdering eyes sure could kill one alive. I am sure those eyes were the ones that killed my poor mother.

"So dear, what do you think about my son?" His mother questioned. I don't think anything about him. I hate Ken and wish to distance myself from him. I prefer getting married to a poor man and die of poverty, than to marry a man who can possibly end my life.

"I..." I wanted to say something, but my father cut me off.

"She had been talking about him throughout the whole day. She loves him and couldn't wait to get married to him. You know youth of this days, they want to get married the quickest." father lied. I would never think about a man like him. And besides, I just finished college. All what had been in my head was to look for a good job for myself, and I haven't gotten time to think about a man. I have work to do, a job to find, and not get myself engaged with a man.

"Really, that's wonderful." His mother said and I sighed. Only if father could let me speak up and say my mind. I have a lot of words to say against this engagement, but father wouldn't let me.

"Really? But I think her eyes still says otherwise. Why don't you let her talk instead, Mr. Simpson." Ken suggested. Wow, it looked like this man doesn't like me the same way I also do not, and that was wonderful. And thank goodness he wants me to talk instead of my father doing the talking.

"Okay." Father turned to look at me, telling me something with his eyes. He sure wanted me to lie, having an undying love for him. Well, that's not gonna work. But my words...

"I...I.. don't know what to say." Now there I go again. Nerd talking. Oh, i wish I wasn't a nerd. I was a courageous nerd though. I am very sure my courageous side will be switched on anytime soon.

Father chuckled, obviously happy with my reply.

"See, there's no need to worry Ken. She likes you." He said to Ken who gave me a wicked smile.

"Come. Sit beside me Leticia." His mom offered, tapping on a sit beside her.

I stood up, then went to sit beside her. And also the other side her was Ken, who was ogling at me. Evil man!

"Oh, the two of you are going to make such beautiful babies."

What?! I wanted to yell. She is thinking of babies now uhn?

"You two are so young and beautiful, I wish I could go back in time and date my husband again."

She continued talking, which got me really pissed off. And now she is talking about what she would name her grandchildren when she has one.

Ken stood up and sat right beside me. My father and stepmother was grinning from ear to ear, really excited with what was unfolding in front of them.

I wonder why he took a turn to sit beside me though. He suddenly grabbed my hand, which shocked me to bones.

"So you like me uh?" He muttered those words into my ear.

Oh no, I can't take this anymore. I don't like him, and I am not sure i would like him. And I don't like how this woman was singing praises of the both of us, like we were really going to get married for real and I also don't like the way he took my hand like we were couples. I stood up on my feet, shocking the entire people seated on the table. They all looked at me wondering what I was about to do, especially my father who was glaring at me. But I don't care anymore.

I grabbed my backpack, before eyeing the people on the table, starting from that drunkard of a man. Oh how much I hate his face.

Then at my father who was staring at me with a questioning gaze. If eyes could kill someone right now, his eyes would have stabbed me in a million places long ago and a one now. But I do not care.

"I am sorry. But I have to leave now."

"What do you mean by that?!" Stepmother hit the table furiously, glaring at me. I gathered all the courage in me, before turning my face to look at her.

"I can't marry him. You can't force me to marry someone I don't love all because of money. So I am leaving." I turned around to leave.

"Leticia, If you dare walk out of that door, just forget the fact that we ever know you." Father threatened. Really? Then I prefer running away other than getting married to my nightmare.

I avoided him, walking out of the house angrily.

*

I was on a moving bus, staring at the window blankly. I just can't forget what my father had said earlier on. All because of money, he had decided to cut ties with his daughter. Have he forgotten about my mother? How it was before? We all loved ourselves before that woman and her children barged into our lives like pests. I was my father's favorite then, and we had lived a wonderful life as a family, until death decided to be selfish taking my mother away, bringing in a three nightmare I always wish to go away. But gosh, I don't really understand how that woman got to brainwash my father so easily. I can't. I just can't. The bus suddenly came to a rough halt, snapping me out of my thoughts.

The passengers went to check what was wrong, and what caused the holdup. I just sat there minding my own business.

"Atkinson street." I heard from the bus driver. We are here already? I was planning to go get my luggages out of my parents home, and go somewhere far. Just far away from their faces. Especially from my wicked stepsisters.

I hopped out of the bus. I still wore my backpack, and thank goodness I was in a comfortable jean and shirt outfit today, so I could walk as much as I want. I walked down town, only to hear police sirens from a street not to far away.

"What's wrong?" I muttered to myself, still walking down town, and not stopping. People were peeping through the window, checking what was wrong while I avoided them due to my mood today. People started running Helter skelter, running for their lives. It seems as if it's a robbery or something. I turned around to see three cars coming speedily towards me. I could recognize the two cars behind. There were the police cars, and the one at the front was definitely the thieves. Robbery in the day? I was shocked to my wits, as I stared at the three cars which were moving very fast towards me.

I was very lost and confused, and especially scared. Was i going to die? That question rang on my ears.

Vroom!! Splash!!

That was the sounds i heard before going down the abyss of darkness.