Mrs. Montenegro asked me lovingly. ''What is it that you want to tell us, dear?'' As we sat together at the dining table.
I cleared my throat and smiled back at her. ''Tita, I wanted to discuss my decision to live on my own and ask for your and Tito Marco's permission. I understand that you may not agree, but I hope you'll consider allowing me to do this. I am confident in my ability to take care of myself,'' I replied directly, keeping my gaze fixed on Mrs. Montenegro.
The couple paused their chewing and looked at me with surprise evident on their faces.
''Levi, your decision has really taken us by surprise. Why, dear? Is Mike treating you poorly? Is he being disrespectful? That son of yours, Thalia, has no manners!'' Mr. Montenegro responded with a furrowed brow and clenched fists."
"No, Tito," I firmly denied the accusation made by Mike's father. "I feel embarrassed already in front of you and Tita Thalia. You both have been incredibly kind to me. My desire for independence has nothing to do with any mistreatment. I simply want to take responsibility for my own life. I hope you understand that I can't rely on you forever. Starting a new chapter in my life means standing on my own two feet, and I will always be grateful for the love you have shown me," I explained at length to the couple, who still seemed skeptical.
"Oh, Levi, we will miss you," Mrs. Montenegro replied with a saddened tone. She stood up and approached me to give me a hug. "Is that really your final decision, dear?"
"Yes, Tita," I replied, embracing her.
"If that's truly what you want, dear, then we can't do anything to change your mind. We respect your decision, but please remember that we're always here for you if you ever need anything," Mr. Montenegro said.
"Thank you so much for understanding, Tita, Tito," I expressed my gratitude.
"Have you found a place to stay?" Mrs. Montenegro asked, her concerned expression evident on her beautiful face.
"Yes, Tita, I'll be staying in Tessa's apartment. Do you remember Tessa?" I replied.
"Yes, of course, that's good to hear, dear. When will you be moving out?" Mr. Montenegro inquired.
"Next week, Tito," I answered.
Our conversation was abruptly interrupted when we heard laughter and boisterous voices approaching us. I quickly turned my gaze towards where Mike was, accompanied by his friends and his girlfriend, Trisha.
Mrs. Montenegro winced upon seeing Trisha, as she didn't approve of the girl for her son, considering her lacking in manners.
"Mom, Dad," Mike greeted, planting a kiss on his parents' cheeks.
"Have you eaten, son?"
"I'm done, Mom," Mike replied, wrapping his arm around his girlfriend as if he couldn't get enough of her.
"Hello, Tita Thalia," Rey greeted, planting a kiss on Mr. and Mrs. Montenegro's cheeks.
I watched as the couple simply smiled and nodded. Some of Mike's companions smiled at them, and then there was Trisha, who smiled and kissed Mrs. Montenegro's cheek. I couldn't help but cringe, sensing Mrs. Montenegro's apparent disgust.
"Stay away from my son," Mrs. Montenegro whispered to Trisha.
Trisha smirked at Mrs. Montenegro and glanced in my direction, raising an eyebrow. "I'm sorry, Ma'am, but there's nothing you can do if your own son wants to chase after me," she retorted, quickly linking her arms with Mike's.
"We have to go, Mom, Dad. We'll just be on the balcony," Mike said, wrapping his arm around Trisha's waist for support. His friends followed suit.
I rolled my eyes as Mike and Trisha passed by me. Meanwhile, Royce, one of Mike's friends, winked at me. I smiled back at him.
We watched the retreating group, and I let out a sigh of frustration. Mrs. Montenegro held onto her senses and sat down on a chair, with Mr. Montenegro offers his support.
"Are you okay, Tita?" I asked, concerns evident in my voice.
"Sweetheart, is there something wrong? Should I call a doctor?" Mr. Montenegro asked, his face filled with deep concern.
"No, I'm fine, just... I don't like that woman!"
"Sweetheart, we can't do anything if Trisha is the one our son loves. Let's step back and let Mike handle it. He's too old for us to forbid him from loving whoever he chooses. Always remember that we never have the right to interfere in our child's love life," Mr. Montenegro explained.
"It might be best, Tita, if you rest for a while," I suggested, gently massaging Mrs. Montenegro's back.
"I guess you're right, dear."
Mr. Montenegro quickly moved and supported his beloved wife towards their bedroom.
I decided to have some juice, so I headed to the kitchen. There, I found Aling Sita preparing food. I noticed that she seemed a bit weak, so I approached her.
"Are you okay, Aling Sita?" I asked, joining her and pulling out a chair for her to sit on.
"I think I'm feeling dizzy, dear," she replied, bowing her head as if in prayer.
"Perhaps it would be best for you to rest for a while."
"Oh, I can't do that. I still need to bring this to the balcony for Mike and his friends," she said, exhaustion evident on her face. It tugged at my heart to see her like that.
"Don't worry, I'll take care of it. You don't have to worry."
"Are you sure, dear?"
"Oh, Aling Sita, don't worry. I've got it!"
"I just worry about you, dear. You know that we're well aware of the love-hate relationship between you and Mike. Sometimes I even think he has a crush on you."
"Oh, Aling Sita, always joking around. I'm not interested in guys who do nothing but bully others, and besides, he's not my type," I replied with a playful smile.
I arranged the food and placed it on a tray to bring it to the balcony where Mike and his friends, along with his flirtatious girlfriend, were.
"Alright, dear, I'll just rest in my room."
"Okay, take care."
Aling Sita left and headed to her own room, while I prepared the items to be brought out for Mike's guests. I walked slowly towards the group of laughing friends. From a distance, Trisha noticed me and furrowed her brow, seemingly realizing that I was the one who brought the food for them.
As I approached, I quickly placed the food on the table, accompanied by the whistling of Mike's male friends. I could only shake my head in response.
"Thank you, Levi," Drew said, approaching me to help with the glasses filled with lemonade.
"My pleasure," I replied.
"By the way, why are you the one delivering this?" he curiously asked.
"Well, Aling Sita wasn't feeling well, so I volunteered to bring it out," I explained, giving him a friendly smile.
Our attention was abruptly diverted when a loud bang came from the other table, where Mike and Rey were seated, several meters away from the table where I had prepared the food.
We turned our heads towards Mike's direction and noticed that there seemed to be a commotion between Mike and Rey. Drew quickly approached the two, as they were on the verge of a physical altercation.
"Hey! Stop, guys! Hold on, what's the problem?" Drew intervened, placing himself between the two, their intense gazes showing no signs of backing down.
I wanted to step in and intervene, but I hesitated. I didn't want to make things even more chaotic, and I definitely didn't want to be subjected to another round of Mike's verbal abuse in front of his friends. It was better to stay out of it. Who knows, I might lose control and end up throwing a punch at him.
"Hey, just relax. There's nothing wrong," Rey said, his voice filled with anger. "If I happen to have feelings for Levi, didn't you dislike her because she's just a helper in your house? You were the one who said that, right? So, what's your problem?"
Rey's words caught me off guard, and I exchanged glances with Drew and Mike. But my gaze lingered on Mike for a while, trying to decipher the meaning behind his eyes. It was difficult to read him, and I couldn't quite understand what his gaze was telling me.
The words hit me like a bomb, piercing deep into the core of my heart. I clenched my fists tightly, feeling the surge of emotions overwhelming me. Without hesitation, I swiftly turned away from the scene. Tears that I had been holding back since earlier finally broke free, streaming down my face. I heard someone calling my name, but I didn't have the energy to turn around. I needed to get away, so I quickened my pace, my walk turning into a desperate run.
"Levi, I didn't know you were there. I'm sorry," the voice said.
"Leave me alone," I responded, my voice filled with determination.
The young man was about to reach out to me when Mike's voice came from behind Rey.
"Levi!" Mike called out, his tone authoritative. But just like I did with Rey, I refused to turn and face him.
"I said leave me alone. Both of you, just go away because I want to be alone," I firmly replied, refusing to turn and look at them.
"And where do you think you're going? It's too late, and it's already dark outside," Mike said. I couldn't tell if he was genuinely concerned or if there was another motive behind his words. The truth was, Rey's words from earlier still echoed in my mind, and I couldn't shake them off.
We were the only two left in the garage, as Rey had suggested that it would be better for us to talk.
"Come on, Mr. Montenegro. Now you're suddenly concerned about me? Wow, that's quite impressive. After hurting me, you now act like you care? You're something else," I retorted, finally mustering the courage to face Mike directly.
"Who told you that I'm concerned about you?" Mike replied, leaving me dumbfounded.
"Oh right, I forgot, I'm just a worthless person to you. Why would you even bother wasting your time on me? After all, I'm just a mere helper in this house, right?" I shot back, feeling the bitterness seep through my words. Another wave of tears cascaded down my cheeks, and I couldn't hold them back any longer in front of Mike.
Suddenly, Mike's hand struck the concrete parking lot, blood trickling from his injured cheek and his split lip. It was only then that I noticed the furious expression on Mr. Montenegro's face.
"Dāmn you! You are a heartless person!" Mr. Montenegro's voice boomed, filled with anger and frustration.
Following his outburst, a car pulled up, and Micah emerged from it, returning from the prom she had attended. With lightning speed, she rushed towards us, concerned etched on her face as she saw her brother still reeling from the impact of their father's blow.
"Daddy, what happened?" Micah asked, her voice filled with worry.
"Ask your brilliant brother about that. Levi, let's go," Mr. Montenegro said, grabbing my arm and pulling me away from the chaotic scene. Thankfully, Drew and Rey managed to intervene, preventing Mike's father from unleashing further violence upon him.