2 So Called Family

Five minutes of complete utter silence and peace is all I ask. That seems to be impossible in this dull and spacious household, especially around people who don't know the difference between talking and screaming.

But then again, have I ever gotten what I've asked for?

Though I know that I can't go complaining, or I'll end up without a roof over my head. For years I've wished to get out of this family if they are even worth to be called family. But where else can I go?

Sometimes I feel like I have the same fate as that girl in the fairy tale my mother used to read to me, the book Cinderella. But meeting a prince would be outrageous, the reason being there's no royal family in this countryside.

Also, I'm not as kind as Cinderella was portrayed, but I did learn how to endure as time went by. Enduring the harsh words my grandmother would yell at me, mistreatment from my aunties and, starvation. And anything else that could go far worse than that.

"You will marry Wilbert Duval, and I won't take no for an answer, you ungrateful child," I wish I could wipe off the disgusting spits from my grandmother's aggravation off my face, but I can't seem to move a muscle, and so I sit still on my chair with a blank look on my face.

So now my awful grandmother, together with my aunties, are making me marry a disreputable person. Although coming from a wealthy family, a person has such a horrible reputation for having countless affairs with different women in just one day and even ill-treat them.

I have been mistreated enough in this household, and I shall not allow this to continue even after marriage.

But when I open my mouth to protest, "grandmother, I won't be marrying him."

My grandmother smacks the dining table with both her hands causing a loud bang echoing throughout this big dining hall to straighten the backs of my aunties who were too busy comparing their nails. My grandmother is old, but her strength is still strong. The mark from a slap I received from her took weeks to recover.

"Are you purposely trying to agitate us? Rose Ann, can't you see that the man you're marrying is wealthy? You have a brain, so why don't you use it, and you could finally be of use to us," my Aunt Zella barks at me. She rolls her eyes, and it looks like her eyeballs would fall off if she rolled it with a tad more force.

But that's a lie. The only people who would benefit from this marriage are you people. I know that Wilbert's father paid my grandmother a great sum of money for this marriage to happen because my reputation is pure since I never committed to anything atrocious because I've been stuck in this place ever since I was born. He believes it could help clear Wilbert's reputation once I agree to marry him.

In conclusion, it'll benefit my grandmother, my aunties, and the Duval family. What's left for me? Well, there's mistreatment. I would only gain the title of being his wife but not get such treatments that wives usually receive.

"Do you want to be useless your entire life Rose Ann?" my Aunt Zoey asks, but it doesn't sound like a question. It's more of telling me that I am useless and will always be.

Marrying Wilbert Duval will be going beneath my dignity, and I would very much like to keep my dignity. I will not go through this marriage, and I won't be useless my entire life; I hoped I'd somewhat manage a way out of this chaotic family.

I took a stand for once.

I stand up from my seat, earning me the eyes of everyone in this dining hall, including the servants who are obediently standing by the entrance. It was a pretty bold move that I've never tried attempting before.

The next step is walking away without saying a word straight to my room. Of course, I can't get away with doing just that. In the middle of my silent abrupt exit, I feel something hit my back, followed by a loud noise of shattering glass warning me.

Someone just threw a plate of dinner on my back. Not that this was something new, it was very much expected. I turn around to face my Aunties stunned and furious-looking grandmother.

"Thank you for inviting me to dinner, but I'd like to head back now," and I exited the room.

When they called me to have dinner with them, it took me by surprise. They never had me join them in having any meals. I knew from the start that there was something off about them inviting me for dinner.

I reach my room and shut the door behind me. My back was against the door, which was a bad idea for food was stained on my back, but I didn't care. I was now in my private chamber where no one could touch me or tell me what to do. So I let out what I had been holding back. My vision clouded in an instant, tears went rushing down my face.

My hand falls to my neck, where lies the necklace my mom entrusted to me. I hold it tight in my hands with my eyes shut and through gritted teeth.

I gasp when I hear harsh footsteps outside approaching my room, which made me lock my door right away. The footsteps stopped, and a loud, heavy knocking came afterward. I knew it was my Aunties. They'd chased me all the way here.

"Open up, you scoundrel!" they yell, sounding pretty angry. Who am I kidding? They are furious. I stand still, my back never leaving the door, and my tears are unending. The energy to answer or argue back has flowed out with my tears, so I remain silent.

"Do you want to become like your mother?" that caught my attention. It seemed like everything went slow and quiet just for my aunt Zella to speak up "one day, she just disappeared and then came back a year later carrying a child! Can you believe her?"

I know what my mother did; you don't have to remind me of it again. She's the reason why you people loathe me.

"Rosetta was supposed to get medicine for mother, but she takes that chance to run away, off to some random man. She dared come back not alone but with a child! She's shameless!" Aunt Zoey added.

You don't know anything, how could you say that? My mother never told you or me anything. We never really knew where she ran off that day or why she would do that.

"And she was going to do that the second time-" My Aunt was cut off. Someone must have pulled her away. It was a long silence. I waited, wondering if they were still outside. No matter what, I am not unlocking this door.

"Rose Ann, we didn't raise you for nothing; you have to repay us someday somehow. You will marry Wilbert Duval. He's coming over tomorrow, so you won't be leaving this household without agreeing to marry him. And that is final, don't be a pain," my grandmother tells me, she sounds a little bit calm now, but I could still hint at the frustration in her words. She must have remembered me to be very obedient to what she asks me to do.

Silence followed after, making me sink to my feet. I hug my knees together, bawling my eyes off. I wish to get as far away from here as possible. I don't want to be here the next morning when the Duval family pays a visit. This shouldn't be the place where I belong. I can't stand it here anymore.

We were going to leave that night.

"Mother, I miss you," I weep, clenching the only item that reminded me of her, the necklace she left in my care. It somewhat felt warm in my touch. I choke on my tears, trying to let the words out, "I wish to be somewhere else."

The moonlight leaks through the stained glass window and straight at me as if it was my spotlight. In this dark room, the light only pointing towards me.

And something out of the ordinary happens. My breath hitched, the necklace I've been holding on to became warmer, making me let go of it. As soon as I let go of the pendant, it emitted a blinding bright light making me cover my eyes with my arms.

And that was the last thing I remembered, light.