The Beginning

"Let's break up..."

Those words... He hates it the most. You can curse him, humiliate him, spitfire on him. Anything... Everything.

Everything but that.

I can see him curling his fist. With a face, darker than the Hell itself. His sharp eyes; once I adore so much, turn darker than the black hole.

With only three words that combine the whole sentences.

"You are not leaving me, Pan..."

"Zee, I think I had enough..."

"I will kill you if you leave me!"

I chuckle, glaring at him with my feisty eyes. Zee is good with words. Too good, I think! He can even stop a war with his words, that's what he claimed.

"Words can only be words, Zee. You won't kill me," I reply.

He charges forward. In the blink of an eye, his hand chokes my neck. I shut my eyes tight, and gather my breath so I can take hold of his attack.

"I can kill you in a breeze, Pan!"

"You know what..." I hold his hand tight. "You did kill me already, Zee. I'm not feeling myself anymore."

His eyes grow larger. He lets his grip loose. I cough and inhale enough oxygen so I can breathe.

"Let's end this game, Zee. With no hard feelings. I had enough of this toxic relationship," I try to convince him in the calmest way possible.

"Tell me, what's wrong with our relationship?!"

"I had enough of you trying to control everything! I lose my freedom when I'm around you. You promise to take care of me, but what I get is nothing but your never-ending jealousy!"

"All I did is for your good. I wanna protect you!" Zee holds my shoulder and forces me to look at him.

"From what? From whom? From the world? Until when?" I ask.

"Your life was miserable when we first met! I help you escape from your family! And now, you said I'm the one who makes you live like shit now?!"

"You meant well, I know. And I'm grateful for that. But, I want a guarantee, a promise of a future! Both of us, we're still young! Are you gonna live like a thug for the rest of your life?" my inquires make him halt for a second.

"What about your promise to stay, even at my worst? You know how my life is, and now what did you expect? Me, going to college and graduating? Looking for a normal job?"

"I never ask you to do more. If you can't, at least let me do it! Let me enroll!"

"I can never trust you with that! Going to college is just an excuse for you to escape from me so you can meet new people and get sway!"

Pang!

"I had enough of your stupid jealousy, Zee! Now, you are disrespecting me! I wanna change for the better future, but you believe that I'm gonna cheat on you. What kind of girl do you think I am?"

A streak of tears rolls down as I wipe it vigorously. For two years I've been holding onto his attitude. I let him do whatever he wanted; joining a gang, drugs, booze, nightlife, freedom.

But, does he ever care about my existence in his life?

I grab my bag from the bed, the one that I've packed before. There's been nothing much ever since I left home. I take off the ring that he gave to me when he proposed to me two years ago and place it on the bed. I can see by the corner of my eyes, that he is devastated.

But, enough is enough for me.

I leave for good and never to return.

***

"Pan, where are you?"

I'm holding a bunch of files in my hands while ascending the stairs in a hurry.

"Calm down, Fia. I'm on my way!"

"See, if you follow me this morning, you won't be late!" I can imagine how frustrated Sofia is now.

"Let's meet at the admission office. I think I can't catch you guys now!" I reply.

"Remember, you need to send your admission by this afternoon or say goodbye to your college life!"

"I know, I know! Jeez, you sound like my mom!" I snare.

"Don't forget to take your High School Transcript and Certificate. And we will meet at the main cafe after that. And please, Miss Pandora, don't be late!" by those words, I almost fly myself into the office so I won't be late.

"Yes, Mom!" I managed to tease Sofia before I cut the call. She must be losing her mind by now!

After a while, I managed to get my High School Certificate and Student's Transcript. Now, I arrive at the main building of The InterTech Institute.

The college of my choice.

The admission office is just right in front of my eyes. I speed up so I can send my admission by the time given.

But, somehow... My eyes are getting blurry and everything seems to fade away. I feel my body is floating.

Am I gonna make it?