My Angel

CHAPTER 19

BECKY

"I can't just give up like this!"

With a new motivation acquired, I pushed myself to sit up straight.

"After all the things that I did just to get here, I have to try until the very end" I told myself, despite knowing that my chances are slim, I simply don't want a time to come with me, realizing that I regret giving up and not trying until the very end. "It's not over till it's over" I said to myself.

I got myself off the bed to start my day—officially,  that is. With a new state of mind, I walked my way to my bathroom and took a very refreshing shower. I spent the next hour getting myself ready, prepped, and dressed before finally leaving my room for the first time since that night.

To say that I wasn't nervous would be a lie because I was. As I started walking down the hall towards the stairs, I felt my heart pound harder than normal, and my mind has started making up scenarios of what could possibly happen once my family—or anyone else—would finally see me after my seclusion for days, but I made an effort to suppress them all and kept on walking, making my way down stairs where I knew there would be people present. I was halfway down the stairs when I finally heard someone call my name.

"Bec" I heard Richie call me from not so far away. His voice has a hint of worry and relief mixed together. I looked in the direction of his voice, and that's when I discovered that he was not alone, not at all. It turned out that everyone—and I mean everyone—from both families was present and was seated around the sofa, preoccupied with the topic of their conversation. It just so happened that Richie was seated on the sofa that is directly proportional to me, making him the first person to see me.

With his sudden action of calling my name and standing up from his seat, he immediately attracted the attention of everyone present, but once they had successfully processed what had happened, everyone immediately followed his line of sight and immediately replicated the look of surprise on Richie's face.

Seeing all that made me feel guilty, I knew that I was going to regret it, but I didn't know that I'm going to regret it this early and at this degree. My family has done nothing but support me, and I chose to shut them out for days instead of talking to them and telling them what happened. Well, it's too late for that now. I just have to suck it up and bear the consequences.

"I see that everyone is here" I said, trying to sound as cheerful and bubbly as my usual self as I continued my way down the stairs towards the living room to join them. "Bec" each and every one of them started calling my name after snapping out of the trance they were seemingly into as they watched me close the distance.

That's when everyone started closing in on me and pulling me into a hug, obviously relieved to see me doing better. Though that did make me feel awkward and guilty, the collective question of 'are you ok?', 'how are you feeling?', 'are you not hurting anywhere?', and 'are you feeling better?' made that feeling even worse. I wanted so badly to reprimand my few days' younger self for the selfish decision, but I know that it's already too late for that and that there's no one else to blame but myself.

"I'm sorry for making all of you worry, you guys" I said sincerely, and I made sure to look at each and every one of them in the eyes (though I did look at her a tad longer than others on purpose) to convey my apologetic feelings. "What I have decided to do may have given you trouble, so I promise that I won't do it again" I stated "and that I will take responsibility and accept any punishment that you will give me" I added, fully aware of the weight of the words that I have just stated.

"Don't worry about that anymore" it was my dad who gave me an answer, contrary to my expectation that it would be my mom who would. Since it is very unlike my dad to be the first to talk when it comes to giving reprimands or punishment, he does give that decision to my mom. That's why his action didn't fail to catch everyone's attention, but no one went against it and actually kept quiet in agreement. "What matters is that you're okay" his words made my eyes water a little but I made sure to keep it in.

"That's right" it was my mom this time "What's done is done, we don't have to bring it back" she said "As long as you are fine and in good condition, then everything's ok" It actually sounded more like a command, but the genuine concern present in her voice did not escape me, so I simply listened.

"You better not do that again, you already broke your record of no absence, you know" Richie said all of a sudden. I can tell that he's trying to lighten up the mood, but the hint of guilt did not fail to escape my eyes and ears. With that, I think I can conclude that the topic of their conversation earlier was me, and by now I am a hundred percent sure that they already know what made me so upset, but I think it's better to just let it be.

"You can't fool me Richie" I said, going along with his attempt "I already checked my phone, and I know that today is Monday" I said, bursting his bubbles. "There's still time for me to go to school and attend my classes, and there's also enough time for you guys to go to work" I stated confidently "Especially you, who I know would love to have one more day of doing nothing and lazing around the house" I added, contributing to my brother's effort. I don't want to make them worry anymore, but more than that, I don't want them to catch on to what I am planning to do.

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Hi everyone!

Here's another chapter...

I'm trying my best to make sure to update at least once a week...

So hopefully, see on the next one...