Chapter 1 Part 2
"Why does she constantly criticize her?" He screamed at his mother in a fit of rage, his voice reverberating through the room. As his anger simmered, an internal dialogue consumed him, questioning the reasons behind her relentless judgment.
In an effort to shield himself from the pain, he consciously suppressed thoughts of the girl he had once known in his adolescence. For a fleeting moment, he squeezed his eyes shut, as if attempting to shut out the memories, before hastening his steps, his tears falling in a torrent.
Even as he turned away from Kiea, his emotions remained shrouded in deception. "I love you, Kiea," he whispered into the air, his words hanging with unspoken longing. "I wish you could hear it, so you wouldn't let me go."
Meanwhile, Kiea surrendered to silent sobs, her emotions cascading over her in waves. An overwhelming worry gripped her, fearing that Wil might catch the echoes of her despair and be compelled to turn back. She yearned for his happiness, even if it meant letting him go.
Through her tears, she managed to gather her strength, brushing them away as they continued to stream down her face. "We're still in our youth, Wil," she choked out, her voice trembling. "You can find someone better." Though she longed to express her deepest thoughts—how she had always envisioned him graduating and embarking on a life separate from hers—she could only sob and release her words into the air, hoping they would reach him.
And the words she couldn't bear to utter directly to him, the words that weighed heavy within her heart, were whispered with bittersweet finality as she watched him fade into the distance.
 "Now you can bid farewell to our memories here, Wil. May your new place bring you joy and may you find solace without any doubts. I love you."
WIL'S (P.O.V)
Fury coursed through my veins as I sped towards home, dreading the imminent confrontation with my mother over Kiea. Unbeknownst to me, as I arrived, a tense atmosphere hung in the air, with my mother, father, and older sister awaiting my return in my room. The door closed with a resounding thud, serving as an audible testament to my simmering anger.
At the tender age of nineteen, I understood that my feelings for Kiea transcended time. Love knows no bounds and requires no validation from age or societal expectations.Just as I was about to succumb to my seething emotions, a knock interrupted my internal turmoil. It was my sister, imploring me to join them for lunch. Despite her persistence, I ignored her, absorbed in my own internal battle. However, her tone shifted, revealing a hint of a threat.
 "Wil, you wouldn't want me to break into your room and serve you your doom earlier than anticipated, would you? Come down and eat now!" Her commanding words echoed through the door, prompting a heavy sigh from my lips. Reluctantly, I rose from my bed, and as I opened the door, I was met with a sight that furrowed my brow, intensifying my ire.
"What is this?" I demanded, my gaze sweeping over the room. My mother averted her eyes, a silent admission of guilt, while my father and sister held my gaze with unwavering resolve.
My older sister wasted no time in unleashing her irritation. "Don't 'what is this' me, young man. I am infuriated with you."
Still seething with anger, I feigned innocence and asked, "What? Now, what have I done to earn your ire?"
My mother's annoyance was palpable; she couldn't fathom where I had acquired such an attitude. "You walked right past us, not even bothering to acknowledge our presence, and all we heard was the loud slam of your door," she accused, her frustration evident in her voice.
Unperturbed and unafraid, I responded, "Well, perhaps it's only fair for you to experience what it feels like to have someone you care about turn their back on you."
In a louder and more assertive tone, my mother questioned me, "Look at you! Is this what you've become after spending time with that orphan?"
I chose not to engage in a dispute at that moment. Leaving them standing in front of my closed door, I made my way to the kitchen and took a seat at the table, inviting them to join me. "Come on, Mom, did you really pass on this attitude of mine to her?"
As they followed me down the stairs, my mother's voice echoed, "We are not finished talking, Wil."
I muttered, not caring for her words that only she seemed to comprehend, "Mom, didn't you call me down to eat?"
She sat in her chair, glum and exasperated. "You're really getting on my nerves, Wil!"
I shrugged nonchalantly and began to eat, calmly stating, "Well, Mom, you've managed to get on my nerves plenty of times before." I offered a suggestion, "Let's just focus on eating."
Rolling her eyes in response, my mother's irritation was met with a giggle from my older sister, who found amusement in the situation.
Quickly, my mother inquired, causing me to pause mid-chew, "How did your conversation with her go today?"
With a shrug of my shoulders and a deliberate avoidance of her gaze, I replied dismissively, "Nothing new. Oh, except that she managed to make me cry when she forced me to turn around and face the opposite direction." Both my mother and father wore expressions of astonishment, while my sister's countenance remained cheerful. I couldn't help but wonder why she wore such a foolish grin. I sound annoyed, "Why are you two astonished? Are you startled because I said I cried? Well, don't be surprised at all since I didn't only cry, I also begged her." Then I turned to look at my older sister, who was making a silly face and looked so foolish. "And can you stop making that face? You look so stupid. Right now, nothing feels upbeat. Would you kindly stop?"
"One day, son, one day you'll understand why I'm doing this," Mom remarked, her voice filled with a mixture of determination and sadness.
Even though I knew I appeared disrespectful in that moment, I couldn't bring myself to care. "No, Mom, there won't be a day when I'll understand you and all the senseless actions you've taken." The pain she had caused me was enough. My voice cracked with emotion, and I couldn't help but curse my own behavior. "I was a good son to you, to both of you. I was a good brother to my sister. I just can't find the right words to prove that all of this is for my damn sake." Despite my youth, what were these complex and indescribable feelings swirling within me?"
Mom countered, her voice tinged with frustration, "At your age, you should be enjoying school and not burdening yourself with negative thoughts about your future. You're still too young to fully understand and articulate your feelings, Luke William."
I laughed sarcastically, unable to hold back my bitter amusement. "Oh, that's what you think, huh? Tell me about it, as if you and Dad didn't meet and make choices when you were much younger than I am now."
Dad's voice rose as he shouted, "Luke William!"
"What? Am I wrong?" I retorted defiantly. "I'm just stating the facts here, Dad." Deep down, I was scared of the repercussions that awaited me after speaking my mind, but since this confrontation had already begun, I decided to go all in. "And Mom? There's nothing you can say that will make me understand your actions, actions that you deem morally right."
"Luke, please stop using those insulting words. They are still your parents, so, for God's sake, show them some decency," my wonderful sister interjected, her voice filled with concern.
I glanced at my sister, who couldn't believe what I was doing, and spoke with a mixture of remorse and determination, "I know, and I'm sorry, but I won't take back my words. I refuse to let Mom control my personal life, so please, dear sister, don't judge me based on the same standards you hold for yourself."