17 years later . .

“Umm, Vanessa, please come home right now. I have something important to say to you.” Mom says on the phone.

“Mom? Are you alright? Is everything alright?” I asked concernedly.

“Yeah, yeah. Everything is fine ... Just come home, ok?” she asks.

“Ok, I will, but why are you whispering?"

“Don’t worry about that, just come home, ok?” She continues.

“Yeah mom, but really –” My mom cuts me off, “Vanessa Halt!”

“Oh, I'll be right there then. Bye, mom, see you later.” I sang.

“Wait!!! Actually, I will be waiting for you in the office...."

“Alright.”

“Ok, bye honey.” Mom says before she hang up. I gave the phone back to the secretary, Ms. Song.

She put down the phone and with her Southern accent she said,

“Oh pumpkin pie, I think your mama is going to pick you up soon!

You better hurry and get your things packed!!”

“Ok,” I said, “I'll come right back.”

“Alright darling, gallop along!” she said and turns back to do her thing.

I ran down the hall to Composition Class and packed all of my things.

I went back to the office again, this time, my mom was there filling out some form.

“Hey, mom!” I said, relieved that she is ok.

She quickly looks up and shoved the papers that she was filling out in her little brown bag that she carries everywhere.

“Hi, honey.” She said, smiling as she pushed some of her hair to the side of her face.

“What was that paper about?” I asked, looking down at her bag.

Her smile dropped, and I could see that she was trying to put the smile back on.

She put one hand on her bag to make sure it was closed.

“Oh, that's nothing, really. Let’s go home now.” She said and guide my shoulders towards the back door that led to the parking lot.

“Okayyy.” I said stiffly, but I could feel that my mom was hiding something from me.

When we stepped outside, I shield my eyes from the blazing sun.

I blinked several times before my eyes adjust to the brightness.

We got into the car and mom started the car. It was silent all the way from the school to our house. The atmosphere in the car was extremely awkward and tense.

My mom drove around a corner and I could saw our house. It was just another ordinary house that anyone could be passing by.

But today, it was different. Outside of our house, there were 2 long limos.

My mom stopped the car a few blocks away from our house. I heard my mom sigh softly before I turned to her.

“I knew that from the very beginning you were hiding something from me. Tell me now, mom! What is THIS?” I said, pointed at the very rich - looking people outside of our house.

“Honey,” mom said softly, getting out of the car. She paused, deciding whether she wanted to break it to me now or later. “We'll talk about it in the house, ok?”

She slammed the car door shut and started walking towards the house. I quickly followed her.

“Hi, Mrs. Halt, how are you and Vanessa doing?” the teen dad asked.

I raised my eyebrow at him.

How does he know my name? Mom better have a damn good explanation about this WHOLE crap! I thought, crossing my arms.

“I am doing very good. How about you, Mr. Cohen?” My mom

said, smiling at him, before shaking his hand. But there was something in her eyes that told me that something bad is about to happen.

I looked at the teen mom.

Damn she looks like a model straight from the

Bloomingdale's magazine cover, so thin and beautiful. Who is she?

Is she a supermodel? I thought.

"I am also doing very well," Mr. Cohen said.

I looked at the son.

Woah! Is he gorgeous!? He also looked like a male model straight from the runaway!

I thought, staring at him for 5 more second. I can tell that his type, girls just take a look at him and they would fall for him madly.

I rolled my eyes.

I squinted my eyes at the sun. My head started to feel light and. dizzy.

I looked at the boy again to see that his mother is whispering something in his ear. I only caught a word; love.

“Sorry to keep you all waiting, but let’s go inside.” My mom said and took out the keys to open the door.

As we walked in, I can feel that boy's eyes at me.

“Please sit here.” My mom said and they sat down in silence.

That boy's eyes are still on me, eyeing my body like seeing if my body was a type of body that he likes. I didn't dare to look at him and I didn't like him already.

After a moment, my father came home.

“Hello, Mrs. and Mr. Cohen.” My father said. Again, I sense

something between them. They have a connection.

Strange!

Father settled down and looked at me and than looked at mom.

Mom looked at him back, nudge him a little.

This was awkward and I can’t take it anymore.

“Ok, what is going on?” I asked, interrupting the silence.

My parent froze, I feel foolish in front of the guest - whoever they are, I still feel foolish.

My parent turned and faces me.

“How should I say this, honey?” Mom said and clasped her hand

together.

I know when she says how should I say this, honey? please, it means there's bad news ahead.

I gulped.

I crossed my fingers, behind my back, hoping it not something really bad.

Please!

I said a silence prayer. Please, don't make it really bad.

"Umm, how should I say it?" Mom said again.

I waited patiently and sit back, I was trying to act patient.

I looked at my father and he was rubbing the soft spot between his index finger and thumb finger. He always does that when he is nervous.

"Ummmm, you are proposed to Jason Cohen? Should I say?" my mom questioned herself. And by the name Jason Cohen, I know exactly who he was - the super sexy guy in my living room. But I didn't look at him; I was too confused to look at him.

"You got to be kidding, right?" I asked her. I stared at my mom for a moment to make sure she is not joking. My mom has a funny personality, but this got to be a joke. This shouldn't be a type of thing that she should be joking about.

My mom didn't say anything; instead father started speaking,

"Yep, you heard your mother."

"Why are doing this? This is so sudden and random. What is this

about?" I asked, and was about to throw more question at them, but I didn't.

"Well, remember when you were 8 years - old, you asked us why you have to keep on eating these medicine and why you can't miss taking the medicine, even a day -?" dad asked softly.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." I said impatiently this time. I can't hold my patients in anymore.

I wish I could just wake up from this terrible nightmare.

“Well . . .” mom said, “you know the story when you were born,

you – ”

“I know, I was weak, I was different, and the doctor cured me by giving me the medicine and now I am beyond healthy and – ” I said.

“Yeah, you know that doctor is Doctor Cohen. And, ummmm, you know, you were really weak, you could have passed away, but this special doctor decided to help us. He . . . said that he would help us,

if only you would marry his son – ”

“NOW, you got to be kidding me!” I said.

“I am sorry honey, but this is the truth.” Mom said quickly.

“How come you didn't tell me about the deal a long time ago?!

Why are you telling me now?! Why didn't you explain this when I asked you about the medicine, when I was 8?!” I said, getting up. My anger was boiling in my blood and I feel like screaming any moment.

“I’m sorry, honey. I should have, but I thought that you were too young to understand - ” Mom explained, getting up to settle me

down. She put a hand on my shoulder.

I stepped away from her hand, to let her hand fall.

“YOU ALWAYS THINK I AM TOO YOUNG FOR EVERYTHING!

YOU KEPT EVERYTHING FROM ME! YOU LIED TO ME SAYING

THAT YOU TOLD ME EVERYTHING WHEN I ASKED YOU DID

YOU TELL ME EVERYTHING! YOU DIDN'T TELL ME THE TRUTH

ABOUT MY LIFE! YOU KEPT IT ALL A SECRET!” I shouted.

“Honey, I am so sorry, it was my fault. I should have told you, but it was only for your goods. I - ” mom said and stepped closer to me,

but I was too angry to listen. I didn't care and it was too much.

“I DON’T WANT TO HEAR ABOUT IT! I HAD ENOUGH!” I

screamed, “THIS IS TOO MUCH! I DON'T CARE ANYMORE!”

I shoved everyone away and ran for the door.

It was too much, I have to get away! my mind screamed to me.