I Left with No Regrets

Family.

One thing that I yearned for so long yet is something that others say is really not needed considering I do have one. Or do I? I can't really tell. According to my teachers, I have a mother that is attentive and loving, a father that is hardworking and supportive, a brother that is protective and understanding, and a sister that is optimistic and extremely social. My friends say that my dad is friendly, my mom is welcoming, my brother is protective, and my sister is beautiful. Stangers would say that my sister is like a clone of my mom with my dad's personality while my brother is similar to my father with mom's personal charms tucked in. They would always wonder if I was an adoptee of their simply because I don't look like them.

"No, I'm not." I would remember telling them that.

I am the biological child of my mom and my dad and the youngest sibling of my brother and sister. But they would look at me with a suspicious look on their faces as if they don't believe me. I would then ignore it, already used to the stares of disbelief.

Rightfully so, after all, I am not like my family at all.

They would worry about their social life and status, after all, we are a middle-class family. They would dress up in fancy, fake designer clothing while I would wear something cheap but still comfortable. My dad is quite focused on his work and would then stay out late drinking with his buddies. Mother has a horrible spending habit. Sadly stated, she has no impulse control. The concept of saving is nothing to her because why would she? My sister also has a similar problem and add to the fact that she is the typical image of a mean girl of the school, with her lying to others, painting her image of a perfect, rich life that she just wished she would have. And my brother? He is a typical playboy who has a different girl every other week. I oftentimes find myself pitying the girls he would bring home because they always thought they are the ones for him until he is left alone. He would oftentimes complain to his friends about the flaws of the girls he brings home with. It's not their fault that these girls have flaws. They still remain pretty to me despite all these obvious flaws.

Me? I would worry about my grades and would attend academic and art competitions left and right. I would win most of the competitions that I attended. I even snagged a well-known international competition. Yet I would know that none of my family members are aware of it, seeing as I still have yet to land in the 'Missing Person' report. The rewards that I earned from the competition are used for the future funds that I set up, not that anyone knows about it. My sister is aware of the funds and would always threaten ask me about the reward fund for her personal endeavors. Don't worry, I always rejected her. She would then blame me for the mistakes that she made, thus, people seeing me as the clumsy adopted daughter. Then, when given the reason, they would always hit me, somewhere where the marks and bruises left won't obviously be seen in public.

This went on for years, making me desensitized about the emotional and physical pain I would feel from the abuse that they inflicted on me. I then question my existence numerous times. I would then spend less time at home, making them mad but do I care? I would roam around town, sometimes stopping by the library. My life is totally a routine by now; wake-up and prepare for school, prepare food for a bunch of people in the house because they are too lazy to do household chores, go to school, roam around town or do homework at the public library, head home and do chores, sleep.

High school then passed by and college arrived. I picked the one outside of the country and made sure I informed them about it. Hell rained on but I don't give a damn about it now that I can leave this family if it even is called that. I left no regrets that night and I am still glad that I did it.

College was a bliss, despite the difficulty of the subject, because I can now actually focus on feeling happy again. To me, college is my savior, a remedy even. I found myself again, now that I am away from those people that I called family. I found joy, peace, and love.

Years pass and I graduated, earning a degree in Law and International Studies, thus I then worked as a Diplomat. I then became an Ambassador to my home country, as I have earned the citizenship of the country that I went to college to. I almost forgot about my "family" until I am now confronted by them once again, asking for favors left and right. They looked different as if time did well for them in the slightest. My father looked old and so is my mom, my sister looked like a typical middle-class woman that wore the fake designer outfit to fit in the high regale status, and my brother now looks like he did well in his life but felt like it still isn't enough. Instead of ignoring them just like what my past self would do, I looked at them, giving them my full attention. I gathered all the confidence that I had that I should thank the gods for because I desperately needed it to make peace.

"I thought I told you already, I wish to be left alone, similar to how I would leave you all alone." I stated confidently. They protested but I stood firm. "We raised you, we gave you a home. Is this what you repay us?" My mother asked, acting as if she was in the right and I was in the wrong. I looked at them in the eye and told them that I will never, ever give in to their demands, similar to how they never gave in to my demand. "I believe, that concludes this meeting ladies, gentlemen." I then declared as I then asked my assistant to show them to the exit, already feeling a burst of emotions due to the confrontation that I had with my biological family. "Do you have no remorse over your own family? Do you have no regrets?" My sister asked, reeking of desperation. I then looked at her in the eye and stated with finality,

"I already left with no regrets in the past, what makes you think I regret what I am doing now?"