Reclaim The Game (COMPLETED)

Epilogue

And that was when I realized that things are a lot more complicated than just staying married for the sake of being married.

Feelings... so complicated.

I wanted to fall in love when I'm in my 30s. I still needed to do a lot of growing up. I didn't want to be a pain in the ass. My future partner deserves so much better.

"Dad!" I called when I saw him the middle of the crowd. I saw some of my classmates look at me. I was infamous for being a bastard... God, of all the reasons to be infamous.

His face immediately lightened up. "I was about to text you."

"Did you eat? The ceremony's supposed to be long," I told him. We're already of the same height. I also shared his skin color. Maybe that's why those fucking pale guys hated me so much—because of melanin.

"I ate in the plane," he answered.

"Dad," I said. I looked around and saw that some people were staring at my Dad. God, this felt like the situation I had with Mom years ago. The divorced Dads in my school kept on asking if she's seeing someone... And now, the divorced Moms looked at my Dad like they're ready to pounce on him. It's the first time they saw him since Dad only visits during December and there's no school for the most part of it.

"Hmm?"

"I've thinking..." I said as I gathered the courage. "Is it okay if I study college in Manila?

His forehead creased. "Manila?"

"Yeah."

"I thought you wanted to study in Cornell?"

"About that... I didn't really take any exam."

"Alam ba 'to ng nanay mo?"

"No," I replied. "But I was thinking of studying in Laguna? I read a university there has a great program for agriculture."

I thought about this a lot.

I wanted to study in the Philippines.

"Sandro—"

"Listen, Dad. I'm already 17. I'll turn 18 in a few months. I'm already legal, so you know I can decide for myself... but as a favor, I'm still considering your opinion."

He laughed. "So, now, I owe you?"

"I mean, basically, yeah."

"So, what made you decide to study in the Philippines?"

I didn't want to tell him about the real reason. I wanted to keep it to myself. But it really started when I visited Mom at her work and saw one of the asshole lawyers there shouting at her and another woman. It involved a lot of colorful words that I dared not mention anymore.

Mom used to be a lawyer.

Tito Iñigo said she could still be one if she wanted to.

The only thing stopping her was me studying here... but I was already done with high school. We could move back to the Philippines. It's just better that way. Dad's there. Mom's friends are there. It's just better.

"Anyway, even if I stay here, I really didn't do anything to prepare for college, so at most, I'll be taking a gap year."

Dad laughed. "You really are my son."

I laughed, too.

Yeah.

I could really see how alike we are.

* * *

I got lots of awards.

I was called a nerd for a reason.