Anna was busy as they were watching a television show when her phone made a sound. 
Her eyes stared at the screen. There was a message from Russ. 
Russ: “You are Anna right? This is Russ' cousin. He is quite drunk right now and he was looking for you. We can't make him calm down. I'm sorry to bother you but we need you here. He kept mumbling your name.” 
Michael's head moved and he turned his eyes on her. “What's wrong?” 
She moved her phone and let him see what was sent to her. “Russ is drunk. I guess he had a fight with his father again.” 
Michael read through the message before he moved his gaze. “It's evening and it's late, Anna. If only I'm fine we both can go there.” 
“We cannot risk your safety.” Michael added. 
Anna nodded her head at him. He was right. “You're right. But you know, he's hard to be tamed when he's that drunk. Remember last time?” 
It was chaotic. Russ was drunk, and he kept on stumbling on his way. He was loud and he was on the verge of having a huge breakdown. He was literally saying all of those things he did not like about his father's treatment. 
He even wanted to pick up a fight when a guy tried to shushed him out. Anna was glad Michael was fast enough to actually get in between the two of them. While she stood there and tried to help out. 
Luckily for them, their friends were also there too. So the fire that was lit, was blown out quickly... 
There were also certain moments when he had broken some of the things he had in his hand when he was mad at his father. 
“You know I kinda hate him.” Anna spoke. “He was too much on Russ. It's getting worse.” 
Michael nodded his head at her words. “It's something that only the both of them can truly fix.” He sighed and tore his eyes off of her. 
“Don't burden yourself with his problems.” He uttered. Michael turned and looked at her. 
“But I know you. Like a lot.” He uttered before he tucked a few strands of her hair. 
“That's why you always have to choose what's best for you at times, you have to actually learn how to guard yourself. To avoid overextending yourself into things that isn't really yours to deal with.” He uttered. 
He stared at the television before he held the remote control. He lowered the volume before his attention went back to Anna. 
“His cousins were there. They know him and they knew on how to deal with him in their own way. It's not something that should be pass on to you.” Michael added. 
Anna smiled at him. She grabbed his hand before she leaned on his shoulders. 
“You know that I'm really grateful I have you around.” She said. She thought of all of those words he spoke that actually saved her during those times she was needing those kinds of words the most. 
She felt his caress. He was gently touching her hair, moving his fingers on top. 
“Uhuh.” He replied while he continued what he was doing. 
Anna gave out a sigh too. “You thought me a lot of things and I actually learned a lot from you.” 
She moved her head, taking it away from his shoulders. She raised her chin and looked at him. 
“And everything that I have learned from you, it actually made me feel better. It made me become a better person.” She uttered. And she uttered it towards Michael knowing that she literally mean what she was saying at him. 
Michael smiled at her. He stared at her. He looked at her with proudness on his eyes. “You learned through those process and you had grown out of it. And you will continue to do so even without needing me.” 
He stoke her hair while he gently looked at her. 
“Those motivations, your ability to move forward even when things were tough... It's not on me but it was on you, Anna.” Michael uttered in a gentle manner. 
“You've pushed your way passed it. Therefore, it's you who also knows yourself the most. Even when you failed to realize at times, but then it was you who knows how to choose what's best for you.” He added. 
Something in her pass as she stared at him while he spoke of all his words to her. Years had passed, he had changed, but his treatment towards her only improved. 
“Promise me one thing, okay?” He uttered. 
Anna adjusted herself before she moved her head and nodded at him. “Sure... What is it?” She responded at him. 
Michael's expression glowed even more. He was contented and he was gentle as he stared at her. 
“I wanted you to always choose yourself, okay? When things are hard and it's confusing you, I always wanted you to put this thought in your head.” His lips moved and a smile appeared on his lips. 
He looked at her with intent. His gaze were literally focus on hers, unwavering... 
“I wanted you to always choose yourself.” He told her. 
Anna who knows it's quite hard to find that footing at times nodded her head at Michael. 
“You have to, okay?” He spoke. 
“You have one lifetime to spend here, therefore you have to make it count for you.” He pointed it out. Before he gently flicked her forehead with his fingers. 
“And besides, they were trying to just get rid of him. We both know what they were in their treatment to him.” He added. 
Anna smiled for she was reminded of what his other cousin spoke about when they were in the same space as them. She pushed the thought out of her head and smiled at him. 
“But you also is quite lenient when it comes to him.” She replied. She knows him. 
“You have that spot when it comes to Russ. And you could not even resists it.” She added. 
Michael shook his head. “It's not entirely about Russ, Anna. It's on every people you happen to come across with in life.” 
“Including me...” He muttered his words softly.