The Fool's Gold

Chapter 24 : Run

Bago pa magbago ang isip nila, dali-dali akong tumakbo at yumakap kay Mommy nang mahigpit at hinalikan nang ilang beses sa pisngi. Pabiro akong tumakbo patungo kay Kuya, pero nang akmang yayakapin ko na siya ay bigla siiyang nagtaas ng tinidor. 

"Arte!" I jokingly glared at him at blew him some flying kisses.

"Punyeta! Nakakawalang gana!" Kuya yelled while acting like he was going to gouge his eyes out.

"Lorenzo!" sabay na saway agad nina Mommy at Daddy sa kanya kaya lalo lang akong natawa.

"Hey, about me?" Dad asked, jokingly frowning while raising his arms. "Lagi mo na lang akong nakakalimutan."

I scratched my head and smiled sheepishly. I walked towards Dad while dragging my feet. As I hugged Dad, naalala ko bigla ang usapan namin ni Daddy tungkol sa paghingi ng tawad.

"I'm sorry," bulong ko sa kanya.

"Huh? For what?" Dad chuckled as he let go of me.

For secretly putting laxatives in your drinks, stealing your shoes to step on the neighbor's dog poops, purposely cutting off the cable feed when you're watching the basketball finals, setting Bing as your laptop's default browser, purposely eating all of your favorite snacks in the fridge even if I find them disgusting, and trying to avoid you as much as I can.

"Just because. . ." I shrugged and chuckled back.

Part of me feels sorry, even if I know in my heart that I will do them again to appease the anger I can't express.

"By the way, I heard your school's track and field team will have their tryouts next week. Don't bother signing up since I already talked to your coach. They'll consider your stellar performance back in high school kaya--"

"Mom, no!" Mabilis kong giit. "Sasali po ako sa tryout! I'll get in fair and square!"

Mom glared at me kaya muli akong nag-taas ng peace sign. "Po Mommy. . ." dagdag ko na lang.

Mom sighed and took a sip from her juice. "What if you won't get in?"

"Lauren. . ." Dad was quick to call her out. "Joey can do it. You've seen how fast she can run."

"Naalala ko ulit 'yong nanghabol siya ng lalakeng nagbibisikleta lang." Napatulala si Kuya at umarteng kinikilabutan. "Parang si Sadako na sumali sa Olympics."

"I'm just trying to make sure she'll get in." Mom was also quick to defend herself. "Besides, sasali rin siya sa swimming team. Kung pagsasabayin niya ang mga training para sa tryouts, paano ang academics niya? She needs to excel ngayon pa lang para may good impression siya sa professors niya."

Naririnig ko pa lang si Mommy, napapagod na ako. 

"Can I choose one sport this time?" I raised my head and chuckled hesitantly. "I don't think I can handle track and swimming at the same time again. Tama na siguro 'yong experience ko back in high school. Kung pwede nga na mag-focus na lang ako sa acads--"

"Sweetie, we all know you can handle them all. Why settle for the bare minimum?" Mom asked, almost pleading. "Don't give anything up just yet. You're the fastest female sprinter in Filimon Heights. Do you want another girl to break your record?"

I nodded without thinking twice. "Yes! That's a great achievement for her!"

"No!" Mom quickly grimaced. "11.34 seconds! That's your record for the 100-meter sprint, Joe! Sayang kung mapapalitan ka!  You can even improve that this year!"

I sighed, trying to smile so Mom wouldn't get upset. "Okay, I'll continue to run. I'll just stop swimming--"

"No!" Mom exclaimed. "You only won on a technicality last year! We have to prove that it wasn't a fluke! This is for your--"