Adept in Peril

Chapter VI - Perseverance.

A/N
Please don't be a ghost reader.
Vote and comment.
It would encourage me.
The book has finally started.
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Annie's POV

Immediately I stumbled into the house, I frazzled onto the couch.
Mom was busy with her latest read - Purple hibiscus by Chimamanda Adichie at her make-shift study cubicle positioned by the humming refrigerator.
She said that annoying sound gave her inspiration.

There was power supply as the sitting room was illuminated by the white bulb.
Jaden laid down on the big couch uselessly staring at the television- not even acknowledging my presence.

Mom finally raised up her head from her book, casting a worried look at me.

I adjusted as I relaxed further into the brown-leather couch.
I blinked my eyes so many times trying to hold back tears till all I saw was a blur of the sitting room.

By the time I flicked them open, Mom was by my side on the couch.
She snuggled close to me and wrapped me up in her arms.
It was like a fountain was let loose as I began sobbing uncontrollably in her arms.

I softened into her embrace, taking up her scent as her bubu slowly got wet.

She continued patting my back.
When I finally sobered up, I filled her up on every single thing the coach had said, sniffing subsequently, tears rolling down my cheeks.

By this time, Jaden was all-ears as he stared at me with so much pity.
He finally got up and sat beside me, making me sit in their middle.

"As a matter of fact, I'm not interested in volleyball again!" I sparked as I opened my mini-bag, I brought out my jersey and tossed it across where I was seated, at the foot of the couch Jaden sat on previously.

Mom cast a pitiful glance at me, then adjusted taking her motherly pose.

"You have to pay the price if you really want to go for this competition, smaragdine.
You have a gift called perseverance and I want you to apply it here.
I mean you have come this far and can't just give up now, I'll teach you how to manage time as I did in high school," Mom said as her eyes twinkled in amusement at her last statement.

Yes, Mom was an athlete, also an A-student.

"But I'm already out of the team," I wailed, interrupting her speech.

But she continued;
"Leave that, I'll have a talk with your coach. Go freshen up and have a quiet time also." She said as she got up to continue her hobby.

Jaden ruffled my hair as I was about to get up too, I gave him a death-stare amidst my teary eyes.

"Add a little zest to life, this suspension might be a good reason to finally get to enjoy yourself," He said casually with a goofy smile.

I hissed at him.

"If it were that easy, then leave basketball," I retorted.

"Never!" He yelled, almost making ear drums non-functional.

He stood up with the remote control in his hands, knocking down my bag.
The contents fell to the ground.
He bent down to pick my scrap book and flipped through it.

His eyes tripled in size at a point and it just dawned on me.

Oh damn!

I almost fainted as Jaden began running towards Mom.

"Mom, Annie has a boyfriend now o, can you imagine," He called out laughing with so much ecstasy - like he discovered the 8th wonder of the world.

That page was doodled with Carlo's name, with a lot of silly emojis and ship names- #Carnnie #lovers