The Girl in the Wrestling Shoes

Chapter 7.

"Why would you keep this from me dad?"
He looked at me, and sighed. Even he was at a loss for words. 

"I didn't want you to know."
"But why?"

I pushed once more, wanting an answer.
" I just-"

His eyes wandered to a picture of me at myrtle beach with mom 10 years ago, standing outside of the entrance of a amusment park on the beach.
"I didn't want you to remember the day you tried so hard to win states, and lost. That's why we had no one speak of that day again, why we took all of your wrestling things- I'm so sorry, Savannah. I didn't mean to keep it from you."

He lifted up his black golf shirt to wipe a tear. I had never seen my dad shed a tear- in my life. This must've been something important. 
"I thought I had failed as a parent."
"You didn't dad. I understand."

I  honestly say, now understanding why they had did all of this.
"You do?"
His eyebrows raised, shocked. I bet he had thought I would hate him for the rest of my life- but, in fact, I couldn't find a reason to be angry.
"You just wanted to protect me, that's all. It's cool, I promise."
"Give me a hug, Cobra."
I smelled my dad's signature cologne, Mcgraw. God it smelled good, comforting at this moment.
"Cam and I found out about mom, too."
"What?" He pulled away, his voice cracking. 
"Mom's from Columbia."
"Oh you two."
He put his face in his hands, ready to explain the backstory.
"When I was 21, I went to Columbia for a year abroad in collage, studying Spanish there. That's where I met Jana. We locked eyes, and I knew she had to be mine. We dated for a year until I had to go back home, but Jana wanted to come with me. At the time, she didn't have the money to come to the US yet, she was in collage as well. So, I had her on a K1 visa. It's not like I met her online or anything like that, we had been dating for a year and I spent every day with her. Look."
Dad went in his top drawer and pulled out a stack of photos. I flipped through them, seeing them  both at resturants, beaches, parties, everywhere.
"Jana came here, she helped me with spanish, I ended up getting a 95 that year in collage, passing it. "
Dad's face softened a bit, and a small smile came across his face, as if he was remembering the moment.
"We got married,  and 3 years later your brother was here." My father licked his lips, then looked out the window. 
"Your mom and I have been together ever since." Dad smiled, then continued.
"I love her for staying with me, even though she knew no one here."
I looked at the last picture of them on their wedding day. Mom was smiling at dad, and he was looking back at her with the biggest smile on his face. They really did love each other, spending almost 20 years together.
"Sometimes, you just get lucky."
"Dad?"

I take a deep breath, knowing my next question was going to come at a bit of a shock to him.
"Yes?"
"I have one more question."
What?"
His eyes darted back to me.
"I want to wrestle."
************
"Hey, want to be partners?"
Someone tapped me on my shoulder, I turned around to see who it was, it was Paige. She was chewing gum, I could smell the mint from where I was sitting.
"Sure!"
She fiddled with her braid as the teacher was talking, explaining something.
"Alright guys, before we start, we have winter sport sign ups."

Mr. Biggs, the ripped gym teacher, who some of the boys swear that he could bench 450 pounds- stood next to a chart and a table full of sign up sheets.
"For boys, we have basketball, bowling, swimming, indoor tennis, and wrestling. For girls, cheerleading, basketball."
"What are you going to sign up for?"
Paige quietly asked me.
"Something."
I got up, and signed my name under the "wrestling" sheet.
Big surprise, it was all guys. I quickly counted all of the names. 17 guys, and 1 girl. I knew a few kids on the list, not many of them though.
"So, take a sheet home for your selected sport, and bring it back to the nurse by next friday."
Mr. Biggs looked at the sports sheets, picked it up and eyed it. I noticed him looking at me. A smirk escaped from his lips. It was about me.
"Hey eames, come over here."
I took a deep breath and walked slowly over to him.
"You're doing wrestling?"
"Yes." I looked into his lifeless eyes, and a loud cackle came from him.
"You can't wrestle!"
"Says who?" I put my hands on my hips, getting a bit frustrated at him. Who was he telling me what I couldn't do? 
"Says me. You got lucky when you were younger, you were smaller and the boys weren't as strong. I bet you'll lose every match."

He crossed his arms over his huge chest, basically you could his muscles through his shirt, trying to show off.
"But you know what Mr. Biggs?"
"What?"
"It's on."
***
So yeah the fiancé thing I got the idea from 90 day fiancé a while back watching that show. Haha

** edited March 21st 2015