Aurora Borealis

Chapter 46 - Behind No One's Shadow

>> • LAUREN • <<

Newspapers are lying down on the carpet floors. The pungent scent of the papers already faded when I sniffed it. I looked intently as I grabbed one of those to take a quick scan.

"Why didn't you tell me all of these?" my eyes shifted to her as I settled down the newspaper on the table.

"Because you'll go running back on the basketball court if I told you sooner. You have no sense of pity to your own body." she replied with no sign of guilt on her face.

Of course, I will. This is the opening of the door that I've been waiting for all this time.

The date when the newspapers are publicated dates back to a month ago. She did a good job in hiding all of these from me, and I guess I should applaud her for that.

"The telephone rings every day and journalists are coming here back and forth, asking for an appointment for interview or documentaries with you." she narrated while twirling her hair locks on the hair curler.

"Come on, you should've at least let one or two of them here." I swayed my hands on different sides, gasping in disbelief. "Manghihingi ba sila ng talambuhay sa 'kin?"

"Probably."

"But they already know I am Lorenzo Vergara's kid."

"They don't remember, no offense. They saw you in your father's matches but they paid no attention to you that much since you're not some promising boy that would follow his father's footsteps someday." she gave me an apologetic look.

"If another one appears here, can I let them?"

"Publicity at a young age isn't a good thing to experience, Lauren. The public will always create an image of you, and you'll have to keep on hiding behind it or else it will tore you apart."

"I'm nineteen now. Can't I make those choices for myself?" I avoided talking with a stifled, offending tone.

"Go ahead. You're old enough to not take advices from your mother." nagtatampong sagot niya.

"I didn't mean it that way."

"What does it mean, then?"

"What I want to say is, you can't keep on making the choices for me forever. The time will come where I need to deal with matters by myself, but it doesn't mean that I won't ask for your insights." I insisted.

Our stares got locked into each other in silence, but she broke it first with a sigh. Kinuha niya ang handbag na nasa tabi niya at naghalungkat doon. Inihagis niya sa 'kin ang isang papel na agad ko namang nasalo.

A business card.

"A co-worker of mine who has a friend working at a beverage company asked me to give you that last night." bungad niya at binunot ang plug ng hair curler.

"Oh."

"They're eyeing you to be one of the models for their upcoming ad."

My eyes widened as turned back and forth between the business card and Mom. I can feel my palms freezing and trembling from exhilaration. "Y-You're kidding."

She pointed at her face, "Is this the face of someone who has expertise in making pranks?"

I screamed on the top of my lungs and found myself dancing while spinning around like an idiot.

"I understand that you're feeling merry, but you need to pipe down. You're disturbing our neighbors." she threw a rolled newspaper at me and unfortunately, I couldn't dodge.