clumsy, small steps and where it would take us

13

Thirdy and his team secured a spot in the Finals. On his way home, excited to tell his parents the news, he found his mom at their door, panicking. He saw his dad's car parked on their lawn. He was home early. But he wasn't sure why his mom was approaching; her eyes were quivering.

"Thirdy," his mom held his arms tightly. "Doon ka muna kay Anton."

"Mom, what is going on?"

"Anak..." his mom pleaded; a tear fell from her eyes. "Just go to your friend's house."

"THIRDY!"

The cold went up to Thirdy's spine when he heard his name. It was a tone he never liked to begin with. Mozzy squinted, turned around, and tried to hide her taller son behind her. They were faced with deadly glares, lips curled into a rage, and he held onto something that Thirdy forgot to hide in his closet.

"What the hell is this!" The man asked in anger, holding up the form and printed receipts of his entrance examination from another university. "You applied here?"

"Dad," Mozzy kept herself in between, putting a reasonable distance between her husband and son. "Hayaan mo na!"

"This! Bakit kailangan mo mag-apply dito?"

"Dad, I am just weighing out my options!" Thirdy reasoned out.

"What options? Schools were desperate to have you. Better schools want you, and you will go here? And anong course 'to?"

"But dad, it's- "

"This is a waste of your talent!" The former star player turned coach said before ripping the examination form in front of them. "You will not go to this university. Do you understand?"

The man shoved his son and wife aside, leaving the house. He unlocked his car before turning to his wife and pointing a finger. "This is on you! Kung hindi mo tino-tolerate yang anak mo, hindi siya nag iisip ng kung ano. Secured na dapat ang future ng anak mo pero you are feeding him something else!" Then he opened the car, rode, and left.

As soon as the car disappeared, Mozzy looked at her son. And, oh god, his face was anything but happy. He was in anguish, confused, unable to utter a word.

It was funny for Thirdy to see his mom like that. She was talking, and no sound was coming out of her mouth. He was numb and unsure why his mom was doing animated movements without sound until the water jug fell from his hands.

The sound of the jug falling and hitting their floor woke him up. He looked back to his mom, and now he heard the words coming out of his mouth. "Ma— I just — choices — I won — dream —Dad — why — why?"

His mother holds him gently as he cries.