"Hey Cam, nasa baba si Mason. May dalang strawberry ice cream."
"I'm sleeping Mommy."
"Stop being mean Cameron Marie. It's just grades."
"It's not. Please I wanna be alone."
"Hey Cam." Pumasok na si Sandra sa kwarto ng anak, mukhang nag cut ito ng class at sa pagkakaalala niya ay ngayon inannounce ang grade rankings. She sat by her bed.
Nakatalukbong si Cameron sa kanyang kumot, marahil ay tapos na rin itong umiyak ngunit ayaw parin ipakita ang mukha sa ina.
"Hey, hey, baby." Pang-aalo niya. Lumayo naman si Cameron bahagya upang iwasan ang kanyang kamay. "It's not a big deal. I'm still proud of you." Naalala niya talaga ang sarili sa anak. "Grades are just that. Numbers."
"But I studied hard for it. I didn't even sleep a day just to study."
"Well there are things you won't get in this lifetime. And believe me when I say, grades are going to be the most worthless of them all."
"But--"
"Aren't you happy for Mason?"
"It's just so unfair. Mason has been coming over too when I was studying and he still got better results, I did not even rest."
"Maybe it's because you did that. Maybe you needed the rest, baby." Dahan dahan siyang lumapit sa anak at nakayakap na bumulong dito sa pagitan ng kumot. "I'm sure Daddy, though, would still be so proud of you."
"Not as amazed as he'd get for Mason."
"No way." Pagkontra niya. Si Troy pa 'ba? There's no parent prouder than Troy for Cameron. Binigyan niya ng ilang minutong katahimikan si Cameron bago muling ipaalala na naghihintay si Mason sa baba.
"Mason has ice cream, I think he feels bad about it too."
"If he does, why did he take first place?"
"How would you want it?" Tanong nito sa anak. "Would you want Mason to give you a pity win?"
Napaisip si Cameron. She would hate that. That would feel like mocking her hard work. Like a declaration of him always being superior to her. Nagtanggal siya ng tulakbong at nag-isip pa ng saglit at tumingin sa inang nakayakap nakatingin sa kanya.
"You're right, Mom. I guess I am being mean. Alex deserved the top simply because he got the top. Fair and square. I just need to do more."
"And rest more in between, baby. It should be a balance of both."
"I just don't get it Mom, I did everything." Dagdag pa rin nito.
Hindi talaga mawala-wala sa isipan ang pagkabigong masungkit ang nais. She's still too young to understand that some things just mean to slip when it's not for you. Cameron might not be as booksmart as Mason but she's good at managing people and making connections. That's what's been installed in her by Troy since she was young anyway. Ibang tahak ang binubuo sa kanya. But there are a lot of things you want when you're young. And Cameron won't get it with just words told off her face. She needs to truly experience the loss, the pain, and worse the heartbreaks.
"I know, baby. But you did do great. And I am so proud." Sabi ni Sandra habang unti-unting tinatanggal ang mga kamay na nakatakip sa mukha ng anak, pinaupo ito at hinarap sa kanya. "Now go on. Congratulate Mason and get your ice cream." Nakangiti syang nakatingin sa mga mamumulang mata ng anak. Medyo maga ito at kulay pink na rin ang ilong.
She couldn't help but pinch her nose.
"Mom!" Angal ni Cameron habang sya naman ay natatawa. "Stop." Hinawakan nito ang kanyang kamay.
BINABASA MO ANG
Somewhere Between Friends
FanfictionA fan-fiction. Somewhere Between Friends was a story written by Lovelornme when I was in High School. I was so fixated on her Nuknukan Trilogy and fell in love with the characters kids; Mason and Cameron. I forgot most of the small details of the...
