Mr. Pride and I | jjk x llm

20

-Lisa-

Today, I felt better. The heavy feeling I felt was no longer there, but I knew it was only hiding and would go back when I least expect it to come, it always has.

I stood in front of my mirror that was lengthened just under my knees and a good three or four inches above my head. I eyed myself from top to bottom, rechecking myself and finally decided I was presentable enough. A tight smile then appeared on my face and I sighed, but it wasn't a happy one, it was one that said I was satisfied.

I left my room, slowly making my way to the stairs, knowing the fact that I had a lot of time to waste since I woke up earlier than my alarm clock.

While walking towards the staircase, I took a closer look at the walls that surrounded me and protected me. I only got to see the paintings and drawings that hang on its beige surface closer. Most times, I take a look at them, and that was it, but now that I got to look at it closely, it felt like they were different images.

There were beautifully painted flowers of different colors, fishes of different kinds, but one painting that seemed to be the only one without a duplicate of its theme caught my eye.

It was the ocean, and it looked really familiar. I looked closer, furrowing my brows and letting them be free once realizing.

It was the drawing I first made in Art class, it was there, hung on the wall and framed. I got confused, and wondered how it got there. I did not remember framing it and hanging it on the wall, nor would I have planned to even do that.

And suddenly, it came to me. No one would have done that but my very own mother. I knew her well, but not very. But it was enough to know what she would do when she finds something interesting about me she does not know, and she, for sure, was not that familiar with me drawing.

My mother was very much sociable and was good in making friends, sometimes, at the most random places even. But I knew, she also held secrets she wasn't sure of letting go. But it's just the same for her when it came to me, she knows me well, but I was hiding a lot of things from her, and I felt guilty.

"Lisa! Let's go already, I need to be early for work!" I heardy mom's voice from down stairs and it snapped me out of my thoughts.

I looked away from  the drawing I had made and continued on, jogging slightly.

As I reached the bottom most part of the stairs, I went straight to the living room. I slung my backpack over my shoulders and waited for my mother that was in the kitchen.

Once we were already facing each other, I stopped and was just staring at her eyes, with a blank face and slightly parted lips, oh so suddenly. Her face drew a confused expression, but I was looking for something.

A hint, to be exact. I was finding hints of what she might've been feeling. Like what I had said, the eyes never lie.

She just stared back at me, not uttering a single word. But it was hard, her eyes looked blank and looked to be plain at the moment.

But it scared me, because she looked to be doing the same thing with me as well, as if she, too, was trying to read me. And so, I cleared my throat and looked away.

"Let's go, Mom," I said and looked at the car my mom owned.

I heard her let out a sigh and said, "By the way, Dad's gonna be having a short holiday. And that means, he's gonna be coming here."

I looked at her, my eyes wide and my jaw hanging down. But I replaced it with a big smile, something I haven't done in quite a while.

"Really?!  When, Ma?!" I shouted, excitement filling me in as the seconds passed.