Tatiana Aroyo: Surprise!

Link to previous entry:
"Tatiana Aroyo: Musings"  E: Tatiana starts to second guess her good luck.

~*~*~*~

It figures. I finally have a chance to get some of my writing published (or at least professionally edited), and I can't write a single publishing-worthy sentence. I hate writer's block!

AAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

On a completely different topic, Mom has been acting very strange lately. She gets home later than usual, and seems very fidgety. I've also noticed that the bathroom is full of brand-new makeup and beauty products.

My mother doesn't wear makeup.

Something is definitely off, but I really can't do anything about it right now. I'm supposed to be getting ready for the field hockey tournament. Almi and I play on Ashburn High's varsity team. We had better win, or at least place, because this is one of the most important tournaments in the league. Coach has been a slave-driver, trying to get us ready for this thing.

Well, I've got to run, the tournament starts in a couple hours. Wish us luck...GO DRAGONS!!!

~*~*~*~

Well.

(deep breath)

Well. This explains everything: Mom's weird behavior, all the makeup, Mr. Sai's offer to be my editor - it all fits.

Maybe I should start at the beginning. I was almost late; I got there just as everyone else finished stretching. Mom went off to sit in the stands, and I noticed that she sat right next to Almi's dad. I didn't think much of it then. I just figured she sat there because Almi and I are best friends and all. No big deal.

Fast-forward through the first two games. We won our first game by a fair margin. Our second game was a little closer, but we still won.

Our second game had brought us into the semi-finals, so I was feeling pretty good. I decided to talk to Almi about the mom situation during lunch. The following conversation ensued:

Me: My mom's been acting really weird lately. [That's me: blunt and to the point.]

Almi: What do you mean?

Me: Well, she's home a lot later than usual, she jumps every time the phone or doorbell rings, and there's all this new beauty stuff all over the bathroom. She never used to use that kind of stuff.

Almi: Sounds to me like she's got a crush. That's how my sister acted when she liked Bobby Ryan.

Me: Your sister had a crush on Bobby Ryan? That's disgusting! He picks his nose every day during math class. I should know, I have to sit right next to him.

Almi: Hey, I never said I sanctioned it. But don't get off topic.

Me: There's nothing left to tell. I was hoping you might have some insight into this.

Almi: I dunno...Dad's been acting kind of weird, too, and I'm clueless, so I'm probably not the best person to ask.

Me: What --

At this point we had to break off our conversation, because Judith Madison, the nosiest, most annoying girl on the team, plonked herself down right in between us. I didn't want our parent voiced over the entire school, so I introduced a new topic that kept us going until our next game started.

Fast-forward again through the semi-finals (We won 8-5) to the last few minutes of the final competition: Ashburn Dragons vs. Grishon Knights (haha, dragons vs. knights. *ahem*). The score was tied at 6-6, and we had the ball. After some confusing mid-field play, we got the ball up into the circle. Almi had the ball, and was dribbling towards the goal. I could hear the timers counting down the final seconds, so I yelled at her to pass to me. She did, and I tapped it in right before the ref blew his whistle for the end of the game.

And now, after that long-winded explanation (I couldn't help describing our moment of victory), I get to the really interesting part. I was looking up at my mom in the stands, and I saw her do the most shocking thing I have ever seen her do in my whole fifteen years of living with her: she threw her arms around Mr. Sai's neck and kissed him, right on the lips.

OH MY GOD!!!!

Link to next entry
"Tatiana Aroyo: Reflections"  E: What does it all mean?