Chapter 391: Coming Back Down
A crowd was assembling around the two again. It started small at first, a sole one, a pair of twos, curious onlookers trickling in wondering what the hell those loud ‘ping!’ and ‘pong!’ sounds were coming from, then it expanded to a crowd of three, and from there it wasn’t long before a quartet of four showed up.
It was a full minute of feet shuffling before suddenly everyone was squirming and shoving amongst each other for some elbow room, fighting for the perfect view for the most anticipated battle of the century, part two.
Also, it’s no wonder people keep finding us when half the ambiance noises from the vicinity were coming from us – doesn’t help that they, both Ash and Amanda, were audibly exerting their efforts with loud grunts and heaves like tennis players under the hot sun.
From the way the men in the audience were all staring at them... must be a pretty popular fetish, I guess.
I was genuinely impressed by their utter display of quick finesse – so agile, so quick, split-second moments that could have ended badly swiftly averted by split-second reactions. It was still only the first round by the way, and yet it felt like it’d been ten by how long it was still going – neither was at all willing to concede that first point, and either was committed to earning it for themselves.
Never in my lifetime would I think I’d find myself so engrossed in a match of air hockey. Shit, why wasn’t this an Olympic sport? I could watch the shit out of this game for the whole day.
A powerful strike sending the puck streaking like a cannon finally set the scoreboard at odds with one another, and the crowd went wild with celebration – Ash had scored the first point.
.....
I joined the roaring ovation, wasn’t sure if she could single me out among the crowd, but I’d like to think that the smile that formed on her face meant that she did.
Amanda kept firm though, the loss only serving to bolster her determination, and as the second round commenced, it was back again with the brutal back and forth of paddles.
Second round was Amanda’s triumph, and she reveled hard in that victory – cheering the loudest, jumping the highest, twirling the fastest. It was actually quite adorable watching her do a mini tap dance in excitement.
In the third round, thanks to a slightly over-enthused Ash, the puck went soaring off the table, nearly taking off a couple of heads in its descent and landing somewhere nobody saw. An impromptu volunteer search party was promptly assembled to try and find the damn thing, and in the meantime, I took a pale-faced Ash aside to try and soothe her nerves over.
“I forget myself,” She said, bowing fervently. “I humbly apologize, Master. This won’t happen again.”
“You really wanna win this thing that bad, don’t you?” spoke an impish Sammy at my side, suddenly having donned a safety helmet on her head from out of nowhere. No clue where she got it, I’m guessing she pulled it out of her ass with magic... dammit, Sammy. “I’m real curious now, if you win... what exactly are you going to make my big brother do for you?”
And as for an answer, a reaction? Ash faintly blushed.
“If you would allow it,” She softly muttered. “I would very much prefer not to say it out loud.”
Yet Sammy that nosy brat just wouldn’t let her be. “Okay, then whisper it.”
“Sammy...” I shot her the signature older sibling glare, and she immediately got the message.
“Alright, alright,” She said, raising her arms and conceding with a grumble, before giving Ash a quick subtle leer. “I’ll just be sure to ask you again when my brother isn’t watching.
“Sammy.”
“I’m joking!”
After a while, the puck was found, the match continued, all’s well that ends well – and that goes for Ash too, claiming the third round as hers. The fourth being Amanda’s, and the fifth once more being in Ash’s field.
It was a high-stakes, intense back and forth of points and paddles, and the fact that Amanda was even keeping pace at all with the reflexes and speed of Ash’s was a feat in and of itself, even if she was holding back a bit.
The sixth skirmish was shaping out to be the longest battle of attrition yet, and everyone was on bated breath anticipating who’d come out victorious.
The atmosphere was seriously electrifying, even I couldn’t help but tense up with every strike of the puck, every swerve of the paddle – Sammy was yelling herself hoarse too, becoming Amanda’s own personal cheerleader. In fact, everyone was screaming, clamoring for their picks.
Me? I cheered on for both sides. True Neutral all the way, baby.
A clack here, a click there, outstretched arms everywhere, the play-by-play was reaching a peak, any moment either was ready to give, would it be Ash, would it be Amanda?
Really, who knows? And frankly, who cares? The most important thing was the smiles on their faces... carefree and happy. The fun they were having, the fun we were having, that I was.
Another clack, resounding, resonating greatly I thought I could feel it in my body. Then another click the puck back, and I realized I really was feeling it.
A vibration. A rumble.
My phone in my pocket.
I was getting a call. From who, that indeed was the question. If I only had a single finger, I still wouldn’t be able to count how many people I know that would be calling me at this time of the day.
Irene came to mind almost immediately – was it Ria? That thought alone spurred an impulse that had me nearly dropping it to the floor as I reached for it.
No, it wasn’t actually. The moment I saw who was ringing, I could practically feel myself being wrenched violently from the moment, away from the fun, the joy, and back again to reality.
It’s strange, she shouldn’t be making me feel this way but she does. I never thought she would, and never in a billion lifetimes did I ever see myself dreading this call, her call.
Mom’s calling.
Ordinarily, I would have already answered without a moment’s notice... but after what I’ve seen, what I’ve heard, after Ria... all I could picture in my mind was her in that forest, in that gown, in that moment, and I just couldn’t bring myself to lift my thumb.
The phone continued to buzz in my palm. Somehow, it felt as if it was ringing was lasting for longer than it should.
Most likely it’s just my imagination, but it should have been a missed call by now... and yet...
I took a quick glance around my surroundings again, the crowd going wild, Amanda pumping her first in the air, and the scoreboard buzzing loud.
Must have scored... must have missed it...
Sammy was also giving her a celebratory high-five, smiling ever as carefree.
Why didn’t she call Sammy instead?
Guess she really wants to talk to me, huh?
I suppose I better go find out what she wants.
But not here... certainly not here, I couldn’t answer her here. Too loud, too rowdy, wouldn’t be able to hear. I quietly excused myself, careful not to draw attention as I wiggled through narrow openings in the crowd. It took quite some time, more than what most people would be willing to wait, and yet even as I flung one of the bathroom stalls wide open, closed the toilet seat and twisted the lock shut... my ringtone continued to bounce acoustically across the shining white porcelain walls.
With a single blink, and the slight press of my thumb, I raised my phone to one ear, and forced a smile from ear to ear, taking in a large breath, “Hey Mom, what’s up?”
“Morning, my dear,” and there it was, the voice I dreaded hearing, in that same loving tone, that same affectionate voice, always, past, present, future, that voice, and tone. “Are you alright there? It took you quite some time to answer the phone. You had me a little worried.”
Worried... of course, of course she was... what mother wouldn’t be? It’s normal, it’s normal.
“Oh, no, I was, I was – I’m outside in a mall, not a lot of places where things are quiet, y’know? Had to find a bathroom first.”
“Ah,” I hear a faint sigh from across the line, a faint relief. “I should have thought as much. Busy day, hmm?”
“Hm, kinda.”
“How are you these days?” She asked, her every word a familiarity, a comfort, and yet... also not. “You’ve been eating well, I hope? Sleeping well? I hope you’ve been taking care of yourself well. I never said anything then, but you looked slightly, just a little, skinny around the arms when I came over to visit.”
Questions like these, it felt more like a doctor’s appointment than anything, but then again – Mothers are your lifetime nurses, after all... and she was too. But then again, again... she wasn’t usually the type to ask these kinds of things.
“Yeah, I’m good,” I said, my answers blank and automatic. “I’m doing well, things are alright here.”
“Ah, sorry, I’m probing too much, aren’t I? I’m asking typical Mom questions, that doesn’t sound like me does it?” She said sheepishly, too self-aware of herself apparently. “It’s just... waking up today with both your bedrooms empty instead of just yours. It’s really not a sight I’m used to yet, you two are growing so fast, so quick, it’s so sad to see... but also so, so nice, you know?”
I heard the love in her voice, and in this cramped stall, in this muffled quiet, I heard it ring true. This was my Mom speaking, after all... Terestra...
“I’ll just have to take your word for it, I guess.”
“Can’t relate, I see,” She said in slight amusement. “Don’t worry, once you have kids of your own, you’ll know what I mean.”
Is this what she was calling me for? I don’t think it was.
“Right, uh, anyway... did you need something? You didn’t call for just a checkup, did you?”
“Ah, yes! Sorry, I got distracted there,” Mom paused, a faint trickling and clinking sound in the background implying she was midway through cleaning the dishes. “I just wanted to check up on Samantha there? How is she doing so far? Okay? I hope you’ve been looking out for her.”
So this was a checkup.
“Yeah, yeah, no, Sammy’s fine, we’re fine,” I replied again on auto. “She’s with me in the mall too, shopping for some stuff for her friends.”
“Not overspending, is she?” She said, sounding a little strict there.
“Mmm, she has a private benefactor, not bankrupt yet at least.”
“And how is she feeling?” She continued to ask, not even bothering to address the aforementioned benefactor. “Is she enjoying herself there?”
“Umm, I dunno, she looks like she’s having fun so far,” I said, then it dawned on me then that this really shouldn’t be my answers to give. “Y’know, if you’re just gonna call me to check up on Sammy, then you should have just called Sammy herself, right?”
“Ah,” A clatter in the background, something went and slipped. “True.”
“Do you want me to pass the phone over to her?”
“No, no,” Her answer was immediate, nonchalant. “I don’t think that’s necessary.”
“You don’t think?” I repeated, hoping she’d hear how bizarre that sounded. “You don’t want to speak to her?”
“Oh, no, my dear, I do, don’t mistake that,” She assured, sounding too gentle and honest for me to even consider the contrary.
“Then?” I asked.
“It’s just the other way around, is all,” She replied, still keeping her tone oh so light. “It’s your sister that doesn’t want to speak to me.”
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