Polarized Antagonism

31:

(See Naomi's photo above)

Lucia

It was one of those days where I leave my room and only to see my cousin, Cameron, in the living room playing some bizzare looking game in one of her consoles.

I know Mario Kart, I've played that one, but what Cameron is playing that day was tennis with some odd looking, short legged characters.

For I am a curious human being with the desire to know things, I asked my snobby, easily angered cousin.

" What are you doing? Cammie."

She furrowed her eyebrows. I don't know if it is the sudden nick name I gave her or that she was concentrating on the game.

" Get off my back, Lucia. "

" Ang sungit mo naman. "

" Ugh. Whatever. "

" You look like a nerd. You should play real life tennis and not that stupid remote thing, Cameron. "

Hindi na niya ako pinansin. Masyado siyang invested sa ginagawa niya. I sat on the couch and watched her. Tennis is a very competitive sport, and I for one am a good tennis player.

But as much as I hate to admit, seeing Cameron rallying with her opponent in the game was intense. They were hitting the ball back and forth. I was even silently rooting for Cameron to win and she did.

Pagkatapos niya maglaro niya she sat with me and explained everything about the Wii. It was kind of cute how she gets so serious explaining it. Nonetheless, I listened and asked questions.

My match with Koko and Bailey resembled the rally that Cameron did with her console. The referee was a bit taken aback with the game so he failed to call out to some mistakes that we both did.

God, was it so intense. Hindi na namin napansin na sobrang daming tao na pala ang nanunuod sa amin.

Koko was good, i have to give her that. She was very fast on her toes and gives instruction to Bailey as I did with Chihiro. What makes Koko a hard opponent for me is that our edge with other players is our wit.

So inside the tennis court we're battling using our brains.

Also, the fact that Bailey was a great server doesnt make the game easier. Often times we can't receive her service and that was a very easy way to score points for them. But Chihiro, just like her father who's a famous politician, always have a trick under her sleeves.

She's so good at follow up shots and would always confuse Koko with her hand-eye coordination.

The game was neck to neck, but when Chihiro smashed and both Koko failed to receive the ball. We had an advantage against them.

But not until Koko started these obnoxious grievance calls to the referee.

Then it hit me. The reason why Koko ignored all the violations we simply covered up is because she would use them against us at the end of the game to appeal to the referee.

Of course, I did not chicken out and fought too but Koko got the referee under her thumb and so the game ended.

We lost.

I have to fucking wear that stupid mascot costume.

I was so bummed out. Mga around 1 o'clock na rin ako nakauwi sa bahay. I parked my car to the garage and went to a little detour at the back.

Dumaan ako sa garden namin and saw Cameron attempting to cut her hair in the hammock. Mabilis akong lumapit sa kaniya and took the scissors from her hands.