Chapter 6 A Runner

• Chapter six
• I feel my soul returning to my body and I can feel the cold floor where I slept thanks to my mother's drunkenness yesterday.
• When I arrived, I told her to take a shower and get comfortable on the couch, and I proceeded to tell her about my day, to which she only smiled and went to the kitchen to turn on the radio and listen to her "sad" songs all night long, accompanied by a bottle of whisky that I don't know where she got from. She spent the night singing like a heartbroken spinster, but that's all in the past and now we're back here in the present, where I am lying on the living room floor, which for some strange reason is wet.
• I quickly get up and the floor greets me face down. Water, and more water, is all I can see throughout the room. I turn to look at my mother, sleeping on the couch with her mouth open and the bottle next to her.
• How disgusting!
• I get up again very carefully and head towards the main source of water.
• The faucet.
• Wide open, with the sink blocked by some supermarket bags.
• Great, just what was missing. She left the house drunk and I didn't even notice. Not only did she spend money, and no, it wasn't fifty dollars, no, she spent three hundred and eighty dollars and fifty"five cents, which she could have saved for any emergency.
• She's going to hear from me right now.
• I close the faucet and leave the kitchen, heading towards the flooded living room. I stand right in front of her, the sound of my feet echoing on the wooden floor that will soon be damaged if these floods continue. I approach her ear as gently as I can.
• "Ready?"
• "You know she'll kill us because when she wakes up she'll have a headache..."
• "Yes, I know."
• "Then let's do it."
• ""ELIZABETHHH"" I shout loudly in her ear, then sigh. "Can I know what the hell happened here last night?"
• "It's none of your business," she says, still on the floor, rubbing the left side of her head.
• "Yes, it is my business because look at the wet floor. If it continues like this, we'll end up without floorboards. And on top of that, you went out and spent a lot of money as if we had a gold mine next door."
• "So what? I clean, you don't; I work, you don't."
• "Yes, but look at this," I point around me. "Water everywhere. It's better for you to get up and clean it and stop wasting money. We should at least be rich." I turn around and walk straight to the stairs.
• I hear her voice muttering until she yells at me completely, "I'm the mom, not you."
• ""Yes. What a responsible mom, so responsible that her daughter has to take care of her," I say quietly and reach my messy room. I close the door and throw myself into the bags still in the corner, feeling my head hit the wall.
• "Ouch, that's going to leave a big bump."
• "Ah, you're just here to annoy me."
• "Just annoy you? What about the times I remind you about your exams? Oh, does that not count?"
• "Why bring that up now? Besides, you're supposed to be my mind and you're supposed to help me."
• "Well, since I have to help you, I'll remind you of something."
• "What could it be? How interesting could it be?"
• "Yes, you can call me useless, but in half an hour you have to be at school."
• WHAT!
• I look at the clock on my wrist and see that it's six o'clock.
• What a relief.
• I have to be there by seven"thirty, so I think I'll just close my eyes for a bit to ease the headache.
• "It's six, liar."
• "But don't close your eyes. When a person hits their head, they are prone to falling asleep quickly and that's bad. Plus, it usually takes ten minutes for people to fall asleep normally."
• "..."
• Sara?
• ...
• Sara? Oh my God, you fell asleep and I told you, someone will be late today.
• ...
• I feel like I've slept like a newborn baby. I smile.
• I stretch and look at the clock, which tells me it's seven o'clock. I close my eyes again and lie back on the bed. Complete silence until I hear footsteps coming up the stairs.
• It must be her, wanting to bother me again. I relax again and start dozing off until I feel a stream of water on my back, making me scream.
• "Mom, what are you doing!"
• "You may be my daughter and all, but I'm in charge here and I say that you have to be at school in half an hour, or else you won't be the representative of that famous school of yours. What's it called again?"
• "Mom, it's Pilar de la Fuente Institute," I sigh.
• She laughs loudly. "Who was the one who named it that?" I get up, still wearing wet clothes, looking for a towel and walk to the bathroom. "Isn't it ridiculous?"
• I stop at the bathroom door frame and turn to her. "I don't know, but you should know. You enrolled me there, and it's called that because Pilar de la Fuente was the student who fought to the death for there to be no social discrimination in this institute." I turn towards the bathroom and close the door.
• "Sara, you're so intellectual, you need to stop talking to me with superiority." She closes the bedroom door and I proceed to shower as God brought me into the world. I finish and come out with a towel wrapped around me, looking for something to wear. I check the time on the clock and it's seven fifteen.
• SEVEN FIFTEEN?
• I told you so.
• I quickly get dressed, not knowing how I'll manage to get more clothes, but I have to do something. I throw all my notebooks into my bag and rush downstairs, passing through the living room where I shout to my mother.
• "Elizabeth, goodbye!" I open the door.
• "Wait, Sara." I stop and she hands me a bag of chocolate and a carton of juice.
• "Now go, you're going to be late."
• "I thought that since your Mate works there, you wouldn't let me go."
• "Don't tell me that too much, I'm reconsidering it."
• "Oh, Elizabeth." She kisses my cheek.
• She sighs. "Just because he's there doesn't mean I'll forbid you from going. It's just that you never give up and give your all, and that's something I admire about you. Your level of effort, your ability, and you try to go beyond. I'm proud of that." She wipes a fleeting tear from her left cheek.
• "Stop crying and wish me luck."
• "You don't need it."
• I dash out, avoiding obstacles on the sidewalk of the crowded streets at that hour of the morning, and stop halfway to catch my breath.
• This running thing is not for me.
• I look around and see a BMW parking at a cafe, and the last person I want to see comes out. He enters and joins the line, wearing a light blue shirt rolled up to his elbows and blue fabric pants that fit him tighter than my hunger. A chocolate belt and matching shoes, his hair slightly tousled upwards and ridiculous"looking glasses.
• Poor woman who falls in love with him because he's so ugly.
• I snap out of it when I see him reach the cashier and flirt with her.
• Well, isn't he shameless.
• I continue on my way and step onto the street, even though the pedestrian light is red, and here I am almost getting run over, if it hadn't been for the hand of someone I don't want to meet.
• "Hey, you should be more careful."
• I sigh. "Thanks for helping me, but I'm running late and I have to go. Goodbye." I look both ways before crossing, even though the light is still red, and make it to the other side. I start running again to arrive on time, and I see his car pass me by.
• Damn it!
• I run as fast as I can, so much that I think my lungs will explode, and with this breakfast in hand, it's even harder. I pull my suitcase forward, store it, and look at the road, noticing a slight traffic and a traffic light, which must be delaying it.
• I finish running the last block and around the corner I can see the enormous statue of that student in the garden. I slow down to avoid rushing and drawing attention, since I'm somewhat tall, how can I put it without offending myself? Well, I take longer strides than short people, so it would be strange if they saw me running.
• At least a car to slow down.
• I should have listened to you and I wouldn't be in this situation right now.
• See, now you understand.
• Okay, goodbye.
• Idiot.
• I climb the first steps until I hear the engine of his car and I turn to see Ricky Rich coming out in all his glory, while all the girls drool over him.
• They should all be ashamed, but since they have no shame, it's pointless for me to say anything because no matter what you tell them, they will always follow their instincts.
• You look old.
• You shut up.
• I finish climbing and walk towards the office to look for the director's instructions. When I'm about to knock on the secretary's door to ask for the director, someone opens it first and pushes me inside.
• "You know, you knock first and say good morning," he observes me strangely.
• "In what era do you live or did you live, that you are so serious? You know those wrinkles you make when you don't like something will ruin your face," I touch my forehead instinctively and he smiles.
• "Melon head," I say under my breath and he shakes his head, finishes opening the director's door, and we find a very compromising scene between the secretary and the director.
• Well, it seems that's his "Cuchurrumin".
• I don't doubt it.
• Why are you so impressed? You have a very expressive facial expression.
• What was that?
• I don't know, I'll look it up.
• Well, look it up, I don't want intruders.
• I'm not an intruder.
• Again?
• He said he's not an intruder, so rule out women. What kind of man is he, thinking he can enter my mind?
• I don't want to enter your head, it's just that your mind wanders around there talking and I simply respond.
• ...
• The secretary quickly stands up and adjusts her skirt for a moment, she looks at us and blushes, then turns her gaze to the director who was adjusting his tie and strangely, his pants?
• Wade clears his throat. "Mr. Director, can we talk about the competition since Miss Sara will be leaving today and will return next week?" Wade sits down in one of the chairs in front of him and the secretary leaves faster than a hummingbird.
• "Yes, we can. Sara, please have a seat," I don't think twice before doing so and I breathe a sigh of relief when my legs don't touch the ground. "I know what just happened may seem strange to you, as the director I must set an example for the students and therefore I ask you to forget what you just saw."
• "Don't worry, I'm not a gossip, I just ask for respect and I respect you. Now, please tell me the instructions so I can follow them."
• "They're easy. You just represent our institute, don't do anything that will tarnish our reputation, and do your best. However, since Wade will be the one deciding the challenges for each participant in the international competition, you must follow his instructions to the letter," how unfair.
• The last person I want to spend time with is a bitter and bipolar"tempered man.
• I turn to look at him and his smile is bigger than the Cheshire Cat's.
• I don't know why, but something tells me that this day will be long.