Chemical Equations [ON HOLD]

Reluctance

// dedicated to AwkwardLif3 for her unrelenting support. //

➳➳➳ Reluctance

I knew something was up the moment I stepped into the school. Starting from the hushed whispers that seemed to follow me wherever I went, to the sadistically enthusiastic atmosphere that hovered heavily over me.

My apprehension grew as I trudged towards the large fading blue notice board that hung on a dingy white wall beside the cafeteria.

People were crowding around it, some standing on tiptoes to peek over the taller students while others roughly shoved the rest out of the way, presumably to see how they did in the finals for the previous school year or if they managed to enter the top hundred but many went for another piece of information.

The names of competitors for the Winter Agon.

I knew because I used to be one of them, squeezing between the people to steal a look at the two people who would soon be at the center of everyone's attention for three months.

Given the looks of pity and mockery thrown at me, they as good as announced to the world that what I feared most had finally come to life but I didn't believe them.

I couldn't.

There was no need to push my way through the mass of people. They parted to make way for me as if I was a shark passing through a school of fish. Everyone around me was silent save for a group of new year sevens who were oblivious to the chaos that was going to hit the eleventh form.

There was no need to double check, no need for me to take two more steps to see the white paper taped on the board.

I did it anyways.

It was an obligation, I felt like I owed myself an explanation if I did not see the names for myself.

Maybe I failed the exam, maybe someone else did better than me, maybe I forgot to pass up one of the papers after exam.

So when I stopped within two feet of the board and lifted my head slowly to stare at the paper, I was nearly entirely convinced that my name wasn't written on it.

I was wrong, like always.

Dear beloved students, we are pleased to inform you that the names for the selected participants for the annual Winter Agon are now confirmed.

Since 1996, Crossvale High have been hosting an annual competition for the strongest eleventh form students as a momento for those

I skimmed that large amount of text that was identical for every year before settling on the names.

My heart dropped an infinite amount.

Participants of the 19th annual Winter Agon:

1. Kaden Austin

2. Brienne Summers

⚛

Arienne kept silent next to me as we made our way to the school hall. We all knew how much I was dreading this day, dreading the process, dreading everything.

I had roughly an hour of peace before I would be called up to the stage. It happened every year, batch after batch, enemies after enemies.

Kaden wasn't the competitive type, but I still couldn't help but worry that something would shift within our friendship. The uncanny feeling settled deep within the depths of my heavy heart.

We half slept through the opening speech which lasted for approximately 45 minutes and by that time, my butt was already numb from sitting unmoving on the hard plastic chair.