Side By Side

1

Warnings:
-None

Clay's POV

4:30am
As soon as I woke up because of the alarm from my clock ringing next to my ear, I jumped up and grabbed my sports clothes that I laid down on my chair yesterday. I quickly changed to them, running downstairs to start my training as soon as I could.

I went to the kitchen before leaving the house and opened some drawers and cupboards to find my usual food. I reached out to grab my protein bar and saw a protein shake in the fridge. I opened the shake and walked to the door while I drank and ate them to make sure I had enough protein to gain muscles.

I slowly walked outside, closing the door quietly behind me since my parents were still asleep at this time. I didn't want to wake them up so I quietly walked further as I looked around me. It was really quiet and still dark outside which wasn't too weird at this time.

However, I was used to this. I stood up at 4:30 am every morning because I needed to train to get faster, stronger and better than I was the day before. I needed to be as good as I possibly could be and no one could stop me from following my dreams.

I looked around me as I walked to the park in a jogging pace to warm up already. It wasn't too cold, but even if it would have been cold, I didn't care about that anymore. I woke up early during the winter time and then purposely didn't wear a coat because I needed to get used to the cold if I wanted to get better.

I breathed out as I went to the park, starting to warm up my body more by running around the park, jumping and stretching. Once I was sure I was warmed up, I laid on the grass with my phone in my hands to look up the timer.

I needed to pass the test they would give me in the army, that was why I trained every day to make sure I would pass it and get better and better. I didn't want to risk failing or being one of the worst times.

The test meant that I had to do thirty-five push-ups, forty-seven sit-ups in a few minutes and run two miles in under sixteen minutes and thirty-six seconds. It was exhausting, but I didn't mind. I liked it when I could feel my muscles burning, because then I knew I was making progress.

I was getting closer and closer to the time I had to be under. Yesterday I was five seconds too late which gave me an energy boost. I had never been that close and I was so motivated and also really sure that I would be on time today.

I turned around and stood on the floor on my hands and the tip of my toes, clicking start on the timer as I started doing push-ups as fast as I could. I passed them with ease since I did these every day. I could do more if I needed to but these were the requirements I needed to pass.

I quickly turned around when I was done and went to the sit-ups which wasn't the problem either. I could feel my stomach burn from the intensity and my breathing went quicker the longer I continued, but I needed to pass this. I was so incredibly motivated as I jumped up to run.

I knew exactly how far two miles were because I ran this so often and I started sprinting away as quickly as I could in the hope I would finally pass this test. I had been so close and today was the day I would pass it, I could feel it. I had never been more fit and motivated than today.

I kept running, turning around to run back after one mile. I sprinted to my phone and as soon as I tapped the same spot as were I started, I turned off my phone while panting loudly, sweat dripping down from my forehead.

I looked down at the timer and then yelled from happiness as I jumped in the air when I saw that I was ten seconds quicker than I was allowed to be. I never passed it before and now I passed it with ease. I could only get faster now.

I was exhausted and laid down on the grass with my hands under my head while I started to calm my breathing. I still wanted to get way lower in time because I was going to the army to see if I was good enough in a few weeks from now. If I was, I would start the boot camp to train to be a soldier.

Since I was six, I had always been dreaming of going into the army. I really wanted it so badly that I started training from the day I could walk properly. Everyone thought it was just a child's dream, but now I was seventeen, I still wanted this with all my heart and kept training as it came closer and closer.

I continued training because I trained at least four hours a day. Two hours in the morning, two hours after school, which was luckily almost over, and sometimes two more hours in the evening.

~~~

I walked back inside when it was 6:30 am, seeing my mother walk in the kitchen to make herself some tea. 'Hi, honey. How did training go?'

I wiped some sweat from my forehead and smiled. 'I finally passed the test!' I yelled out happily, smiling brightly at my mother.

She nodded slowly. 'But sweetheart... I don't want to discourage you, but the army doesn't allow people with a different sexuality these days.'

I froze and felt my happy mood disappear completely, looking up with a hurt look in my eyes.

'I already told you that I'm not going to tell them that I'm gay,' I scoffed. 'My sexuality isn't written on my forehead, as long as I lie about it, no one will ever figure it out.'

My mother didn't answer and looked away. 'I just don't want you to be disappointed when they don't accept you because you're gay.'

I felt my body tense up and I looked at the floor with big eyes. 'Stop saying these things. This has been my dream since I was six years old and the bullies already ruined my life enough. I'm NOT giving up, I'm going to prove everyone wrong, okay? A GAY BOY CAN BE JUST AS GOOD AS A STRAIGHT ONE.'

'Honey-.'

'NO, SHUT UP! STOP RUINING MY DREAMS LIKE EVERYONE ALWAYS DOES!' I screamed as I walked past her, running to the bathroom to take a shower.

1155 words