The Golden Party | Aidan Gallagher

01. the competition of Dashcreek

The One Who Won

Copyright©️2022 Marielewrites

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– The competition of Dashcreek –

We're going for gold, certainly.

My eyes flicker from teammate to teammate as they stand up from their seats. I don't know a single name of theirs, though I can recall a face or two. We're put together to come back home with the trophy of Dashcreek, but there's no true team spirit feelable – at least, I don't feel it. What I can feel is the eyes lingering upon us as we make our way to the playground of it all. The other students of my school can feel it, too. They breathe in and out and don't forget to send a cold smile toward the ones watching us.

As I descend the stairs of our bus, I glance at the beauty of it all, next to the rivalry. Trees so amazingly tall with birds flying everywhere around them, like a dance. With summer so close by, it's easy to dream the time away, think there isn't anyone who wishes me gone at the moment.

When I turn my head and face the other students, the euphoria of the daydream flutters me no longer. The devil's eyes are upon me. It's time I join my own team again.

When I do, they all turn to each other, as if we haven't remained silent the whole trip here. "We make a great team." The first sentence a student of ours said out loud, all because of the attention our arrival is getting.

"Unbeatable," another agrees. I swallow and keep my mouth nicely shut as the same adds, "Practically we've already won."

A short girl with locks as dark as night stares at our group. Her eyes reflect a distant team, one made out of the best sportsmen- and women from our school. As long as we do well the next few days, we'll return labelled as the best. For that alone, we already have to win.

The Competition of Dashcreek is a competition between five schools in total, not one friendlier than the other. Every single person here seeks either the win or to get to the next year of their education. Everyone has their own goal, their reason to get their hands on the prize. And they want it to be theirs and no one else's. That's why we're not being kindly welcomed today. We didn't expect them to. There's no place for alliances, no place for friendliness between schools.

There's never been.

I glance around, feeling most euphoric as I'm here for the very first time. I've fought to get in this team. Since I was only a young child, I had the urge to win. It only grew as I began to play Volleyball. The sport wasn't beloved by my parents at first nor by my school. But I liked it. I still like it, though there's more rivalry inside of my heart now. It isn't only a way to free some energy out of me. It's a way to get to the top. To win.

My school chose me when they needed a student to fill in the empty spot of a sick player. The coach put me in a team, one I haven't ever played in. There wasn't enough time. My teammates don't know me. But I'll bring them a step closer to victory, anyway. I'll do well.

Thumps and screams are audible everywhere before us. My teammates are already entering the mass of teenagers. My lungs fill themselves with air before I step in. Now, I do recognize faces. With some, I want to kneel before them, beg them for a signature on my T-shirt. A glare from each and every one of them puts the thought away instantly. When seeing others, I return an icy stare.

And then there's one face that makes my blood boil. I feel my body freeze, my feet refuse to work. I can't get out of the swarm of students. I'm... glued to the ground, my eyes on

him.

Bodies push and pull. It's quite literally nerve-wracking. Still, they're not the reason my heart goes a hundred miles an hour. A face is – a face I never wanted to lay eyes on again. My lips part, and my fists begin to form. Closing my eyes is the only thing I can try in order not to go crazy on the spot.

But his face is still right there, before me. It's been there for years. It never left. But now, it's changed. His brown hair now longer and a clear mess from training. His darkened eyes almost haunting as his dimples smile at the volleyball coming at him.

I hate it.

My eyes fly open once again. A familiar fire wakes up my body, energizes it. My feet fly over the sand underneath them. There's no time to waste. With blood that rapidly pumps through my veins, my thoughts are still. There's still his face. It doesn't make space for any other thoughts at all. It can't. It's supposed to be there when I train, when I compete, and when I win. His face is the reason I'm doing all of this, why I'm so urged to get my hand on the Dashcreek trophy.

He's known to be the best player of his school. He's known to be everything. People adore him, chant his name in the streets. He's his school's star.

I know him as someone else. I've known him before he's even laid a finger on a volleyball. I've known him before he became the serving specialist he today is.

And I wish I had not.

I wish I hadn't taught him everything I knew.

I wish I hadn't watched him master the sport like no one I'd ever seen.

I wish it wasn't all my fault.

But as I walk away from him, I know what I do wish for. I wish that I'm going to beat the traitor's ass. I want the win to be mine.

I want to show Aidan Gallagher how it's properly done.