How Are You?

Wretched

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but your words made my skin rip apart.
~Atlas

He froze.

How was it possible?He failed the doping test?

It couldn't be.....

"We had to bring this matter into investigation. At this moment, you will stop playing in the school basketball's team. Your team is disqualified in this competition." Mr.Gray said.

Atlas sat on the maple floor, grief-stricken. Why? Why?
He kept repeating the words on his heart. He felt so unfair to be framed, to be misunderstood.

"Trust me guys, I never take anabolic steroids. I do not know what are the steroids doing in my body." Atlas said. He looked so downhearted, it was really hard to accept the fact that all the glory and achievements disappeared in just a few minutes. Kendrick patted his shoulders emphatically.

"It's okay, I believe in you."Kendrick consoled him.

We all do, except for someone.

"Atlas how could you do that?I thought you are a good person.Why you cheated?Why?" Abigail eyed Atlas with disappointment.

"Abigail, it-tt was just a misunderstanding, trust me.I will never cheat!" Atlas was so scared of losing Abigail as a friend, and even more desperate to explain to Abigail that misunderstood him.

"I have been wrong about you all the time. I thought we can become good friends. I will tell you now. I never know you."
Abigail said, tears running down from her cheeks.

Atlas felt that his heartbeat stopped for a second. He felt a hole was in his heart, he knows that he do not want to lose Abigail.

Deep in his heart, Abigail has been an important friend. He could not imagine life without her as a friend.

Abigail walked out of the stadium, fast paced.

"Wait Abigail! Don't go!"I tried to go after her, I stopped my steps when someone grabbed my arm.

Leviathan said to me,"Just give her some space."

"But, I am worried she will-"

"Abigail is a rational person, I believe she will figure out the misunderstanding. You don't have to worry about her." Leviathan told me with determination, I nodded.

Atlas came back empty handed and crestfallen. Doping scandals
are every athlete's worst nightmare— apart from a tarnished reputation,they get stripped of priced titles and wins, get banned from the sport and risk their health.That's literally like, stripping down a hero to a zero.

Atlas opened a can of beer, standing alone in the balcony, and think about life. How would his life be from this day onwards?Can he still be a basketball player?Can he still be friends with Abigail?

Just then, Matthew approached him and stand by his side.

"Don't worry Atlas, this is just temporary. I believe everything will then put fine, and remember whatever you go through, you still have us." Matthew said.

"Yea, thanks Matthew. I was just thinking who hates me so much. After the maggots attack, now comes anabolic steroids."Atlas said. He had one person in his mind, that is Dane. This was the highest possibility among all his friends and the people he knows.

He took a quick glance on his watch, 10:00 p.m. The gloomy moonlight was covered with dark clouds, the stars cannot be seen as it was also covered by dark clouds. A glimpse of lightning lightened the dark sky, followed by a loud thunder.  After a while droplets of rain started to fall.