A few months ago, Marvel launched a contest for students between the ages of 8 and 17 in various countries around the world. The prize? A projector for the winner's school and a trip to New York to visit the Marvel set and maybe even meet their idols!
Althea, along with her best friends Carlitos and Iratxe, entered the contest without much hope, though they were dying to meet their heroes in person.
While some kids continued to dream of being the lucky winners, Althea tried to stay realistic. "It's probably a scam," a classmate said as he kicked a ball against the wall of the playground. But Althea didn't lose faith, even though she knew the competition was tough.
"Althea!" her brother John shouted from afar. They were twins, but physically they were completely different: Althea was blonde with green eyes and John was dark-haired with dark eyes. "Do you have any change for the vending machine?" John asked.
Althea shook her head, knowing that if she lent him money, she probably wouldn't get it back. But when John started complaining of hunger.
"You already ate yours."
"Remember what Mom says, you're getting fat," he sneered. Althea felt her cheeks burn with shame and helplessness. How could someone so close, someone who shared her blood, be so cruel? How could her own brother cling to those hurtful words without thinking about the harm it caused? The main reason was their parents.
For a moment, the world seemed to stop around her. She felt a lump in her throat and had to hold back tears. But instead of letting sadness overcome her in front of so many people, Althea decided to take a different stance. With determination in her eyes, she stood in her brother's way and offered him her lunch. "I don't need this, and you need it more than I do," she said, without a hint of resentment in her tone of voice.
"Did I just see you give your breakfast to that freeloader?" Carlitos asked, surprised. Althea shrugged and smiled, "I'm not hungry."
The doorbell rang, and she took it as a signal to escape. After what seemed like an eternity in math class, the English teacher entered the classroom with a smile on his lips and raised both eyebrows, making the class laugh. Professor Márquez was a very beloved and kind man with a natural talent for teaching.
"Guys, I have wonderful news. Remember the contest?" he said with enthusiasm as the class became alert. "Let's pack our bags! Thanks to the joint essays of Daniela, Iratxe, Oscar, Althea, and Carlos, you will be going to New York."
A cry of joy erupted in the classroom, but Althea still felt overwhelmed. She walked back home with John and Carlitos, her neighbor, but couldn't help feeling anxious. She was excited about the trip, but wasn't sure if her parents would let her go. They had always been very protective, limiting her freedom and restricting her ability to explore the world. Unlike John, who had much more freedom without receiving much punishment, she felt trapped and limited.
Althea wanted to scream with excitement, she wanted to feel the joy that filled the people around her, but something inside her prevented her from doing so. She felt like she was fighting against something bigger than herself, something that kept her in place, something that made her feel like she could never escape.
"Mum, Dad! We're going to New York!" John shouted as soon as they entered the house.
Althea stayed behind, watching as her brother received the approval and support of their parents, while she continued to feel trapped in her own life. She wondered if she would ever be able to escape, if she would ever have the chance to explore the world, even if it meant going alone to the nearby park and discovering her true potential.
Carter was reading the newspaper when his eldest son burst into the room, putting the paper aside. Marian came out of the kitchen with a cloth in her hand, drying it as she looked at her two children.
"We've won a contest! The class will travel to New York for three days, all expenses paid," exclaimed John excitedly. He didn't mention Althea's participation at all.
Althea's parents didn't want her to go, but they did allow John to join the school trip. Althea wasn't surprised by their outright refusal, and went straight to her bedroom to finish her homework. However, three hours later, John burst in.
"Pack your bags, we're going. But only if you obey me in everything," John pointed with his finger. "That's what I agreed with Mom and Dad."
John used to play pranks, like stealing and breaking neighbors' windows with stones, but he never received any punishment. Instead, she once left the light on at night, and was already seen as Satan in person. Althea didn't complain this time, she didn't want to miss out on the trip now that her parents had given in. In the following days, she made sure to be even more obedient, picking up dirty clothes, doing laundry, and washing dishes before her mother demanded it. Surprisingly, she only received two slaps, and that was because someone had to take it out on, and John was the favorite.
She still couldn't believe that she would be traveling, that this would be the day she would leave with her class to New York. Her parents accompanied her to the airport, as all parents do. They seemed like dedicated parents to their children.
"Listen, Althea. Always stay with your brother and keep your mouth shut," her father whispered, gripping her arm tightly. "You don't want to end up where all the dirty kids go."
There was a time when she even wished to end up in an orphanage, imagining it couldn't be worse than her sorry situation at home, but they made sure to crush that idea. Althea worried about being alone, so she clung to the saying "better the devil you know than the devil you don't."
She took a seat with her friends and rubbed the spot on her arm where her father had left a bruise in public as a warning, of what not to do during those three days of freedom. Now, sitting with her friends, there were nine hours ahead of them. She slept, watched movies, and talked with her friends about what they would say to their idols.
"Can you imagine if the powers were real?" one asked.
"Scarlet Witch could read minds," suggested another.
"It would be great if they could save you when you need it," Althea smiled, but then shook her head. "It's a shame we don't live in that universe, and they only exist in the movies."
"What will you ask them?" asked Carlitos, his eyes on the movie.
"I don't know, I think when the time comes, my tongue will tie itself, and I'll act like an idiot," shrugged Iratxe, making the rest laugh.
"I second that," said Althea, receiving an elbow from her friend Iratxe.
"You three will all act like idiots. It would be better if you stayed in the hotel, or we'll just laugh at your faces," joked John, Althea's brother, who was sitting right behind her and kicking her seat.
"Remember that if it weren't for the three of us, Oscar and Daniela would never have had the opportunity to come, idiot," retorted Iratxe.
"Kids, peace be with you," interrupted the teacher, trying to avoid an argument.
Boredom made them sleep, which they couldn't do at night because of their nerves. The pilot woke them up, they were landing. A minibus was waiting for them at the airport, which would take them to the hotel. The rooms were assigned according to gender and capacity. Althea, Iratxe, and Daniela stayed together, as they had agreed.
Despite their tiredness, Professor Márquez urged them to make the most of the day so as not to waste time and reminded them that they would always have the night to sleep and prepare for the big day tomorrow, when they would visit the recording studios. New York was a huge and noisy city, something very different for Althea, who came from a small mountain town in Catalonia with few inhabitants.
I hope you love the story! And I apologize in advance if my English is not perfect, as it is not my native language. Enjoy!