🦋 MIRA. 🦋
En garde!
Prets?
Allez!
Those were the last things I heard when I lost my balance. Before I could turn back time, I found myself spinning on the ground, I fell.
My eyes went dim, and I could only hear distant noises from fans, friends, and families yelling my name and cheering me up.
"Get up, Mira!"
And that was how I lost it: my chance to outdo the competition, a chance to be known nationwide and most importantly, a chance to be rich.
They say getting picked to play for a nation is rare, and when you do get that opportunity … try not to lose it.
So somebody out there should please tell me what the fuck is wrong with me and how did I just end up throwing my chances to walk out of being a nobody out the window?
My trembling hands grasp my head in panic, heartbroken and disappointed; I screamed until it hit the spot, until I knew I almost coughed my kidneys out, until there was no more space to scream in my lungs.
"Fuck! What just happened? What did I just do?"
It all happened so fast, and suddenly, I was the loser.
"Somebody, anybody… please pinch me, I need to be sure I'm only dreaming."
The loud boos and thumbs down from disappointed fans were enough to tell me the shit was no dream.
Jump, defend, but don't fall… I fell and got kicked out of the national team.
***🥀***
"A well-known player, Mira Bellwood, fell in the middle of a match, disappointing both her nation and her fans. It was said that she lost her balance while trying to defend a hit from her attacker, who seemed to be a far better-off player than herself."
"Wow, there's an article about you already," My best friend, Ariel, blurted out.
"Mira Bellwood was said to have been found drinking right before the game; fans claimed she was playing drunk."
"Hey, did you get drunk before the game?" Ariel asked.
"Fuck those damn reporters, the only thing I remember drinking was water," I snapped back.
Ariel gasped, "These comments are going to make you feel like dying,"
I glanced at her, "I already do feel like dying."
"I placed a bet on her, how could she lose? I lost a lot of money, and I'm going to make sure she loses something worse."
"Are you sure we shouldn't inform the police? I'm certain everyone wants you dead, including myself," Ariel blurted out.
A cold smirk appeared on my face, "You are worried about the wrong thing, I'm more worried about what my parents would do to me."
"Things happen in life. Moreover, you are their last daughter… all responsibility shouldn't be resting on your shoulders," Ariel fired back. "For the main time, try to avoid reporters and anyone you think is weird. If you feel like you are in trouble, call me Asap. I became a special force for you; I'll fight them away – or call Leo, I'm sure he would come running."
I nodded, "Alright, Ariel, I'll be sure to call you first, goodnight."
"Goodnight, baby girl."
I walked into our house, and I immediately knew I made a mistake, I should have run away instead.
"Our lives depend on your game." My dad yelled, "So get your head straight."
My mum glanced at me, her face covered in disgust, "Mira, you know the situation we are in, how could you fall in a match and embarrass our family like that? How could you lose? This whole family is depending on you; you are our pride."
Tears gathered in my eyes as I struggled to push them back in, "Can you guys just cut me some slack? I am your last daughter. I'm not the first nor second why are you placing all the burden on me? I was the one who lost, do you even know how I feel right now? It's my life! My game! My loss! I fell and not you. In times like this, shouldn't a parent be consoling their child? Rather than being your pride, can I be your daughter for one day? Why are you making everything so hard for me, Sora and Eve are out there doing whatever they want with their life, but I …"
"Sora is deaf!" My mother screamed.
I shook my head, "Then how about Eve?" I asked, "Is she deaf too?"
"Eve was born with a hole in her heart!" she snapped back.
"But she's fine now," I cried out, "Eve is fine, she got well when she was still little, the surgery went well, and the doctor confirmed she was fine, why are you both doing this to me? Why do I have to be your pride at the same time, Sora's voice and Eve's backbone? Why?"
I wasn't given a chance to catch my breath when a hot, seasoned slap landed on my face, "You inconsiderate child! What's wrong with being there for your sisters? Shouldn't you be happy that you are in excellent health?"
I choked, and the tears I was forcing back in flowed down my cheeks, "Inconsiderate?"
Eve walked into the sitting room, "Mum, Dad, I heard some noise."
"Don't worry about it and ignore your heartless sister… get some more sleep," my mother muttered, taking Eve back into the room.
I bit my lower lips, looking away in anger and disappointment, I stormed out of the house. For some people, a home is a resting place. For me... It's a war Zone.
I have two elder sisters, Sora and the youngest, Eve, and they are the worst thing that could ever happen to me.
My parents are also not any good for me either; sometimes I wish I was sick, deaf or even dead, if I'm not my own pride, how can I be someone else's?
"Hey, Mira."
I heard a voice behind me, a voice I'd recognised through thick and thin: my childhood friend, Leo. We were so connected that even our dreams were connected.
"Leo," I yelled and fell on his chest.
Leo whispered close to my ears, "Has my baby been crying? I'm sure it's mom and dad again. Want me to beat them up for you?"
I blinked innocently, "Would you do that for me?"
A smirk appeared on his face, "Of course not."
I rolled my eyes, "I know you have been waiting for me, did you watch the match? It was so ridiculous."
"Yes, I did," he murmured, "And it wasn't ridiculous. I know you twisted your ankle, Mira."
"Woah," I gasped, "How did you… Leo, it was not obvious."
"I was so focused on you that I picked every detail," he responded, "Don't worry, there's always a next time."
"Easy for you to say, you won last year," I cried out, "I was kicked out of the national team."
"Hey… we are in the same team, my win is your win," he muttered, "And your loss is my loss, and I'm not complaining."
A creepy smile appeared on my face, "You said there's something you wanted to tell me, what is it?"
Leo cleared his throat, smiling awkwardly, "I'm not sure we are in the right mood, I was going to tell you after the match."
"Huh! Well, the match is already over," I fired back.
"After – after you won the match," he calmly clarified.
"Ohh… don't worry tell me anyways," I responded, gawking at him in suspense, "Tell me… quickly!"
"I like you," Leo blurted out.
I looked at him, utterly confused, "I like you too, Leo."
He shook his head, reaching for my hands. He held them with a serious expression on his face, "I mean – you are the one that I like… I, Leo, I'm in love with you. Let's go out."