Falling Apart

The clubroom felt unusually quiet these days, and time seemed to crawl by at a snail's pace. Adica's absence had left a void in our little club, and now it was just Emma and me. We couldn't pull in any new members either this year, partly because our club doesn't have the minimum three-member quota filled anymore, so we aren't even considered a bonafide club right now... though we still got to keep our club room thanks to the prize I got. I decided to make the most of the quiet by diving into my studies, realizing there wouldn't be any more group study sessions for this semester. And on top of that, Adica's not around either to help me with the study materials.

I sat at my desk, poring over textbooks and notes, trying to make the most of the quiet. On the other hand, Emma leaned on the table, her gaze distant as she stared at a book. It was one of those long and boring afternoons.

"Emma," All those math equations were eating at me, so looked up from my notes for a breather, "why do you stay here in the clubroom? You could leave if you want. It's getting kind of dull, isn't it?"

Emma grumped her shoulders, her lips curving into a gentle chuckle. "Well, if I were to make my exit, you'd be left here all alone, Reol. I don't want you to get too lonely in here."

"But doesn't seem so to me..."

"Gosh, what's wrong with that? You'll really feel lonely... I know that!"

"But you don't need to go out of your way to stay here with me... you can leave whenever you want."

"And what will I do then?" Her voice took a sudden shift in tone. "It's not like I've got any other plans either."

I guess Emma still can't accept the fact that Adica and John are going out. Well, they were really good friends. So much so that I could understand. But even there's a divide now too. I wonder how long will these last. Will we ever get a chance to hang together again? Like the four of us used to?

"You know, Reol, I bumped into the two of them yesterday..." Emma began again, "In the same cafe where we used to visit."

"John and Adica?"

"Yeah. I was out for a leisurely walk, and they were exiting the cafe just as I was passing by. They both greeted me with warm smiles, but in that moment, I couldn't find the right words. My mind went blank, and it felt like my eyes couldn't bear to linger. In the end, I simply turned and hurried away. I felt so pathetic." Her frustration boiled over, and she slammed both her fists onto the table, creating a loud thud. "All I wanted was to see Adica happy, to watch her make more friends, and to savor her high school life. But now, it's me who can't come to terms with it. She looks so relaxed and genuinely happy around John. It's a side of her I've never seen before." I didn't nod. I didn't know if I should. I didn't say anything either. There wasn't much I could say or do in that moment except lend her my ears for now. "Is it wrong? That I'm thinking this way?"

The annual sports festival was right around the corner, and our class had kicked off the preparations with great enthusiasm. I couldn't deny that I, too, felt a tinge of excitement, a first for me since it was my debut sports festival at this school. And As for the rest of the class, they were buzzing with anticipation, as this would be their final sports festival in high school. As always, the event followed the standard high school sports festival format, featuring various track and field competitions. Each competition included nine participants, drawn from three different classes. The seniors weren't competing, leaving the remaining three classes to represent.

John, standing at the front of the classroom, held the event roster in his hands, scanning it up and down multiple times. "Alright, folks, let's get ready for the sports festival!" John told the event names one after the other, and then jotted down the name of the participant from our class on the roaster. "Who's up for the sprinting events?" 

One of the boys from the middle raised his hand, looking around before pointing to John. "Aren't you the participant for that event?"

John chuckled and shook his head. "I'd love to, but I'm not exactly in shape this time around. Got myself injured playing football last week..."

Laughter rippled through the class, but it quickly died down as everyone turned serious again. The same guy who had suggested John earlier asked the inevitable question, "So, who's gonna represent us in the sprints then?"

To my surprise, John turned his gaze toward me, and the entire class followed suit. All eyes were on me, and I suddenly felt like a deer caught in headlights. John's voice cut through the impending silence. "Reol, how about you?"

I stammered, "Me? Are you serious? I've never even competed in track before."

The class erupted into a chorus of encouraging voices, and John threw a can-persuade-anyone kind of smile. "Come on, Reol. You're athletic, and you've got the build for it. Besides, you won't be alone. We'll all be there cheering you on!"

I scratched my head nervously, still hesitant. "I don't know, John. It's kinda last minute..."

But John wasn't one to back down easily.  "Reol, trust me on this. You've got the potential, and you won't know unless you try. Plus, it's not just about winning; it's about giving it your all and having fun. What do you say?"

"But isn't there anyone else who wants to participate?" I looked around all the eyes, as they subtly pulled off from my gaze. "What's wrong with you guys!?"

"As you see, we all want you, Reol!"

"Yeah, Reol! Reol! Reol!" Suddenly they all started cheering my name. There's no way I can pull out from this now. I had been avoiding the spotlight for all this time now, but maybe this was the time to step out of my comfort zone. With a deep breath, I finally relented. "Alright, fine. I'll do it."

The classroom erupted into applause and cheers. I couldn't help but wonder why no one else had been willing to step up. Maybe they saw something in me that I hadn't seen in myself.

A week later, the practices had finally began. These sessions coincided with our club hours while regular classes continued during the day. We were getting ready for a practice sprint. Few of the other participants from different class were there too. After we had lined up in our positions, the coach blew the whistle, signaling the start of our sprint. The wind rushed past me, and I pushed my legs to their limits, running faster than I had ever run before. The sensation was oddly familiar, like I had experienced this same rush of wind before. Oh, right, it was back in middle school. I remember now.

I finished third this time, with the second-place runner just a few inches ahead of me. However, the guy who secured first place... well, let's just say you could fit an entire desk, maybe even two, between us as we ran. He was unbelievably fast.

After the sprint, I took a moment to catch my breath, wiping away the beads of sweat that had formed on my forehead. These short sprints are really short, almost like they're over in the blink of an eye. However, when you're the one running, it can seem like an eternity, as if the track's measurements have somehow been miscalculated. And even though it's just a hundred meters, it still pulls out all my strength from all my muscles and nerves just to get to the finishing line. The coach called for a break, and I walked over to John, who had been observing our practice. He clapped me on the back, a proud grin on his face. "You're doing great, Reol! You've got some serious speed in those legs."

I chuckled, wiping the sweat from my brow. "Thanks, John. Who's he?" I pointed to the guy I mentioned earlier, sitting a few meters away from me and wiping his hair with a towel. He had striking red dyed hair that seemed to catch fire in the sunlight. His freckles danced across his nose and cheeks, giving her an almost perpetually sun-kissed look. "He's really fast."

"Oh, you mean Rylee?"

"Rylee?"

"Yeah, he's the captain of the football team. He's no slouch on the track either. Few can outrun him."

"So that's why I got roped into this event, huh?"

John laughed, giving me an encouraging pat on the back. "Why the long face? You've got speed too!"

"Whatever! I'll just try my best not to fall too far behind!"

John's grin widened as he stepped back. "That's the spirit, Reol! Keep practicing and give it your all." He gave me one last pat on the back before heading off in another direction. "John!"

The words slipped out without warning, as if my lips had a mind of their own. "What's up, Reol? Something on your mind?"

I hadn't planned on bringing this up, but I couldn't stop myself now. "I wanted to ask earlier, but I couldn't find the right moment. How are things going with Adica...?"

"Adica... uh, um... yeah, things are fine between the two of us. Anything else?"

"Nope, that's all."

"Oh, Reol... there something I need to tell you too..."

"What is it? Spit it out already."

"Um... not now. Some other time. I'll have you sit through and listen to me blabber someday again." John's tone was serious, as he looked me in the eyes.

"Is it something important?"

"Yeah, really important."