Disappointed

Sweat rolling down his forehead, a man trudged his way on a location far far away under the relentless sun. His shirt was stained with sweat by the time he reached my target. Suddenly, the unexpected happened. After the scorching sun, the heavens decided to give a downpour.

Time ticked by for a few hours while waiting for the rain to subside. He waited patiently, despite the cold winds, his heart is still burning with infinite passion and pride. The lone man was standing amid the crowds, wandering in search of his usual clique, who have left in pursuit of greater goals. He was slightly saddened by a lack of company. "But it's ok. This is my personal decision to stay behind. Not good to renege on a promise I made on Term 1 Week 1," as he mused to himself.

And so, after the sprints, he readied himself to change as the rest of the other senior competitors made their way down. 5 mins, tell the rest I will join them in 5 min, as he told his female colleague cum team mate and rushed to change from his shirt, wet from rushing to the stadium, to his physical gear.

Adrenaline was pumping to his blood. "Run for honour and glory", as a casual remark and an encouragement from his friends. "This is going to be a good day, "he told himself despite stepping on the wet toilet floor to change up.

He rushed. And rush he did. As they were starting to fall in to their positions, he was about to confidently stroll in to his fourth position. "Strange, why is it that all the slots are taken up?", he wondered aloud. Hope against hope, he went to ask the person-in-charge. "What's going on?"

"Oh, apparently you have been replaced." Realising the predicament and embarrassment (to the person only), he could only smile meekly as the man's hopes was dashed to the ground in an instant.

His head hanging low, he could only return back to the steps to retrieve his miscellaneous items like a dog returning to his kennel. Shame burning in him, which only he could feel. He went and seek answers from the mistress. She was also helpless, as the man's teammates had done a last minute swap without her knowledge. "Then I gotta make my move. See you." She could only reply a thanks for your time and effort. Miscomms at best, callousness at worst.

He left the stadium. Quietly as he entered, silently as he left. He trodded all the way back to school to return the shoes that he never used and returned home, with a heart that has a space filled up with only disappointment.

Enough is enough, he told himself. This is the last straw that broke the camel's back. I will be mercenary from now on, he vowed to himself as he took a cab back home in the vain pursuit of lost time.