Mimi_1104

Victory of life

A 17-year-old lad was sitting beside his best friend, Marcus, in the middle of

the study room. His name is Nike Cullen, he yawned and turned his face to look out

the window. Then his eyes gleamed with delight.

Suddenly, the bell rang on cue. A few minutes later, a disheveled old man

walked toward the middle of the board in front of the class. He was a world history

teacher named Albert. He started to put things down and dressed himself properly. He

glanced around the room and cough gently to attract the class attention, then he began

the class. Before he went out, he asked the students to form a group of three people.

‘This is boring and annoying,’ Nike thought. When he turned his face back to

Marcus, he was scrawling something down into the piece of paper.

“What are you doing man?” Nike asked while he was leaning over.

“I’m just doing what Mr. Albert ask us to do,” he replied sarcastically. “I bet

you that you are going to be very mad if Mr. Albert ask us to have more than three

members,” said Marcus. Marcus knew his friend as well as the fact that his friend

doesn’t like to talk to other people all that much. He knew what his friend has been

through since they had been together since forever.

“I think so,” he mumbled to himself quietly and dragged his eyes back to the

window. People in the class were packing up their stuff already, they divided

themselves into their usual group. Except for Evelyn who was sitting near the window

three rows ahead of him. The light pouring through the thin curtain further accentuate

her wavy golden hair. She was alluring and stand out more than anyone.
 “Hey, Evelyn!” Marcus shouted, he probably knew everyone in the school “Do

you have a group yet? If not, come join us,” he asked. Evelyn turned back slowly, her

eyes then stopped where two boys were sitting.

“That will be great!” Evelyn’s replied with a smile.

The next morning, Nike went to school by bus instead of warming up his body

by walking to school. He then noticed that Evelyn was also on the same bus. She was

sitting in the middle of the row. Evelyn squinted her eyes while she was looking out

the window and she doesn’t know that Nike was on the bus too. Summer season always

made her feel alive. The sun made her feel warm like the embrace of a mother. She was

there before him but didn’t notice Nike at all. It was an aisle that separated them apart.

Evelyn was sitting on the couch in the left row while Nike was on the right. Nike turned

his face to look at the window the same as he did in Mr. Albert class. He didn’t speak

a word until he heard someone calling on his name.

“Hey, Nike,” said softly by Evelyn. “I have never seen you on the bus before,”

said Evelyn. Nike turned his face toward her surprisingly, he could recognize her voice.

“Does my face look so weird? Because you make a funny face,” Evelyn giggled

then she asked Nike, “would you mind if I sit here?” she pointed her taper index finger

to the empty seat right next to Nike. Nike nodded his head. His eyes sparkled a little

then it disappeared.

“What brings you here today instead of walking to school though?” asked Evelyn

with a smirk on her proportional face.

“I just wake up late,” Nike answered quietly. They had a short conversation

before the bus stopped at the bus stop in front of the school. Evelyn made him felt so

strange. It was not the feelings he has been experienced before. Bliss and calm took

place in his heart and he felt so comfortable, with her. No one has ever made him felt
this way before. When the bus stopped and Evelyn stood up. Nike smiled to himself

then followed after her.

Nike, Marcus, and Evelyn were in the same class. Their first period was world

history class which they learned about the deity of Greek. Nike seemed to be very bored

learning in Mr. Albert’s class. Whereas, Evelyn looked so eager on this subject.

Albert walked into the room as usual. He stepped toward the middle of the class.

“Good morning everyone, I suppose that you guys have the group already,” he

said loudly. “We are going to research about the deities of Greek mythology. So, please

get into your group and begin your work. If you have any further questions please come

to see me. Good luck,” Albert said, then he sat down on the chair next to him and

started to get out his belongings.

Nike fell asleep.

He felt the darkness surrounding him and seeing himself as a kid sitting in the

corner of the room. Crying.

“...eer! Queer! Queer!” the group of the boy was yelling at him. Everything

started when he learned about the god and goddess in the world history class. It was

because of his name, Nike. His friends were teasing him because of his name, because

it was the name of the goddess of victory, and maybe because they were envious of

Nike’s athletic skills.

The kids kept yelling out his name and the word ‘queer’ until the teacher went

into the class. Marcus ran to console him. Even the kids were now sitting properly in

their own seats. Nike could still hear those harsh words that remained louder and

louder.

“...Nike” he felt like someone was calling him from afar. He could remember

that voice, it was Evelyn’s voice.

 “Nike!” it seemed to be clearer than before. He then woke up from his

nightmare.

“Are you okay?” Evelyn asked with the eyes full of concern. Her voice brought

Nike back. Nike didn’t bat an eye, he said nothing. There was a gap between the

conversations. Evelyn didn’t want to interrogate him, the only things she does was

sitting there quietly.

He eventually responded her with a smile, a bitter one. Evelyn felt the bitterness

that gushed from a boy beside her. She felt like he was going to fall, and in case that

happened, giving him a hand was a must.

Their group work continued quietly without any distraction, but Evelyn seemed

to be uneasy the most. She doesn’t know what was going on with both of them.

That evening, Nike went home as though nothing had happened. He keeps

doing his routine, warming up his body, rehearsing basketball, and helping his mom

took care of the housework. Nike exercised even more than usual, heavily, and

seriously until he short of breath. He felt the tightening feeling in his chest which he

thought it was good, exercising was his escape. He played basketball since he was a

kid, and he was one of the adroit players of the team. After he attended high school, he

became the main player of the team. There was going to be a match in autumn, so he

needs to prepare for it earlier. He knew that some of his friends from his previous

school were still jealous of him for being the main player. They keep trying to make

him felt uncomfortable every time they met, and it worked.

It has been a week since Nike met Evelyn on the bus. He keeps meeting her

every morning and exercises like crazy in the evening instead.

This morning too, she was there sitting on a couch with her favorite book in

her hand. Once she saw him, she waved her hand then he walked toward her. At this
point, he didn’t have to look out at the window anymore because the one whom he was

always watching from the reflection, is now sitting right next to him.

He thought now is the time to tell her his own story about the meaning of his

name and those nightmares that kept disturbing him all the time. After finishing the

story, she gave him a gentle smile.

“You know what? I think it’s wonderful to have such a meaningful name,” she

spoke with an earnest voice. “Actually, I wonder if my name has any meaning. Trust

me, goddess of victory will be with you, Nike.” Nike gave her a genuine smile. Every

time he got to know her, little by little, he started to realize that he was falling for her.

Nike loved the way Evelyn’s smiled and he would like it the most when her smile was

because he was the reason. He wanted to stay by her side. Thanks to her for giving him

his own confidence back. He decided to tell her his feelings after he finished the match.

This was a big decision in his life.

The autumn cup match was finished. He asked Evelyn to come to see the

match and she did. After the match, Evelyn and Nike went home together. The sky

altered its color from blue to dark. But Nike’s heart was so ardent. There was a street

basketball court on the way home. Nike told Evelyn to stop, then he brought the

basketball out from his bag. He turned his face to look into Evelyn’s rich green eyes

with a serious look.

“Thank you for going to the match today,” Nike said softly, he turned his face

toward the hoop and hold the ball firmly. “I have something to tell you, Evelyn. Thank

you for coming into my life, it has been better since the day I found you. Your smile is

the prettiest smile I’ve never seen. I hope the goddess of victory will stay with me this

time,” He was setting himself in a perfect form of an athlete, then he turned his face to

her and said, “If the ball goes into the hoop, will you be my girlfriend?” He kissed the

ball and shot it accurately, but it bounced off. Nike was shocked, he doesn’t know what
to do next because he didn’t think that it was beyond his capabilities. He was assured

that the ball will go through the hoop and he was losing his minds.

Evelyn was strolling toward him and beamed. Without Nike’s notice, she then

stood on her tiptoe and whispered tenderly into his ear.

“I will say yes,” she giggled after seeing Nike flushed. “You look like a tomato

right now, but that’s cute.” she pushes her body out and stood on her feet, looking at

Nike’s face. He was really blushed, with an open-mouthed, and his eyes were wide open

with surprised.

“I like the way you are, Nike,” Evelyn told him. “I’m always watching you from

the bus every morning.” she grinned and playing with her hair. Nike grabbed Evelyn’s

shoulder and pulled her into his chest. Nike was on cloud nine, he was not dreaming,

she was here right in front of him. He will take care of her no matter what happens.

Nike promised to himself. He sent her home and went home with ecstasy.

The next morning, Nike and Evelyn were sitting in the canteen working

together. There was a group of the boys walking passed their table, Nike remembered

that one of the members was from his previous school. The boy glanced at Nike with

contempt.

“How are you, Goddess?” that boy insulted Nike. Evelyn gently holds Nike’s

hand under the table and then she squeezed it as if she knew what was in Nike’s mind.

“At least I am grateful that I know the meaning of my name, unlike you,” Nike

replied daringly. “Maybe you should spend some time to look at yourself rather than

judging other from their name and wasting your time on other people's business,” Nike

stood up, still holding Evelyn’s hand. Their conversation grabbed the attention of the

crowd. Nike then gave the boy a frigid glanced once again.

“Stop acting like a moron,” Nike said, then he turned his face to the door and

walked through the crowd with the whirr of the students around the canteen.
 They went outside to the school’s yard and sat on the bench. Then Evelyn began

the conversation.

“While I was researching on Mr. Albert’s project, I found out the meaning of my

name,” she spoke to Nike and looking at him with her shiny eyes.

“What is it?” Nike asked.

“It means life,” she answered him softly.

Both of them gave each other a genuine smile and held one’s another hand.

Right now, when God of victory and goddess of life were abreast, nothing can separate

them apart.