THE PLACE NEX TO THE FIRST ONE
We gave it everything we had in that dance competition.
A wide-open court, thousands of students watching, and Freaks by Surf Curse blasting through the speakers.
And we were focused on only one thing: dancing.
Every move of the choreography Jax had carefully created.
Wearing the outfits Re, Yuri, and Nizato had designed and sewn.
Using the props Nooha and Kae had provided.
And carrying the message that choreography was meant to convey...
It began with a single person standing alone in the middle of nowhere, dancing despite being seen as a weirdo.
And ended with an entire group dancing together in perfect synchronization and unity.
After the performance, everyone seemed happy.
Tao was spinning around Jax.
Ein looked like he was about to pass out from embarrassment.
Kae could barely stand upright from exhaustion.
Avey was stretching as if she was ready for another round.
Vey was casually talking with Eney, who waved at me.
Ángel, Abril, Nero, Pau, Lim, and the others were playing around, while some simply sat there panting from fatigue.
Just as I was about to change out of my costume, I turned around to look for Jax, who had devoted all his attention to this competition from the very beginning.
But all I saw was his back.
"Well, I'll see him later. It's way too hot..."
I took off the costume and mask, then quickly returned to the court, sitting back down with my group and dodging questions about where I'd disappeared to.
"I think... I'm nervous... Tsk."
Jax had sent a message to the group chat.
Before I could type anything, everyone else flooded the chat with encouragement, teasing, and random comments.
When I looked over at them, Jax looked annoyed as always while everyone kept bothering him, making me laugh from a distance.
Eventually, it was time to announce the winners.
The groups, including ours, stood waiting for the big moment.
I could only watch from the bleachers, but a nervous feeling crawled through me as well.
The judges and teachers began their usual boring speeches.
And when they finally reached the winners...
The entire place fell silent.
Another speech, applause, and a few tears.
Half-hearted applause, an even longer speech, and a bunch of group hugs.
Followed by a speech and a few more scattered claps.
Instinctively, I looked toward the others.
They were murmuring among themselves.
His head was slightly lowered.
And in the middle of that silence...
A wild, ridiculously loud round of applause echoed through the court.
I hesitated for a second.
Several eyes turned toward me.
And fueled by pure adrenaline, I shouted:
"WHAT?! I'M CELEBRATING! CAN'T YOU SEE THAT?! IF IT'S NOT ME, THEN WHO ELSE IS GOING TO DO IT?!"
That was all I could come up with without tripping over my own words.
Then Jax raised his hand and started clapping too.
With a loud voice, he shouted to everyone else:
"COME ON, CELEBRATE! DON'T ACT LIKE A BUNCH OF DEPRESSED LOSERS! WE DANCED, WE PERFORMED, PEOPLE WATCHED US! IF THAT ISN'T WORTH CELEBRATING, THEN WHAT IS?!"
The others immediately followed.
They started applauding each other.
I kept clapping from the bleachers.
Then someone else in the distance joined in.
And before long, the entire place was filled with applause.
"Can a single clap make a difference?"
Maybe at the right moment.
Maybe not at the wrong one.
But it only makes a difference if we remember one thing.
We finally did something we'd wanted to do for a long time.
IF WE DON'T CELEBRATE IT, WHO ELSE WILL?
Sure, maybe a loved one who wants to support us.
But if we aren't lucky enough to have that...
If it's not you celebrating yourself, then it doesn't matter if someone else does.
We have to do it ourselves.
After the event ended, my hands hurt from clapping so much.
I went to find the others, who were happily admiring their awards.
I walked up behind Jax to tease him.
"You surprised me. You, of all people, saying something that..."
I stopped when I saw him staring at his medal with a mixture of seriousness and frustration.
He turned toward me and suddenly grabbed my cheeks with both hands, startling me.
At first, I thought he was messing around.
Then I noticed he was sweating cold.
He lowered his voice so the others couldn't hear.
We were so close to first place.
Just because of one mistake I made..."
The frustration in his voice was impossible to miss.
"Don't be ridiculous. Are you even listening to yourself?"
I replied immediately, staring at him.
"If I had tried harder... If I had put in more effort... We would've gotten first."
"That's what most people think when they end up in second place."
"Because they always forget something."
"That only proves you're good enough."
"The number two is literally standing right next to the number one."
Jax stared at me with wide eyes.
Then he rolled them and muttered what was probably an insult directed at my optimism, smirking to the side.
"Get your sweaty hands off my face."
The moment he let go, I turned his attention toward the others.
Far from being depressed or disappointed, they looked completely different.
"Make good use of my sponsorship next time."
"We'll buy the most expensive materials possible and shut those judges up if they dare say we lacked resources."
Nooha said proudly, as if it were a matter of personal honor.
Karma gave him a disapproving look.
Nooha immediately demanded an explanation.
"Wow. This is the first time I've won something that wasn't gambling or a board game."
Kae said while raising his medal.
Eney excitedly snapped a photo of him while Vey watched.
Pau walked over holding an exam and smiled.
"This is the closest I've ever come to passing one."
"I'm going to use the same study method and improve it."
She said it with complete confidence.
Re, Cal, Nero, and Lim looked genuinely surprised before nodding.
"That beauty night helped a lot, didn't it? I should buy more."
At that point they were making WAY too much noise and Cal had to tell them to quiet down.
Then, from afar, Tao looked at Jax, raised his medal, and flashed his usual sly grin.
"Jax, I had a lot of fun! The school's ghosts enjoyed the dance too."
Nero asked, looking horrified.
Jax glanced at each of them in surprise.
Almost immediately, he looked away with a smile that tried to look annoyed and mocking, but couldn't hide the blush on his face.
I removed my hands from his shoulders and stepped back.
"Hey! Doesn't anyone want a group hug?"
Jax looked at me, completely confused.
Before he could ask anything, a mountain of teenagers charged toward him.
"GET AWAY FROM ME! SCRAM, YOU BUNCH OF WEIRDOS! DIDN'T YOU UNDERSTAND THE MESSAGE OF THE SONG?!"
"Hahaha, that doesn't even make sense, Jax."
Tao said with a smile, floating above him.
Jax was screaming as if a swarm of piranhas were devouring him alive.
"Yeah, Jax. Maybe you're the crazy one."
Avey approached with her wings spread wide.
Judging by the murderous look in her eyes, she wasn't there for a warm hug.
"YOU DON'T EVEN WANT TO HUG ME."
(Jax jokes around way too much and has earned himself plenty of enemies. This is his karma.
Speaking of Karma... you didn't happen to grab him with your ribbons, did you?
Karma: You're the one who called them over. 😐)
I watched them from afar with complete neutrality.
I raised my fingers like a camera frame and focused on all of them.
As if a blink had taken a photograph.
"Is this what you see when you think of family?"
When I turned around, I saw Milton looking toward the others.
I didn't answer right away.
"I hope you can become part of my photo memories too..."
"Hm. I hope I can learn about family soon, then."
"By the way, your eyes are a very bright yellow this time."
"I have no idea what you're talking about. They're always bright yellow whenever they change."
That same unsettling smile as always.
But this time, it didn't seem to be for any bad reason.
The commotion we were causing attracted plenty of attention.
Cal was getting a headache.
Re was suffering from secondhand embarrassment.
People kept passing by Milton and whispering:
"That guy is really tall..."