EX//MACHINA: EXORDIUM

Chapter XVI - And now we run

Everything was just right. He felt like he couldn't stop smiling, and the whole world seemed dazzlingly gorgeous. He walked fast, not because he was in a hurry, but because there was so much energy running through his body that he couldn't walk any slower. Besides, he really wanted to go home and celebrate. Maybe his mother would be there, but it was okay if she wasn't, she would make it up to him whenever she came back.

And he knew she did watch the recording of the matches, even more so when it was the one match that qualified his team to the national tournament. That was something so unexpected, it took the entire team a few minutes after the last set to realize it was actually true; they had won. The small team of Ark had just reached the nation-wide level, how unbelievable was that? Peter didn't remember how long it had been since he felt this happy.

Not, that wasn't right; this isn't just happiness, he felt ecstatic. The certainty that nothing could go wrong after this didn't seem like prepotence, just a fact. All of that combined made him certain of one more thing: this was a dream. He went to sleep just now feeling absolutely miserable, so how could it be anything else? Still, those feelings were real, and realizing he couldn't actually control his body gave him the impression that this was a memory, only now coming back to him.

Fate was really cruel, giving him a glimpse of something so good, times past that he couldn't claw his way back to.

Peter barely noticed the time passing, realizing night already came and he was at his doorstep, pulling out his keys from his backpack and shaking in excitement while unlocking it and thinking about what was to come. Going through the finally opened door, he closed it quickly and ran to the living room, seeing the one person that multiplied his happiness only by existing:

Amy! She was lying down on the couch, in long pants — that were definitely his, a long-standing habit of hers — and a white tank top, looking at the television and aimlessly surfing through channels. Knowing her, she was probably bored out of her mind. He made a mental note to take her out somewhere today in celebration in order to cheer her up, then he let himself loose. Catching her by surprise, Peter lifted her with his arms and started spinning, yelling in happiness.

Startled, Amy almost punched him, but after seeing his face she joined in on the fun, yelling together with him. They spinned around the living room and hugged each other for a long time, finally tiring falling on the couch at the same time, giggling like two fools. Looking at her smiling at him with pride, Peter felt so good he could kiss her right now.

Wait, what? He questioned those thoughts, dismissing them and hugging her once more.

— Did you watch it? We fucking won, gatinha! — he announced while calling her by the nickname she invented, apparently it meant something good in Brazil, and was how friends referred to each other there. At least that's what Amy told him. — Oh man, I still can't believe it, we actually won.

Peter repeated all the variations of "win" and "victory" in his mind throughout the day, and he still felt chills whenever he actually said that out loud. He already knew he liked the sensation of winning, but this? This could make him addicted.

— I seen it alright, gatinho, congrats, really. — she said while passing her hand through his hair, caressing his head slowly, as she liked to do. — So what's in the bag for Ark's newest star after his mind-blowing debut?

— So, I was thinking, there is this new place close by, apparently they serve some crazy pizza there. We could grab some slices, get back here, watch some movies, whatcha' think?

— That's a mighty fine plan if I do say so myself, Pete, but that's not what I meant. — Amy said while moving her hand away from him and straightening herself on the couch. Seeing that and combining it with the sudden seriousness in her face, Peter instinctively prepared himself for what's to come. — After this, even if you don't win the tournament, and by the way I really think you will win. You now have a one-way ticket to fame, a good life in the sports world, and that's something that no one should ignore. Every self-respecting team in America will try to grab you, you catchin' me?.