The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (Liv and Maddie)

3

Demanding excellence

When Nate Jacobs was 11 years old, he found out what his dad's expectations were.

Nate was a good boy, he had good grades and he was loved. Despite being a good person himself, his parents weren't, as a couple they were irritated with each other, tired of the monotony their life had. Nate knew they tried to hide their problems with fake smiles and acting fine around him. But, once in a while, they'd start fighting, screams went through the walls, he could hear the worst of things. He loved his parents so much that even thinking about them separating or hurting each other caused him to mourn for them, as if they were dead, separated, and he got caught in the middle of it, not knowing where he belonged. It was like he had lost both of his parents. However, whenever those screams made noise in his head, he would start wondering if being together was really worth it. Maybe his parents were better off without the other's company.

One day, after one big fight between his parents. Nate's dad called him.

"I want to talk to you" he said with a straight face. Nate was scared to listen. He didn't want to hear it.

Divorce.

"You're a strong man, nate. I knew it from the moment you were born. You have an... iron will......drive, determination. I've always admired that in you. Because some day, it will lead you to greatness. But no one in this world will ever root for you. They'll see what I see and they'll despise you for it. Sometimes you'll know, and sometimes you won't. But the farther you go, the sharper their blade. Just don't ever give them an opening."

Nate was only grateful it wasn't something about divorce. He understood what his father was trying to say you have potential but you're weak, if he wanted people to respect him, he needed to change.

By twelve, he had adopted a rigid diet and workout schedule. Within a year, his body fat dropped from 23% to 6%. He joined the basketball team as a freshman. He was the captain. He loved the crowd, the cheers, the feeling of winning. It was the only thing that kept him alive.

His parents started living different lives. They were not divorced, but they were definitely separated. Being on and off from his dad to his mom's house wasn't a nice experience.

At 13 he wrote a poem that pretty much summed up his whole feelings about the situation. But it was only for him, not for anyone else, his dad taught him how to be tough, and a little poem didn't live up to the expectations.

It read...

"Two houses, two homes, two kitchens, two phones, Two couches where I lay, two places that I stay, Moving, moving here and there, from Monday to Friday I'm everywhere, Don't get me wrong, it's not that bad But often times it makes me sad, I want to live that nuclear life, With a happy dad and his loving wife, A picket fence, a shaggy dog, A fireplace with a burning log, But it's not real, it's just a dream, I cannot cry or even scream, So here I sit with cat number three, Life would be easy if there were two of me."

° ° °

Maddie was watching a basketball game, trying to understand how her opponent played. She had this big game coming up, it was the first one with her as captain, so winning was essential. She was focused on the game liv came in.

"Yeah, I'm studying the game tape for our school rivals, the Ravens. They wiped the floor with us last year. It the first game I was in and I scored seven points" maddie said frustrated.

"Well that's good!"

"No! not good. It was disappointing and embarrassing".

Nate offered to help maddie prepare for the game and she obviously said yes and was very hopeful something would finally happen.