Love is Pain

Small victories

It was a school morning like many others. Jane and Andrea had woken up early, despite the gray sky and the desire to stay in bed. After a quick breakfast and stowing their backpacks, they had set off for school, ready to face another class-filled day.

The first hour was math. Professor Rossi, as always, had brought lots of complicated problems to solve. Andrea had plunged straight into her work, solving equations with impressive speed, while Jane tried to concentrate, but her mind often wandered. Answers did not come as easy to her as they did to her sister, but she tried hard. "You just have to think slowly," she repeated to herself, looking at the board. Every now and then Andrea would give her an encouraging look, but her head, too, was immersed in her own world of numbers and formulas.

After math, it was Italian's turn. Professor Martini was always enthusiastic, but today she seemed particularly energetic. "We're going to work on a free topic today, guys," she said, smiling. "I want you to talk about an experience that changed you in some way. Be creative, but be honest."

Andrea began writing immediately, the words flowing quickly from her pen, as if the essay was already ready in her head. Jane, on the other hand, could not decide what to write. She thought of all the times she had been afraid or how her life had changed after starting middle school, but she could not find the right words. She looked surreptitiously at Andrea, hoping her inspiration would strike her. But Andrea didn't seem to need to think too much, so Jane focused on a memory from her childhood, something simpler but that had meant a lot to her.

The bell rang and history class took the place of Italian class. Professor De Luca passionately explained historical conflicts, and Jane listened attentively, even as her mind wandered from time to time. "This historical period is fundamental to understanding how we got to the present day," the professor said. Andrea, sitting beside her, was completely absorbed in the professor's words, while Jane was struggling with fatigue. The thought of doing PE right after history made her a little nervous.

Finally came the long-awaited hour: physical education. Andrea got up eagerly, ready to run, while Jane dragged a little, feeling a slight anxiety. She changed quickly, trying not to think too much about what she was going to do during class.

When they arrived at the sports field, the professor was already waiting with a smile. "Today we're going to focus on team play," he said, tossing the balls. "Each team will have to work together to pass the ball around and try to score a goal."

Andrea, as usual, was immediately ready to get involved. "Come on, Jane, come with us," he called to her, with his usual energy. "It's no big deal, just have fun."

Jane smiled, but she couldn't shake that uneasy feeling. She didn't particularly like being the center of attention, especially when it came to running or making movements she didn't do well. But she knew she had to try. So she joined the team, trying to focus on the game rather than on how awkward she felt.

The class began with some stretching and a general warm-up. Andrea was already moving, while Jane tried to keep up, without forcing herself too much. Every now and then, she watched her sister run with ease and felt a little more motivated. "I can do it," she thought, trying to focus on her own legs that were starting to warm up.

Game time came quickly. Andrea quickly grabbed the ball, running toward the goal. Jane found herself running alongside her, trying not to think too much about the passersby watching her. Her heart was beating faster than she wanted to admit, but when the ball reached her, she felt ready. She passed it to a teammate without thinking too much about it, and the game continued.

It was not a memorable game, but the feeling of being part of a group made her feel lighter. She was not the fastest or the best, but she did her part. And when the bell rang, marking the end of the lesson, she felt relieved.

As they returned to class, Andrea looked at her with a smile. "See? It's not so bad, is it?"

Jane replied with a shy smile, happy that she had overcome her initial fear. " Yes, it wasn't that bad," he said, but inside he already felt a little stronger, as if every little challenge he won was a step towards something bigger.