Perfect (Watty Awards 2013)

Chapter 10.75: The End, Fin, Last; They're all Losers

Chapter 10.75: The End, Fin, Last; They’re all Losers

        A series of mumbling, giggling, surreal amazement reined before the bulletin board.

              “Is that he?”

              “Oh my God.”

              “He beat Rachelle?”

              “How come?”

              “God.”

              The mumbling sounded intriguing. They all sounded judgmental. They all sounded criticizing someone they will never be; someone existed beyond their excoriations, insults, underestimations. Now, he was at the top. His name was being looked up, literally. He did not have a head high but his colleagues had theirs for him.

              “Ethan!” Tristanny yelled as she pulled her body away from the crowd.

              “E-Ethan!” Enid followed her.

              Ethan inhaled and prepared himself. “Oh God, please don’t let—”

              “Enid!”

              “Fall.” He rolled his eyes.

              Ethan rushed to help her get back on her feet. He picked up the books that were scattered on the ground as Enid fell. He handed it over and Tristanny clapped like a little child.

              “I cannot, believe it!” she exclaimed, waving Ethan’s arm like a London bridge.

              “What? What you cannot believe? You are flabbergasting me! Don’t tell me World War III broke!” Ethan complained, restraining the irritating motion of his arms.

              “You just topped the class,” Enid said bleakly.

              “What?!” Ethan exclaimed, this time, louder.

              “You topped the claaaaaaaaaass!” Enid jocundly yelled. “Happy Felicitations!” She exclaimed, hugging Ethan.

              What?

              He was motionless and in blankness. He couldn’t believe it. He just stood there without bones to support him. His body waved as Tristanny continued to shook him and Enid, hugging him. He was there, standing. His books fell from his grip with a tear to accompany them. One. It fell. Two… then many. His tears cascaded down the rosy cheeks of a loser. His pink lips quivered. His hands trembled. His feet froze. His tears kept on falling. He lifted his hand and buried his mouth with it. His breathing ceased and he fell on his knees. He kept his face over his palms as tears endlessly fell from his eyes. His things scattered on the auburn tiles. He was completely unstable. His happiness, his disbelief, his excitement, his… his… his… his loser-ness. It all shook him, congratulations.

              “EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEThan!” Albern yelled from the end of the hall and ended up hugging him.

              “Ethan!” Serena and Red came from a different aisle but they all cuddled around Ethan on their knees.

              The Chroniclers huddled in midst of the hall, causing everyone to have stares on them. This time, it was very very very different. The stares, the views, the lips. They were all not excoriating. They watched them. Some shed tears. Some joined them in their hug. It was that minute, that moment. It all slid rapidly having no place for belief. It all sounded a dream. It all looked like illusions. Nothing seemed real. They all were true but Ethan was like all alone in his world with a spotlight striking down to him. He was on his knees. He was on his palms. He was in the center of that circle.