Love and All It Does

01

Anika's POV
(1 month ago)
"Players get in position." The announcer's voice echoed throughout the stadium, the audience's cheers filling in the place.

Be that as it may, the loud thump of my heart had dulled them off. As I close my eyes, the picture of my dad, as I look hopefully at him that one time he had saved me from drowning in the sea, flashed before me. It was my last memory of him. And it was already 14 years ago.

I fluttered my eyes open and heaved in a breath as I stare intently at the calming clear blue waves of the water. And right after the go-signal was sent off, I jumped to the water and swam. I swim and swim and swim and swim, my legs never getting worn off of propelling myself through the water. It's like I can feel my dad's arms around me once again.

And just like that, in an extent of 31.82 seconds, I finished one lap. I was declared the first placer. A breath of relief and gratitude escaped from my numb lips. Looking up, I murmur my proud-full message to my dad, wherever he is. I pushed myself up the rails of the pool and onto the cold tiles, pulling my cap and goggles off and grabbing my towel to dry myself. My teammates rushed towards me, enveloping me in a hug, and with a few ruffling of my hair.

The awarding didn't took a long time. In a few minutes, I was already holding the sheen gold of the medal and smiling to the camera.

I'm supposed to be happy. I'm supposed to be radiating off so much gleeful vibes, or at the very least getting some from my teammates. But, I wasn't. And I know, I know by heart, it's because I'm always going to be missing dad. I'm never going to hear him congratulate me. I'm never going to see him sit by the bleachers and cheer me on. I'm never going to be able to feel his warm embrace again.

(Present time)
The bell rings and everybody rises from their seats, grabbing their things and filing out to the door. People spilled to the hallways, which was once quiet and now filled with murmurs and distant laughters, of students eager for after-school hangouts.

The tarp that the school had posted of the swimming competition a month ago still hang from across. There was a poorly edited picture of me holding the medal with a huge beam on my face. Then next to me are pictures of the rest of my teammates who had won a place as well. Thank you for giving honor to our school, it had said. But that recognition had only lasted for a day. People had forgotten all about it right after.

I head straight to the locker area, lazily opening mine to begin putting my things back and occasionally being bumped and jerked off by bloody people who're bolting to the exit gate. I roll my eyes as I grab my training bag to sling it over my shoulder. I slammed the door shut and made my way to the arena just across the main building.

Harry's POV
"Louis, you asshole." Niall claps him on the back as we all got out of the male's lavatory to change for our soccer practice. The rest of us chuckles, including Louis though he was the one being called such.

"It felt liberating to do that." He explains. He had covered almost half of the cubicle door with gold Sharpie.

"You do realize you could get expelled for vandalism, right?" Liam says as he shook his head.

"They wouldn't know, would they? It's not like this school would even bother a manhunt for that one thing." Louis countered and shrugged, as if proud.

"Mr. Styles." I stiffened upon hearing Brodie's voice from behind me. The boys silently oohed, turning altogether and left. I then turn to face him. "I think you're forgetting a task from me." He says, folding his arm over the other and taps on his foot impatiently.