Love Like These ( Prompts/ AntandDec Oneshots)

Just As I Am

*I have employed a different kind of narration. Hope it won't confuse anyone*

*The song is given in bold *

Declan walks up to the stage with his guitar to huge applause. He has scooped many awards today, including the awards for the Best Solo Artist and the Most Popular Album of the Year. He couldn't complete his award-winning speech due to time constraints and he decides to do it after the song.

He gives them all his hallmark smile and starts playing his guitar.

At that moment, standing on the most coveted stage with the most prestigious of music awards, his thoughts go back to his teenage years.

And to that one day, when his life has changed forever

<<<<<<<<

Declan looks at the members of his opposite team with loath. The Rutherford Comprehensive School is their greatest opponent and their sworn enemy.

One of his schoolmates nudges him "Look at them with their smug smiles. They are damn popular. Declan, this singing competition is so important for us. Forget the scholarship that they give. It's about defeating that son of a McPartlin"

Dec looks to his right and amidst the swarm of dark red blazers, he sees the dark-haired boy, the said son of McPartlin.

Anthony David McPartlin - his nemesis

Anthony gives him a wry smug smile and a thumbs down. The students around him laugh and Dec just looks away. He is always intimidated by their reckless acts and popularity. And the said popularity is the only thing between him and that dark haired boy.

His name is called and he walks to the stage with his guitar. He sings his favourite Golden Brown record and sees everyone clapping and swaying at that. Except for their opponents. He walks out to huge applause. But then, Anthony walks into more applause. That's when Dec realises that he is going to lose. Like every damn singing competition with Anthony who always mixes popular beats and raps to his songs which goes down with a frenzy on the students and the judges. For Dec, it was not about defeating Ant this time... He was in need of something more important - the scholarship. The first step to his one big dream. And it's taken away from him.

Anthony wins the competition.

Dec was with his schoolmates when the winner was announced. It has become a ritual for him... Hearing Anthony's name read out. Hisses around him. Sympathetic pats on his back. And this time he sees Anthony walking to him with his trophy and scholarship card.

And as Dec watched, Ant stands before him and to the huge cheers of students around him, tears the scholarship card into many pieces.

Anthony: "It was all about defeating you"

And Dec runs away. He hides in an abandoned classroom for so long... until he hears footsteps approaching... a gasp of shock as someone spots him unexpectedly... a presence near him. He lifts his crying face from his knees to see the last person he expected- Anthony.

Anthony: "Wow, man. You are crying? What happened?"

Dec didn't hold anything back. That day, he has let it all on Anthony.

His only dream of becoming a singer... Each failure being hard on him... Realising how much of a failure he is... How much of failure he is that none believes in his talent... none supports his talent... and the scholarship card that Anthony had torn into pieces - his only hope to achieve his dreams.

Dec: "You didn't defeat me by winning the competition. You did it by winning something so undeserving that you didn't even realise its value. You didn't even realise how much it means to someone who doesn't have it. Who is always looked down and walked over and ignored! You tore down someone's dream. A dream that now I can only see but not live. You don't have a dream and you don't know what it is to live for a dream!!!"