You stand before a high school you know. Who are you in this high school? What kind of high school is it?
this highschool is the best highschool for sports in the world, an elite program for the best, and if your not the best, no one cares, but if you are, everyone cares. Hosting over 10 thousand students on campus, its ultra competitive and very toxic sometimes, im lucky to be at the top level for football, so currently im popular socially, and performing on the feild, there are some normal classes, but it's not a focus
You walk down the hallway of your high school. The walls are covered in posters advertising various sports teams and clubs. There are lockers lining the walls, with students hurriedly moving between them to get to their next class. The sound of laughter, shouting, and music fills the air as you make your way through the crowded hallway.
As you walk, a group of football players walk past you, nodding in acknowledgement. One of them, a particularly popular and good-looking player named Mark, smirks at you before turning away.
I give him a friendly nod, I am going to the trials right now, in hopes of making the A team as a freshman, hard, but I've played in some state wide representative teams and many development programs, so I reckon ive got a shot, my family also moved from Australia just at the start of this year for my dads work, so im a gun kicker
As you approach the gym, you see a crowd gathered outside. The football team is already warming up on the field, and you can feel the tension in the air. This is it - your chance to prove yourself and earn a spot on the A team. You take a deep breath, lace up your cleats, and join the other hopefuls lining up for your turn at the trials.
The coaches watch intently as you kick the ball back and forth with a few of your fellow players.
(NFL btw) the hits are hard and the air is cold, despite my young age, I dominate the trials, ive never really properly played NFL just AFL back in Australia, only a bit, but I am really fucking good
After an intense hour of drills and scrimmages, the coaches make their decision. You're one of the first names they call out - you've made it onto the A team! The other players around you erupt in cheers, high-fiving and patting you on the back as you realize your dream has just come true.
As practice continues, you find yourself bonding with the other members of the team.
they all seem to love me, im like a little brother to them, as they're all seniors well done today boys. Good session. I say as coach dismisses us for lunchtime, i head from the training grounds to the cafeteria, where there's like a thousand kids meeting all the trailers, i notice every time someone who didnt make it in they look confused and impressed that ive made it into the a team as a freshman
You sit down at an empty table in the cafeteria, taking off your sweaty jersey and tossing it onto the bench beside you. As you survey the room, you can't help but feel a sense of accomplishment. You made it onto the A team, and now you belong to something special - something that most freshmen only dream of.
A group of girls from one of the other sports teams catches your eye as they walk past.
I feel bored so I give them a nod and the all giggle, they come and sit down beside me, asking me questions about how I made the team I used to live in Australia if you couldnt tell by my accent. And I played afl there for years, where our only protection is a mouthguard and we hit almost as hard as nfl, so once I got basics i guess I found it pretty easy. I shrug see this scar here on my chin, yeah that's from afl, no helmet. Just a straight hit to the fucking chin. I grimace at the memory a little, then turn back to the group of girls you guys are the volleyball team hey?
The girls giggle and nod in response to your question. "Yeah, we're on the varsity volleyball team," one of them says with a hint of pride in her voice. They ask you more questions about yourself and your experience playing AFL back in Australia, and you find yourself enjoying their company as you share stories and laugh together during lunchtime.
Eventually, the bell rings signaling that it's time to return to class.
we have an assembly to officially announce all of the teams playing this season, when my names announced a loud cheer comes up, I blush a bit but can't help smiling, the football teammates im sitting with all ruffle my hair, its clear everyone knows its a huge achievement to be playing such a high level at freshman level. In fact, never done before as the principle states
The assembly goes off without a hitch, and you find yourself reveling in the spotlight as your name is announced along with the rest of the A team. You bask in the attention for a moment, but soon enough it's time to return to class. Your reputation as one of the best football players at your school has only grown bigger today, and you can feel everyone's eyes on you as you walk down the hallway back to your locker.
I reach my locker, and take a look at my phone, I have like 1500 notifications of people adding me on social media, I chuckle, leaving that as a job for when I get home. I head to my last double period for the first day, a double history, the history teacher is really cool, he's really into football so he is happy to have me in his class
The rest of your school day flies by in a blur of classes and socializing. You feel more confident than ever before, knowing that you belong on the A team and that your hard work has paid off. As you head home for the night, you can't help but smile to yourself, thinking about all the great things that are going to happen this year at High School Sim.
as the final bell rings i get a reality check, i realise while im this huge hit at my school, back at home, no one cares about me, dads always so focused on his job he barely looks at me, and mum just seems to be out on a 'girls' night half the time, my sister always has some fucking asshole over, a different one each night. I decide to just go to the football fields to take a breather and do some drills on my own to clear my head
You make your way through the cool evening air to the football field. The lights are mostly off now, but there's still enough illumination from nearby streetlights for you to see by. You take a moment to stretch out and warm up before beginning your solo practice. As you run drills and kick the ball around the field, it feels good to focus on something other than school and social status for a while.
Eventually, the sun begins to set, signaling that it's time to head home.
I head home, and no one even notices I get home, mum is out again, and dads on some work meeting in an office, with his door shut, my sister and her recent asshole to bring home are in the kitchen. I walk in to make a snack hi Kayla. I say quietly, knowing shes probably going to say something mean back and hi Brad. I say glaring at him
"Hey, Thomas," your sister replies, not seeming too surprised that you're home. "How was school today?" She asks, turning her attention back to the conversation she was having with her boyfriend, Brad. You can feel the tension in the air as you stand there, glaring at him.
Brad laughs awkwardly and mutters something under his breath before quickly changing the subject. Your sister rolls her eyes but doesn't say anything else about it.
It was good actually. I say perking up slightly at her interest, to which the cuts me off "yeah well I don't really care." I just finish making my cheese toasty and retreat to my room feeling smaller than ive ever felt in my life, I open my socials and check all my follow requests, there's alot, so I filter through them, adding pretty much everyone back, there's lots of girls adding me, and after ive finally got through them all, I have a few messages from people
You spend the rest of the night alone in your room, responding to messages and adding new followers on social media. It feels good to have so much attention and support from people at school, but it doesn't really help with how lonely you feel at home. Eventually, exhaustion catches up to you and you decide to call it a night, climbing into bed and letting sleep finally claim you.
The next day, you wake up early for football practice before heading off to school once more.