Chapter Text
Live While We're Young One Direction
Story of My Life One Direction
03:00 P.M. Finally time for afternoon tea after yet another intense training session.
Afternoon tea was often the time when the players from Team Sprout parted ways and hung out with their respective friends. While some went out of the building to buy snacks at a nearby cafe, most of the players stayed around the building’s ground.
Meanwhile, there was a young woman sitting in the midst of the empty cafeteria alone, sipping up the hot chocolate from her mug. She was watching Yesterday 1 on her phone when...
BRNG! BRNG!
The woman stopped the movie and answered the call.
“Alice Pierce, this is from the Sprout Team Management. Could you please come to the office in a few minutes?”
Alice was startled by the sudden call, but she managed to keep her composure.
“Sure, I will be there,” she replied.
“Good, I have some important things I would like to talk about with you.”
“Alright, I will see you in a few minutes. Bye.”
The call ended, and Alice drank up the remaining hot chocolate before she packed herself up and returned the mug to the cafeteria lady.
Strange, she thought. The management team never called her other than when she first joined Sprout.
Alice could feel her heart beating fast out of anticipation and nervousness as she walked towards the Team Management’s office.
What is it that they possibly want of her?
As soon as Alice saw the sign “OFFICE”, she shakily knocked at the door.
“Yes,” came the voice from inside. “Who is it?”
“Alice Pierce, Sir.”
“Ah, Alice. Please come in.”
With shaking hands, Alice opened the door and entered the room.
“Hello, Sir,” Alice greeted. “How are you?”
“Good, thanks. How about you?”
“I am not really sure why.”
The manager gave her his trademark smile before saying.
"You’re going to save Team Sprout, Alice! You’ve been sold to Team Happy and now we can pay our electricity bills!”
Alice’s face went pale as she was beyond shocked.
Why would he sell her to Team Happy when there were much more sensible ways to pay the bills?
“Wait Sir, why!? Is there a reason…”
“Here are your bags, passport, and plane ticket!” the manager interrupted, handing her all of her belongings. “Goodbye Alice! I hope you are happy in China!"
Alice could not say anything, not even a farewell, as she was soon shoved out of the office.
Alice stood by the front of the office, still unable to process what had just happened to her. Staring blankly at the ticket, she realized she would be departing midnight for a one-way trip to China — the country she would be stuck in for the rest of her life.
This meant leaving behind everything familiar to her. Alice would miss walking past the picturesque architecture of Oxford, watching rowing contests along the Thames River, and eating Sunday Roast and Bread Pudding every weekend; but what she would miss the most was spending quality time with her parents and friends.
The world could be one scary place, and Alice would especially agree to this. New culture, new language, and just about everything. Feeling overwhelmed, tears slowly dropped from her eyes. She knew that there was little to no possibility of going back home now.
What if she…
“Hey, Alice.” It was Diana, her best and only friend in Team Sprout. “What’s wrong?”
“Di.” Alice looked up at Diana as she tried to stop herself from crying more. “May I tell you something?”
“Sure, Alice. I’m listening,” Diana said.
The more Alice tried to stop herself from melting down, the stronger this cathartic feeling welled up inside her.
“The manager told me that I will be sold to a team in China called Happy…to pay our team bills...so I will be leaving for China tonight…”
Diana’s mouth slightly gaped at the news.
“I just do not know what to say about that...It just does not make any sense…Do you remember that I told you I will be part of the main roster with you as my teammate someday...? That would be no mo…”
Alice’s voice broke down in tears. Diana gently rubbed Alice’s shoulder to comfort her best friend.
“Alice, it’s alright. I understand you must be feeling shocked, sad, and scared about suddenly being sold to a team and living in a country you have little to no clue about. I feel them about it as much as you do, but you know, it’s life. There will be times when the unexpected are bound to happen, and it’s okay.”
“Di, I am not sure if I can handle this. I have to learn Chinese and...and I might have to wipe the floors like what I am doing right now or maybe even worse…”
“Look, if they are making you do all the chores, just show them the powerful Witch you are.”
Alice chuckled in disbelief. “As if I am. I am just a poor Grappler here.”
“No, you are. You need to start to believe in yourself,” Diana cheered. “You can do this!”
“Okay…”
“Let’s hug!”
Both of the girls embraced one another in a warm hug.
“Are you feeling much better, Alice?” Diana asked.
“Yes,” Alice weakly smiled. “By the way, I need to go now. My bus to Heathrow Airport is coming soon.”
“Okay. Bye, Alice.”
“Bye Di. I will keep in touch with you.”
Alice walked towards the entrance and exited the building, revealing the lit-up street and the twilight sky outside. She went to the nearest bus stop and waited there for a few minutes.
Was this meant to be her destiny? She was afraid, but she had no choice. The only thing she could do was to look forward to her future.