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Choco ball had always known that he was bound to be a celebrity. Adored by all and everyone, the best of the best, the one that could lead an entire team to victory all every single time if he wanted to. From the day of his birth, he was just insanely good at sports. Beating all of the other kids in the playground, getting into competitions and winning them all, accumulating trophies upon trophies, so much that he wasn't sure of what to do with them ... This was all decided from the moment he was born. Some people thought he could do anything without training, but they were wrong. He had to train, just like everyone else. Things were just going smoothly for him. He'd learned a lot quicker and better than anyone else. And while this all felt like this was meant to be, Choco ball kind of felt as if ... He'd lost something.
It was a little weird. He'd lived in whole life with praise and attention from everyone he knew, had accumulated proofs that he was just as good as he thought, but ... He couldn't help but wonder, what if things went differently ? What if he wasn't incredible, but just ... Good ? Choco ball had never failed to win a competition. Even if he missed one of his shots, he knew that he'll find a way to make up for it later in the match. And that was the case from so, so early in his childhood. Soon enough, journalists, television, interviews were everywhere to ask him questions. He didn't make many friends outside of his team members, and the fact was, many didn't last through time as he had to change teams rather often up until his adulthood. He couldn't really go out to eat or buys something for himself either. His managers always told him that it was a bad idea, and paparazzis were simply everywhere the second he went out of the field. He often ordered pizzas or bought stuff on the internet, but it wasn't enough. He was never the one moving, simply stuck in room waiting for the next stuff he bought to arrive so that he could get himself occupied just a little bit. The star had always heard of people spending time with their friends going shopping or spending a day at a zoo, and he couldn't help but wonder how could it feel. That was until he met Cherry ball.
Cherry was ... Well, a good handball player. But that was it. She was good, not especially the one everyone has their eyes upon. She trained really hard to keep getting better, she struggled to make herself a name in the industry, and she slowly got closer and closer to her goal of actually winning competitions. Ever since he'd met her, Choco felt a certain kind of empathy towards her, perhaps even a jealousy. She was happy. She'd been stressed about the fact that she kept loosing for a while, but in the end, she was looking forward to the future.
She admired him. But not to the point of idolizing him. And it made him feel good. When she stood up next to him, she didn't feel like the thousands of groupies he had over the years that treated him like he deserved everything in the entire world. She saw him as an equal. She wasn't afraid to mock him whenever he was too full of himself. She wasn't afraid to tell him when he did a good job but also mock him whenever he failed. It made him feel ... Kind of normal. It meant a lot to him. Competitions after competitions, the two them became quite close, watching each other's matches, encouraging the other. He was here for her first win in a large public. He was here for her failures. And most importantly... He was here when she won her first full competition. And he was proud. After an hours of her resting and talking to interviewers, she joined him back in the lodges and the two them hugged. Choco could feel her happiness spreading to him. The joy of a first celebration and not simply the 100th time you're considered a hero.
"I DID IT !! I REALLY DID IT !!"
"I'M SO PROUD OF YOU !!"
"Ah ... None of us believe it, the team is still under the shock !"
"Did you plan anything to celebrate ?"
"Yeah, we decided to go at a local Sandwich shop ! The girls who run it are sooo nice and they make the best stuff !! Oh, that reminds me, you're invited !"
"W-what ? Wait, Cherry, I've never really went to this kind of place."
"Seriously ? Well it's time for you to try. There's a first time for everything. First time for me to get a trophy, first time for you to experience the feeling of a small local restaurant."
"My manager says I'm supposed to avoid it ... It might be bad for me."
"For what ? Your health ? C'mon you eat pizzas for all of you matches. Or your reputation ? You're the best footballer I know. You don't need validation from the latest random influencer who's pissed because you're eating a hamburger. C'mon Choco, live a little !"
The man sighed and chuckled. She was right. He just needed someone to tell him that.
He couldn't get a life like hers. But perhaps she could help him get closer to it.