I was right there at the back. I had literally put in all my energy, strength and preparation for the finals but I was scared.
I didn't want to lose.
I trained almost every day just so I could become the best.
I trained so much that I sometimes, I'd forget I hadn't eaten all day and it started telling on me. I fell sick!
I would wake up so early and run all the way to the field, that my Mother complained and warned me never to bring injuries back home because she didn't want me stressing her and causing more troubles than she could handle.
I wanted to be the best. So even when I had injuries and I would leap back home, I would pretend I am fine. Then at night when everyone was sleeping, I'd go boil water to nurse my wounds myself.
I usually did it being alert to any sound so nobody caught me nursing those wounds.
The D-day came for the game to be played and with all my training, injuries, pain, sleepless night, everyone expected that at least, I'd come either 2nd or 3rd.
But I was set to surprise them by being the first, and mehn, did I surprise them, by taking the 12th position out of 14 people on the game.
What a surprise yeah?
I almost couldn't go back home that day and I cried the whole night for ever thinking I'd be number one.
I had already gotten used to this practice routine so I never gave up.
Though they laughed at me, and no one EVER said, "You did well", I didn't stop practising.
Maybe not because I wanted to prove to them that I could win, but perhaps because I had already become accustomed to the pain, sleepless nights, and injuries, it felt good to keep practising.
Just before the term end, we were surprisingly asked had to play another game and the previous players were called upon.
Apparently, everyone had stopped practising as they couldn't perform as much as they did the first time we played the game.
And who surprised everyone again this time?
You guessed right!
ME!
I came out the overall best to the surprise and shock to everyone.
Never stop putting in your best because someone underrated you or didn't give you credit for a job you think you did very well.
Posted as well on my Facebook Profile.