Chapter 1

The sun was scorching my skin as I walked towards the sports hall in the sweltering heat. The asphalt was almost vibrating with heat, and the air was thick and heavy, as if I was getting more and more stuck in the slowness of the summer afternoon with every step. The strap of the sports bag hanging on my shoulder made my skin sweat a little, but I was used to the feeling. My volleyball shoes rhythmically hit the paving stones, while the towering building of the hall slowly seemed bigger and bigger before me.

A slight breeze tried to bring relief, but instead it only stirred more hot air around me. The leaves of the trees that provided shade stood almost motionless, as if the heat had taken away even the playfulness of the wind. When I reached the entrance to the hall, I stopped for a moment to take a deep breath and wipe the sweat beading from my face.

The coolness of the building hit me as I entered, the stark contrast almost making me shiver. My shoes creaked softly against the smooth floor as I slammed my gym bag down on one of the benches in the locker room. The distant thud of balls and the loud laughter of the team could be heard from the room, and it gave me a little energy again.
I took out my clothes, which fit my thin body easily. Maybe too thin for my liking – I thought about that for a moment before finishing getting dressed. I tied my hair up so it wouldn’t interfere with my training, then left my gym bag in the locker room, carefully placing it next to the bench. Then I headed towards the gym, where my teammates had already started their warm-up.

As I entered, I greeted my coach, who nodded in return, and then I saw my best friend, Laura, in the far corner of the room. His athletic, muscular figure immediately stood out from the others – his slim waist, toned legs, and broad shoulders always suggested that sports were not just a hobby for him, but a way of life. His hair, hazel brown and almost golden in the sun, fell in perfect waves to his shoulders, and his face shone with that natural beauty that many envied. He always had an easy and confident aura that was especially reassuring.

I slowly approached him, noticing that he was laughing with one of our teammates.
“Hi, Laura!” I said, smiling as I stopped next to him.
“Hi, Jessica!” he turned to me, with a wide smile. “So, how are you? I’ve seen you’ve been catching balls really well lately, I appreciate it!” he said playfully, but his words always contained sincere support.

I thought about my answer for a moment, but in the end I just shrugged.
“Thank you, I’ll try.” Although sometimes I feel like I’m a little behind…” I admitted quietly, glancing over my shoulder at the others who were already stretching.
“Come on, Jessica, don’t be so hard on yourself,” she said encouragingly, placing her hand on my arm. “You’re here to improve. And if there’s anything, I’ll help you, you know.”

“You really are the best,” I replied gratefully, and Laura laughed.

“You could say that more often!” she teased, then stopped midsentence because the coach’s firm voice drowned out the noise in the room.

“Girls, let’s get started! Come here and stand on the line!” she said. Laura winked at me, then walked toward the others, and I followed her. The first few movements of the warm-up always started a little awkwardly, but Laura’s proximity and the atmosphere of the workout always helped me get going again.

Of course, here’s the corrected version:

The practice started, and I felt like I was putting my best foot forward in every move. I was a little nervous during the first few sessions, but as we progressed, I got more and more into it. I noticed that my coach was also watching, and he nodded approvingly once or twice, which motivated me even more.

Laura also whispered between sessions:
“That’s it, Jessica! You’re really giving it your all today!” she encouraged with a smile.

She’s not only my teammate, but also my best friend. We’ve done almost everything together since we were little, and even though Laura has always excelled in sports, she’s never made me feel like I’m any less. She’s always been there for me, supporting and encouraging me, for which I’m incredibly grateful.

By the end of the session, however, I felt completely exhausted. My hands were aching from all the hitting, and my legs felt like lead from all the jumping and running. Still, a satisfied smile spread across my face as we led the others.

“You did pretty well today, Jessica,” the coach said as he passed me. That sentence meant more than anything else. I hadn’t felt this proud of myself in a long time.

After practice, I went over to Laura, who was wiping the sweat off her face with a towel.

“Today everyone could see that you’re not just good, you’re amazingly good,” she said appreciatively, winking at me.

“Thanks, Laura. You were great, as always,” I replied with a faint smile, thinking about how lucky I was to have such a teammate and friend to help me improve.

As I stepped out of the gym, the hot summer air hit me, and I still felt the thrill of the workout, even though I was tired. Today was a really good day.

On the way home, the adrenaline of the workout slowly began to wear off, and exhaustion began to take over me. Tired, yet in a hurry, I made my way home, eager to finally be home and rest.

As I kicked off my shoes in the hallway, I heard people laughing about something in the living room, but I didn’t join them. Instead, I headed straight for my room, where I could at least be alone. My little kingdom, while simple and small, was still the safest place for me. After all, I never really felt like I was the center of attention at home. My parents always put my younger brother, Thomas, and my older sister, Abigail, first.

Thomas had always been the family favorite—smart, witty, and everything he did seemed to arouse their admiration. Abigail, on the other hand, had the perfect body and confident air that I had always envied. She was beautiful, and everyone noticed it.

But somehow, I always felt left out. My parents never cared about me as much as they did about them, and even though I tried to let go of that feeling, it hurt deep down. I often found myself wishing I had at least a little attention.

Since I had just gotten home from training, I went to take a shower. Hot water always felt good after a workout, washing away the fatigue and sweat. As the water droplets ran down my skin, I was able to let go of all my worries for a moment.

After I took a shower, the warm water felt nice and soothing on my body. I dried myself thoroughly with the towel, making sure not to leave any wet spots. After changing into my comfortable home clothes—a soft, loose T-shirt and shorts—I slowly stepped out of the bathroom. The cold floor beneath my feet was a stark contrast to the coolness of my warm bath. As I went back to my room, I lay down on my bed, feeling fatigue overwhelm me in an instant. Staring at the ceiling, I wondered if anything in our family would ever change.

What would it be like to finally receive equal attention like Abigail or Thomas? Why did I always feel like I was being pushed to the background, like I was never important enough? While Abigail always got everything she wanted, I got the least amount of attention. My thoughts raced, and I felt a growing sense of despair. When would the time come for me to be noticed? The comfort of the bed couldn’t quell the feeling that every day was the same monotonous cycle that revolved around family dynamics.