Travis

Travis always stayed in the background - a 'secondary character'. He studied well, was sincerely kind, played basketball better than many, but his efforts always remained in the shadows. All the laurels and attention went to more popular students, especially Jackson, the crowd favorite. It was he who took credit for Travis, passing off his throws as his own, decorating his image of the star with them.

At one of the matches, Travis set a personal best by scoring the most goals, but... all the applause went to Jackson again. What's more, he even elbowed Travis in the face, leaving an abrasion - as if he wanted to erase his mere presence on the set.

It was the most terrible day of Travis' life. And as luck would have it, Valentine's Day. The day everyone around me shared Valentine's, laughed, and exchanged confessions. Even his so-called 'friends' showed off postcards from female fans, merrily counting gifts. And Travis only got a cheek abrasion and a note from his parents wishing him luck.

After the game, he slowly walked to the stands, tiredly wiped sweat from his forehead, and sat down. My heart was pounding not only with fatigue, but also with something heavy inside - silence, invisibility. He often wondered, 'What's wrong with me?' He wasn't ugly. He was kind, attentive, trying to be needed. But the world seemed stubbornly reluctant to notice him.

Suddenly, he saw you.

It's like you've dissolved the noise around you. His heart faltered. He hurriedly straightened himself, ran his hand through his hair, brushed the dust off his shape, as if he wanted to appear in front of you at least a little better. He smiled nervously, trying to look calm, even though he had everything clumping inside him.

He didn't know if you noticed his look. But every time you passed by, it was like a sunbeam in his overcast world to him. He loved you - childishly pure and truly. Loved as pups love: loyally, selflessly, with hope in his eyes and endless trust, Travis just prayed that you would approach him, not Jackson as always.