A Failed Season

On Thursday of March 12, 2020, I was running to practice with fifteen minutes to spare. I
still wasn’t on good terms with my mom. It’s been three days since our argument. Though, I kept
that out of my mind and focused on today’s upcoming practice. I didn’t need to run because I
was always so early to the gym, but I still did it as a warmup. When I got to the gym, I saw my
teammates messing around, and thought damn, we’re never going to get that banner if this keeps
on happening but nonetheless, I said what’s up and gave them handshakes. We were all excited
for the tournament tomorrow as we kept hyping each other up.
“Hey Cal, ready to pound the ball at the tourney!?” I asked excitingly.
We continued our excitement for a few more minutes. Once practice was about to start, Coach
Ritchie suddenly called us in the gym lobby for a team meeting. She told us that the tournament
tomorrow and other volleyball non-league events in the future were canceled due to COVID-19.
This was the first time that the virus had a personal effect on me. I always thought it was
“nothing” and that it was going to be contained. I was ignorant. Though, I was still positive that
we were going to at least have league still going on for us. My mind went on autopilot for the
rest of the practice as my memory became foggy after the meeting.
March 13, 2020, I came into school trying to suppress the thought about the news I heard
yesterday. It was Friday, what can possibly go wrong, right? Was what I kept telling myself. I
had Piano Block 6 with Mr. Rosales. Surprisingly, he kept talking about COVID-19 to us and
many of my classmates kept asking him if school was going to get out. This talk sort of shocked
me but I was still staying positive and hoped that school would still be in. The class ended and
break arrived. It was a normal break where there was nothing out of the ordinary. Then Block 5
English came, and I overhear my classmates talking about the rumors of school getting out.
“Dude, did you hear that school might get canceled? That’s crazy” The first thing that
Patrick said to me.
I went along with it as if stoked about it. No, why would I want that to be true? Season
would be canceled then. Was how I truly felt. We had a substitute that day, and Ms. Storer had
our agenda planned already. I tried getting my mind off these negative thoughts, but I couldn’t,
they were stuck. I couldn’t focus on the assigned work. After a long period that felt like forever
finally ended, I wished that it went on forever from the news I was about to hear. Right before
the bell rang, the substitute told us that school will be canceled beginning next Monday. Those
words felt like the world came crashing down on me. I was having all these mixed emotions
where I couldn’t comprehend anything that was happening. I probably ignored people without
me even noticing. All I remember was that I was too frustrated and irritated. I was looking
around and it seemed that the whole school was filled with different emotions but mainly bliss.
Honestly, seeing that happiness frustrated me even more because all I thought about was
volleyball and my season. I was selfish. I had to call my dad and my throat started to hurt from
the disappointment. If I was in private, I probably would have cried, but I was in a classroom
with other students.
“Alex, it’s going to be okay. I know it’s hard right now, but you will get through this.”
My dad said.
Not only him, all my friends kept saying that to me. I didn’t want to hear it at all because
I knew it was going to be fine, but I didn’t want to face reality. I didn’t want to accept the fact
that spring season was canceled. I did not want to accept that my life was going to change
because of COVID-19. I was lost. My emotions were mixed, and the end of school hours came. I
went to pick up my keyboard at Mr. Rosales’ room with my head down. The walk felt long, and
the clouds looked greyer than usual. I called my mom and asked if she could pick me up. She
was still irritated with me and that of course didn’t help. I just sat near the cement bench for
thirty minutes feeling lost and empty, just staring at the grey floor and sky. Finally, my mom
arrived, and I immediately hopped into the car and didn’t say a word. I started to tear up.
“Why are you doing that?” she asked in a tough manner.
I saw a mixed stare in her face like she was hiding something.
“Nothing don’t worry about me.” I replied.
It was silent for the whole ride, then finally when we got to my garage, I just broke down
and cried. I apologized to her and told her everything. She saw my swelled eyes and runny nose.
She broke down too and embraced me saying: “That no matter what, anything that comes
our way, even when we fight, that my love for you will never change because you are my son,
my one and only child.”
My mom’s words brought me back to the light. I started to notice the bright colors of
green grass and the white paint of my house. It was a failed season, but I learned an important
lesson of acceptance where no matter the amount of effort and time you put into something; you
may not accomplish what you were aiming for. That is the reality of life. Though, you can adapt
and overcome these stumps that life throws at you by believing in the positive.

Emotional Truth: The emotional truth that I tried accomplishing in my story was acceptance of
the realities of life. The current situation that we are all going through took a toll on mental state
those two dates specifically. I was also thinking of how time passes by quickly, and that COVID-
19 took that precious time away from me.

Story Arc:
1. Exposition – Typical day of regular life, running to practice at MDCHS.
2. Inciting Incident – My tournament was canceled, and future volleyball events would be
canceled as well. Began to have doubts that COVID-19 may have an effect on my
personal life.
3. Rising Action – Starts to hear rumors that school will be canceled.
4. Crisis and Climax – The rumors of school being canceled next week are confirmed.
Devastated by the news, I mope around school feeling lost. Finally, my breakdown with
my mom serves as the climax as I made up with her and how she comforted me in my
time of weakness.
5. Falling Action – My mom bringing me into a new light that everything will be okay
because we have each other.
6. Resolution – Learning the realities of life in where you cannot have everything even if
you worked as hard as possible for it. Though, there is always to adapt and still
experience comfort in life.