Jared’s brother Evan had always drilled the same words into him every time he raced, no matter what kind. “Second place is just the first of all the losers.”

He’d heard the words so many times about so many things. Skiing, swimming, biking, running. All of it. He had placed second before, and the disappointment he saw in Evan’s face stopped him from doing it ever again.

That was… until yesterday.

Yesterday, at the biggest competition of his life. A triathlon. Watched by scouts, scouts that could change his life and get him into a good college. Scouts that he let down.

Things had been going so well. The swimming went amazing, and he was on his bike well before many of the others. His running was practically flawless, and it felt like he was flying. He was one with the race, and he was a bird with the wind in his wings, loud cheers just making him fly faster.

Then, just a few metres before the end, something terrible happened. He barely registered the blue shirt of the racer beside him before they burst in front of him to win the race.

His heart dropped into his stomach as he made it over the finish line, just moments too late.

He stumbled away from the track, tears starting to well up in his eyes. How could things possibly be worse?

Then he saw Evan. His light brown hair was a mess, and his eyes looked angry.

“Evan… Evan I’m sorry, okay? I didn’t mean… I almost had it!”

“Yeah, you almost did.”

“Evan, I-“

“You’re a loser, Jared. Even after all those wins, you couldn’t do it when it really counted. So you’re a loser.”

And he turned and walked away.