Dear step brother

ian

ce as basketball is the on

d put on my jersey, I felt a

m all the pressures of school and life. It was the o

tions and the demands that were plac

shot a few practice shots,

hing else mattered. It was like therapy, i

, my mind started to wander

ad remarried. It wasn't that I didn't like my ste

g to measure up to her expecta

e to my dad that I am worthy of all

but it felt like I was constant

hing. I reminded myself that I was here to p

it's the one place where I can forget a

super smart and always at the top of he

t frustrated. It's not that I don't like her, I just feel like I can't l

lf to be the best. I always felt like I had to prove myself,

n harder. I feel like I'm being compared to

when I'm on the basketball court, all of th

up to the expectations of my dad. I don't want to disappoint

not worry about all of that. I can just focus on the game and fo

ape from the re

knew I just had to relax. But I c

I heard the sound of sneaker

y surroundings, and I realized that my

me, chatting and laughing with ea

g of envy. Why couldn't

been the odd

enjoy myself, without worrying

in a never-ending cycl

lapped me on the shoulder. "What's up, ma

dy," I said, even though I knew it wasn't

m down. So I forced myself to push m

whistle and we all

e been a little sloppy on the court lately, and we need to tigh

the court, ready to

ructions, but my mind kept wandering

ections - the pressure of having to perform on the court, and

stuck in a never

d and my concentrat

nd I could see the frustr

otioned for me to come ove

yers, but today you're all over the place. You're not focusing and you're making

dn't want to tell him the truth

ted. I couldn't do an

I'm aight coach, jus

n't hear that from

r a second," he said

not just here to coach you on the court, I'm also here to help you w

't let it go. So I took a deep br

g an off day. I'm fine, really," I insiste

id again, looking at me wi

know I'm here to listen, no matter what it is. I

o crumble. I knew I couldn't keep

inside of me, and I felt l

ut of the court, not looking back. I could hear m

he school gym and down the hall, not caring

myself by my locker. I sat down on

like I couldn't get a grasp of

oved but I guess it's

h this

ng me. Tears began to stream down

apart. And the worst part was that I felt like I

footsteps coming towards me. I looked up and saw my coac

me on the bench and put

," he said in a

t to help you. Whatever you're going through, you don't hav

kind eyes met mine. I coul

ke I could actually talk to someo

m about the pressure I felt to be perfect, and

e a constant source of anxiety, and how I felt

ard, I just want t

rwhelmed I felt with everything - sch

of relief wash over me. It was like a w

istening intently, without judgment or

need to be perfect. Nobody is perfect, and that's okay. You have so many amazing qualities, and you should focus on those instead of comparing yourself to others. And as for your dad,

and let his

you big time." I said to h

d her friend, Oliver or s

can't see m

at the kitchen table with her friend, I

their books and calculators

e advanced math or science or s

at stuff interesting. To me, it was all ju

nd they tur

e instantly and Oliver s

. I had too m

y some video games. I needed to ge

esk, I felt a wave of

my own, where I didn't have to worry a

d just

r and started playing, l

open and close. I figured it was pro

p the stairs, and they were too lig

e closer, until they stop

I couldn't see the person's face. She knocked sof

ace peeking around the corner. "He

ldn't really turn her away, even though

ou come downstairs for a second? The Gard

Can't it wai

important," she

e, I'll be dow

my bed and walked to my

digging through my clothes,