Competition: A Caffè Americano Challenge Short

Three years back, Jacob “Jake” Peters had run the high school as the Council President and then became the Valedictorian at their graduation. Samuel remembered it all: how his brother went up to the mic and said his well-rehearsed speech, looking at his mom to see her shedding happy tears, then to his dad to see an assured, proud smile on his face that Samuel yearned for.

He remembered Jake coming with a grin, ruffling his brother’s hair and putting his blue cap on his younger sibling. Samuel looked up and saw Jake: tall, attractive, intelligent and proud. Samuel only stood three inches shorter and later grew much more in his later years, but that didn’t change that Jake was everything Samuel had to be.

Had.

Samuel didn’t want to be the valedictorian. He was of above-average intelligence, but nothing like Jake’s closer-to-heck genius. He didn’t want to shake hands and give pep talks to the club leaders, he didn’t want to make a campaign and parade around the school, handing flyers and promising things that were eventually set into stone.

He didn’t want to be the version of perfect that his brother exemplified.

So he worked for other things.

Peters tried out basketball, tried out swimming, tried out martial arts. The more he tried, the buffer he got. His growth spurt seemingly struck again, and he was closer to six feet by the time he was in tenth grade. His teammates adored him, his coach described him as the ideal player that the athletes strived to be. Even the Seniors patted him on the back and congratulated him for a great play when he was in eleventh grade, and this made him proud.

But to him, it wasn’t enough.

Samuel Peters, Quarterback of the Bronx Battalions.

The title never felt so good, so sweet on his lips – Barbs had given him a congratulatory kiss and the other guys on the team gave high fives, hooting out their appreciation that Samuel Peters was the Quarterback. Nothing was better than that to them.

“Congratulations,” Barbs purred into his ear, he grinning at her rather proudly at that. “Your parents will be so proud of ya, Petey,” she said much after, and he rolled his eyes.

“I hope so, B. I don’t know. Jake’s been focusing on his goddamn medical shit and they’re caring for him a lot.”

“Jake wasn’t a Quarterback,” she reminded him, pecking his cheek. “My place tonight? They’re taking Reesie out and I’ll be left alone,” the brunette sang, making Samuel laugh.

As nice as it sounded, he had to decline.

“No can do, lover. Can’t bomb tomorrow’s Calculus quiz, it would be bad for the Quarterback to fail.” She pouted and he smirked, she leaning against the locker as he returned a few of his books. “You up Friday? You, me, a movie…something good with Leonardo is coming out, and I might have enough to treat us to dinner.”

Barbs expressed her excitement and he laughed, taking her hand after closing the door to his locker and spinning the combination.

Jake had been accepted into a prestige university where he took up his pre-med, and had moved hundreds of miles away so that the hassle would be considerably less. He came home every Thanksgiving and Christmas, even making time to stop by for Samuel’s birthday amidst all the org planning and studying he had to do.

Samuel resented him for it.

Each birthday where Jake would come home from college, his parents smothered in kisses and questions.

“How was your term?” (“Stressful as always. I can handle it. Coffee’s a great friend now, dad, have you tried *insert brand here*?”) “No, but I’ll tell your mom to get it for me. Thanks, champ.”

“Jake, did you meet a nice girl yet?” (“No, no – mom, I don’t have the time to do that.”) “That’s such a shame, you should get to meet more people!” (“Lay off me, mom. Haha. Sammy has a girlfriend though. That little player.”)

When he came to Samuel, he would always take out a gift with an infectious smile and hand it to his younger brother.

The gifts were nothing like the typical gifts brothers at college would get for their faraway siblings. To hell were the fancy jerseys, the stupid freebies.

When Junior year had just ended, Jake came back with two boxes for Samuel. A box of Spiderman comics (limited edition!), and another, containing one of his most prized possessions.

When Samuel opened the box, he was speechless at the sight of a pair of sports shoes, specifically for football. Blue and black, with socks that looked warm and comfortable.

“I remember that you told me you tried out for Quarterback.”

“I’m planning to,” he managed.

His brother cracked a smile. “Awesome, little bro. Make sure to wear these at the try-outs and then at your games for me.”

“But how did you–”

Jake waved it off, looking instead at his parents, who were taking out the cake from the fridge. “I have my ways, Sammy. Made sure to get the right color combination, yeah? It’s gotta match your blue outfit and helmet.” Samuel could only nod, in shock at how Jake would get him something so expensive, so precious.

Jake didn’t even play sports.

Samuel resented Jake for all the wrong reasons.

He disliked that Jake had raised his parents’ hopes before Samuel could even try to outdo them. But how could he? Jake was perfect, Jake was a previous president and a valedictorian. Samuel was a star football player and prom king for two straight years, which couldn’t compare to his brother’s achievements.

It felt horrible.

In that state of horribleness, he decided to rebel a bit.

He drank, he partied, he kissed girls for the hell of it and gained a reputation as a player: date for a week or two, dump them gently afterwards. Everyone knew it. Samuel wanted to challenge the standards that were built, to show everyone that he wasn’t Jake.

Deep down, he knew that he was doing it to convince himself.

Amidst this, however, he never got into that much trouble. Unlike others, he knew his limits and accepted his punishment in grace. Eventually, twelfth grade rolled in and he took himself a little more seriously.

And they saw that.

His parents saw that. 

The day of his graduation, Samuel wasn’t the valedictorian. It was some other kid who worked harder for it anyway, and he recognized that. He got his diploma and that’s what mattered to him.

Jake, having made it to the graduation in time, opened his arms widely with that crooked grin on his face upon seeing his little brother approach him and his parents. Samuel couldn’t help but shake his head and hug his brother, Jake stunned at how tall Samuel had suddenly gotten.

“How the fuck did you get so tall, little bro?”

“Sports,” he replied, and Jake laughed. “All the sports.”

“Did you wear them?”

“Wore them all year ‘round.” He nodded and reached up to ruffle Samuel’s hair, something he hated. “Stop that, oi!”

Jake smiled quite a bit.

“Can’t I be proud of my little brother for once, Sammy?”

He stopped.

When Samuel pulled away, he saw Jake, unkempt and tired, hands at his sides and glasses awkwardly framing his face. It was far from perfect. Jake didn't look like the poster boy of perfection for once, which didn't spring up feelings of accomplishment and joy in him.

He just felt bad that his brother was exhausted.

“You were always proud of me, Jake.” He slung his arm around the other’s shoulder and managed a confident, easy, smirk. “I just didn’t want it.”

“But why–?”

“I didn’t want to be you.”

Silence fell between them, the older looking at the other with surprise, disbelief. Samuel merely waited for an answer.

“You’re such a fucking idiot,” he managed, before pulling his brother in for another hug.