The sun had almost set; it was time to pack up and declare the results. We sat on the river deck as we viewed the sunset.
Pretty much everyone exhausted except me, I wanted this time to go on, but as always everything comes to an end someday.
Dylan got up,
"Well, Let's sum it up! Today's winners, with 26 fishes includes your's truly.", Dylan said cheekily as he flaunted with his arms raised in the air.
What a show-off!
"Also my partner Nicholas!", he continued after a pause.
Nicholas also got up and stood beside Dylan but unlike that showy bastard, he bowed gracefully. He had recently transferred to our class and was new to our squad fam.
We all applauded them with claps.
Dylan was the organizer, well he was indeed the best suited for that.
Top in studies, sports, handsome, popular among the girls and also comes from a rich family.
IS HE FOR REAL?
I have been also wondering for years, but before I knew it, we were pretty good friends and already like besties.
But he still was a pain in the ass.
"Whereas, Brian and Sophia has caught about 19 fishes, comes in second place, lost to Dylan and also Nicholas by 7 fish! Well, they did good, but they would still need a lot of practice before they could defeat me!", announced Dylan.
Brian was a veteran fisher, he had much more experience because he always goes fishing with his father on Sundays. Whereas, Sophia was quite the shy type but still she was pretty fun to be around once she mixes up.
We again clapped but for some reason, the announcement was now starting to sound one-sided.
Rihanna interrupt in between,
"Dylan could you stop bragging again and again about yourself for once! It's getting annoying!", she said with a pissed off mood. Which was not something new, she was the most intolerable girl in our squad fam.
She's short-tempered and also short, like literally. Which was one of the reasons she's always angry! Never ever mention Rihanna's height in front of her or else you might end up like Dylan. This one time, she hit Dylan with the frying hot pan while we were having a sausage party. He was immediately taken to the hospital. He then never teased about her height, not directly tho he still loves to be an asshole, it's in his genes.
Dylan glanced at Rihanna but like always didn't give a shit,
"Moving on to our third place is madam Helena with 9 fishes!"
Helena got up with a gentle smile. She's also the same grade as well in the same class, but she always acts like the big sister of our pack. We always call her madam Helena or Big Sis with respect.
Rihanna also got up along with Helena and caught Dylan by the collar and pulled him down to her height.
"Oi, you didn't announce my name! Could you stop making me angry or you would rather take a dip in the river, instead?", she asked politely, but her eyes were threatening him clearly.
"Tch, also Rihanna!", added Dylan bluntly without any enthusiasm.
Rihanna lost her shit and she punched the hell out his face. It took a while for separating her away from Dylan. He was used to getting beaten up by Rihanna but for some reason, he never learned his lesson and keeps being a jerk as always.
At last, it was our turn as he announced our names.
"And in the last place is Sebastian and Calista who has caught about 5 and ½ fish.", announced Dylan.
I knew we were last but what the hell!
Was he nuts? He had to screw up in the crucial moment! I had explained to him several times already not to make an idiot outta me.
Calista whose also a new transfer student in our class and I fell in love on first sight with her. Dylan knows I have hots for her, and he promised to help me out.
BUT THIS WHACKO CAN NEVER BE RELIABLE, COULD HE?!
I know we could have caught more of the fishes, that was the plan at first, but most of the time I was distracted by Calista and forgot about the fishing. Whereas Calista came from the city, she had no experience at all about fishing in our countryside.
In the end, we still managed to catch about 7 fishes.
I grabbed Dylan's by the shoulder,
"Umm... I think you made a small counting mistake! There should be about 7 fishes!", I said.
Dylan pushed my arm away,
"Listen up bruh! We are best pals but when we are competing we are Rivals! Remember our oath!", Dylan replied back.
What the fuck was he talking about?!
"What the heck-", I was about to say that aloud but then I calmed myself because Calista was watching.
This time I again grabbed his shoulder and tightened my grip on his shoulder.
"Hey? Wait-... Ow that hurts, Seb!", said Dylan.
I don't give a shit, your ass should be grinded in the ground. You promised that you would make a good image of myself in front of her, but now you were making me look like a fool.
"Please, Dylan! Could you RECOUNT, pretty PLEASE!!!", I asked respectfully but with a louder tone.
Dylan let out a huge sigh.
"Listen up, Seb!", he then pointed at the fish in my bucket, "That's a tadpole, an amphibian not a fish. And that's too small to count a whole fish. But the end result is you guys still lost! Accept your defeat, be a man", said Dylan decisively.
Okay on second thought I shouldn't have asked for reconsideration, in the first place, I should have drowned this bastard in the river.
I just grabbed him by the collar,
"Why you traitor! You had promised me!", I yelled and pounced on him.
For an instant I forgot about Calista was still present at that moment, but now it was all over. The moment I relied on this good for nothing piece of shit called a friend, it was already over by then itself.
I started beating him to a pulp, hopefully, then he might recover some of his memories along with the promise.
"Boys will be boys!", Rihanna said as she turned a blind eye on our childish brawls, but she doesn't know that my manly honor was on stake.
Whereas, Sophia was on panic! She could never able to handle such a conflicted situation, ever. Brian and Nicholas tried to get us apart. Dylan wasn't fighting back, he was clueless! He had no idea about the promise, he just brushed it under the carpet.
But in all this ruckus, I heard a giggling sound.
For a second I was ready to punch the one making that sound just to realize it was Calista.
She was laughing!
I should be ashamed of acting like an ass but for some reason, she looked so cute that I could even look away.
"You guys are very funny! Thanks for inviting me and showing around.", thanked Calista with the teary eye from laughing heartily. She looked so beautiful at that moment that it was instantly clicked and became a memory in my heart. Her beautiful smile, along with the sunset, the river in the background, as well as her hair, waved in the wind had quadrupled her beauty to about 1000 times! I guess!
I was so deep in love, I have no idea what I was even babbling about!
Although it was all thanks to the crap of a friend Dylan tho, he was the one that rigged the lottery chits so that I could pair up with Calista in fishing and have a great time. Right now, I was so happy that I could kiss Dylan, even tho people might call me gay I don't care. But on second thought, sounds like a pretty terrible idea,.Now thinking about it clearly, I could vomit my stomach out just by the thought of my lips touching his.
Even tho I was just beating the shit out of him, now becoming friends with Dylan should be one of the greatest things happened to me.
So the day ended and we all packed our fishing gears and went to our homes.
I gave Calista 2 fishes and I brought along the other 2 and a half fish. Whereas we dropped the tadpole back in the river.
My home was on the other side of the hill beside the river. I was the only person whose home was in the secluded part, thanks to Papa who loves nature a lot! Now most of my time reaching home was like trekking in a jungle. I think I could even survive in the Amazon forest, maybe.
Suddenly, it started to downpour all of a sudden. At first, I took shelter under a tree, but then the rain got even heavier.
After looking around I saw old stairs leading upwards the hill. I thought for sure some room cabin should be above. But when I reached there, I realized it was an old abandoned shrine.
For now, I guess, I shall take shelter under the shrine until rains calm down.