A Disappointing Moment

The sun was barely up, but Alex’s heart was already pounding with anticipation. It was the final day of his family trip, and they were going to visit the famed Wonderland Park. Alex had begged his parents to include the destination into their itinerary, and today was the big day.

Wonderland Park was the largest amusement park in the region, dwarfing the small one they had back in their hometown, which offered little more than a merry-go-round and some bumper cars. Alex had spent weeks researching the park, memorising the names of all the rides and attractions.

As they approached, colourful billboards teased the wonders that lay ahead, but something was amiss. The park was oddly silent. Alex was sure that he would hear the roar of the rollercoaster and the screams of children from miles away. To their dismay, the family of three were met with a large ‘Closed for Maintenance’ sign that hung limply at the entrance, dashing their plans like a bolt of lightning.

Alex’s heart sank, the wind taken out of his sails. “Why today?” his small voice could barely conceal his disappointment. His parents exchanged sympathetic glances, knowing that nothing they said could console their son. Alex fought the sting of tears as he stood forlornly at the amusement park’s gates, staring at the unmoving rides within.

Not wanting the day to be lost, his parents suggested an alternative. There was an aquarium nearby, and that could be their last stop for the trip. At first, Alex only followed silently. However, his disappointment soon began to wash away as he pressed his nose against the glass of the massive tanks, watching the sharks and rays gliding majestically within.

As they exited through the gift shop that evening, his parents made a promise to return to the amusement park one day. Alex nodded, a smile tugging at his lips. The day had not gone as planned, but it had been a wonderful experience of its own.

Wei Hao had never felt more prepared in his life. Every afternoon, he trained diligently with his team, pushing himself harder each day to become the best player in the team. With Wei Hao as the captain and their coach’s strategic guidance, the team made it through rounds and rounds of tournaments until they reached the finals of the annual inter-school soccer championship.

However, fate had a different plan. The day before the competition, Wei Hao stayed late on the field to perfect his passes with some of his teammates. As he dribbled a ball across the field, Wei Hao felt a sharp twist in his ankle. He fell to the ground and cried out in pain as his teammates looked on with worry and concern.

It was a bad sprain. The doctor’s words and the throbbing pain in Wei Hao’s ankle sealed his fate. “No soccer for a few weeks.” Wei Hao’s world came crashing down. The hours of practice, the sacrifices, and the dreams of lifting the trophy with his team were cruelly ripped from him. Just like that, the competition was over for him before it even began.

The next day, Wei Hao arrived at the field in a cast and crutches to cheer on his teammates. The team fought valiantly without their best player and put up a good fight against the defending champion. They adapted quickly to the absence of their captain, with the substitute player filling in admirably. To Wei Hao’s relief, they emerged victorious.

Yet, as Wei Hao clapped for his teammates, his smile did not quite reach his eyes. There was a bitterness that tainted the sweetness of victory, a silent scream that echoed, “It should have been me out there.” However, as Wei Hao watched his team lift the golden trophy into the air, a smile crossed his face. He understood that his journey did not end with this disappointment. There would be other matches and other chances to shine.