Rise

High School 13’s students in the audience were living the dream. Their team was beating Shanghai International! For the first time in the school’s long history, one of the clubs was performing at a big tournament! The students were so surprised that they didn’t know what to do. But their emotions compelled them to jump, scream and shout, “WIN FENG! WIN FENG!” High School 13 had always been the butt of every joke, knocked out early in every competition they participated in. No one ever took them seriously. But not today! This day, High School 13’s esports club was breaking tradition! They were on the verge of advancing to the Finals of the biggest high school esports tournament in all of Shanghai!

Most students from High School 13 hadn’t started supporting their esports club until a few days ago. They were afraid to. That was how much the losing mentality was ingrained into them. It all started with the principal who wouldn’t give the school’s open support to any club team. He believed they wouldn’t amount to anything anyway, so he thought it best not to announce their next big disappointment to all students. That was reinforced just last year. The basketball team had qualified for a regional tournament, and the principal made a one-time exception, giving the team his full support. Suddenly, all students were basketball fans and the players became overnight celebrities. Then the tournament came around. The hopes for the team were sky high. They were so high that it was impossible to meet them. In the end, High School 13’s basketball team got knocked out in the first round. They didn’t win a single game.

It was always difficult to deal with loss. High expectations only made that that much harder. The basketball players were disappointed in their own performance, and the students were disappointed in them. High School 13 should’ve been proud that their team made it to the regional tournament, but all they remembered was the first and last game at the regional tournament. A loss. It reinforced the beliefs of the students. High School 13 had no good, or even decent clubs. They were attending an average high school that would never amount to anything.

The students stuck to this loser mentality until a few days ago, when word went around the school about the Shanghai 16 School Tournament. Their esports club had made it to the Semifinals of a big tournament! That meant they were in the top four in all of Shanghai! Their school wasn’t all that bad! Their negative thoughts disappeared. Suddenly they saw a new hope. Their esports team had complained multiple times about being unlucky. Perhaps that explained why they hadn't performed until now! The students clung onto this idea. It explained perfectly how the esports team had made it to the Semifinals. How they might make it to the Finals! High School 13’s students had even started dreaming about their team winning the whole tournament and becoming the best esports club in Shanghai! Many of them had gathered after school on Friday and traveled to the venue for the Shanghai 16 School Tournament, excited to see their team kick Shanghai International’s ass!

High School 13’s esports team repaid the support of their fellow students with a stellar performance. They were facing off against Shanghai International, one of the favourites for the title, and were up 2-0! They were only one victory away from making it to the Finals! High School 13’s students in the audience were losing their minds. This was it! Their school was finally making a name for itself! They finally had something to be proud of! Their esports club was one of the best in Shanghai! Maybe even the best!

“HIGH SCHOOL 13! HIGH SCHOOL 13!” “WIN FENG! WIN FENG!” “WOOOO! WE’RE GOING TO THE FINALS! WE’RE GOING TO THE FINALS!” “CLEAN SWEEP, LET’S GOOOOO!” “OH MY GOD IT’S HAPPENING!” “CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? WE’RE THE ABSOLUTE BEST!”

Ouyang, Ren Rou, and Liu Yue were moving around in their seats. The hurricane of cheers smacked into them, lifting them up! They couldn’t hold back anymore. After all the hard work, the many hours locked up in a private booth in the NetCow Cafe, they were only one step away from reaching the Finals! Their team, of which they were very much a part, was doing the impossible! They were beating Shanghai International!

Ouyang was the first to jump up to his feet. He turned around to face the crowd and shouted, “SHOW THOSE DICKTWATS HOW LOUD WE ARE! WE ARE HIGH SCHOOL 13! WE ARE THE BEST! MY BROS ARE GOING TO WIN THIS WHOLE DAMN THING!”

Liu Yue shot up from his seat and put an arm around Ouyang’s shoulder, jumping up and down with his friend, screaming, “WOOT WOOT! WE’RE THE BEST AND SHANGHAI INTERNATIONAL SUCKS BALLS!”