Marching On, a total drama series fanfic

So, this is going to be my first Total Drama fanfiction. And I just have to say I absolutely love the Brick and Jo couple pairing, though there is none of that in this story. But enough chit-chat. Let's get on with the song fiction.

Disclaimer: I do not own Total Drama Revenge of the Island. If I did, Brick and Jo would already be a couple. I also do not own the song Marching On by One Republic.

Right, right, right, right, left, right

We're marching on

I squeezed my eyes tighter and picked up my pace. The air whipped across my cheeks and sweat burned as it dripped into my eyes. I had to go faster. This just wasn't fast enough. Maybe she was right. Maybe I am a mistake. A screw up. A joke.

For those days we felt like a mistake,

Those times when love's what you hate,

Somehow, we keep marching on

My legs ached and my lungs threatened to burst, but I refused to quit. She could go faster than this, so I could as well. I would never make it in the army at this pace. I promised him I would. I promised that I would be just like him. I would make my dad proud. He left almost six years ago, and never returned. We are not sure if he is even alive anymore, but we will never relinquish our hope. For without it, what do we have left?

For those nights I couldn't be there,

I've made it harder to know that you know,

That somehow, we'll keep moving on

I watched as she gained more distance between us. I don't see how she could be so damn fast. I went through training; military training, yet she is still quicker. I'm not worthy to be a cadet. I'm not fast enough. I'm not strong enough. I'm not good enough.

There's so many wars we fought,

There's so many things we're not

But with what we have, I promise you that,

We're marching on

(We're marching on, we're marching on)

She makes everything a competition; a competition that I can never seem to win. Come on. Just breathe. Left, right, left, right. Come on, faster…faster. I can do this. I don't care if I lose; I just have to be faster. I don't care if I break. I don't care if I sink farther than I have already gone. I just need to be better. I just need to feel like I belong.

For all of the plans we've made,

There isn't a flag I'd wave,

Don't care if we bend,

I'd sink us to swim,

We're marching on

(We're marching on, we're marching on)

I catch up to her and we keep at the same pace. She watches me, and gives me a look that makes my heart plummet. She knows she is better than me. I can see it in her eyes. She has about as much doubt in me as I have in myself.

For those doubts that swirl around us,

For those lives that tear at the seams,

We know, we're not what we've seen

I just have to keep moving. One foot in front of the other. I just have to ignore the burning and keep going. I have to win. I have been a failure all of my life, and I'm not going to let it stay that way.

For this dance we'll move with each other,

There ain't no other step than one foot,

Right in front of the other.

We finished at the same time. I want to fall to the ground and just lay there, but I cannot. She barely looks winded, yet I'm ready to black out. What does that say about me? Not much. She walks off gloating about how she got here first, though we both know she didn't. I turn the other way, heading back to the cabins. Left, right, left, right. Just keep walking; head up, shoulders back. One foot in front of the other. I'm not going to give in. I've gone too far to quit.

We'll have the days we break,

And we'll have the scars to prove it,

We'll have the bonds that we save,

But we'll have the heart not to lose it.

For all of the times we've stopped.

For all of the things I'm not.

I throw open the door of the cabin and sit down on my bunk. I lay back, my arms behind my head. I think back to my days at military camp. I felt like I belonged. That I had a place. I never felt that way before. I always feel out of place, like I have no use. I'm counting down the days to when I get to become a part of the army for real. For my father. And for myself. But until then, I suppose I will have to suck it up. Keep my head high, my shoulders back, and put one foot in front of the other. Because no matter what happens, we have to keep marching on.

We put one foot in front of the other,

We move like we ain't got no other,

We go when we go,

We're marching on.

There's so many wars we fought,

There's so many things we're not

But with what we have, I promise you that,

We're marching on

(We're marching on, we're marching on)

Right, right, right, right, left, right

We're marching on.