Half a Step

Chapter 5

Noah's POV

Life is full of surprises. If someone told me when I was in Primary school before I moved to Lilyfield that I would be hyped about sport I would have asked them to leave me alone and find a new career. Being seer wasn't working out very well.

Except here I was sitting on grass filming my friends fire shots at the goal so they figured out how to improve. Cheering them on by calling out things they could do so that they can move around the goalie. Tryouts for the soccer team was tonight so my friends were practising even though most of them had a place ensured on the team from the past few years and their talent which made the team reach semi-finals.

'Joel! Max already knows you're going to shoot to the left.' I called.

When the bell rings signalling the end of recess, I get a few pats on the back as a goodbye but TJ comes up to inform me.

'You should hang around for trials after school.' He says.

'Why?' I question him as I swing my bag over my shoulder.

'The new girl will be there.' TJ says.

'Why does that concern me?' I ask.

'I heard she's pretty good at soccer.'

I was still a little bit unsure about why it concerned me.

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When the bell rang I was ready to leap out of my chair instead of waiting for the teacher to dismiss us. Except almost a half of the class put my thoughts into action

'I dismiss you, not the bell. The bell is there so THE TEACHER knows that it is the end of the hour.' The devil incarnate reprimands the class, 'Now, you will all stay back ten minutes. ALL of you.'

In those ten minutes I came up with almost 100 reasons why I hate the English teacher. Waiting for her to look up from the assignments that are in the midst of being marked. After I have finished crawling around my memories I stare at my forearm which is almost a better contrast than it normally would be against my dark Romanian skin.

The numbers are changing. Decreasing, flicking over one at a time. I stare at them mesmerised as they flick down and down. They are close, closer than they have been.

'Mr Făgădui.' The teacher snaps, 'You have been dismissed.'

'Ohh! Sorry, ma'am.' I stumble, my trance being broken. I charge across the school with my bag swung over one shoulder, my eyes scanning the oval for TJ.

When I get there, a large mob of girls are all watching my friends warming up. The school takes sports really seriously, so if you want to be a part of the teams you do have to be prepared to stay a bit after school and train. But because of that, the teams get some pretty serious athletes.

This year, we all know that most of my friends will get through after the performances they gave last year but they still have to try incase of new talent.

TJ is the one filming in my absence, so I walk up to him.

'Sorry, TJ.' I start.

'Nah, it's ok. So are you coming this afternoon?'

I nod. TJ may not look devious but something is being plotted in his mind.

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When school finishes instead of carpooling everyone to the gym, I just go sit in the music room. Everyone told me that training would probably last until 4pm. No one groaned or complained about that despite it being an hour and a half after school finished.