As His World Changed (MxM)

Chapter 1

The ringing sound of a whistle shrieking through the air made Niel aware soccer practice was over. His coach had signaled the boys on the field to come over. With a small jog in his step, he made it to the half moon circle. A quick scan, looking over every one of his teammates, Niel saw everybody was exhausted, sweaty, and out of breath.

The sun was burning the boys' skin. Summer came early this year, it was mid-May and the temperature never hit any lower than 20 degrees Celsius. Niel disliked the summer. The heat, constant sweating, the awful smell of garbage lingering in town, and not to even mention the horrible smell of sweat outside the locker rooms in the school.

Niel's ash-grey eyes snapped right up as his soccer coach Mr. Williams clapped his hands. "All right boys, you did well today! Keep it up." He looked at each boy in front of him, his eyes lingering on one boy in particular. "Jasper, you did well in leading this team so far, don't disappoint me on Friday."

The tall boy puffed his chest out of pride and put a charming smile on his face, a smile that would reassure mothers it was safe to let their daughters go on a date with a boy like him. A smile that made police officers look away from a small mishap. A smile that wouldn't show what kind of ugly personality hid behind it.

"I won't, coach. We will give them hell!" All the boys cheered, roared like dogs ready to fight. Give them hell, that was Jasper's catchphrase every time they talked about a game or were about to start a game. It was quite ironic how lightly the phrase was used as most of the parents of the teenage boys standing on that field were strict, conservative Christians.

Mr. Williams had been relentless during practice. The upcoming game had to be in their favor or they were out of the championships and after last year's fiasco... Anxiety slowly crept inside of Niel thinking of that unfortunate event, like a shadow overcasting his mind that freed the dark thoughts to roam. Niel's breathing quickened and his hands started to shake, an ill attempt was made to stop the shivering by rubbing his hands over his thighs. Failure, failure, failure. Were the only words filling Niel's head. He shook his head trying to shake the memory away. Not wanting to be reminded of that year. Of that unfortunate event.

When Mr. Williams had dismissed the boys and urged them to take showers Niel could feel Jasper brushing against his shoulder. It was not with enough force to be bumped into, but enough to send a message. Stay out of my way. An act of dominance, showing who is boss.

This act made Niel's eyes drop to the ground, balling up his fist and releasing a breath he didn't know he was holding. He tried to calm down his anger as it was totally misplaced, but couldn't help it nevertheless. It was supposed to be his place, his place to lead the soccer team as captain. But the universe didn't let him, no, the universe choose his enemy, the one person he couldn't stand. Jasper fucking Anderson.

It was humiliating, really. Niel had the place, he was the captain. He had led his team to great victories, but if he wasn't such a loser, such a failure that position as captain would have been still his. And the worst part was that every time his teammates looked at him, his coach looked at him and, especially, his enemy looked at him, Niel could see it in their eyes. You are a failure.

Niel was already an awkward and not sociable kind of guy. It was hard for him to find a connection with people and with his teammates in particular. The very same people he was surrounded by the most, his family an exception. But when he was captaining his relationship with the others was clear. Niel was their leader and the soccer team were his followers.

Now with that connection gone, the interaction with his teammates was back to being awkward, might he even say, more awkward. This became even clearer when in the locker room. Everybody stayed a few feet away from him, avoiding him as the medieval people did during the black plague.