Rivalry

Chapter 6

Narration

It is the perfect day for the St. Gabriel's soccer team to train. The weather is nice and they're all in great condition.

After all the players went out from the locker and made their way onto the field, Barcode followed them shortly.

He just changed into his soccer uniform and went out. He didn't even bother fixing everything in his locker because he was too excited to join his new found team.

The players did a little stretching for a good 30 minutes and proceeded on dividing their team into two-- becoming each other's opponents in the field for today's training.

You can clearly see the determination in the players' eyes as they tried their hardest to play the game as if they're already competing in the championship game.

You may think that it'll be hard for Barcode to adjust because he's new to the team. But he's unexpectedly adjusting just fine. It is as if he was already a member of St. Gabriel's soccer team since the beginning.

The players adore him.

He immediately stole the hearts of the St. Gabriel's boys as he showed them his exceptional skills in playing.

It was expected that he's good because he was personally recruited by their coach, but he exceeded all of their expectations when he played with them as a team and went against him as an opponent.

It was evident that he's taking it easy on the guys at first because after all, it was his first day of training with them.

Although that was his first plan, he eventually went full out and gave it his all when he started seeing their skills. He thought that the St. Gabriel's soccer team were all skilled players deserving to be taken seriously. So, that's what he did.

Fourth kept on glancing at Barcode every chance he gets as he admired the player's skills and talent inside the field.

Fourth noticed that Barcode looked like a different person when he's playing.

He's always smiling outside the field when he's not on game, but when he do gets in the gamezone. He's as fierce as a lion.

With his sweat dripping on his forehead and the way his hair bounces everytime he runs. It didn't feel like watching a soccer game, it looked more like a shampoo commercial. It's fascinating to Fourth as his eyes followed Barcode's every movement.

Fourth hadn't had the chance to play with Barcode yet. He was still sitting by the bench waiting for a substitution to be called out. They were on different teams so they'll be facing each other in the field when given the chance.

A part of Fourth was excited to go against Barcode because he is such a great player and wanted to experience the thrill of guarding him. But a part of him was nervous because he has this thought of Barcode about him thinking he's not that good or what if he thinks he's weak and not deserving of his title as captain?

Fourth knows deep down that Barcode won't think of him that way, but Fourth always does this to himself.

After losing to Harrow so many times in the past and had lost majority of their games against them. He had established this thought of not being good enough for the team as a captain to lead and to play the game as a player.

Fourth may seem jolly and optimistic most of the time but he has insecurities and inner battles to fight, that sometimes, it all eats him up and makes him lose focus.

He blames himself everytime they lose a game and he always carries the responsibility for his teammates' mistakes.

But the one thing that will never change about Fourth, is his spirit of believing and his faith for his teammates. No matter how hard they fall, he will always find a way to pull them all back up. He never gives up. That's just how he is.