It all started with a match. One simple match. Just a match between Argentina and Saudi Arabia. The match on November 22nd.
.
Then, she discovered the thing called World Cup. The World Cup (with capital letters). The one thing that united the world...
Blake's POV: (Finally I have an excuse to write from her point of view)
"What is Liv doing that long in the Physics classroom?!" It was getting on my nerves. "What if something bad happened? What if she failed the class?" I asked myself. "No, that's not possible," I started. "She's the student with the highest grades in Physics," I stated and then paled."What if she's being kidnapped?" I asked myself again, but this time I started walking towards the room to make sure everything is fine.
Right after I approached the room, I felt my phone buzzing, hoping it was Liv. When I saw the caller ID, I immediately picked up.
"Where the hell are you?!" I exclaimed.
"No, where are you?" I heard her over the phone.
"What do you mean where I am?" I asked confused.
"I meant..." she made a little tense pause. "Where are you?!" I heard her almost yell.
"In front of Mr. Nicolas' room!" I responded, it all getting on my nerves again. "Where are you?"
"Where your tray and backpack is," she said calmly with a what I sensed-smile.
"Ugh...we've missed each other," I groaned. "Okay, I'm coming," I said and hung up before she could say anything else to irritate me.
"Ms. Campbell, can I speak to you, please?" I heard a well-known voice, standing beside the door frame behind me.
"Oh, um..." I stuttered, turning to face Mr. Nicolas out of the school hours we had with him. "I'm actually going to meet Liv," I started. "And I'm already late, so-"
"Ms. Davies is what I want to talk about," he said, and I stared at him. "Can we?" I nodded, going straight into the room. "Ms. Davies told me she trains soccer with you. Is that right?" he asked and sat on his chair, probably tired because of his age.
"H-how do you know?" I was startled and, most importantly, confused.
"She told me," he shrugged. "I told her the same, but I want to tell you the same," he said, and I looked at him already very confused. "Don't let her give up. Don't you dare to give up too," he said, stern again.
"What do you mean?" I asked, beside the door, ready to go.
"I think you should ask Ms. Davies about it," he responded. "But just remember what I said and never give up," he said with a tone that probably meant I'm done with the talk, and you should go to lunch.
"Okay," I said and left the room, completely dumbfounded and not knowing what actually happened during Liv and Mr. Nicolas' conversation.
***
"He was what?!" I though I didn't hear Liv right.
"Yeah, I couldn't believe it too!" she said. "Can you imagine? Like..." she started. "Our Physics teacher was the best football player of the country!"
"But...how don't they recognise him?" I asked, connecting the strings.
"He told me that he quit playing football because of failing his classes in Boston University, and he thought he could do only the one thing of the two," she explained. "And he also doesn't look like he did before. That's why I haven't realised he is The Daniel Nicolas."
"But..." I asked, even more intrigued. "Wasn't the media interested what had happened to him?"
"As far as I read about him, the media-" she interrupted herself. "Who am I kidding?" she asked rhetorically. "No one knew what happened to him," she said. "I don't think they knew about his Physics major, and when he graduated after gaining his PhD, as if everyone forgot about him. That's probably because football here isn't and wasn't famous without someone popularising it," she shared.
(Just wanna say that this is only for the story. Football (soccer) in the USA is also pretty interesting to watch. And now that Messi has joined Inter Miami, it has become even more intriguing to follow what's going on in the MLS.)
"You have a point," I nodded. "But-" I started, pointing to the computer. "Are we going to continue watching the match?"
"Oh, yeah, sorry," she apologised, I don't know for what. "Let me just go and grab more salad."
"Okay," I responded, patiently waiting for her to come back, so we can continue watching the match.
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(Pinterest picture on again. Credit to carologic)
*** Olivia's POV:
"Ms. Davies," Ms. Johnson told me and I turned my face to her. "Your test," she handed me the paper with the red grade written on it.
As soon as I took the test, I looked at the grade, and...it showed 83 percent. Another low grade. And it's for History this time. This is literally one of the best subjects in school.
"You've got be kidding me," I thought, knowing that I'll have to stop training. This shouldn't continue. And I don't care what Mr. Nicolas tells me.
If my education is set on the map because of the trainings, then I should definitely stop. Especially when I want to be valedictorian one day.
That's it. My final decision.
***
"What?!" Blake asked almost furious as I shared my decision. "How are you going to stop now?! After all of our efforts! After all the sweat, tears, spent hours trainings!" she yelled as we were walking to the metro station.
"I-" I started, but got interrupted day Blake.
"Don't you dare to cut me off while I'm talking!" she yelled again. "I'm not going to give up the trainings I researched for hours! HOURS!" she looked me coldly in the eyes. "I. Don't. Care." she cut her sentence into pieces, still looking at me in the same way.
"But you should!" I screamed back. "What friend are you if you don't support my decisions?!" I said. "Even after we had those trainings for this past month! Mistakes happen!"
"Can I remind you who wanted to train at first place?! Hm?" she exclaimed loudly. "I've given so much for those trainings!" she yelled once again. "And if anyone has to ask questions, I should ask you what friend are you to stop after her best friend put so much work in something that you wanted?!"
"Maybe I don't want you to be my best friend anymore!" it slipped through my mouth. I paled and Blake's expression immediately dropped, probably not expecting me to say something like that.
"Okay, then," she spat out. "We're no longer friends," she looked at me from head to toes. "Go back to the friend group that kicked you out," she said and started walking to the other direction.
"They didn't kick me out!" I screamed, still being at the motionless on the sidewalk. I wanted to say that I still want her to be my best friend and stay like that forever, but I just managed to let that go out of my mouth.
