Class 11A

Chapter 5: A Team in the Making

It was early morning when Lin approached Rodey as soon as he entered the classroom. There was an urgency in Lin's eyes that made Rodey blink.

"Hey, I need your help," Lin said, gripping Rodey's shoulder. "We've got to write down the names of all the boys for the football team so I can hand it to Coach. Can you do it?"

Rodey, though not thrilled with the task, nodded. "Yeah, sure."

He quickly jotted down the names—Isaac, Harland, Vian, Adritch, Shawn, Kelvin, Hamza, Azad, Charlie, Lin, and himself. Once it was done, Lin took the list and rushed out, with Rodey trailing behind.

They found Coach Davis in his office, reviewing paperwork. Lin handed him the form, feeling a small sense of accomplishment.

"Coach, here's the team," Lin said, trying to sound confident.

Before Coach could even glance at the list, two familiar figures—Malik and Jamal, old teammates from Lin's earlier football days—grabbed the paper out of Coach's hand.

"Look at this," Malik snorted, running his eyes over the list. "Isaac, Harland, and the rest? They don't even have a single sports achievement between them. What a joke."

Jamal laughed loudly, drawing more attention than Lin would have liked. "I feel bad for you, Lin. Trying to win with these guys? Good luck."

Lin's hands clenched into fists, anger boiling under his skin, but before he could say anything, Coach Davis stepped in.

"That's enough," Coach barked. "Malik, Jamal, get out of here. Let me do my job."

The two boys sneered but left with mocking smiles, leaving Lin embarrassed and simmering. Coach, however, didn't seem fazed by their mockery.

"Lin, I'll register your team," Coach Davis said, setting the list aside. "But if you really want to win, you're going to need to shape them all up. A lot of these kids aren't exactly ready for the level of competition we're facing. It's up to you to get them there."

Lin nodded, understanding the weight of what Coach was asking. "I'll make sure they're ready."

As they left the office, Lin couldn't help but feel the growing pressure. Just as they turned the corner, they bumped into Kelly.

"What are you guys doing?" Kelly asked, her tone more inquisitive than friendly.

Rodey, still holding the paper, answered first. "Lin just submitted our names for the football tournament. He's getting a team together."

Kelly's expression quickly soured, her brows furrowing. She turned her gaze sharply on Lin. "So, let me get this straight. You're pulling new kids like Rodey into your mess, along with Isaac and that disgusting group?"

Lin opened his mouth to explain, but Kelly wasn't interested in hearing him out. She grabbed Rodey by the arm, pulling him away from Lin.

"Come on, Rodey," Kelly snapped. "You shouldn't get mixed up in this."

Lin stood frozen, watching as Kelly dragged Rodey off. He called after her, trying to explain, but Kelly didn't look back. His frustration grew, and as he continued to class, he couldn't shake the feeling of isolation creeping in.

Despite walking through the crowded hallways, bombarded by people greeting him and asking how he was doing, Lin felt disconnected. His mind was too occupied with the weight of his decisions and Kelly's harsh words.

In the middle of the day, the mood only got worse for Rodey. During Work Skills, Mr. Ainsley, their teacher, looked over their project with a deep frown.

"Rodey, where are the papers I asked you to bring?" Mr. Ainsley demanded, his tone sharp.

Rodey's stomach dropped. He had completely forgotten the important documents for their project. Maria shot him a deadly glare.

"Umm... I'll bring them tomorrow," Rodey stammered.

"That's not good enough," Mr. Ainsley said sternly, his disappointment obvious. "I expected more responsibility from both of you."

As they left the class, Maria was fuming. "I told you not to forget," she hissed under her breath.

"I'm sorry," Rodey mumbled. "I didn't mean to."

Maria waved it off, though her expression was still annoyed. "It's fine. Just don't mess it up next time."

Rodey felt a pang of guilt as he watched her storm off. The day wasn't getting any better.

After school, Rodey was planning to head to the newspaper club as usual, but when he got there, he saw the sign: Today's meeting is cancelled.

Sighing, he decided to walk home instead. As he was leaving, he spotted Maria sitting alone on a bench outside the school. She looked lost in thought, staring at the ground. Rodey tried to avoid her, not wanting to make things more awkward after the Work Skills mess, but before he could slip away, she looked up and saw him.

"Rodey," she called, waving him over.

He approached reluctantly. "Hey... about earlier, I'm really sorry."

Maria shrugged, her mood seeming lighter now. "It's okay. It happens."

Rodey stood there awkwardly, unsure what else to say. After a moment, he asked, "What are you doing here alone?"

Maria sighed, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "I was supposed to go home with a friend, but I guess they forgot about me."

Rodey felt a pang of sympathy. "Do you want to walk home together?"

She looked at him, surprised, then nodded. "Yeah, sure."

As they started walking, the conversation slowly picked up. Maria broke the silence first. "So, why did you join this school in the middle of the year?"

Rodey hesitated. "My dad had a job transfer."

Maria frowned, sensing there was more to the story. "And your dad couldn't move here alone? I mean, transferring high schools halfway through is kind of... weird."

Rodey sighed, knowing she wasn't wrong. "It's not that simple. Something happened at my old school. My parents thought it would be best if we all moved here."

Maria glanced at him, picking up on the sadness in his tone. "Something bad?"

"Yeah," Rodey admitted quietly, avoiding her gaze. "Sophomore year was... rough."

Maria didn't press any further, sensing it was a sensitive topic. Instead, she tried to lighten the mood. "Well, for what it's worth, I'm glad we're both here."

Rodey smiled faintly. "Yeah....thanks."

As they continued walking, Rodey realized that despite everything—the arguments, the stress—maybe he didn't feel as alone as he used to.