Class 11A

Chapter 8: The Weight of Two Worlds

The early morning air bit at their skin as the boys gathered on the field, breath visible in the chill. Lin stood in front of them, pacing back and forth, eyes sharp and voice firm. The drills were getting harder. Day after day, he pushed them further. By now, even some of Isaac's gang, like Adritch, had started taking things seriously, often working alongside Hamza and Charlie during the sprints and passing exercises. Lin made it clear—there was no room for slacking off. They had less than a month to become a team capable of winning.

After the warm-up, Lin gathered everyone around a projector he had set up on the field. "This is how real football works," he said, clicking play. Tapes of professional matches flashed across the screen—teams executing perfect passes, defensive formations, and scoring with precision. Lin pointed out different techniques, explaining everything in detail, from positioning to strategy. Some of the boys nodded along, others, like Rodey, tried to absorb as much as they could.

Isaac sat with his arms crossed, but even he was watching intently, his usual arrogance pushed aside for now. Hamza and Charlie seemed to get along well with Adritch these days, forming an odd trio. Everyone, in their own way, was putting in effort—even if they didn't fully understand why.

As the afternoon wore on, Rodey and Maria sat together in the library, surrounded by notebooks and scattered papers for their Work Skills project. Rodey had gotten used to their partnership—though challenging, Maria was sharp, and her fierce attitude often pushed them to do better. Today was no different.

"So," Maria said, her pen moving furiously across the paper, "we'll present it like this, and then during the second part, we'll show the demo."

Rodey nodded, focusing on her plan. "Right. I'll handle the demo while you explain the theory."

Just as they were settling into a rhythm, a loud snicker broke the quiet. Rodey looked up to see Malik and the rest of Lin's old teammates—Mason, Jason, Jamal—looming over them, sneering.

"Well, well," Malik smirked, "look who's working hard. You actually think your little team stands a chance against us?"

Jason joined in, grinning. "You're not ready for what's coming, new kid. You're no match for us."

Rodey tensed but kept his cool. Malik leaned closer, taunting him. "Lin can try all he wants, but you guys are nothing."

Before Rodey could respond, Maria straightened up and shot them a withering look. "Why don't you fuck off and stop wasting our time?"

The boys blinked, momentarily stunned by her bluntness. Then they laughed. Malik gave her a mock salute. "Alright, alright. We're leaving. See you on the field."

They left, chuckling to themselves, but Maria just rolled her eyes. As they disappeared down the hallway, Hamza, Charlie, and Azad walked over, catching the end of the encounter.

"What was that about?" Hamza asked, looking between Rodey and Maria.

"Nothing we can't handle," Rodey replied, brushing it off, though the tension lingered. He knew this match was bigger than just a school rivalry. It was about proving something—to Lin, to Malik, to himself.

Charlie crossed his arms. "Still, those guys are tough. We're gonna need to step up if we're gonna beat them."

Rodey nodded. "We will. This is bigger than we think."

Later that day, in the empty homeroom, Lin had collapsed onto a desk, exhaustion overwhelming him after the constant practice. The weight of the team's progress, their mistakes, and their small victories bore heavily on him. His breathing was slow, deep, and peaceful. His dark hair fell messily across his forehead, sticking slightly to his skin from the sweat.

Kelly walked in, ready to grab her bag after classes. She stopped in her tracks when she saw Lin asleep, his face turned toward the window, bathed in the soft glow of the afternoon light. For a moment, she hesitated, not wanting to disturb him. But something drew her closer.

She approached quietly, her steps soft against the floor, and knelt down next to him. Her eyes traced the lines of his face—the furrowed brows, the tension that always seemed to be there, gone in this rare moment of rest. He looked so peaceful.

Kelly couldn't help but smile, a warmth spreading in her chest as she watched him. Her hand hovered near his face, as if she might reach out and brush the hair away from his eyes, but she stopped herself, not wanting to wake him. Still, she stayed close, her heart racing in a way it hadn't for a long time.

Her mind wandered back to all the times she had watched him from afar, too afraid or too proud to talk to him directly. But here, seeing him like this—vulnerable, human—it reminded her of why she had liked him in the first place. There was something about Lin, something that drew people to him, even when he didn't realize it himself.

After a few moments, Kelly sighed softly and stood, picking up her bag. She glanced back at him one last time before leaving the room, her heart still fluttering. She wasn't sure where things stood between them, but she knew one thing—Lin wasn't as alone as he thought he was. Not anymore.

Lin jolted awake, his heart racing as he realized the classroom was empty, the afternoon light slipping into a soft orange glow. He checked his phone and cursed under his breath. He had missed his last two classes, including Physical Education—the one period where he could've supervised the team's training.

Frustrated, he quickly gathered his belongings, shoving his books and notes into his backpack. The weight of the upcoming match hung over him like a dark cloud. Two more weeks. That's all the time they had left before the showdown with Malik's team. He thought about how far they had come but also how much more they had to do. His team was still struggling to gel, and every missed opportunity for practice felt like a blow.

He rushed out of the empty school building, only to see the buses pulling out of the parking lot. "Great," he muttered to himself, adjusting the strap of his backpack as he started the long walk home. His mind raced, replaying moments from their practices—Isaac's gang fooling around, the boys working hard, but still falling short of Malik's team. It frustrated him to no end. He knew they were underdogs, but with every passing day, it felt like the gap between his team and Malik's only grew wider.

As Lin walked through the quiet streets, his thoughts spiraled. His teammates were trying, most of them at least, but would it be enough? And what about him? Could he really lead them to victory? The pressure wasn't just about winning a game—it was about proving himself, securing his future, and not letting down the people who were starting to believe in him. People like Rodey, who was taking it seriously, and maybe even Kelly, though he wasn't sure where they stood anymore.

By the time he reached home, the exhaustion from the day was weighing him down. He unlocked the door, walked straight to his room, and tossed his backpack onto his bed. As he began unpacking his things, something soft fell out of his bag. He frowned, reaching down to pick it up. It was a napkin.

Lin stared at it for a moment, confused. Then he noticed the small initials in the corner—"K.M." His breath caught in his throat. Kelly McKenzie.

For a moment, he didn't move. He just stared at the napkin, his mind spinning. It wasn't his—he never carried napkins in his bag. But Kelly's initials were right there, clear as day. Slowly, the pieces started coming together in his mind. He must have grabbed it by accident, maybe when he was asleep in the homeroom earlier. Kelly had been there. She must've left it.

His heart raced at the thought. He knew she had been awkward around him lately, ever since the team had come together. But this... this was something different. The napkin felt like a small connection between them, something unintended but real. He sat on his bed, turning it over in his hands, a strange warmth flooding through him.

What did it mean? Had she been watching over him while he slept? The idea made him smile slightly, though it was tinged with confusion.