The Twelth Player

Chapter 12

Today's training with the street kids went better than last time. I tried harder to remember their names and threw in some compliments here and there. The guys started loosening up a bit, even one of them, who barely said a word last time, actually smiled today. But Markus? He's a whole different story.

Markus reminded me of myself at his age – rebellious, stubborn, always doing things his own way. And it pissed me off. I wanted to shake him, to make him see that he's only hurting himself with that attitude. But I knew I couldn't. Eli was right – I can't force these kids to trust me. I have to earn it.

After practice, I praised them all and wished them a good day. Markus? He walked off like always, didn't even look at me. I stayed on the field for a bit, watching him leave, feeling this mix of frustration and sadness. "This is gonna take time," I reminded myself. "And probably more patience than I have."

---

After training, I stopped by the Kids Center to check on Eli. She was sitting outside on a bench, waiting for the kids to finish their last games. It was already fall, and the temperature was dropping fast. The wind was icy, and she was only wearing this thin sweater. I could see from a distance she was shivering.

"Eli!" I called out. She looked up and gave me a smile, but it was that tired, unconvincing smile she does sometimes.

I walked over to her and pulled off my hoodie. "What are you doing? Why aren't you dressed warmer? Where's your jacket? You're freezing!"

She blinked and shrugged. "Someone stole it. But don't worry, we'll be heading inside soon anyway."

She's lying. I knew it. But I wasn't gonna push it right now. "That's not an answer," I said, frowning. "Here. Put this on."

"Matti, you don't have to," she started to protest, but I was already holding out my hoodie. She stood there, so small and fragile, and it hit me right in the chest.

"Please, Eli. Do it for me if not for yourself. I don't want you getting sick," I said, soft but firm.

Slowly, she took it and put it on. It was way too big on her – the sleeves hung past her fingers, and the hood slipped down over her face. She looked kind of cute, almost funny. I couldn't help but smile.

Then I noticed her glasses were crooked. I gently fixed them and brushed a strand of hair out of her face. "There, that's better."

She laughed a little and looked down. "Thanks, Matti."

There was something about the way she looked in my hoodie – small, a little awkward, but still so determined. It kind of got to me, made me smile even more. "It looks good on you," I muttered, feeling my ears heat up for some reason.

When her shift was over, I asked, "Want me to walk you somewhere?"

She nodded. "I need to pick up some supplies for the kids. It's not far."

We talked on the way. She told me about the kids at the center and how they were doing, and I told her about the boys from training. It was surprisingly nice. No pressure, just an easy conversation.

When we got to her stop, she turned to me. "Thanks for walking with me. And for the hoodie too."

"Take care," I said softly, giving her a smile. Then, without really thinking, I pulled her into a hug. She seemed a little surprised but didn't pull away.

---

As soon as I got home, Michael started in on me. "So, Romeo? How's your Juliet?"

I frowned and tossed my bag onto the couch. "What are you talking about?"

"'What are you talking about?'" he mimicked, grinning. "I saw you. You and Eli. That was straight out of a movie. You giving her your hoodie, her thanking you with those big eyes... all you were missing was candles and moonlight."

"Shut up, Michael," I growled, flopping onto the couch.

"Hey, man, I'm just calling it like I see it. You obviously wanna protect her. And judging by the way she looks at you, I'd say she's not against the idea." He smirked and pointed at me. "But if you're serious about her, you better take it seriously."

I thought about what he said. Michael wasn't wrong. Eli wasn't just anyone. She was different. And I knew if I didn't want to lose her, I'd have to take it seriously.