The Twelth Player

Chapter 14

We had a four-hour bus ride ahead of us to our cup match against SV Hausenwill, a second-division team. The mood on the bus was weirdly quiet. Normally, no one expects much from these matches—Union's been knocked out of the cup early every year for ages. We haven't made it to the round of 16 in 20 years. But this time, it felt different. The last few weeks, almost everything had been going right for us.

At the start of the season, we got a new coach, Hansi Lübke. Bit of an oddball, but exactly the kind of guy we needed. He changed everything. The atmosphere in the team, which used to be tense and full of distrust, transformed completely. Hansi taught us that we're a team—a real team, not just a bunch of guys kicking a ball around together. And that each of us has a role to play, both on and off the pitch.

One time, he said if we kept a clean sheet, he'd buy us all pizza. We laughed it off as a dumb joke, but when we actually won 2-0, Hansi surprised us. He took the whole team to a pizzeria. He said he got the idea from Ranieri, the guy who worked miracles with Leicester. And while we weren't Leicester, it started to feel like maybe we could pull off something big too.

Just before we left for the match, Hansi gave us one of his classic motivational speeches in the parking lot:

"Gentlemen, everyone thinks this is going to be an easy ride for them. They think we're just a bunch of nobodies who have no place in the big leagues. But what if we showed them how wrong they are?"

His words hit home. We were fired up. This wasn't just any match—it was a chance to prove that Union and Parodista were more than just forgotten names on a map.

On the bus, I sat with Michael and Brian. As usual, they were messing around. But my mind was somewhere else. I couldn't stop thinking about how much had changed for me. I wasn't just the selfish player focused on my career and getting back to the first division anymore. I thought about the guys on the team, my mom, Erik, Moni, Katie... and Elina. That girl could smile even when everything was falling apart. And me? I'd be moping because I wasn't some football superstar.

"Hey, Matti!" Michael called out. "What's up, thinker? Dude, you're looking like that statue!" He held up a picture on his phone of some French statue.

"Maybe I've finally grown up," I said, dripping with sarcasm.

Brian laughed. "Yeah, right. Nobody's buying that. I bet it's about a girl."

Michael nodded. "Brian, you might've hit the nail on the head. You know how he picks up his niece from Kids Center after Thursday training? He's always chatting with that girl who watches the kids. One time, he even gave her his hoodie so she wouldn't freeze! Matti, or are you gonna tell us it's all about Katie?"

"Shut up," I said, annoyed. "Elina's not my..."

The guys burst out laughing. Idiots. They actually thought I was dating Elina. They laughed, but I didn't let them drag me into it. The truth was, I didn't even know what to think about Elina myself. All I knew was that since I met her, things had been going better for me. Maybe it wasn't just a coincidence.

---

The opponent's stadium was bigger and louder than what we were used to. And on the pitch, it was even tougher—their pace was on another level. But somehow, we managed to grind out a 0-0 in the first half.

At halftime, Hansi reminded us why we were there.

"If you screw this up today, it's not because they're better. It's because you let them be better. So now go out there and prove we belong here!"

We started the second half stronger. I focused on my role—winning the ball and moving it forward. Then came the 68th minute. A quick combination, a shot to the bottom corner—1-0 to us!

From that moment on, the game was pure chaos. We defended like maniacs; they pressed; we fought. When the final whistle blew, I felt like I'd never be able to stand again. But it was worth it. We were in the round of 16!

---

The return to Parodista felt like a movie. Fans were waiting for us in Altstadt's square. They were cheering, singing, waving flags—there was even pyro. I realized that Union was more than just a club. We were a family.

---

The next day, I went to the Kids Center. Elina was outside on the playground, sitting on a bench, and she looked... lost. After a match like yesterday's, I should've been over the moon. But seeing her like that drained all the joy out of me.

"Eli!" I called. She tried to smile, but it was empty.

"What's wrong?" I asked. "You look like you got hit by a train."

"I'm fine, Matti," she said, but her voice gave her away.

"Doesn't look like it." I sat down next to her. "I don't want to butt in, but... do you want to talk about it?"

"I'll manage," she whispered.

"Yeah, sure," I snapped. "And when you crash, what then?"

"I don't need saving," she shot back, her voice sharp. "I don't want to be someone's burden. I'm used to handling things on my own."

Her words hit me hard. I didn't say anything for a moment, then shook my head and stood up.

"Fine. If you don't want to talk, that's your call. But don't come to me when you need help. Guess I wasted my time with you!"

I saw her face fall, but I was too angry to stop. My heart was pounding as I walked away. "What's her deal?" I thought. "Why is she so damn stubborn?" But deep down, I knew I might've just screwed it all up.