SEVENTEEN years to Live

10 ●○► SOCCER

CHAPTER 10

●○► SOCCER

Bryan stays in the house for the rest of the day. I worry that his parents would get angry why he was not in their house for a day. But Bryan told me it’s all right. His parents trust him so much.

It is four minutes to four o’clock. And still, Heather and Kate aren’t in the house. Where have they gone? Have they married someone they found and stay with them? I don’t think so.

Janine and Beth make their way to the lake first. I wait for Bryan to finish putting his shoes then we finally go. He takes my hand in his, holding it tight. I glance into his eyes and then suddenly realize a thing. I realize that love isn’t about wanting. It is about feeling it for someone. I may not have Kevin as my boyfriend, but I have Bryan, who is willing to stay there for me whenever, wherever.

While we walk, I feel his hand grasping tighter. I look at him and narrow my eyes curiously to ask what is wrong. He shakes his head tiredly and just manages to smile. I feel worry building inside my chest.

“I know there’s something wrong with you,” I tell him, halting from walking. “Can you please tell me what it is?”

“Nothing’s wrong, babe,” he says, and a smile finally escapes his lips. “Nothing’s wrong.”

I nod in assent.

As we approach the lake, I see the others all in their feet, kicking, kneeing, and hitting the soccer ball with their heads.

“You’re going to play soccer?” I ask Bryan, turning to him with excited eyes.

“Yep,” he replied, nodding. “Boys will play. And girls will cheer!” He sighs heavily. “Can you do me a favor, babe?” I pull my eyebrows together, curious.

“What?” I mutter.

“Cheer for me!”

His lips stretch into a wide grin. Then he pulls me toward the field as he runs.

There is only one goalpost that the players should put the ball into. It stands twenty meters away from the edge of the lake. There is only one goalkeeper. And Emil is.

The game is easy, with a few changes from the usual soccer game. Emil, the goalkeeper, will score on his own. Every three ball he catches will be counted as one point. Every player isn’t allowed to use their hands, of course. And that will only be the rule because there is no referee.

Beth has volunteered to score the game. On the Blue Team, there are Patrick, Paul and Jed. Before they teamed up, Bryan has told me how good Patrick and Jed can play. On the Red Team, there are Bryan, Marvy and Michael. Also good. But with Paul teamed up on the Blue side, let us see.

Janine, Beth and I sit meters away at the edge of the field. Janine holds a whistle for every score that goes. She can also blow whenever someone uses his hand. I suggest she goes inside the field to get a better sight. But she doesn’t want.

The ball lies at the center of the field. Patrick and Bryan have decided to snatch the ball after the whistle. Both are positioned a few meters away. The brothers are guarding Jed and no one guards Paul because of some reasons.

We give Snatchers time to warm up. The other players waste their time teasing each other. Bryan looks at me, and smiles as if asking me to cheer him up.

“Go, Bryan!” I yelled, putting my hands in the air and clapping them together. “Woooooooooh!”

Bryan winks at me. “I love you, babe!” he shouted. “This game is for you.” At you, he points his index finger at me.

Then Janine sounds the whistle and Bryan and Patrick run for the ball.

Beth begins screaming. She puts her hands in the air and waves them and said, “Go, Bryan! Go, Patrick!”

Seriously, what team is she in? I think, shooting him a sharp look of shock.

Patrick and Bryan hurry to get to the ball. Bryan extends his legs even longer and . . . Patrick stumbles before he gets to the ball. Now Bryan is on his way to the goal. He passes the ball to Marvy. But . . . Michael catches it. Marvy tries to distract Jed by blocking his way. Then . . . I see Patrick struggling to Michael. Michael runs few meters and kicks the ball toward the goal and. . .

No goal!

Patrick catches the ball with his knees. Jed breaks through Marvy’s guard and makes signs with Patrick that says he should pass the ball to him. Patrick gladly obeys. Jed whacks his head to let the ball bounce. But he is sent to the grass and Bryan catches the ball immediately.

He aims for the goal. Emil prepares for the kick. But then Bryan kicks the ball to Marvy and Marvy hit it with his head toward the goalpost and . . .

Emil catches the ball.

“Marvy, do not put the ball there yet!” I yell as loud I could. “Bryan, go for the ball again!”

“Yes, babe!” he yells back.

Bryan runs toward Jed who protects the ball with his feet. Jed runs with incredible speed Bryan will stumble when he moves faster. But then . . . the karma goes. Not to Jed. To Emil. Because when Jed kicked the ball, it hits him on the face and Emil is sent on the ground.

“Jed, I love you!” yells Beth, her hands at the corner of her lips. She claps her hands loudly.

Finally Emil gets on his feet. He struggles himself to make a squatting position while the Red and Blue team play on the field.

Marvy has the ball, kicking it toward the goalpost while protecting it from Patrick. Patrick cannot go through; he cannot catch the ball or even kick once to pass it to his teammate. For a split second, Marvy runs faster, kicking the ball as far from Patrick’s reach. Then Marvy kicks the ball to pass it to Bryan.

Instinctively, I cheer. “Yeah! Go! Go! GO!”

But then I suddenly get nervous when Jed appears behind him. Bryan looks over his shoulder to see if Jed is close. Glad he isn’t. Bryan staggers as fast as he can. But Patrick and Paul is running toward to meet him.

“No,” I muttered. “Bryan, DODGE!”

But he does not. Instead he passes the ball to Michael who is on the other side of the field.

“Go Michael!” yells Beth. “You can do it!”

Michael runs toward the goalpost while Jed, Patrick and Paul hurry to get to him. Michael gets closer to the goalpost; Emil positions himself to catch the ball.

“Michael!” yells Beth again. “Hit Emil in the face!”

Finally Michael kicks, and the ball is on its way toward the goalpost. Emil jumps, and suddenly everything seems to be in slow motion.

“He won’t catch it,” says Beth. “Emil won’t. He’s too far to catch it.”

After a few seconds, she becomes right!