[Atohato Hospital, 7:15 P.M., Thursday]
*Joey sits at the side of a hospital bed holding a feminine hand similar to Joey's complexion. Joey has a small, faint smile on his face while scrolling through a text conversation on his phone. He reads the messages in the voice of his friends as they echo in his head.*
Takumi: It's crazy we're already at week 2 of playoffs, I'm proud of you dude.
Joey: Haha, thanks bro, we gonna eat tomorrow!
Danny: Good luck tomorrow!
Hanako: Make sure to rest up!!! *Followed up by several emojis.*
*Joey's smile is slightly bigger after reviewing the past text conversation. He taps the back button on his phone and opens up a different text thread labeled "Mom". The thread is a one-sided conversation spanning days, weeks, and months. He quickly scrolls up a bit before slowly scrolling back down reading off his texts.*
Joey: Just wanted to let you know the season starts tomorrow!
Joey: 1-0, Great start!
Joey: 2-0!!
Joey: I sprained my ankle but trainers said I'd be alright. *A photo is shown attached with this message of Joey's swollen ankle* gross right? *Laughing emojis*
Joey: We're starting our league games next week! 5-0
Joey: Ms. Perodi told me to say hi to you for her.
Joey: We beat SMHS! 9-0 *Another attachment is attached to this message, it's a photo of Joey and his dad at Senior night.*
Joey: YOU CALLED IT MOM! *A photo attached shows Joey's fist with a ring on it, the ring reads "Vermillia Island" on top and "League Champions" on the bottom*
Joey: After next week, if we win we get to go to the Bay Area and play for state!
*Joey begins to type a new message.*
Joey: I promise I'm going to win tomorrow.
*Joey brings the hand he's holding towards his forehead and holds it there for a moment. He then places the hand back on the side of the bed and gets up.*
Joey: Goodbye, I'll visit again soon.
[Minami High's Football Locker Room, 6:20 P.M., Friday]
*Organized chaos fills the locker room from player to player. Music is blasting through the locker room speakers, and some players even rap along to the song. Others are tamer, silently wording the songs they have playing through their earphones while getting ready. Players are putting their gear on, taping one another, but not Joey. Joey sits on a bench in front of his locker already fully padded up, holding his helmet, earphones in. He nods rhythmically.
Head Coach: EARLY OUTS BE READY! FIVE MINUTES!
*Joey looks up as his coach is speaking and watches him walk back out. He unplugs his headphones and throws them in his locker, then stands at his locker and reopens the message thread he has with his mother and sends a text.*
Joey: Pray for us.
*Joey puts his phone down softly in his locker and closes it. He walks to the door and waits to be called out while another player walks up to him.*
Ryan: Ay yo Drip!
*Joey turns around and sees Ryan, the team's starting running back. The two exchange a choreographed handshake.*
YOU ARE READING
Our Canvas
RomanceTakumi Seifude has been considered Vermillia's biggest upcoming art prodigy all of his youth. That is, until his first romantic tragedy leads to a downward spiral of lackluster work. Now entering his second semester at the lively Golden Coast Univer...
