Passion

[Yugikun]

He shouldn't be doing this.

Alvaro Vacanti was in the gym, standing alone on his side of the field. He took a breath. In, out. He had to stay calm, he couldn't panic; even with everyone else on the other side of the room he couldn't allow his worries to show. Even if people hated him he had to keep it up, turn the other cheek, stay strong in what was currently the worst period of his life. He couldn't allow them, him, it to beat him. So he stood there, trying not to look scared, trying not to be scared of the fact that if they lost, it was his fault. Not like it mattered, anyway.

The worst part was that he understood. That he knew why he was here. That he felt sorry for Alejandro.

The other boys were at the opposite goal, some making shots, most trying to stop the other team from getting the ball. He still didn't quite know why he of all people was chosen to be the goalie; everyone thought that it'd be a good idea, for some reason. At least the others on the team were good enough; they hadn't scored, but the ball had never been near the goal. That meant that, at the very least, he didn't have to do his job, at least not yet.

Then a whistle blew.

"Non braid's ball, they get one free shot at the goal since Mark broke the no physical contact rule!"

The group of boys split up, and one, carrying the ball, stopped at the halfway point. He put the ball on the ground, and got ready to kick. Everybody else was behind him, not willing to get inhis way.

It was Alvaro versus him. He was the only one who could prevent the other team from winning.

Alvaro was scared, he hadn't done this before, and he didn't know what to do. He knew that he had to stop the ball, and that he could use his hands. Nothing else, though. How was he going to shoot, should he block high or low? What would happen if he succeeded,  failed?

It was a muscular, confident person versus him, a paranoid kid who didn't know what he was doing.

The lights were on Alvaro.

The kid kicked.

Alvaro moved.

And he felt the ball stop in his hands.

He had done it, he had managed to defy the odds and stop the other team. Some cheered, surprised at what Alvaro had been able to do, some jeered the striker, annoyed that he had been stopped by Alvaro.

After the game had ended, with his sides victory, the coach had taken him aside. He said that the goalie of the current team needed to take time off for a bit, something about an injury. He said something about Alvaro maybe doing something like this professionally, that maybe he should talk to his parents about signing a form. Gave him a time and a place to be at.

Alvaro accepted.

And for once, for what seemed to be the first time since he left Mexico, Alvaro Vacanti felt welcome.

((Passion, concluded))