chapter 7

A month went by and Sadik was becoming used to the school. Most of the teacher thought he is weak and he's not going to make it. And he's being mocked every day by James and other students but Sarah and Peter kept encouraging him to endure everything. And one thing that kept confusing him was why he always felt so anxious whenever he was around Fatima."Why don't I feel like this when I'm with Sarah even though she's also pretty?" He wondered in his thoughts.

It was Tuesday evening, and the students were prepared for their sport. And furthermore, there was going to be a football match between Queen House and Prince House. Prince House was known to have the best players for the past three years, because they have been winning the school football trophy for the past 3 years."Come Peter, let's hurry up and go to the field, the match will start any moment from now" Sadik insisted."Relax Sadik, we are not going to win" Peter replied."Oh really?" Sadik asked looking perplexed."Yes because James is very good at football, and he's a member of Prince House" Peter answered."How can a single player make a team?" Sadik inquired."The rest of them are also good, but James is the best among them" Peter responded."Okay let's be on our way" Sadik said and he pulled Peter by the hand and dragged him along.

They went to field and found their house member arranged at the edge of the football field with their opponents opposite to them on the other side of the field. Members of the Queen house had already lost hope for they knew they were no match for Prince House. Sadik and Peter joined their house member and watched as the players organised themselves."Hey Sadik, are you just coming?" Sarah asked." Yes we are, looks like we're going to have a tough match today" Sadik presumed."Well, all we can say is may God help us" Sarah prayed. "I know we are going to lose" said a thin voice behind. Sadik turned and discovered that it was Fatima standing with her friends."At least James is an advantage to my house" Maryam laughed."All we have are bunch of losers" Fatima said with anger and all her house member turned and looked at her."Well, it means you also are a loser if that's the case" Sarah replied."If you will excuse me, that statement wasn't made for you unless if you consider yourself to be one which you just did" Fatima replied. Sarah and Fatima gave each other a violent look and both looked away after a while.

When James saw Fatima at the back of the field, he ran to her."If you said you love me, I promise I will let your house win" he said to Fatima."You must have gone crazy. Even if this was the world cup, I would rather continue hating you and loss than to love you and have the trophy" she furiously answered. When James heard this, he turned and move his way back."I swear I alone will score your house five goals" James vowed as he moved back."I know my house will stop you" Fatima responded.

The kick-off whistle was blown and the match started. Within 20 minutes James had scored 2 goals. And each of the goals he scored, he looked at Fatima and laughed at her. One of Queen House players got injured and the referee asked for substitute. The sport master and Anas went to the house members looking for a substitute but due to the fear of losing, none was willing to play."Is just like I said earlier, we only gathered bunch of losers" Fatima said and she turned to leave the field in anger and her friend started laughing at her."I will play for the injured player" said a voice. She turned and noticed that it was Sadik and she stopped walking instantly. Other members of the house started complaining that he's only going to make things worse."Let him play, at least he's better than most of you since he's willing to try" Fatima supported. The sport master gave Sadik a Jersey and asked him to quickly change into it. Sadik entered an indoor sport building and change into the Jersey. He came out of the building and students from other houses started laughing."It seems they're heading towards the biggest lost they've ever encountered" the other houses said. Sadik entered the field and the game started with him. After five minutes after Sadik entered, the students were amazed by his skills. James tried to score twice but was stopped by Sadik, and his house members were celebrating with joy including Fatima. Before the first half ended, he had netted a goal making the game to be 2-1. He noticed that Fatima was happier than he had ever seen her. Sadik played like he had never played before.

When they returned for the second half, he scored two goal again making the game to be 3-2. When the final whistle was blown, all Queen house ran to Sadik and lifted him and ran to the hostel with him. They kept shouting and celebrating in their hostel."I didn't know you're such an amazing player" Anas said."Oh I was just trying my best house captain" Sadik replied."Okay hurry up and change into your wear and go to the mosque and pray" Anas advised. Sadik changed and went to mosque and prayed.

He moved to the dining hall for dinner. Immediately he entered the dining hall, all his house members started shouting out his name. It was so difficult for the prefects to control them. He went and sat with Sarah and Peter."Hey Sadik, I didn't know you can play football like this" Sarah complimented."And he's never told me he's good at football" Peter added."Come on guys, it was just a mere luck that played it role" Sadik opposed."No that was beyond luck, you played like the professionals "Sarah insisted. Just then, Fatima and her three friends came into the dining hall and they all headed toward their houses.

As Fatima was going to sit, Sadik kept looking at her until she caught him looking at her. But today, something different happened. He wasn't scared like he used to and didn't look away. They looked at each other for almost five seconds until she finally broke the eye contact. Sadik placed his hand on his chest and felt his heart beating fast. But instead of fear, it was a pleasure he felt. Peter had been watching everything, but he didn't talk to Sadik about it until when they were getting ready to go out for night studies in the hostel."I saw you looking at Fatima earlier while you measure your heartbeat, do you like her?" Peter jokingly asked."Why should I like her?" Sadik pretended."Because she's beautiful and intelligent" Peter replied."Oh really?" Sadik asked."Yes, she got the best result in the school last term" Peter informed."I didn't know she's this intelligent" Sadik responded."That's why you have a very serious competition ahead of you, because even the head boy likes her and she hasn't given a chance" Peter explained."Oh and you expect me to stand a chance when people like the head boy were not able to make it?" Sadik asked."Well, you surprised me today, perhaps you might again" Peter answered.

Sadik moved to his class for the night studies. When he entered the class, the class started clapping for him."I've never seen a player like you" said one of the students."Oh it was just a luck that favoured me" Sadik uttered."Of course it was" James said enviously."Could please be quiet and concentrate on your books?" The head boy ordered. The class went silent and everybody was busy with his book."I don't stand a chance, he's rich and also intelligent" Sadik enviously said in his mind looking at head boy.

At about 9 O'clock, the bell rang indicating the closing time for girls. Suddenly Sadik had an urge of seeing see Fatima. He felt like a force more powerful than the black hole was pulling him to see her. He went to head boy and took excuse from him. He went to the wash room and stood by the window watching the female students going to their hostels. Fatima suddenly appeared with her two friends. Immediately he saw her, he felt like some part of him had become completed. He kept watching her with her friends going until they were no more visible.

Sadik went back to the class and sat down. He kept thinking about Fatima and the incidence that happened earlier. At 9:15 pm, the second bell rang and the male student also started leaving to their various houses in the hostels. Peter came and met Sadik in the class still studying."Come on Sadik let's go, you have done enough for today" Peter said."Oh please give me thirty more minutes; I still have some places to read" Sadik requested."Don't you know that the gate of the hostel will get locked by exactly 10 pm?" Peter questioned."But I'll be done before 10 pm" Sadik insisted. Sadik and Peter were the last people to leave the classes area.