The Game -II

"Now listen up everyone... We've less than an hour to gather our shit altogether. You hear that? One fricken hour! Today's not just about getting in your Vicron Knickers and boots to match out on that field. Today's about winning." 

"So anyone who thinks this drilling not worth it should signify fast and I'll have his sucker ass benched on my team for life!"

"There's none, coach."

"What was that you said?''

"We said none coach!" 

"So what fucker remembers who the bloody hell we are?''

"We're the ball grabbers!" 

"I can't hear yo fuckers loud enough!"

"The ball grabbers!"

"What!"

''The ball grabbers! Yes sir!"

"And what's our fricken watchword?''

"Trial is the limit!"

"So who's gonna suck up his crying ass and stomp out on that pitch for an actual training exercise?!"

"We are! Yes sir!"

"Jackal that?!"

"We do! Yes sir!"

"Go get your lazy asses out on that pitch! I need y'all to sprint 50 metres! 99.9% max. effort! Am I understood?!"

"You are! Yes sir!"

"Did some fucker say no?"

"No we did not. Yes sir!!!"

"Now get a run for it. Move! Move! Move!" 

The boys scrammed onto the fields in a dash leaving the agitated man behind.

¶¶¶

Kai and Zev ran the required laps. When they were nearing the end of the final round, Kai decided to speak up.

"Does he… " His breathing was frantic, "Does he… want to burn us out before the actual game?"

Zev shuddered lightly as he sprinted some more which wasn't of any use because Kai was always gonna take the lead. His own strength lie in his machoness which was a vantage at taking down the opponent. He worked well as an attacker.

Since they were nearing the end of their run, both boys decided to slow down. 

Kai darted his eyes about but couldn't spot a glance at the Angry bird; Mr. Connor.

As they walked towards the resting quarters of the field, Kai was breathing hard and so was Zev. Zev soon reached where he'd left off his backpack. Bending over, he got out two bottles of water and intended on handing Kai one of it.

"No, man. But thanks. I guess old habits really do die hard." Kai remarked with a laugh. Zev also.

"Yeah, I guess so. This isn't Highschool anymore." Zev said and returned to laughing.

Kai soon sat his ass on the lowly clean grass. The drilling was certainly worth it but now he began to ponder if the rest of his team would not wear out in strength before the main game begins.

"A penny for your thoughts?" Zev asked once he settled beside him on the grass.

"Nah. Just the game man. Literally the whole school is gonna watch."

"Are you kidding me? Of course, everyone is gonna come. It's the undefeated 'Untaggables' we're up against, bro. No wonder the old man is being so hard on us." Zev gulped down some water.

"Hard on us you say? Tsk! That baldy is about to send us to our early graves. He's slowly losing his mind."

"Well who wouldn't? We been training every break we got. Surely it shows how badly the coach wants us to defeat 'em."

"Yeah… Guess so. Something personal." 

As Zev returned his gaze back on the others out there on the fields, Kai figured that meant the end of their talk. But at the start, he'd begun to feel a certain feeling. Was it hunger? 

The boys were all returning now, to that side of the field. The game would start in a few minutes. 30 to be precise. Mr. Connor would blast their ears with his illegal whistle in about a minute now. Kai sat waiting for this to happen but he also now wanted the game to creep by and quickly too.

'Why do I feel off all of a sudden?'

¶

The happy crowd cheered for the Team players as they bounced on the pitch. Kai was his Team's star player. So when he stepped out leading the line of players from their side behind him, the girls cheering for his Team went all crazy, shouting their lungs out. Even Keisha seemed to have forgotten their little fallout a while ago. 

The number of people who'd come to watch was mind blowing even for Kai who'd seen large crowds from back in his highschool days during interschool competitions. The support was always massive. But Campus style seemed a bit more unique. Even the Vice Chancellor would be seated to watch this.

The eager cameras blinded the boys with their bright lights as it did deafen them with the resounding blasts of shutter noises. 

The Chief Commentator soon broke into the jubilation of the moment with his next words. 

"And now for the most valiant Rugby Team players in Donovan College here in Staple ville " The drummers set the drums rolling. "Having represented this institution on foreign grounds and had brought back the Trophy, countless trophies from outside States I present to you," The crowd were squealing loudly now. "ThEe Untaggables!!!!"

Instantly, the crowd went wild with crazy shouts because those guys were majorly all finalists at the Institution. Unlike the other team that had them mixed for each level at the School.

Kai grated his teeth because in truth those guys were receiving more accolades from both Team supporters.

'Let's see how mighty your fall will be when my team beats you to it.' 

Just as Kai was musing so, someone nudged him from behind. It was a big goofy boy; Vaughn.

"Hey, man." 

Kai flipped a quick turn to observe the boy and scowled. "Learn to control your hands, okay?What did you even do that for?"

"That's my way of saying that we're looking up to you, bro." Vaughn said, smiling too broadly.

"Who's your bro?" Kai snapped.

"Not you. But we need to win this thing. Just letting you know so you put all your heart to it alright." Vaughn's cheap smile had dismissed from his hard face.

"Alright, alright." Kai mumbled before turning back to face his front.

¶

The opposing team were by now arranging themselves in front of Kai's team. One by one, each boy appeared opposite the Velcron players to assume a horizontal outlook. 

Kai brought out his inner Psychic to study what each player's strength was all about because in the game coordination and ball control was very crucial as is its end result; catching the ball and grounding it in the in-goal area of the pitch.

Suddenly Kai saw him.

'Huh!

His eyes battered many times from seeing Jake.

"You!" He shouted in surprise before he knew it.

Zev, who was beside him because of how they stood, inched close to his friend to steal a chance to whisper. "Hey, Kai. You know this guy?"

'Well, yeah!'

But Kai would rather not establish a talk with Jake who was standing directly adjacent from him. Not when they had a clear goal.. To win the cup for both their teams.

"Never mind that, Zev. He just looks a lot like someone I think I know."

Jake furrowed his brows once he'd said this. He tightened his face as well because if Kai was more focused on winning, so was he!

Once everything and everyone had taken their place, the Ref's whistle went off to signify the start of the game.