Andy pumped his feet forward. His black hair was wet and tousled. He clenched his teeth to suppress a scream as his sore legs sent tremors through his back. The sun scorched the side of his neck and sweat soaked the back of his red jersey. He lowered his head and ran, thrusting himself toward the finish line, just three strides away--two--one--done!


Andy slumped down onto the benches and gasped in relief, grasping his water bottle with both hands. The cool water poured down his raspy throat, and a surge of fresh ardor spread through his limbs, until only a mild throbbing remained. Minutes later, several teammates scuffled past, gulping water and stretching their legs. Andy felt a tug on his arm and turned to regard one of his teammates. “Caleb?”


“Best in everything, even in warm-ups,” Caleb remarked. He coughed, and his curly brown hair flattened against his sweaty forehead. Then he pointed at the opposite side of the soccer field and squinted at a slowly-moving figure. “Seems like Joey’s the last one out there.”


“Just as always,” Andy snorted. Joey was a skinny boy with short legs. He joined the team a week ago without any knowledge or skills related to soccer. He couldn’t even jog without tripping on his feet, Andy thought as he turned away and continued chatting with his other teammates.


Then, a sharp whistle startled the resting boys. Andy, Caleb, and the other players turned to find Coach Mccain, a middle-aged man wearing a light jacket and sweatpants, walking to the front of the group.


“Boys, nice to see you again,” Coach Mccain smiled. “Before we get started, let’s wait for our…”


Andy heard footsteps and saw Joey dragging his feet toward the group. Joey's face was flushed red, wheezes escaping from his chest. Coach Mccain leaned down and whispered to him. When the coach stood up and patted Joey on the back, the boy shuffled into the waiting group.


Coach Mccain clapped his hands together. “Before we get started, I remind you that our first match of the regional tournament will be played in three days. I expect all of you to participate. We will be playing against the Lions.”


Low murmurs spread through the team.


“This will be our third straight year meeting in the tournament,” Andy heard Caleb whisper. “We can’t lose to them again.”


“We need to hold against their offense,” a boy beside Andy commented. “They have many aggressive players.”


Andy peered over the heads of his teammates, observing Joey. The skinny boy gawked at his teammates. When the humming voices faded, Joey tapped Caleb on the arm and mouthed a question, but Caleb inched away with a sour look.


“There’s not much else I need to say, so I won’t hold you kids up.” Coach Mccain pointed at a bin behind him. “Find a partner and grab a ball from the basket to warm-up.”


Andy immediately turned towards Caleb, and the two boys exchanged silent nods as Caleb rushed toward the basket of balls. He scowled when Coach Mccain called, “Andy, can you come over?”


Andy turned to walk toward the coach, slowing when he noticed Joey standing behind. “Coach?”


“I want you to come warm up with Joey for the next few days. Help him with his passing and dribbling.” Coach Mccain gestured at Joey, and Joey stepped from the back, stopping to study Andy from head to toe.


Andy shifted his weight uncomfortably. “Coach, the tournament is close, and I…”
he trailed off, avoiding Joey’s eyes. He looked over his shoulder briefly, noting that his friends and teammates had already begun dribbling and passing to each other. His sweaty palms balled into fists.


Coach Mccain cleared his throat, “You can also help Joey prepare for the tournament.” He looked back at Joey, who nodded and lowered his head. Joey picked up a ball from the basket, and Andy followed him silently.


As they stopped, Joey mumbled, “You don’t want to practice with me, do you?”


“I… no…” Andy stuttered. Gazing across the soccer field, Andy thought he could hear the ringing laughter of Caleb. What will they think of me if they see me practicing with him? Andy bit his lip, and turned to look at Joey. “Do you know how to pass and dribble?” Andy saw the other boy drop the ball onto the ground and swung his foot at the ball, jabbing it with his toes.


Andy jogged over and passed the ball back, his loose foot striking the ball at the side and guiding it back to Joey. “Keep your foot sideways.”


“Like this?” Joey nudged the ball forward with the inner side of his foot, then stumbled to the floor with a yelp when he accidentally kicked his heel.


Andy sighed as Joey regained his balance. He heard shouts and swishing nets from the other side of the court. Andy wanted to run and sweep a ball into the air, soaring past the goalie’s dive. He longed for the high-fives and pats on his back when he returned. Instead, he was standing in front of a gawky boy, trying to teach him how to pass properly. Why is he so hard to teach? Andy bent down to toss the ball back.


Then he heard a crisp tap, and a ball bounced off the side of his foot. “Sorry,” Joey muttered, “I didn’t mean to hit you.”


Andy’s frowned. “You passed to me?”


Joey nodded, “Sorry.” He looked down at his feet, avoiding Andy’s stare.


Andy opened and closed his mouth a few times before sputtering, “Have you played soccer before?” When Joey scratched his ear and shook his head, Andy sent the ball back. “Pass to me again.”


He saw Joey release his right foot, bumping the ball cleanly. His hands twitched to both sides, and his back foot wobbled, but he didn’t fall.


Andy grinned. If Joey learns this quickly, he reasoned, I can equip him with some basic skills so he can at least run and play during the match. Andy ignored the noise behind him and commented on Joey’s technique again.

=====


When the whistle blew, signaling half time, Andy followed his team to the courtside. He peered at the scoreboard and saw a bright red “3” blinking atop both teams. As he sat down on the bench, sipping water from his bottle, he heard Caleb say, “This is our closest match against the Lions. We have to beat them.”


Andy stared at tall shapes of players in blue gathering at the other side of the grassy field. The Lions struck their defense with relentless waves that washed across the field, shattering the team’s formation and charging past the scuttling players. However, Andy, Caleb, and other midfielders intercepted several careless passes and scored through the open field at ease.


Coach Mccain appeared in front of him. “You’re doing great, Andy, but you need to pass more often.” Andy looked up and saw the man staring back intently. The boy opened his mouth to protest, but Coach Mccain held his hand up.

“I know you can dribble and score, but a midfielder needs to plan ahead, look for opportunities, and involve his teammates,” Coach continued. “Soccer is not just about you winning; it’s about winning with your team. Help your teammates.” He nodded and strode away.


I can still score on my own, Andy shrugged. Then, he saw Joey standing a few steps away at the edge of the group.


Joey was wearing a red uniform that sagged over his skinny frame. light stains of mud were still visible on his shirt, a result of the innumerous falls he had taken over the past few days. He has improved a lot, Andy thought, and he could handle the movements of the match. Then Andy shook his head. Even so, he doesn’t have enough skill to face his opponents by himself…


A thought flashed past Andy’s mind, but he lost it when another whistle brought everyone on their feet, hustling back on to the field.


When the ball was dropped, the field immediately stirred with action. Some players chased after the ball, while others jogged to their positions, waiting for a chance to play.


Andy ran like a headless fly. As fast as he was, the ball never seemed to pass his foot coverage. Soon, he was standing by the side of the field, trying to catch his breath, his uniform drenched with sweat. His ears buzzed in weariness.


The ball rolled back and forth between the length of the court. Both teams seemed to run out of steam and stalemated at the center of the field. For once, Andy felt isolated from the game. He watched the commotion from a distance like a game through a television screen.


Andy glanced at the scoreboard. It was still three-to-three, and neither team showed any signs of an aggressive attack. He caught a glimpse of Joey amidst the crowd of players, chasing after the ball. drops of sweat flew off his head.


The ball rolled in front of Joey. He raced towards it, reaching a foot out. Just then, another player in red ran past, whisking the ball away and charging forward. Joey stared after his own teammate, and Andy thought he spotted a gleam of tears welling from his eyes. Just then, Andy heard a rapid exchange of kicks. The soccer ball flew to the side and plunged in front of Andy.


Without hesitation, Andy surged forward. He dribbled the black-and-white ball between his feet, his crimson jersey flying like a cape. He heard the cool wind whistle past his ears, and felt the soft turf squeak under his shoes. Then, footsteps approached from the side. Andy glanced up and saw a sea of blue swarming around him.


A foot reached in front of the ball. Andy hooked it under a defender and swerved past a second. He abruptly cut to the right of the field, and a pursuer stumbled past, tripping to the ground. He heard yells, and more players in blue closed in from both sides.


Andy inched back with the ball and grimaced when his foot slipped onto the end line. Meanwhile, the Lions came closer and closer, leaving little space for him to escape. He could see his opponents smirk with anticipation, like lions cornering their prey. Andy looked around desperately for his teammates, but they were defending the far side. Between the gaps, he saw Joey standing outside the goalie box, waving a hand in the air.


No way, Andy thought, Joey couldn’t control. Passing to him is essentially the same as handing the ball to the other team. He could picture Joey falling over, and the other team sweeping the ball away. Andy’s feet tightened, and he lowered to prepare for a maneuver through the closing Lions.


Then, Andy remembered Joey’s stunned look as his teammate rushed past with the ball. Joey deserved a chance to try.


Andy saw the Lions out of the corners of his eye, only a few steps away. Joey ran to stay clear of the other team's charge. He was standing at the corner of the penalty box with a wide angle to score. The decision wasn’t hard to make.


Andy measured the distance and chipped his right foot down, his toes digging underneath the ball, and it soared past the approaching team’s enclosing circle. The ball drifted with backspin, its black spots blurred to gray, drawing a smooth arch over the heads of the baffled Lions. Andy saw the ball land just a few feet in front of Joey.


Joey ran forward, his body swaying. Andy could hear blood pump in his own ears as Joey loaded back and whipped his right leg at the center of the ball. Then, Andy’s heart suddenly leapt into his throat as he heard the grass underneath Joey shriek.


Joey’s feet slipped forward, and his body fell back onto the ground with a dull thud. The soccer ball sat still in the grass, and the Lions’ goalie dived forward, his fingertips reaching for the ball.


Joey suddenly pushed his arms back, sliding himself forward. Dirt and blades of grass splattered onto his shirt and hair as he stretched a leg out and swept at the ball. The goalie howled and crashed on top of him.


The ball skipped past the two and sank into the back of the goal. In the same second, a “4” flickered on the scoreboard, and the umpire whistled while spreading his hands.

Game over.


Andy could barely hear himself screaming. As Joey rose to his feet, staring at the ball in the goal with his eyes wide, Andy and his teammates crowded him at the center, chanting and raising him into the air.

=====


Andy and his team couldn’t contain their excitement as they packed up to leave. He sang with Caleb and the other boys for nearly ten minutes, with Coach Mccain laughing in the background. When the group finally dispersed and Andy slumped his bag over his shoulder and turned toward the exit, he saw Joey amble past, whistling lightly. Andy raced over to him and tapped his shoulder, “Hey, you were amazing on the field today!”


Joey turned around and grinned, the first smile Andy ever saw from the boy. “I couldn’t believe I scored! Thanks for helping me in the past few days.”


“You learned really fast,” Andy smiled. Then his head snapped up as he recalled a thought. “During half time, I was thinking about something, but then I forgot it when we went back…” Andy saw Joey cast a sideways glance, and exhaled. “You’re an important part of our team. We’re always happy to work with you and help you out.”


The silence stretched on. Then, the corners of Joey’s mouth perked up.


“Like great teammates, huh?” Joey punched Andy on the arm lightly, and they both laughed. They stepped off the field side-by-side, their laughter echoing in the field.