CHAPTER 5: THE ECCENTRIC SCOUT

The speeding taxi stuttered to a stop as it reached the outside of a Complex, a middle aged man stepped out of the backseat and walked into the school, he felt a flutter in his stomach.. no, not out of love, but out of fear.. he already knew why he had been called here.

He entered the principal's office and frowned at the man at the other side of the slickly polished wooden desk in annoyance, he would've already thrown himself at this man if not for the obstacle between them not to mention that the damn thing was nailed to the ground, he knew because he had once tried to flip it over in anger.

"I hope you have not called me here for that meeting Micheal, I would no sooner decline-"

"Calm down Ed, listen before you judge, that's the way scouts do it" Micheal joked, though it only made Ed's frown grow deeper.

"This academy has been lacking in talents recently, the decline has been noticed by the assistant coach and he's breathing down my neck now for some results" he continued.

"And what do you want me to do about it, I don't know how to produce talents, you do"

"Well… there has been some words going around about under-15 players getting picked up more often so I promised a school tournament that you were gonna show up for their finals… which is tomorrow"

"What!?" Ed exclaimed, flipping the table over... or at least trying to, he knew the table was screwed down but his anger was so intense he couldn't bear it anymore.

"You always do this, why do you always have to do this?"his face has already turned red from anger.

"Whoa.. calm down Ed we are a team here if we don't come up with something then the assistant is gonna have our heads."

Ed breathed in and out until his breathing became steady, he sighed resting his head on his hand.

"Alright fine, but you've got to tell me when next you pull off this kind of stunt" he says as he heads out office, Micheal shouts a 'will do' and the door slammed.

Ed thought it was hopeless to go to a school tournament, after all most of the best talents in the world come from international scouting matches but, he eventually decided to go.

'since I'm already passing by it wouldn't hurt to watch a little' he thought

By the time the sun was at its highest point he was already up and at the stadium, it wasn't an impressive stadium to say the least, the match was, in a word.. boring. The first half was a mess of plays with two youngsters messing up the team in order to impress, Ed hated those types the most.

The second half started the same.. also boring. Ed had much more fun flirting with the lady right next to him even though she blatantly tries to point out her son, who was horrible by the way.

He almost had enough and was preparing to leave, but when it reached the last few minutes Ed's face went from indifferent to shocked.

Sure the Cruyff turn was rough around the edges and the play before was not even worth mentioning, the fact that the short boy was able to do that in the middle of the match was what made Ed surprised. Something told Ed that the boy wasn't playing at his best so he decided to pick him just to see how well he'll fare in the trail.

As he was hurrying to an evening flight he had a call, it was Micheal.

[Hey, how was the match?.. anything exciting]

"Well, I wouldn't say exciting, I mean the kid's got something but… you'll have to watch him to find out"

[Whoa… I haven't heard that since, well… a long time ago, just who the hell is that kid?]

"I told you, you gotta see the kid first, if that's all you gotta find out then I'm heading out, got a flight to catch".

[Wait! You're heading to the international scouting matches right? make sure to bring back a few bright ones]

"Will do… if I see one though" Ed cuts the call and with a sigh heads for the airport.

At a corner, a shadow peeks out of a dark alley, he watches the scout leave and his face twists into a scowl, he grits his teeth and curses. He comes out into the light face swollen and cheeks puffed out he narrows his eyes "Ethan you're dead"

(yep it's Charlie)

I never thought my life would finally be going in this direction after all the hardships, heck I haven't even gotten time to rest between all the good news that's flying in…

I re-enter the locker room half expecting a couple of slaps and shouts from my teammates but strangely enough the whole room is silent and even more strange… empty.

'maybe they took the partying elsewhere' I justify in my mind.

I shake off the disappointment and put my clothes on or at least try to, not that hard really, just the insect buzzing in the background that makes it a challenge.

"Hey there champ" Charlie barks out in a hoarse voice "I guess I should also tell you congrats on getting the spot, or else what kind of sportsman would I be" you turn around to see Charlie and his four lapdogs walking menacingly to you. (Ha, look at them try)

Charlie who's at the front sports a whole new kinda look, bruised and battered, guess someone did a number on him.

"Whoa, loving the new look there Charl's, really brings out your desperation" I smirk when he grits his teeth then winces from the pain.

"Grab him" Charlie barks out once again and a frown returns to my face.

His four goons quickly set out around me to cover my escape, I understand he said grab but when they started beating me I knew he had set this whole thing up.

"Look, I don't know what you got yourself beat up for and believe me when I say you deserve it but I got nothing to do with your problems, let me go"

And as a soon to be pro footballer I at least know what my most important part is.. I cover up my legs with both arms tucking my knees in and strapping my hands around them.

"Do you know who did this?" Charlie croaks out while getting a few kicks in.

"My dad… My dad did this to me, and do you know why? It's all because of you. You did this to me… if you hadn't come to this school I would've been chosen, why?, why the f*ck did you come?" Tears glisten his bloodshot eyes and drop down his cheeks in waves.

It's really sad I'll admit but all I could think of at that moment was 'get in line, we all got Daddy issues'

He shoots me a glare and continues "Now that we've all come to this point why don't I give you a little present, you could take it as my congratulations for you getting the spot or you could take it as your punishment for getting it" he turns to his dogs

"open up his legs, I'll break them myself" he says as menacing as someone with a broken face can muster.

The room turns a few degrees colder, my eyes widen up till almost popping out of their socket.

"Hey.. H-hey wait, what do you think you're doing, stop.. stop now or I'll call the cops" I yell trying everything to make my voice threatening.

"The cops, hahaha, my dad's the mayor, what do you think the cops can do to me?" he snorts. "Hurry up so we can get out of here before someone comes"