Chapter 3

Today is our first day of physical education. Last week, the teacher who teaches PE unfortunately didn’t show up because she was sick. So, we had a free period and stayed just in the classroom.

But today is different; everyone in the class is already on the court. Since our class is mixed with boys and girls, we made a deal: we’ll have four PE classes this month. One class will be just for the boys to play, the other for the girls, and the third will be mixed. The last class will be theoretical, which the teacher informed us about today so we can have content for the global test.

This class will be only for the boys, and since there’s only a court at the school, we’ll play futsal.

"It’s going to be the perfect time to start preparing the team for other games."

I say to Isaac, who was next to me in the bathroom changing shirts.

"Yeah, by the way, did you hear?"

He asks me while looking in the mirror.

"Hear about what?"

My face expresses extreme confusion.

"There’s going to be a championship here at school. It’s called interclass. It’s class against class. We form our class team and will face other classes in the futsal category. It starts next month!"

He says with a smile full of confidence.

"I already know where you’re going with this… You’re going to use this PE class to get to know the rest of the class and form the team?"

I say with a smile, already knowing the answer.

"Exactly!"

He says and starts to leave the bathroom.

"Shall we?"

I nod while finishing tying my Society shoes, which are a type of soccer shoe but only used indoors.

We leave the bathroom and head to the court. The place is full of energy; boys and girls are talking and laughing, all excited for the game. When we arrive, the teacher is already organizing the groups.

"Boys, come here so I can draw the teams!"

She calls, and we gather around her. The curiosity and anxiety are extremely visible in Isaac’s eyes. Since I just want to get to know the team, I don’t really care about which team I’ll end up on.

"Do you think Anderson is coming? Is he good at futsal?"

Isaac says, looking around.

"He’s probably sleeping in class. If he wakes up, he should come to the court."

I reply, remembering the times during breaks when he showed up to play futsal with me and Isaac. He’s one of the only ones we know who plays well in our class.

As soon as the teacher finishes drawing, the teams are set. I look at the team and don’t recognize most of them.

"Let’s play hard, okay?"

I say to the boys, and everyone nods eagerly, excited for the game to start.

The teacher’s whistle blows, and the game finally begins. Adrenaline rushes through my veins as I run across the court, dribbling opponents and passing the ball.

"Go, Kelvin! Shoot!"

Isaac shouts, and I look at the goal. With a quick movement, I take a precise shot, and the ball goes in!

"GOOOAL!"

We shout together, celebrating the goal I just scored. The atmosphere is amazing, and the ball goes back to the center.

As the game restarts, I look at the opposing team and notice they’re more focused. One of the players, a tall guy with curly hair, is clearly standing out. He seems determined to lead his team to victory.

"We need to keep an eye on him," I comment to Isaac.

"Definitely. Let’s mark him closely."

He replies as we prepare for the next play.

The ball rolls, and this time it’s the opposing team that advances. They make quick passes, and I feel the pressure increasing.

"Defend, Kelvin!"

Isaac shouts, and I position myself in front of the goal, ready for any attack. The tall player receives the ball and moves toward me.

He tries to dribble, but I anticipate his movement and dive toward the ball, disarming him with a quick move.

"Good, Kelvin!"

Isaac cheers as I regain possession. With a precise pass, I play the ball to him. Isaac advances, dribbling an opponent. Hearing the cheers from the team, I feel a surge of adrenaline to play even more.

"Shoot!"

I shout as he approaches the goal. Isaac doesn’t hesitate and takes a powerful shot, but the goalkeeper dives to the corner and saves the ball.

"Good job, Yago!"

Shouts the curly-haired player as Yago catches the ball, completely happy with the great save.

The opposing team, now more focused after Yago’s save, tries to regroup. The curly-haired player advances again, but this time we’re ready.

"Mark him!"

I order my teammates.

We manage to form a barrier, and the tall guy is forced to pass the ball to one of his teammates. Their team tries to move the ball around, looking for a gap in our defense.

"Kelvin, to the right!"

Isaac shouts, and I quickly move to the side, trying to intercept any pass. Suddenly, one of the opponents receives the ball and makes a deep throw toward the goal. I dive forward, but I can’t reach it. The opposing player approaches the area and, with a precise shot, the ball heads toward our goal.

"Defend, goalkeeper!"

Our goalkeeper stretches as far as he can and manages to deflect the ball, but it stops in the worst possible place. It lands right at the feet of the curly-haired boy, who prepares for another shot.

"Now!"

The tall player shouts, and in a swift movement, he fires. The shot is strong and hits the bottom corner of the goal, leaving our goalkeeper no chance. It was a complete stroke of bad luck.

"Good job, Ruan!"

Everyone on the other team shouts, and they seem even more determined to turn the game around.

The ball returns to the center of the court, and it’s our chance to attack again. With adrenaline running high, we regain possession. I feel in sync with Isaac, and as soon as he passes the ball to me, I already know what to do.

"Let’s go, Kelvin!"

He shouts, and I advance down the side.

The opponents try to mark me, but I make a quick feint and dribble past the first player, pass the ball between the legs of the second, and I’m facing the goal. The goalkeeper is already positioned, but I decide to take a risk, even though I see Isaac going solo.

With a powerful kick, the ball soars through the air and, before I can process it, I hear the sound of the ball hitting the net.

"GOOOAL!"

The court erupts in cheers. The whole team comes to congratulate me, and I feel on top of the world.

"That was amazing, Kelvin! But you could have passed, man."

Isaac hugs me, all excited, while laughing at the situation.

The teacher’s whistle interrupts the moment.

"Boys, it’s time for the second team to come in. Let’s go!"

As the players swap, I look at the opposing team. The goalkeeper remains, and Anderson, the guy I mentioned earlier, is on the other team; he looks like he’s still half-asleep.

"We’re doing well; let’s keep it up, Isaac. I already have an idea of who to call for the team."

I say to Isaac as we get organized to restart the game.

With the new players on the field, the opposing team resumes the match with renewed spirit. They try to apply pressure, and soon they execute a practiced play; it seems like they already know each other. One of the players advances and passes to the tall guy, who is open in the area.

"Now, Kelvin!"

Isaac shouts, and I position myself, ready for any play.

The striker shoots hard, and almost instinctively, I dive to the right. With an agile save, I manage to deflect the ball with the tip of my foot.

"That’s it, Kelvin!"

The boys shout, trying to motivate me.

The energy of the game is contagious, and even as fatigue begins to set in, my adrenaline kicks in. The goal of this physical education class is being realized, and I already have ideas of who to invite to form the team.