Pressure On and Off the Pitch

The air inside the classroom was thick with tension as students hunched over their test papers. Daniel tapped his pencil against the desk, scanning the first question. Why does this look like another language? He frowned, trying to focus, but his mind drifted—football, his promotion, the mystery of his past, the strange abilities lurking inside him.

A whisper came from his left. "Psst, Carter."

Daniel glanced up. Miguel tilted his head toward Sofia, who was already halfway through the test, scribbling confidently.

Of course she's acing it.

He sighed and forced himself to focus. Just survive this, then back to football.

The bell rang, signaling the end of the exam. Daniel stretched, relieved it was over, but Sofia shot him a skeptical look.

"That was easy," she said, adjusting her bag. "What took you so long?"

"Maybe because my brain doesn't work as fast as yours?" Daniel smirked.

Miguel clapped him on the back. "Don't worry, hermano, even if you fail, you'll still have football."

Daniel groaned. "Not helping."

Outside, the CF Igualada training grounds were already buzzing with players warming up. Their recent promotion to the Under-19s came with a new level of intensity. No more being the best in the junior squad—now they had to prove themselves all over again.

Coach Morales Martínez Navarro stood at the center, watching closely. "Escuchen bien!" he called out. "You're not here to take it easy just because you've been promoted. Work hard or you'll sit on the bench. Understood?"

A unified "Sí, entrenador!" echoed across the field.

Training was brutal. Faster passes, sharper tackles, and relentless drills pushed them beyond their limits. Daniel, Miguel, and Luis had to fight harder to stand out among older, more experienced players.

As they paused for water, Miguel leaned in. "This is different, huh?"

Daniel wiped sweat from his forehead. "Yeah. It's like starting over."

Sofia, who had joined to watch since she was on break from her new team, smirked. "Welcome to the real competition."

Daniel locked eyes with her, something flickering between them before she turned away.

He smiled. Maybe this isn't so bad after all.