Chapter 15

The streets of Mushin were eerily quiet like a graveyard at 5 AM, save for the near and simultaneously distant hum of generators, the scuttle of rats in open gutters, and the croaking frogs living in them, too.

Jesse's body felt like it had received a large dose of caffeine, and his heart raced from the adrenaline coursing through his veins.

He had been dreaming of a day like this for what felt like an eternity, and now it was finally here.

He ran through the dimly lit streets, his backpack slapping against his back, until he reached the main road, where he took a keke — the three-wheeled rickshaw that was a common sight in Lagos — to the Ilupeju bus stop.

When he arrived, Bayo was unsurprisingly already there, equally dressed in a Barcelona jersey, lounging against a closed and rusty kiosk like he owned it.

He raised an eyebrow as Jesse approached. He didn't seem annoyed that Jesse had arrived late, instead, there was a hint of a faint smile playing on his lips.

Bayo looked like he was just happy to see Jesse was able to make it.

"Oga, you late o!" Bayo called out, pushing off the kiosk. "What took you so long? I was starting to think you chickened out or got caught."

Jesse hesitated for a moment, then, looking in the direction he came from, he said, "...I think my mum was visited by the ghosts of football past, present, and future."

Bayo blinked repeatedly, then burst out with uncontrollable laughter that startled a flock of pigeons roosting on a nearby powerline. "So... she caught you, and she still let you leave with both legs intact?"

"Yeah," Jesse nodded. "I still can't believe it. I've already pinched myself several times."

"Pinch harder. Who knows? I might be a figment of your dream world." Bayo said, chortling with every word.

Jesse shook his head. 'Bayo, you he-goat...'

Jesse smiled lightly.

He was a he-goat, but he was also a really good friend.

Not many people in the world would be willing to go the extra mile to lend a helping hand out to you.

Bayo could have just gone to the trials without notifying Jesse, decided not to help with the registration fee or any of the extra things he did, like helping Jesse get a new pair of football boots and a jersey.

He had really gone above and beyond for Jesse's sake.

Jesse just had to express his sincere gratitude.

"Bayo," Jesse started. "I just want to say thank you for everything you've done for me so far. I really appreciate it, man."

"Jor, don't start getting all sappy on me." Bayo said, recoiling dramatically, hands raised, telling Jesse to stop.

He grinned and leaned closer, patting Jesse on the shoulder, and said in a playful tone, "Just play well today. Make I flex say I know future Messi."

Jesse laughed and shook his head again. 'This guy...'

A danfo bus that was going to Surulere eventually arrived after a short while, and Bayo and Jesse boarded it together, sitting next to each other at the backseat.

The bus was a battered and old yellow Toyota, its seats torn and speckled with all kinds of stains, its windows fogged with dirt and grime, and its conductor hanging halfway out the door, loud, unruly, and drunk from cheap gin.

His breath smelt like a distillery.

Jesse just hoped this would be the one-in-three case where the danfo driver did not share in his conductor's drunken stupor.

Bayo payed the conductor the 800 Naira T-fare — 400 each for the two of them.

The bus was only half full, so the driver would definitely make several stops along the way, delaying their arrival.

The danfo bus lurched into motion, and the first slivers of dawn began to paint the sky in beautiful streaks of orange and purple.

Dim streetlights began to flicker off, giving way to the rise of the sun.

Jesse pressed his head to the foggy window and watched as the world slid past.

He ever rarely got to venture outside of Mushin, so he was hellbent and intent on taking in everything possible in sight.

The bus left the Ilupeju bus stop and headed towards the direction of Mushin. Jesse watched as they drove past what he considered home with a feeling he couldn't describe in his chest, before they eventually merged with Ikorodu Road, one of Lagos's major thoroughfares.

Eventually, they neared Palm Avenue, and from there, they approached Ojuelegba before the drive finally led them into the more upscale part of Lagos known as Surulere.

Reaching Surulere from Ilupeju had only taken about thirty minutes with the mild traffic and constant stops by the driver to pick up new passengers.

Jesse looked closely as they passed by the Teslim Balogun Stadium. The curved roof of the structure rose above the surrounding buildings magnificently.

It was Jesse's first time seeing an actual stadium in person.

He was stunned by its sheer size.

Bayo chuckled beside him. "This one is just a mid-sized venue. It only has a seating capacity for approximately 24,000 spectators."

"...24,000? Woah!"

To Jesse who didn't know much of anything, that seemed pretty large.

And it was only mid-sized??

Bayo smiled. "Wait until you see the National Stadium. You'll get what I mean."

Going further, Jesse eventually caught a glimpse of it in the distance.

The National Stadium rose in the distance like a cathedral, its arches lit by the pink dawn, and its circular structure dominating the skyline.

Jesse thought the Teslim Balogun Stadium from before was large, but this... this was ginormous!

"Wow!"

Bayo laughed. "See, I told you. The National Stadium has a seating capacity of 55,000 or so for sporting events. This is what a real stadium is actually like, man. Some day, I'm going to be playing in stadiums like this abroad." Bayo smiled. "So will you."

The surrounding area around the stadium was teeming with boys in jerseys of every colour — Chelsea blue, Real Madrid white, Manchester United red, Super Eagles green — and hawkers and vendors.

A massive billboard next to the stadium with the image of a teenage boy with a football in his hands read:

"Your Journey to Professional Football Starts Here."

Bayo whistled beside Jesse. "Look at this crowd. They say hundreds of people show up every year for the Pepsi Football Academy trials. Crazy right?"

Jesse's mouth went dry. His throat suddenly felt like it had been stuffed with cotton.

Hundreds of people?

He would be competing for a spot with hundreds of people??

Well... that certainly inspired a lot of confidence.

The bus continued down the road, past the National Stadium.

Buses weren't allowed to offload passengers anywhere but at bus stops, so the bus drove further down before dropping them at the nearest bus stop.

Hoisting their backpacks to their backs, they tracked back, joining the crowd heading towards the stadium.

Reaching the stadium, the gates were adorned with banners and posters welcoming participants to the Pepsi Football Academy Trials, and security personnel are stationed at the entrance to ensure order and safety.

Jesse heard a referee's whistle trill somewhere beyond the high walls. He hesitated for a few seconds.

Was he even ready? He'd never played in an environment like this before, with so many people and with so much competition. Would he actually be able to hold his own here?

Jesse couldn't help but feel small standing in front of the gates of the massive stadium — like a grain of sand on a vast beach.

The crowd of hopefuls around him only made him feel more out of place, adding to the pressure he felt.

They were boys like him too, after all, and he wasn't much different from them. Sure, they were all in different shape and sizes, and had different strengths and weaknesses, but each of them shared the same dreams and aspirations that Jesse bore.

And, it made sense for them to have the same level of confidence in their skills to back up those lofty dreams they held close. Why else would they come, anyways?

Thinking about this, Jesse was slowly losing confidence.

Suddenly, Bayo nudged him with an elbow, snapping him out of his negative train of thoughts.

"You good?" he asked with a worried expression. "You're doing that thing again."

Jesse blinked. "What thing?"

"That thing where you zone out and start overthinking. Stop it."

Jesse shook his head and forced a smile. "You're right, sorry." he said, then after a short moment, he added in a somewhat distant tone, "I'm good, really. Just... taking it all in, you know? It's a bit nerve-racking, I feel so out of place."

Bayo squeezed his shoulder and smiled reassuringly. "Hey, you think I'm not nervous too? I'm just good at hiding it! That's all!" he said, laughing.

Then, he added, "Everyone gets nervous, it's normal to lose confidence especially in a place like this. Makes you feel like you've been nothing but a big fish in a small pond, and now you're swimming in the mighty ocean."

He smiled. "But don't let it get to you. In your mind, you always have to see yourself as the biggest fish around. You have to always tell yourself you're the best, because that's the only way you'll become the best. You have to speak it into being. You have to believe in yourself, else, you can have all the talent in the world, and you'll never get far."

Jesse blinked, speechless and surprised.

Where the hell did this guy keep getting all this motivational mumbo-jumbo from?

Jesse narrowed his eyes. "Are you using social media quotes on me?"

"Hey now!" Bayo said flustered. "That's not the point!"

Bayo cleared his throat and continued, "The point is to believe in yourself and not let any of the pressure get to you. Focus on that, and you'll do okay."

Jesse looked at him quietly, then sighed and nodded with a small smile.

He was grateful for Bayo's steady presence. Somehow, even though that somehow involved using online media quotes, Bayo always knew what to say to calm his mind down and provide helpful assistance to him.

Jesse really didn't know what he'd do without Bayo. Bayo believed in him even when he didn't believe in himself.

That was quite something.

"C'mon, man!" Bayo said enthusiastically with a wide smile. "Let's go show them what we've got."

Feeling much better inside, Jesse returned the smile with equal width and nodded. Then, he took a breath, deep and steady.

He pushed down the turbulent whirlwind of emotions he felt — the fears, doubts, and anxieties — and squared his shoulders, looking forward with determination. He couldn't afford to second-guess himself now. Not when he was so close.

This was it. His chance. His dream. And he was going to make it come true.

Heart pounding, he walked forward alongside Bayo, stepping through the gates and into the stadium, ready to give it his all.