First Steps and Old Promises

The hospital's physical therapy room smelled of rubber mats and disinfectant, a stark contrast to the muddy pitch Luca longed for. He sat on a padded table, his leg in its bulky brace, as the therapist—a wiry man named Marco with a no-nonsense stare—adjusted his position.

"Slow and steady, Luca," Marco said, guiding his knee through a gentle flex. "We're just waking it up today."

Luca gritted his teeth, the dull ache flaring with each movement. It wasn't much—just a few assisted bends and some light resistance—but it felt like a battle. The Football Prodigy System panel hovered in his vision, tracking his progress.

***[Task: First Steps]***

Objective: Complete your first post-surgery physical therapy session (In Progress).

Reward: 40 points, +1 Agility.

Every rep pushed the progress bar a little further. By the end, sweat beaded on his forehead, and his leg trembled, but Marco nodded approvingly. "Good start. Keep it up, and you'll be running drills sooner than you think."

Luca exhaled, leaning back as the session wrapped. The panel chimed softly.

***[Task Completed]***

Points Earned: 40

Agility: 68 → 69

Total Points: 50 → 90

A grin tugged at his lips. 90 points. Close to unlocking that mysterious Store. And the bump in Agility, however small, felt like a win. He could almost imagine his quick feet dancing around defenders again. Almost.

Back in his room, Luca was still riding the high of the session when a knock broke his reverie. The door swung open, and in strolled Matteo Ricci—his neighbor, his best friend, and the star midfielder of the AC Milan U15 squad. At fourteen, Matteo was everything Luca wasn't on the pitch: tall, broad-shouldered, and effortlessly commanding. His dark curls were a mess, and his training kit was still damp with sweat, a testament to the practice Luca had missed.

"Yo, Cappetta," Matteo said, flashing a lopsided grin. "You look less dead than I expected."

"Gee, thanks," Luca shot back, smirking. "What're you doing here? Shouldn't you be bossing the midfield?"

"Practice just ended. Figured I'd check on my favorite benchwarmer." Matteo dropped into the chair beside the bed, tossing a small AC Milan keychain onto the blanket. "Souvenir. Don't say I never gave you anything."

Luca rolled his eyes but picked it up, twirling it in his fingers. Then, on a whim, he focused on Matteo and remembered a feature he saw that he hadn't used yet.

He muttered under his breath, "Identify."

The system responded instantly, a new panel flickering into view beside his friend's grinning face.

[Player Profile: Matteo Ricci (Midfielder)]

Age: 14

-Physical Attributes: 71

Speed: 68

Stamina: 76

Strength: 70

Agility: 72

-Technical Skills:  73

Dribbling: 72

Passing: 77

Shooting: 68

Ball Control: 75

-Mental Attributes: 75

Determination: 68

Focus: 75

Teamwork: 80

Vision: 78

Overall Rating: 73

Potential: 90

Luca's jaw tightened. 73. Matteo was a beast—miles ahead of his own measly 59. That 90 potential stung too, a reminder of how high the bar was. But he shoved the jealousy down. Matteo wasn't the enemy.

"So," Matteo said, leaning back, "how's the knee? Heard it was a nasty one."

"Yeah," Luca muttered, glancing at the brace. "Torn ACL. Out for six to nine months. Maybe less if I push it."

Matteo whistled low. "Rough. Team's not the same without you tearing up the wing, you know."

Luca snorted. "Please. You're the one they're all watching."

"Maybe," Matteo said, his grin fading into something softer. "But you're the reason I'm even out there."

Luca blinked, caught off guard. "What're you talking about?"

Matteo rubbed the back of his neck, a rare sheepish look crossing his face. "You don't remember, do you? When we were, what, eight? You dragged me to that park near our houses every day, kicking that beat-up ball around. I wasn't into it—thought football was boring. But you wouldn't shut up about it. 'Come on, Matteo, one more goal!'" He mimicked Luca's younger, higher voice, laughing. "You were relentless. Made me love it."

Luca stared, memories flickering back—two scrawny kids, a patchy field, endless summer days. "I didn't… I mean, I didn't know that."

"Yeah, well, you're a terrible listener," Matteo teased. "Point is, I started playing because of you. Got serious about it. Now look at me—U15 star." He puffed out his chest exaggeratedly, then dropped the act. "But it's not as fun without you out there, man. I'm waiting for you to get back. We'll be starters together—tearing it up, you on the wing, me in the middle. Deal?"

For a moment, Luca couldn't speak. The system panel still hovered, Matteo's stats glowing, but it was his friend's words that hit harder. "Deal," he finally said, voice firm. "I'll be back. Better than ever. I promise!"

Matteo grinned, standing and clapping Luca on the shoulder. "That's what I wanna hear. Rest up, Cappetta. I've got a midfield to hold down 'til you're ready."

As Matteo headed out, waving over his shoulder, the system chimed again.

***[Task Update: Bonds of the Pitch]***

Objective: Strengthen your resolve through a teammate's encouragement (Completed).

Reward: 20 points, +1 Teamwork.

***[Player Stats Update]***

Teamwork: 52 → 53

Total Points: 90 → 110

The Store tab blinked, now unlocked. Luca's pulse quickened. Matteo's faith, his dad's support, and this system—they were all pushing him forward. He'd make it back, not just for himself, but for everyone who believed in him. And when he did, 59 would be a distant memory.

"Time to level up," he muttered, swiping the panel open with a determined glint in his eye.