Chapter 15: The First Challenge

The weeks started to blend into one another. Training was becoming more intense, and the pace was picking up. We were no longer the new kids at the academy; we were becoming the ones everyone watched. Coaches began to expect more from us. And the older players? They started to take notice.

It wasn't just the competition that was getting tougher—it was the environment. There were whispers in the locker rooms. Some of the older players were starting to feel the heat. They didn't like being shown up by younger kids, especially when those kids were making waves like we were. But none of that bothered me. None of it bothered KJ or Kyle either. We had one thing on our minds: we were going to be the best.

But it wasn't all smooth sailing.

One afternoon, the U13, U15, and U19 teams were all scheduled for a joint training session. The older guys looked at us like we were nuisances. We were young, we were fast, but they had more experience. And that's what they leaned on. The older players weren't too thrilled to see us get all the attention from the coaches. Some of them even took shots at us, trying to rattle us, trying to remind us that experience mattered.

I could see it in KJ's eyes. He didn't like the challenge, but he loved it at the same time. He wasn't one for trash talk, but when people doubted him? That's when he was at his best.

Kyle, on the other hand, didn't even seem phased. He was too busy with his own thing—leaving defenders in the dust. He didn't need to prove anything to anyone. He knew what he could do, and the defenders who tried to stop him already knew too.

As for me, I was ready to make my mark, but there was one thing I needed to prove to myself more than anyone else: I could handle the pressure. This wasn't about proving something to anyone else—it was about showing I was ready for the next step. And the next step wasn't just about skill. It was about surviving in a world where every pass, every decision, every touch mattered.

As we stepped onto the field, the older players exchanged looks. Some of them smirked. Others just kept their heads down, pretending they didn't care. But I could see it in their eyes—they were watching us. Waiting for us to slip up.

But we didn't.

We came out of the gates strong. KJ was all over the place—making runs, scoring goals, reminding everyone that even though he was 17, he was already a force to be reckoned with. Kyle was dancing around defenders, his quick footwork and first step making it impossible for anyone to touch him. It wasn't even fair.

And me? I was in the middle of everything. It didn't matter where I was on the field—I was always thinking two steps ahead. Whether I was distributing the ball, creating chances, or taking a shot, everything felt like it was falling into place.

But the older players weren't going to back down. Some of them tried to get physical, pushing us off the ball, getting in our faces. And it worked. For a while, at least.

KJ got shoved to the ground on a challenge, and the referee didn't even call it. He got up, dusted himself off, and sprinted back into position like it was nothing. Kyle got caught with a hard tackle and took a second to get back up, but the look on his face? That was all the response he needed.

I could see the frustration building in the older players. They were used to being the best, used to having the respect that came with age and experience. But they weren't used to being outplayed.

I passed the ball to KJ, who was making one of his trademark runs. The defenders had no chance. As KJ got closer to the goal, I could see it in his eyes: he wasn't going to miss this time. The ball went in, and the older players were silent for a moment.

But that was only the beginning.

The next few minutes were chaos. The older players were playing with more aggression now, trying to show us they weren't going to let us run over them. But the intensity of the game only fueled us. Every challenge, every pass, every shot—we gave it everything we had.

By the end of the session, we'd scored multiple goals, made multiple assists, and left the older players with their heads hanging low.

As we walked off the field, I saw KJ give Kyle a quick high-five. Then, he turned to me. "We did good today."

I nodded. "We've still got a lot of work to do, though."

Kyle chimed in with his usual grin. "But that was fun. They'll remember us."

The older players had learned something today—they had underestimated us. But this was just the beginning. We were coming for them, and there was nothing that would stop us.

We walked off the field together, side by side.

Pressure either makes diamonds or dust.

And in our minds? We were better than diamonds.