Chapter 6 – A New Friend

Thijs sat at the kitchen table, legs swinging under his chair. The smell of toasted bread and butter filled the warm morning air. Sunlight poured through the window, painting golden patches on the tablecloth.

His mother set a plate in front of him. "Eat up, Thijs. You'll need your energy."

Thijs stuffed a piece of bread into his mouth, barely chewing. "Can I go outside after breakfast?"

His father lowered his newspaper, one eyebrow raised. "Already? You were out there before the sun came up."

Thijs swallowed quickly. "I want to go to the big field. I want to practice shooting today."

His father chuckled, folding the paper. "Shooting, huh? Want to be a striker?"

Thijs met his father's eyes, his own shining with determination. "I'm going to be the best striker ever."

His father laughed, shaking his head. "Well then, finish that bread first, goal machine."

Thijs grinned and scooped another bite into his mouth, heart pounding with excitement.

After breakfast, he grabbed his small football and bolted for the door.

"Be careful, and stay where we told you!" his mother called after him.

"I will!" Thijs yelled back, already halfway down the path.

The cool breeze brushed against his cheeks as he jogged through the quiet neighborhood. The sky was bright blue, and birds chirped from the rooftops.

By the time he reached the field—a patch of grass between rows of brick houses—he was slightly out of breath but buzzing with energy.

He dropped the ball to the grass and rolled it under his foot, glancing at the rusty goalposts ahead.

"System… open," he whispered.

A soft blue glow flickered into view.

> [Welcome back, Thijs.]

[Current Progress: Dribbling 11%. Shooting: 0%.]

[New Mission Available: Score 10 goals into either corner of the goal.]

Thijs tilted his head, reading the glowing letters.

Ten goals into the corners… okay. I can do that.

He placed the ball just a few meters in front of the goal, close enough that his smaller legs could still manage a solid shot. He took a deep breath, focused his eyes on the right side of the net, and swung his foot forward.

The ball shot low and rolled into the side netting, brushing the post on its way in.

> [Goal 1/10 registered. Shooting progress +2%.]

A grin split across Thijs's face.

"Yes!" he whispered under his breath.

He quickly set up another shot. This time, he aimed for the left side. The ball rolled off his foot a bit too softly and stopped short of the line. Thijs frowned, rushing forward to tap it in, but then shook his head.

No. It has to go in from the shot.

He brought the ball back to the starting spot and tried again, adjusting his stance. He swung his leg harder, sending the ball skimming into the bottom left corner.

> [Goal 2/10 registered. Shooting progress +4%.]

[Tip: Keep your body over the ball for more power.]

Sweat beaded on his forehead as he kept practicing. Each shot felt smoother than the last.

I have to get better. I have to be able to score whenever I get the chance.

He was lining up his next attempt when a small voice spoke up behind him.

"Hi. Can I play too?"

Thijs blinked in surprise and spun around.

A small boy stood a few steps away, hands shoved into the pockets of his blue jacket. His hair was light blond and stuck up in messy spikes, and his cheeks were flushed pink from running. He looked about the same age as Thijs — maybe four, maybe a bit older.

Thijs hesitated. He glanced quickly at the goal, then back at the boy.

"Um… sure," Thijs said. "What's your name?"

"Sven," the boy replied, rocking back and forth on his heels. "My house is over there." He pointed across the street to a row of brick houses. "I saw you kicking the ball. Can I try?"

Thijs shifted the ball under his foot, unsure for a moment. He'd planned to practice alone. But he remembered how lonely he sometimes felt in his first life.

"Okay," Thijs said finally. "You can try."

Sven's face lit up. "Cool!"

Thijs nudged the ball toward him. Sven ran up and kicked it, but his foot barely touched the ball. It rolled a few meters away and stopped in the grass.

Sven laughed, a little embarrassed. "Oops. I'm not very good."

"That's okay," Thijs said. "Wanna try again?"

Sven nodded. This time, he kicked the ball a bit harder. It went toward the goal but stopped far short.

Thijs jogged over and brought it back.

"I'm practicing shooting today," Thijs said. "Like this."

He set the ball a few steps from the goal, took a short run-up, and kicked it low into the corner.

Sven's eyes widened. "Wow! You're really good!"

Thijs felt heat rush into his cheeks. "Thanks. But I'm still practicing."

"Can I try to score a goal too?" Sven asked.

"Sure. Try to aim for the corners. It's easier to score that way."

Sven nodded, tongue sticking out in concentration. He swung his foot, and the ball rolled off to the right, nowhere near the goal.

Sven giggled. "Did I score?"

Thijs laughed. "Not quite. But we'll keep trying."

They spent the next few minutes kicking the ball back and forth. Sven's shots were usually soft or off-target, but he never stopped laughing. Thijs found himself smiling too.

I'll finish my own practice later, Thijs thought. Right now… it's fun just playing.

Just as Thijs was lining up another shot, a voice called from the street.

"Thijs! Time to come home!"

Thijs turned. His mother was waving at the edge of the field, her coat fluttering in the breeze.

"One more shot!" Sven pleaded.

Thijs shook his head, still grinning. "Tomorrow, okay?"

Sven beamed. "Tomorrow!"

Thijs jogged over to his mother, clutching his ball. She held out her hand, and he took it without thinking. Together, they began walking home.

Thijs held his mother's hand as they left the field behind. His football was tucked under his other arm, and the sun warmed his face.

His mother glanced down at him. "So… who was that boy you were playing with?"

"Sven," Thijs said. "He lives close by. He saw me practicing."

His mother smiled. "That's nice. Did you have fun?"

Thijs nodded. "Yeah. He's not very good yet. But it was fun."

His mother laughed softly. "Well, maybe you can help him get better."

Thijs shrugged, a small smile on his face. "Maybe."

They turned the corner toward their street. Thijs glanced up at the sky, where a few clouds drifted slowly by.

I want to keep getting better, he thought. Step by step.

He squeezed his ball tighter under his arm, feeling a quiet determination settle in his chest.

This time… I'm going to keep going.