Hello my faithful readers. Welcome back. I am running low on new ways to introduce my story, so we'll move straight on.
I should mention that I have no knowledge as to how soccer is played, so bare with me, please.
Chapter 5
*******
Ken sat in his final exam of the year. He took a deep breath and began his paper.
The pain came on slowly and unnoticed. He closed his eyes in an attempt to push it to the furthest recesses of his mind. Gradually it abated to a dull ache. He released the breath he was holding and returned to his work. He finished with a half hour to spare. With a sigh of relief, he sat back in his chair.
He glanced around the room at his fellow classmates. Some were relaxing; others were hurrying. Davis stared at the ceiling, hoping for answers to be heralded down to him. He glanced over at Yolei.
She looked up at that instant. Their gazes locked and held. He smiled at her. She smiled back then continued her work.
. His headache returned at full strength. He gasped for breath. He placed his hand and on his head, massaging the pain into submission. He uttered an inaudible groan.
"Students," their teacher broke the monotonous silence, "time is up. Everyone bring your papers to me and leave."
Everyone carried their question papers to the front and left the room. Outside the building, Davis made a great show of relief.
"Glad that's over." Everyone nodded agreement. "I'm heading to soccer practice. Ken, you coming?" he finished turning to go.
"Yeah." He kissed Yolei on the cheek then followed Davis.
They headed around the back of the school to the field. The coach was there with the rest of the team waiting on them. They sprinted to join the group ahead.
"Everyone, as you all know, we have a game against the top-seated team in the district tomorrow." They nodded. "If we win, we're off to the finals. Today I'll be choosing the best players for the roster. Ken, Davis, as team captains you, will split the squad in two and have a match. I will choose from the best of each group and announce the lineup after practice."
The team was split and sides chosen. Everyone played their best for a chance against their top rival.
In the end Ken's team won, 2 to 1. Davis, to say the least, was not very pleased.
"I don't believe it. I had you Ken," he said shaking a fist at his best friend.
"Cool it, Davis-"
'Ken," the coach called, beckoning him. He made his way over.
"Are you feeling alright Ken? You made some silly mistakes today and fumbled a very easy pass," he questioned.
"I'm fine, coach. I'm just tired I guess."
"I hope you do better tomorrow or I will be forced to bench you."
Ken nodded his understanding. Everyone headed for the showers. He turned to follow them but Davis stopped him.
"Come on Ken, play me. First to three. Let's finally prove who's the best." Ken shrugged.
"Whatever" he took his position on the field. "But when I beat you, don't come crying."
Everyone went to the stands, anticipating a showdown.
"Believe me, I won't be the one crying Ichijouji."
//everyone, use your imagination. I'll drop something here and there but that's it//
Davis kicked the ball down the field. Ken intercepted it and headed for the goal. Davis came in from his left and stole back the ball. It continued like this, the ball being carried from one to the other. Davis and Ken both scored two goals. This one would decide who was the best.
Davis and Ken faced off in center field. Challenge was prevalent in Davis' eyes.
"Your ball," Ken said, kicking it to him. Davis took a deep breath and headed off down the field. Ken came after him to capture the ball, but he swerved and headed for the goal. Ken took the ball and headed in the next direction. Unseen, Davis slid in from his side and kicked the ball in the general direction of the goal.
The crowd was silent. Davis and Ken held their breaths. The ball went up an up...then sailed into the net.
Davis was silent.
"I. Beat. Ken Ichijouji..." he murmured. It sank in and he jumped into the air, whooping with pride.
"Oh yeah! I am the best. Worship me!" he cried, doing a victory dance. Everyone in the stands joined in, though some were puzzled. Ken was among them.
'I don't believe it,' he thought to himself. 'I must be losing my touch.' Shaking his head, he gathered his things to leave. Davis noticed this and jogged over to him.
"Ken, no hard feelings. I may have beaten you but we're still friends, right?"
"Yeah, Davis no hard feelings."
*~*
Ken unlocked his front door. He was surprised to find Yolei sitting in his living room.
"What are you doing here?" he asked, heading for the kitchen. She followed.
"Returning your Chemistry book. Your aunt let me in before she left." She finally noticed Davis leaning against the wall. He was grinning like a hyena.
"What's with you?" she asked, unaware of the afternoon's match.
"I beat Ken in an all or nothing, one-on-one soccer match. I am so good, the King you could say."
He went to Ken's fridge.
"I must celebrate. You got anything to eat?"
"Help yourself," he said heading for his bedroom. Yolei followed. She sat in the armchair and watched as he changed his shirt. He turned and confronted her.
"What is it, Miya-chan? Spit it out."
"What's wrong with you Ken? Do not tell me you're fine, because you're not. You're tired all the time. You've had all these headaches. You just haven't been the same."
"Miyako, there's nothing wrong with me. Exams were stressful this year. Now they're over."
"It's been going on long before exams started, Ken. You're balance is off, you can't concentrate, you zone out in the middle of a conversation. Something's not right, and it has me worried."
"I am fine. If something was wrong, I think I would realize it." He was exasperated.
"Cut the crap, Ken and listen to me," her voice was insistent, " Davis beat you in soccer! Isn't that enough evidence for you? You're sick. Everyone else can see it, why can't you?"
" I can't see it because there is nothing wrong. Now leave me alone and drop the subject."
She had had enough.
"Fine," she said. "I can't make you listen to reason, so why try? I'm done with it, Ken." she stood and headed for the door. She turned in the doorway.
"I'm done with you." She left, closing the door behind her.
'I can't believe I just broke up with him,' she thought. 'He is being impossible. I'll go back in and make him apologize.'
She reentered the room- only to receive the shock of her life.
Ken lay on the floor, in a most unnatural position, barely breathing.
*******
The plot thickens. One chapter left everybody! All will be revealed. Don't miss it.
Until then, don't forget to review.
I should mention that I have no knowledge as to how soccer is played, so bare with me, please.
Chapter 5
*******
Ken sat in his final exam of the year. He took a deep breath and began his paper.
The pain came on slowly and unnoticed. He closed his eyes in an attempt to push it to the furthest recesses of his mind. Gradually it abated to a dull ache. He released the breath he was holding and returned to his work. He finished with a half hour to spare. With a sigh of relief, he sat back in his chair.
He glanced around the room at his fellow classmates. Some were relaxing; others were hurrying. Davis stared at the ceiling, hoping for answers to be heralded down to him. He glanced over at Yolei.
She looked up at that instant. Their gazes locked and held. He smiled at her. She smiled back then continued her work.
. His headache returned at full strength. He gasped for breath. He placed his hand and on his head, massaging the pain into submission. He uttered an inaudible groan.
"Students," their teacher broke the monotonous silence, "time is up. Everyone bring your papers to me and leave."
Everyone carried their question papers to the front and left the room. Outside the building, Davis made a great show of relief.
"Glad that's over." Everyone nodded agreement. "I'm heading to soccer practice. Ken, you coming?" he finished turning to go.
"Yeah." He kissed Yolei on the cheek then followed Davis.
They headed around the back of the school to the field. The coach was there with the rest of the team waiting on them. They sprinted to join the group ahead.
"Everyone, as you all know, we have a game against the top-seated team in the district tomorrow." They nodded. "If we win, we're off to the finals. Today I'll be choosing the best players for the roster. Ken, Davis, as team captains you, will split the squad in two and have a match. I will choose from the best of each group and announce the lineup after practice."
The team was split and sides chosen. Everyone played their best for a chance against their top rival.
In the end Ken's team won, 2 to 1. Davis, to say the least, was not very pleased.
"I don't believe it. I had you Ken," he said shaking a fist at his best friend.
"Cool it, Davis-"
'Ken," the coach called, beckoning him. He made his way over.
"Are you feeling alright Ken? You made some silly mistakes today and fumbled a very easy pass," he questioned.
"I'm fine, coach. I'm just tired I guess."
"I hope you do better tomorrow or I will be forced to bench you."
Ken nodded his understanding. Everyone headed for the showers. He turned to follow them but Davis stopped him.
"Come on Ken, play me. First to three. Let's finally prove who's the best." Ken shrugged.
"Whatever" he took his position on the field. "But when I beat you, don't come crying."
Everyone went to the stands, anticipating a showdown.
"Believe me, I won't be the one crying Ichijouji."
//everyone, use your imagination. I'll drop something here and there but that's it//
Davis kicked the ball down the field. Ken intercepted it and headed for the goal. Davis came in from his left and stole back the ball. It continued like this, the ball being carried from one to the other. Davis and Ken both scored two goals. This one would decide who was the best.
Davis and Ken faced off in center field. Challenge was prevalent in Davis' eyes.
"Your ball," Ken said, kicking it to him. Davis took a deep breath and headed off down the field. Ken came after him to capture the ball, but he swerved and headed for the goal. Ken took the ball and headed in the next direction. Unseen, Davis slid in from his side and kicked the ball in the general direction of the goal.
The crowd was silent. Davis and Ken held their breaths. The ball went up an up...then sailed into the net.
Davis was silent.
"I. Beat. Ken Ichijouji..." he murmured. It sank in and he jumped into the air, whooping with pride.
"Oh yeah! I am the best. Worship me!" he cried, doing a victory dance. Everyone in the stands joined in, though some were puzzled. Ken was among them.
'I don't believe it,' he thought to himself. 'I must be losing my touch.' Shaking his head, he gathered his things to leave. Davis noticed this and jogged over to him.
"Ken, no hard feelings. I may have beaten you but we're still friends, right?"
"Yeah, Davis no hard feelings."
*~*
Ken unlocked his front door. He was surprised to find Yolei sitting in his living room.
"What are you doing here?" he asked, heading for the kitchen. She followed.
"Returning your Chemistry book. Your aunt let me in before she left." She finally noticed Davis leaning against the wall. He was grinning like a hyena.
"What's with you?" she asked, unaware of the afternoon's match.
"I beat Ken in an all or nothing, one-on-one soccer match. I am so good, the King you could say."
He went to Ken's fridge.
"I must celebrate. You got anything to eat?"
"Help yourself," he said heading for his bedroom. Yolei followed. She sat in the armchair and watched as he changed his shirt. He turned and confronted her.
"What is it, Miya-chan? Spit it out."
"What's wrong with you Ken? Do not tell me you're fine, because you're not. You're tired all the time. You've had all these headaches. You just haven't been the same."
"Miyako, there's nothing wrong with me. Exams were stressful this year. Now they're over."
"It's been going on long before exams started, Ken. You're balance is off, you can't concentrate, you zone out in the middle of a conversation. Something's not right, and it has me worried."
"I am fine. If something was wrong, I think I would realize it." He was exasperated.
"Cut the crap, Ken and listen to me," her voice was insistent, " Davis beat you in soccer! Isn't that enough evidence for you? You're sick. Everyone else can see it, why can't you?"
" I can't see it because there is nothing wrong. Now leave me alone and drop the subject."
She had had enough.
"Fine," she said. "I can't make you listen to reason, so why try? I'm done with it, Ken." she stood and headed for the door. She turned in the doorway.
"I'm done with you." She left, closing the door behind her.
'I can't believe I just broke up with him,' she thought. 'He is being impossible. I'll go back in and make him apologize.'
She reentered the room- only to receive the shock of her life.
Ken lay on the floor, in a most unnatural position, barely breathing.
*******
The plot thickens. One chapter left everybody! All will be revealed. Don't miss it.
Until then, don't forget to review.