Meanwhile in the girl's dormitories, Rumiko was already in her room taking her beauty nap when she was awoken by a knock at her door.
"Just a minute" She said as she got out of her bed and headed to the door. When she opened it, she noticed a black haired girl roughly around Calvin's age standing in front of her.
"What do you want?" Rumiko asked
"Okay, you may not know me, even though you should, but I'm Sammy Della Robbia the most popular gril in school, or at least I should be."
"And?" Rumiko asked again
"Well, I couldn't help but overhear about you and wanting to find out about Calvin's secret." Sammy told her
"And I suppose you know anything?"
"Not yet, but if anyone can expose secrets from anyone in this school, it would be no one other than yours truly."
"As much as I appreciate that," Rumiko said "I don't need any help from some lower classman who I just met, especially if it involves my little brother."
"Well, why not, I can make it worth your whi…"
"I said no deal! Now go away!" Rumiko said as she slammed the door in her face.
"Well" Sammy said to herself "I guess I'll have to take it upon myself then."
Meanwhile, Calvin was busy reading more of the autobiography when Sam burst in through the door.
"Hey, Cal, Whatcha up to?"
"Nothing much really, and again, my name's Calvin. Get it right, or quit talking to me."
"Right, anyways, the soccer field's empty, you wanna help me practice?"
"Sure I guess, it's has been a while."
"You play soccer?" Sam asked
"Only a little bit, I wanted to join my old school's soccer team, but Rumiko said I wouldn't be good enough."
"Well come on, it's only two people kicking the ball around, you'll probably be good enough for that."
"Yeah, you're probably right" Calvin said as they headed down to the empty soccer field.
When they got the ball, they each took a position. Sam was the goalie, and Calvin was the striker.
"Alright" Sam said "I know you haven't played in a while and I've been playing for almost a few years, so I'm going to go nice and…" But he was interrupted when the ball went right past him into the goal.
"Ha, beginner's luck." Sam said "Now let's do this for real."
Sam tried to block the oncoming balls but he was no match for Calvin's superior speed. He made every single goal and unknown to the both of them, Dennis had been watching the entire thing.
"I don't understand." Sam said "You said you weren't that good, but you're amazing!"
"I didn't say I wasn't good," Calvin said "I just said that Rumiko said I wouldn't be good enough for a school team."
"Well, maybe she didn't mean it like that. Do you know what exactly she said to you?"
"Well…." Calvin said
Flashback (Ten years ago)
A much younger Calvin was watching a soccer game between France and Norway with his parents Yumi and Ulrich, and their friend Odd. The score was tied 2-2 with less than a minute left on the clock, and Norway had the ball. However, a player on the French team stole the ball and made the game winning shot with only 2 seconds remaining. France had won.
Immediately, the entire family erupted in cheering, even Calvin was amazed with what he saw, he immediately took a liking to soccer.
"Daddy" He said to his father "When I grow up, I gonna be a soccer player too"
"I'm glad to hear that, Cal" he said "I really am"
However Rumiko, who was eavesdropping onto the entire conversation, laughed out loud after hearing what Calvin said.
"You? A soccer player?" She said "Yeah right!"
"Rumiko!" Yumi said
"You can't even hold a conversation with a teacher for a full minute, what makes you think you'll be able to handle playing in a stadium being watched by millions of people?" Rumiko said to him "If you become a soccer player, I'll be your cheerleader, and we both know that's not going to happen anytime soon or at all!"
"Alright, that does it, young lady!" Ulrich said to her "Go to your room!"
Rumiko did just that, still chuckling to herself. Calvin also ran upstairs to his room in both anger and sadness after hearing his sister's hurtful comments.
End of Flashback
"I see" Sam said
"That's why I'm better off not playing for a team." Calvin said quietly
"You really shouldn't listen to what other people think of you." Sam told him "Do you thing you're a great player?"
"Well" Calvin said "Yes, I do"
"Then that's all that matters. Now let's put this stuff away before…"
"STERN! DELLA ROBBIA! IN MY OFFICE!" They heard Jim shout.
They immediately went into his office where both he and Dennis were waiting for him.
"Hey, Jimbo. What's happening?" Sam said
"Uh. Hi, Mr. Morales." Calvin said "I'm not in trouble again, am I?"
"Not at all Calvin, in fact I couldn't have been happier."
"What do you mean?" Sam said
Dennis spoke this time. "For a while, we've been looking for a few exceptional players for our team, to make up for our loss at the nationals last year, and we've decided to choose you as those exceptional players, especially you, Stern." He said putting emphasis on his last name "How would you guys each like a spot on the team?"
"That would be great." Sam said "What do you think, Calvin?"
"I don't know." Calvin said "What if I mess up and let everybody down?"
"You're not going to mess up Calvin." Dennis said "Soccer's in your genes."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Take a look." Dennis said as he handed him a picture from his pocket "Front row, third from the left."
Calvin took the picture from him and took a look at it. It was an old picture of the Kadic soccer team standing below a banner that read "2005 National Champions." On the first row, third from the left, Calvin noticed a boy who looked just like him, he had short brown hair, and he looked more fit than the other players. Calvin had immediately recognized him.
"That's my father." Calvin said
"Your father, Ulrich Stern, was among the greatest soccer players I ever knew." Jim said to him
"Woah," Sam said amazed "You never told me your father was a soccer star."
"I didn't even know" Calvin said to him "Alright, I'll join the team."
"Great." Dennis said "The season opener is on Sunday, and you both play on one condition."
"What's that?" Sam asked
"Sam isn't our goalie for the entire season."