It was a few weeks later when Spoonerville College had its very first football match of the college year. We were playing against the Duckberg University football team.

After I went to check with the football coaches and the football players that they had everything they needed and wished them the best of luck for the night's match, I headed to the cheerleading room to do the same with the cheerleading coaches and wish the cheerleaders, especially Roxanne, the very best of luck for their very first cheerleading event as well. Then I made my way to take my seat with the other important people of the sports department, including the college principal, to watch the match.

"Max?"

I turned and found Roxanne approaching me. She looked very beautiful in her Spoonerville College cheerleading uniform – her shell top, her skirt, small white socks and white trainers.

"Hi, Roxanne," I greeted. "Are you looking forward to doing the thing you always wanted to do all your life?"

Roxanne looked unsure. "Well… I suppose I am, but –"

"You're just feeling very nervous because this is your very first time ever?" I asked.

"Yeah, that's right, Max," Roxanne said. "That's exactly how I'm feeling."

"Well, firstly, it's good that you're feeling nervous about this," I said, "because you want to make a very good impression and you're taking it seriously. Secondly, every now and again, I've seen you practice your cheerleading skills and you're very good at it. You really are. And also if you weren't any good, the cheer coaches wouldn't have let you be on the team at all, let alone do this cheerleading event. So, you should feel good about yourself."

"Yeah, I should." Roxanne said that with no more confidence than when she came to me.

"I understand how you feel, Roxanne," I said. "Remember when you used to watch me do a lot of sports before you had to move to San Siesta?"

"I do, Max. And you were very good at them. And you still are."

"Thanks. Anyway, my point is, when I first learned how to do these sports, like skateboarding, riding a bike, surfing and all that lot, I was very young and I wasn't good at it at first and I thought I would never be good at it and I thought I should give up myself."

"So, what made you persist, Max?" Roxanne asked.

"Well, as you know, before I moved to Spoonerville, I had no friends at all, so I had only these sports to keep me occupied. And even though I thought I was never going to be any good at these sports at all, I kept on practicing and doing them because the more I practiced them, the more I used them to help me cope with the tough world going around me and it made me feel like less unworthy and less sorry for myself and also because my dad encouraged me on never giving up on anything."

Roxanne started to smile more. "And look at where that you got. You're in charge of all the sports at Spoonerville College now."

Her praise made me smile. "Now, I'm not saying that it will work for you, Roxanne, because everyone has their own way of doing things, but all I'm saying is that there is nothing in this world that succeeds without persistence, except giving up." Then I got hugged by Roxanne.

"Thank you so much for telling me that, Max," she said. "It really motivates me to go out there and do my best."

"Roxanne!"

Roxanne and I turned to see her friend Vicky outside the door.

"We're going out onto the field in five minutes."

"Coming, Vicky. Thanks." Then Roxanne turned back to me. "Well, Max, it's time for me to go and do my very best."

"That's all we want you to do, Roxanne," I said. "And best of luck."

"Thanks, Max," Roxanne said, as she started to walk back into the cheerleading room. "And thanks for the motivation."

"You're welcome," I said, as I headed to my seat.

I took my seats with the important people of the college. I was just in time to see the footballers from Spoonerville College and the footballers from Duckberg University and the cheerleaders from both teams. Everyone from Spoonerville College was very worried because Duckberg University had a very high reputation of college football. In 2005, we had a good reputation just like we do now, but Duckburg University was still ranked the very best college football team in the world and they very rarely lost a game. In fact, they only lost a dozen games since they were opened to the public one hundred years ago. And the Duckberg University cheerleaders were worshipped like goddesses and, even though Spoonerville College cheerleaders had a good reputation, theirs was nothing to the ones at Duckberg University. Never mind Roxanne and her friends Vicky and Valeria, as this was their very first cheerleading event, even the captain and the more experienced cheerleaders of our college team was nervous. Even Kenny, who managed to be the next Cerry the Cheetah, was very nervous about competing against Duckberg University's sports mascot, Slippery the Sea Monster, who like Kenny was wearing a football uniform and helmet over his costume.

Then the football game started.

By the end of the first half, Spoonerville College and Duckberg University managed to score the same points. Because it was our first match, I was very impressed with what the footballers had managed to achieve. I'm not saying that I didn't have any faith in them – I always have faith in our sports teams and know that they always do their very best – but I don't get my hopes too high. During their break, I went to speak to the footballers and the coaches and told them how proud I was of them so far and motivated them to keep up the very good work they were doing. Then I popped into the cheerleading rooms and did the very same to the cheerleaders and their coaches.

Then I headed back to my seat.

"Max!"

I turned to see Roxanne approaching me again. And this time she was happier than she was before the game.

"You saw you cheerlead, Roxanne. You were brilliant." And she was. Everything she did – motions, jumps, tumblers and stunts – was amazing.

"Thanks, Max," she said, hugging me. "All thanks to your amazing motivation."

"Thanks. So did you have fun? You looked like you were really enjoying doing it."

"Oh, yes, definitely," Roxanne said. "It's one of my dreams come true."

"Roxanne."

"I know, Vicky. I'm coming." Then she turned back to me. "Once again, thank you for your wonderful motivation, Max, and for helping me turn this dream into a reality."

"No problem, Roxanne," I said. "Now, go and continue to have fun with that reality."

"I will." Then she headed back to the cheerleaders' room and I headed back to my seat. Then the footballers, cheerleaders and mascots from both teams arrived back on the field and the second half began.

Spoonerville College felt very good about what they achieved that night. Not only had the footballers won their first match of the college year, but they also managed to successfully beat the best college football team in the world and add this match to their lost games record.

I told the footballers, the cheerleaders, the coaches and Kenny how very proud I was for making this night a historic one for Spoonerville College and motivated them to keep up their training up and continue to be the very best they could be for the next matches.

Then I started to head to my car to head back home.

"Max, wait!"

I stopped and turned around to see Roxanne, out of her cheerleading uniform and in her normal clothes, approaching me.

"I just want to say again, Max," she said, "thank you. Thank you for watching me do my very first cheerleading event."

"No problem," I said. "You were fantastic out there. You really were. In fact, seeing you do your amazing cheerleading was the best thing about tonight."

"You mean it, Max?"

"Honestly. And I sure hope to see more of your special skills in the future."

"You will, Max," she said. "You certainly will."

"Hey, babe."

Roxanne and I turned to see a muscular, long black-haired guy, still in his football uniform, approaching us. It was Jeremy Buckett, our college's quarterback.

"Where have you been? We're supposed to be celebrating tonight, remember?"

"Yeah, I haven't forgotten, honey," Roxanne said. "I was just talking to Max here."

"Hi, Mr. Goof," Jeremy greeted.

"Hi, Jeremy," I said. "And once again, congratulations on a very successful game."

"All thanks to you, Mr. Goof." Then Jeremy turned to face Roxanne. "I'll be in the bar, babe. You comin'?"

"In a minute or two, I promise," Roxanne said.

Then I saw them kiss each other on the lips before Jeremy walked away. "So, are you two –"

"We are, Max," Roxanne replied. "He's my boyfriend."

"That's cool," I said. "How long has it been?"

"I met him when I was working out at the gym some days after you showed me the gym and taught me how to do a workout," she told me. "And we also saw each other at football practice when I was at cheer practice too, so we got chatting. And then he asked me out for a drink at the same bar we're going to now and then we went on more dates after that and now we're in a relationship."

"Well, I'm very happy for the both of you. See you later, Roxanne."

"See you later, Max. And thanks." Then she headed to the bar.

As I drove back home, I had mixed feelings. On the one hand, I felt very jealous that my ex-girlfriend had a new boyfriend, but, on the other hand, I was always happy when she was happy and if Jeremy is making her happy, then I was happy. Also, I remembered that I was still deeply scarred by Mona's cheating on me and I still wasn't feeling ready for a new relationship yet, so I was willing to let that ship – or, to be more specific, love boat – sail. For Roxanne's sake.