On the day of the final match, Hazel’s got the VIP seat right behind the player’s bench like she always does for all her brother’s important matches. She was ready with her jester’s hat, a horn, her school’s jersey.
Jan and Kyle wore matching red shirts because it was the color of Pinehurst Valley High, they brought a single drum each strapped around their necks. Their faces were painted with red paint. They were going all the way.
Lee was new to the team, he was wearing a red bandana tied at the back of his head with its tail hanging over his shoulder. He wore a silver feather earring on his right ear that he said was his good luck charm.
“Oh … sometimes I think we need to swap accessories … you have the best stuff that I can wear,” she touched his earring with a wide smile.
But the best accessory Lee had was his dimples, when he smiled, it was almost illegal to look that cute. She smeared face paint on his cheeks officially welcoming him to their amateur cheering group who are always the loudest supporter of Max and TJ.
The energy in a soccer match was exhilarating, the hype being surrounded by screaming sports fans was unlike any other crowd they have ever been to, not even in a music concert. Especially when their favorite team was playing for the final win.
Everyone was chanting, singing the anthem, jumping up and down, even did the wave chain with the audience in the entire arena. And when someone scored a goal … it was like a bomb of screams blew out in their ears, even the ground shook from the hysteria.
Max scored the first goal for their school, and then the other team scored. The game kept them on the edge of their seats because both teams were playing aggressively. They both wanted a strong game for a big win.
The game ended in a tie, so they had to continue with the extra time to have a winner. The tension was high, whoever scored first will likely win the game because of how short the extra time was to catch up on their loss.
The opponent scored first. Hazel was holding onto Lee’s arm, she buried her face once in a while on his shoulder because the suspense was killing her.
Max scored another goal and all his teammates jumped on him, tousled his hair, shook him violently, and screaming to his face for the goal that saved them at the final minute of the extra time.
After the second tie, the game resorted to the penalty kick. Which was the final stage of a soccer game to find the true winner. Each team chose 5 players to do a penalty kick, TJ and Max were among them.
Hazel’s hands were sweating, she gripped tight Lee’s forearm without realizing it. Lee was just happy to be there, he wasn’t much of a sports fan but he enjoyed the energy that surrounded him. Moreover, he enjoyed the company.
Pinehurst Valley scored 2 goals out of four, and Rosenthall scored 1 goal out of four. The last kick was TJ’s turn, the most pressured one of all. If he scores, the game is over, Pinehurst will keep the trophy as the reigning champion. If he missed, the game continues.
“Oh … I can’t look,” Hazel whined as she covered her face with both hands but then she parted her fingers right where her eyes were.
TJ put the ball on the penalty spot and walked back to the penalty line. He rested his hands on his waist as his eyes aimed at the ball, and then to the goalkeeper. He seemed calm, one of his strengths as a player was being calm under pressure.
When the referee blew out the whistle, the crowd went quiet. TJ took little running steps towards the ball and aimed the ball with his left foot. The goalkeeper jumped to his left, but then TJ kicked the ball with his right foot. The ball spun as if in slow motion as it made its way to the right side of the goalkeeper and finally pierced through and hit the net like a bullet.
TJ lifted his arms up to welcome his friends who scurried over to him, snuffed him off to the ground, piled over each other like layers of pancakes, and the crowd rumbled like thunder.
Pinehurst supporters jumped off their seats and hugged whoever was beside them. Hazel was screaming hysterically and grabbed Lee around his neck as they jumped up and down in victory. They have won, and TJ Shanley had saved the day once again.
They paraded him around the field like a trophy. Horns blared, confetti shots everywhere, a total contrast to the disappointment in their opponents’ demeanor. When he passed by where Hazel and her friends were sitting, Theo’s eyes found her and waved at her with a wide smile. Soon after, he was pulled down by Peyton who grabbed his shirt and kissed him with her feet folded up to the back. His friends cheered and poured water onto them. She jumped over to his back and he carried her on a piggyback ride. They looked so happy and so much in love.
“Hey … what are you guys doing after this?” Kyle asked from the back.
Hazel lifted her shoulders, “Nothing … why?”
“You wanna hang out at the beach?”
Jan told Kyle how Hazel and Lee felt left out after they’ve gotten together, a nice day at the beach would be a great way to catch up.
“Looking like this?” Jan protested.
“Why not?” Kyle didn’t seem to mind the face painting either.
Hazel looked at Lee, hoping he would agree to come along.
“Sure … I don’t have anything … aren’t you going to celebrate with your brother?” Lee made sure.
Hazel looked at the soccer team, they were still chanting, jumping up and down, and running around the arena. “Naah … it’s too nice a day … let’s go to the beach, did you bring your scooter?” she grabbed his arm and leaned like a little girl.
He looked at her and smiled, “I did, I was thinking about riding it around the neighborhood with you today … but the beach sounds better.”
“To the beach then!” Kyle shouted and played his drum as they walk toward the exit.
Their exit didn’t go unnoticed. Theo saw them leave, Hazel’s arm hooked on Lee’s, her face beamed as she was talking to him. How it made him feel was something new to him, he never thought he would feel so disappointed that Hazel left without properly congratulating him. The way they were looking at each other made him feel even worse.