5:47 AM.
The alarm buzzed once before Sonny's hand shot out from under the blanket and silenced it.
He stared at the ceiling, eyes adjusting to the pale grey light slipping through the curtains. His body still felt heavy from yesterday's activities.
But his mind wouldn't rest. He was still thinking about the match.
His missed pass.
Damien's devilish smirk.
And the teasing "Still traitless, huh?"
He exhaled slowly and sat up. The house was quiet.
After a quick shower, he changed into his school uniform and stood in front of the mirror beside his bed.
For a moment, he imagined a defender in front of him.
He attempted a quick shoulder faint...
**Bang!**
His shin slammed into the bed frame.
"…Oh my God" he sighed
Great start to his day.
He grabbed his bag and got out of his room. The smell of fried eggs drifted from the kitchen. His mother stood by the stove, already dressed for work.
"You're up early" she said.
"Couldn't sleep" Sonny replied
She glanced at him. "Playing games again? I told you not to stay up all so late"
"we got Trials next week," he replied, putting on his shoes.
She paused for a second, then nodded.
"Oh, then don't waste time. Get moving"
He grabbed a slice of toast, took a bite, slung his bag over his shoulder, and headed out.
Later at School. History class was in session.
"Don't forget your assignment on Ancient Rome," the teacher announced. "Class dismissed"
Students flooded into the hallway.
Sonny walked to his locker, opened it, swapped books, and shut it.
Damien appeared out of nowhere. He stood beside the next locker, arms folded, calm as usual.
Sonny flinged back with shock.
Damien chuckled. "You scare that easily?"
Sonny straightened up. "oh, damien. Whats up?"
Damien tilted his head. "You really think you can make the team?"
Sonny forced himself to stay steady. "I have the same chance as you"
Damien's eyes widened slightly, then he laughed. "I'm afraid that's not possible"
He stepped closer.
"My sights go beyond winning the National College Championship"
His voice lowered "I'm aiming for the Ballon d'Or"
Sonny's jaw tightened.
"And you?" Damien continued. "You couldn't even get into an academy"
A brief wave of Silence followed
Sonny locked his eyes.
"And you think one lucky curve makes you untouchable?"
Damien's expression didn't change.
"What makes me untouchable," he said quietly, "is my ability to win games all by myself"
He pushed off the locker.
"One week until trials." He walked past Sonny. "That's one week to rethink your decision"
And he left.
A girl, kelly mercer, the granddaughter of Arthur mercer, the founder of the school, happened to be standing by the edge of the hallway, and overheard the encounter.
Later that day, Sonny stepped outside, tension still heavy on his chest.
He stopped near a bench, clenching his fist.
"Who does he think he is…" he muttered. "His trait isn't even that good"
"Are you okay?"
The voice was calm and Composed.
It was kelly. She stood a few steps away. She had a neat Uniform, and a straight Posture. With an unreadable expression on her face.
"Huh?" sonny asked
"You were talking to yourself"
"No, I wasn't.. Why would I?" He cleared his throat awkwardly
"Who are you anyways?" He asked.
She stepped closer.
"Kelly Mercer"
Recognition flickered across his face.
"…Mercer? You mean -"
"Yes. Arthur Mercer is my grandfather."
She sat on the bench casually. "Tell me" she said, while studying him. "who are you"
"My name's sonny Hale"
"Traitless perhaps?"
"Undiscorved potential is a better word" Sonny said
"Nope, untalented is the best word" kelly laughed out loud.
"My grandfather built Rivermark academy over 30 years ago. Built as an pathway for this country's best talent to shine bright"
She continued "one of the brightest of them all was Joe willock. When he first came to Rivermark He was just as untalented as you are" she chuckled.
Sonny's put a on a frown
"My grandfather saw potential in him and trained him from the ground up. Hes trait later surfaced, and built him into the genius he is today"
She explained coach Joe's history and emphasised on him winning 3 college championships in a row with Rivermark. And being ranked as the number 1 player 4 times.
But injuries messed up his career, constant acl and hamstring tears cause him to retire early.
A slight breeze passed through the courtyard.
Kelly stod up "If you can keep up... even without a trait, maybe you could be successful in football..."
"But if you cant. I suggest you start taking golf lessons" she laughed hard yet again
And she left
Sonny remained there, staring ahead.
"Traitless?"
"If Coach was traitless... and made it. Then i can too" he said with hope.
Later that evening sonny went to the park field to train.
The grass was dry and the air was hot. Coach Joe was in the park at that time. sitting on a bench afar, watching on. Kelly mercer was also there, she knew sonny would take what she said to heart, so she followed him here.
Sonny took his ball and a bunch of cones for practice.
He does the Figure-8 drill, to improve his technical ability and also does the Turn and Snap drill for shooting practice. An hour had passed and the session felt worthless, and Sonny grew frustrated.
"Brooo...i dont feel like this practice is doing much if at all, ive trained everyday for months on end..." sonny muttered to himself in disappointment.
"I'll have to end today's session early, maybe tomorrow will be more productive" sonny gave a huge sigh and went home
Joe willock stared on, have flashbacks to himself as a teenager in a the exact same situation. He knew Sonny was traitless, everyone knew.
But he wasn't going to let that stop Sonny from becoming a great player.
The next day, coach Joe went into Arthur mercer's office to have a chat. The office was large, big enough to fit 20 people and still have room. The curtains wide open, with Arthur seated behind his desk.
"Good day mr Joe, how are you" mr Arthur exclaimed with rising joy in his tone.
"I'm doing alright sir" coach joe replied
"So, what brings you here today. Any good news?" Arthur asked.
Coach joe chuckled "I've been tracking a traitless student in this school"
Arthur's expression changed, he's eye lids squinting back to its normal posting
"You may continue" he said with a cold tone
"From what I've gathared, he's a seventeen year old, from brigminham. He has been rejected from 7 academies, and is known to be "traitless"amongst his peers"
"Is his name joe willock aswell?" Arthur laughed out loud and hard, Coach joe laughed aswell.
"Ohh, I can still remember the tough session you had to go through to become who you are now. Something most players wouldn't have enough courage to attempt"
"I saw something special in you that no one else saw. I saw a boy who had real talent" he said optimistically.
He continued "That's why you are the man you are today. If you see something special in the kid, then your free to help him out however you can. It's your choice to make, your the coach after all" he chuckled.
"But sir, there's someone else on the cards" joe said
"Who could that be?" Arthur asked.
"His name is Damien knox"
Arthur Mercer looked up at Joe "knox? our student? what could be the issue" he asked.
"He's one of the very best, he's potential is as great of the traitless kid. He may slip out of our fingers if we dont do well in the NCC this year"
Arthur wasn't fazed. He put on a smrik "dont worry, its not an issue. I personally would like to see him up against the traitless kid you mentioned or if they remain together here at Rivermark, it would be a delightful showdown to behold!" He exclaimed with great delight
Kelly mercer stood at outside behind the door listening closely.
The only question on her mind was how sonny would catch up on time.