Soren locked eyes with him and, with clear determination, he said, "How about we have a soccer match? If you lose, you have to apologize to Clark in front of the whole school."
Whitney laughed.
He raised his eyebrows, like he'd just heard a joke, "You want to challenge me in a soccer match?"
Soren looked straight at him and slowly replied, "Actually, it's me and Clark, against you."
Soren's words caused quite a stir.
At Smallville High School, everyone knew that Clark Kent was the clumsy giant who never took part in gym class and had no athletic skills whatsoever.
And now, Soren was planning to have Clark play soccer?
Was he crazy?
People who overheard the conversation exchanged confused looks.
Whitney turned his head and rolled his eyes in disdain.
If he had taken Soren's challenge seriously before, now it was nothing but arrogance and mockery.
He smirked, glancing toward the bleachers, and shrugged, "Alright, Hargreaves, remember—you asked for this. If I win, I want you to be Smallville's next scarecrow."
"No problem," Soren replied firmly.
And so, the soccer match was set in motion.
Although Whitney was the captain of the football team, he was naturally athletic and good at almost any sport.
He quickly rounded up a few of his upperclassmen friends, and together they formed a strong soccer team.
On Soren's side, just gathering enough players to form a team was already a struggle.
The real issue was Clark, who didn't want to play.
Soren stood in front of him, his hands on his hips, confused, "Why not? Clark, you're perfectly…" He paused and carefully choosing his words, "You're perfectly healthy, so why do you always avoid sports?"
Clark pressed his lips together, clearly worried.
He understood why Soren was challenging Whitney for his sake.
Clark knew exactly how much Soren cared for him.
But at the same time, he also understood Jonathan, and the love hidden behind his father's strict rules.
What if his powers got exposed?
Or worse, what if he accidentally hurt one of his classmates?
How would he ever live with himself?
His parents didn't want him to reveal his abilities too early.
People tend to fear things that are beyond their understanding, and Clark knew he wasn't yet ready to earn everyone's trust.
If suspicion and fear started to spread, it could bring unnecessary danger to Smallville and the people he cared about.
He had to think about everyone's safety.
But… But.
How could he just stand by and let Soren lose this game?
Clark knew that Soren had taken on this challenge because of him.
If Soren ended up being the scarecrow in his place, Clark would be filled with guilt for the rest of his life.
Seeing the conflict on Clark's face, Soren sighed dramatically, pretending to give up, "Alright, if you really don't want to, I won't push you. It's fine, Clark. I'll just find someone else to take your place."
"Mm-hmm, like me, right?" Pete stretched lazily beside them.
Soren smiled, "Of course, Pete! You've got to play. I know you're the best goalkeeper in Smallville!"
Pete was obviously very pleased by the compliment, he grinned while scratched his head, and said: "Don't worry, with me on the field, they won't score a single goal!"
Clark who Is sitting on a bench, looking up at Soren and then at Pete, he seemed wanted to say something but hesitated to speak.
Just then, Chloe, who already heard about the news, came running over from the school's newspaper room—already dressed in her sports gear.
"Hey," she bumped Pete's shoulder playfully and threw an arm around both Pete and Soren, "I heard you guys are going up against Whitney in a soccer match. Can I join?"
"Of course, we need you!" Soren flashed a big smile and held out his hand, "Hi, Chloe, Pete and Clark told me about you yesterday. You're even more awesome than I imagined! I'm Soren Hargreaves, and welcome to the team."
Chloe shook his hand, her bright eyes locked on his, "I also heard about you, too, new kid. You're the biggest talk of Smallville right now. How about I get an interview with you this weekend?"
Soren looked a little surprised but happy, "Sure… of course."
Clark couldn't take it anymore.
His friends were all working hard for him, and he couldn't just sit on the sidelines, watching them do all the work.
"I'll play too," Clark stood up, avoiding Soren's gaze, and said quietly.
…
After that, a few more classmates volunteered to join them, and they eventually formed a team of four boys and three girls to face off against Whitney's team of eleven older, athletic students.
Word about the soccer match spread quickly around Smallville High School.
By the time the final school bell rang, more and more students came to watch, and even some teachers stood by the field, interested in the game.
The whole school treated the match like a fun event.
The game became so popular that even the cheerleaders team had showed up, performing a lively routine in their mini skirts and crop tops before the game, earning loud whistles from the boys in the crowd.
It was Clark's first time wearing a soccer uniform.
Standing on the green field, he looked a little shy.
The slightly tight-fitting short-sleeve shirt and shorts made his physique that usually hidden under his oversized clothes, fully exposed.
His broad, V-shaped back was solid and strong, like a mountain, and his long legs were straight and muscular.
Everyone suddenly realized that Clark Kent, who usually seemed so ordinary, actually had an incredibly impressive physique that left them all stunned.
Standing next to Clark, everyone else looked like underdeveloped teenagers in comparison.
—Especially Soren, who was already short.
Soren: …
What are you all staring at?
Haven't you ever seen an alien who hasn't hit their growth spurt yet?!
He used to be over six feet tall back when he was an adult!
The game quickly started.