The sun blazed high over the soccer field, bathing everything in a golden glow. Samuel moved like he owned the pitch, weaving through defenders with practiced ease. I sat on the bench, leaning forward, elbows resting on my knees, watching him intently. He always had this energy when he played - a confidence that made it impossible to look away.
Samuel dribbled past the last defender, pivoted, and sent the ball flying into the corner of the net. Goal. Again.
"Go, Samuel!" Natalia's voice rang out from the sidelines, her cheer as bright as the summer sky. She clapped enthusiastically, her face lighting up as Samuel glanced her way. He responded with a lopsided grin and raised both arms in mock victory, tracing the letter "N" in the air with his finger as he jogged back to midfield. Natalia giggled, her cheeks flushed with delight.
I clapped too, though my applause felt hollow. "Nice one," I called, forcing a grin when Samuel looked at me.
"Three goals! Not bad, huh?" he shouted back, his voice carried on the warm breeze.
Not bad? Try perfect. Samuel had always been talented, but lately, it wasn't just the game he played with precision—it was everything. Especially with her.
I glanced at Natalia, sitting on the grass with a group of friends. She was still clapping, her eyes following Samuel like he was the only thing worth seeing. And he noticed. Oh, he definitely noticed.
I swallowed the knot in my throat and leaned back, gripping the edge of the bench to keep my hands busy. Samuel and I were best friends-had been for years. We'd played on this field a hundred times before. But something had shifted.
Natalia.
She wasn't just any girl; she was Samuel's enemy for as long as I could remember. They'd traded insults during group projects and competed for the top spot in class rankings. He used to roll his eyes whenever she entered the room. But now? Now they were talking. Laughing. Sharing inside jokes I wasn't part of.
And they were getting along. A little too good.
I turned my gaze back to the field, watching Samuel jog toward the center circle, his face lit with an energy that felt different, almost electric.
"Nice one, Samuel!" Natalia called again.
I didn't respond. Instead, I watched the game intently, pretending that the heat rising in my chest was from the sun and not something else entirely.
At Halftime Samuel notices me -finally- and smiles, he jogs over to the bench and sits next to me. "Hey, why are you just sitting there aren't you gonna join in on the fun?"
"Coach said I Must be on bench something about giving other people a turn." I say slightly irritated. Samuel looks me up and down trying to interpret my mood he scootches closer to me and wraps his arm around my neck " Why are you so distant, Ethan? You're awfully quiet this game."
"Nothing is wrong I'm just daydreaming." I try to convince him nothing is wrong ,but with years of friendship he always knew something was up.
He seems skeptical tilting his head to look at me. "Okay then what were you thinking about?" He was on to me My Mind started racing thinking any possible answer. I Chuckle a bit " I Can't even remember " Yeah I Know that was stupid and honestly I had no other option.
He doesn't look fully convinced "C'mon Ethan tell me you know you can trust me" I Think carefully trying to sound annoyed yet stubborn "It's nothing and I Mean it you can stop worrying."
He sighs knowing im stubborn "You're impossible. Fine, if you don't want to tell me have it your way but remember if you wanna talk I'm here for you." He squeezes my shoulder gently.
"So.. I saw Nats was here for the game how are things progressing?" His expression changes to a mix of fondness and a hint of irritation. "We're.. Fine. We're just friends, that's all." He says avoiding eye contact.
"You sure? Because the N initial you made doesn't seem like 'just friends' you know."
He sighs, knowing he can't hide anything from me. "Its..Complicated. she means a lot to me, but I don't know how to tell her how I Feel."
"Just do it you only live once." He looks at me, his expression a mix of determination and nervousness but there's something else something I can't read .
"What if I Do It? I can chat with her and try to see if I can set you guys up."
"You'd do that for me?" He looks surprised looking me in the eyes those hazel orbs looking right through me. "Yeah I'll do it for you." We fistbump and we pack up I Take our stuff to my newly bought car Mercedes-Benz the luxury of owning a car like this at 20.
I drive him home the ride was quiet He was just gazing out the window, he sat beside me, his head leaning lightly against the window, the faint fog of his breath smudging the glass. His eyes were distant, fixed on something I couldn't see-something far beyond the blur of trees rushing past.
The passing sunrays flickered across his face, softening his features in a way that made him look almost untouchable, lost in a world of his own. One hand rested loosely in his lap, the other lifted slightly, fingers brushing the cold glass as if he were reaching for something on the other side. I wondered what he was thinking, what held him so far away from here, from me.
I pulled up to his house, the sunlight filtering through the trees, casting speckled patterns across the driveway. He shifted in his seat, unbuckling his seatbelt with a practiced motion. For a second, he just sat there, his hand resting on the door handle, as if weighing whether to say something more.
"Thanks for the ride," he said, his voice casual, but the way he glanced at me-brief, almost hesitant-made it feel like there was more he wasn't saying.
He opened the door, letting in the warm afternoon air. The sun hit him as he stepped out, lighting up the edges of his figure, making him seem more distant even though he was just a few metres away. He paused, one hand resting on the frame of the car, and turned back.
"See you at practise," he said, giving a quick smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. Then he shut the door, the sound feeling heavier than it should.
I stayed there, watching him walk up the driveway, his shoulders slightly slouched,. The sunlight bathed everything in a golden glow, but it felt sharp, almost bittersweet.
When he reached the door, he turned the handle giving me a small wave, disappearing inside. I sit there for a moment longer than I should have, the rattle of the engine filling the silence. Finally, I pulled away, driving down the empty street to my house.
The planning begins.