Academia Igualada was larger than Daniel expected. The white stone buildings, the clean courtyards, and the mix of students chatting in Spanish and Catalan gave the place a lively energy. As he walked through the gates, he already felt out of place.
Eyes turned toward him—curious glances, whispers. He could guess why. A new student, clearly foreign, was bound to draw attention.
"¡Hola, chico nuevo!"(Hey new guy
Daniel turned to see a tall, athletic-looking boy jogging toward him. He had short dark hair and a confident grin.
"Hablo Inglés" Daniel said looking at the boy.
"I'm Luis. You must be the American Mateo told us about."
Daniel raised an eyebrow. "You know Mateo?"
Luis chuckled. "Of course. He's friends with Coach Navarro. He told us you'd be trying out for the football team this afternoon."
Daniel had almost forgotten about that part. "Yeah, I guess so."
Luis slapped his shoulder. "Good. We need fresh talent. Let's see if you can keep up."
Before Daniel could respond, another voice joined in.
"You talk too much, Luis."
Daniel turned and felt his breath hitch slightly.
A girl stood next to Luis, her brown eyes sharp yet warm, her dark hair cascading over her shoulders. She was effortlessly beautiful, with the kind of confidence that made people pay attention.
"This is Sofia," Luis introduced. "She's—"
"The best midfielder on the team," Sofia finished, smirking. "And you are?"
"Daniel," he said, suddenly feeling a little self-conscious.
Sofia studied him for a second. "Well, Daniel, let's hope you can actually play. Otherwise, you'll just be another benchwarmer."
Before he could reply, the bell rang.
Luis grinned. "See you at practice, new guy."
As Daniel walked to class, he couldn't help but smile,"Maybe this new life wouldn't be so bad after all". he taught to himself.