Baudelaire's Cube

Chapter 33: Upcoming Soccer Tournament

Chapter 33: Upcoming Soccer Tournament

Right after the removal test, students go out of the room. R goes straight to the faculty office with the test papers.

"It's embarrassing. R learned I failed the science test." She sighs with dropped shoulders.

"It's okay ... As if he knows you!" she teases.

"You're so mean," she pouts.

Nyle is heading to his favorite sleeping spot, under the shade of the tree on the side of the school fields.    [A/N: Remember chapter 2?]

"Finally, it's over," he wonders. "I don't know if I did well but I think I've done what I can."

He wasn't able to attend to his soccer club meeting this morning due to his science test and he really feels bad. Either way, he's tired. The science test exhausted him that's why he wants some rest.

"I can't believe I actually skipped soccer for science," he sighs heavily.

R goes back to the student council office that afternoon.

"I haven't noticed earlier, but the walls are already painted white," he murmurs as he enters.

"That's right. They have painted it yesterday. And since you're not reporting to the office lately, you won't be noticing it," the president says with a sarcastic tone.

"I'm not the only one who's not reporting, Prez," he tells, and he's talking about Nyle, who is currently not around.

"Uhm ... about Nyle, he said he can't skip his soccer practice. You see, the soccer team will be participating in the upcoming regional tournament."

"The ... regionals?" he asks with raised eyebrows. "So that's why he's only reporting during the lunch break."

"Aye ... He's busy right now. I really miss Master Nyle!!!"

"Why? You can still watch his soccer practice, Eumee," tells Dylan with a grin.

Eumee pouts. It has been a while since they had a long chit-chat with Nyle and she feels upset about it.

"By the way, Rheo. I've heard Nyle took his removal test this morning. Do you think he did well?"

R shrugs. "I wasn't able to look at his paper. But looking at him during the exams, I think he struggled."

"Eh? How come?"

R faces to the opposite. "Who knows? Let's just wait until they announce the results," he suggests, avoiding her question about Nyle struggling with Science.

Meanwhile, Nyle is on the soccer team's training. They are on the soccer field when their coach asked them to gather up. They get confused since their coach doesn't normally call for them in the middle of their practice, and also, they noticed that their captain is not around.

"I don't get it. Where's Captain?" the goalie asks.

"Well ... you see ...," the coach starts. "He won't be able to play with us today. Remember his injury? He had a checkup and his doctor said he can't play for one month. It means he can't also play with us for the regionals," he announces, and the team gets startled and they don't want to believe it.

"But Coach, we need him for the regionals!"

"He's right, Coach! The team will get weak if Captain's not going to play."

"I know that," the coach says, "But we can't force him to play with his injury. During our last game, he broke his ankle, remember? He needs to let his ankle recover before he starts playing again. Anyway, we need to assign someone who will replace him temporarily."

What he said upsets the team. It seems that they don't want to play without their captain.

"It's gotta be Nyle. No one here's as good as Captain but him!"

"Yes, it must be Nyle!" he agrees.

Nyle is silently listening when he gets tensed. Their coach looks at him, so as the others.

"But ... why me?" he asks with a lump on his throat.

"Why not you?"

"To tell the truth Nyle, we always get motivated by just seeing you play."

"That's right. Even Captain gets amazed on how you carry the ball and the way you kick it towards the goal, Nyle."

"But I cannot just replace Captain," he refuses.

The coach claps twice, calling their attention. The team looks at him when he speaks, "Listen guys. I understand how you feel. And I also believe that Nyle is rightful to be the Captain's substitute. But hear this ... it's a big risk if we'll give him the captain's position."

"How come, Coach?" they get bewildered.

"Our next opponent is from Hugheston Academy. After analyzing their past games, I have noticed that ... they always use some dirty tactics. It happens that the best player from their opposing team always ended up injured."

"That's what I've also heard about Hugheston's soccer team. I can say that they're quite good at making fouls that are not considered as fouls. We can't let them have their eyes on Nyle or else ... we'll lose another good player," a midfielder says.

"Fouls not considered as fouls, Dane?"

"I think it's when you hit him intentionally while he's not dribbling the ball," another teammate guesses.

 Dane shakes head. "That's not it exactly. You will understand once you watched them play."

The coach continues, "That's the reason why we can't risk Nyle as the captain's sub. Although I know they will still able to learn that Nyle's our best forward."

Dane looks at Nyle and tells, "Hey, Nyle, you must always move away from Hugheston's  number 10. Like me, he's a midfielder, but he'll definitely try to attack you once you become a threat."

He nods. "Okay. I'll keep that in mind. But you won't make me the captain now, right?" he asks the coach to assure.

The coach answers, "I've already decided who our captain will be ...," he says thoughtfully while the team looks at him expectantly.

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Japanese Lesson! Do you know what a manga is? Well I bet you do! It's a Japanese graphical fiction/ nonfiction usually in right-to-left format. To read a manga, you just start at the top right panel going to the bottom left. This might be based from Japan's Meiji Era format wherein horizontal writing was read from right to left. (Source: my Ghost Hunt and Get Backers manga volume :3 )