A Silence Full of Sound

Chapter 3

I looked over at Alice, with a confused expression.

"What? I like to watch them run." She said as she smirked and placed her hands behind her head. I shook my head, laughing and turned my attention back onto the field.

The tryouts hadn't started yet, but the coach had taken them all to the side and they were standing in a huddle. I prayed that Sammy wasn't too nervous, and that everything would go well. He's always wanted to be good enough for the scouts. He's always wanted a football scholarship and then to head off to college when we were old enough. This year was so important to him and I really wanted it to go well.

I remember watching Sammy play back at home. Dad had coached his little league team when we were younger, and he continued coaching him as we grew up. For years and years, Dad had coached Sammy getting him ready for the scouting season. Now he was ready, all he needed was a team.

The huddle dispersed and the players all ran onto the field. The coach made them do laps around the field. When the group reached where we were sitting, I banged on the chairs in front as Alice screamed "Sam!!". He looked up at us and smiled, waving and fist pumping the air as he ran. Alice cheered and I clapped as he ran past.

The tryouts continued. The coach checked their footwork. A bunch of players were cut at this stage, some didn't have much stamina, some fell short on their footwork and some just weren't right for the team. The years spent watching Sammy and Dad play, I had learnt to spot whether a person was a good player or not, and where their strengths and weaknesses were. Sammy's strength was his speed and leadership, although he was tall, he could dodge and whizz past other players easily, and Sammy was captain at our old school, he lead the team to victory. But here, he wouldn't be captain. He had to work his way up, and I wasn't sure whether there was enough time for him to do that.

The coach was ruthless, shouting at them as they ran past. He screamed at the players when they were cut. I couldn't make out what he was saying because he was too far away to read, but judging from Alice's facial expressions, it wasn't very nice.

"I've never liked that guy." Alice said as she settled back into her seat.

I looked back down at Sammy, he had made it to the final stage of tryouts, there were only a few guys left. The nerves I felt were beginning to show through the shaking of my legs. Unable to sit still, I just wanted to know whether Sammy had made it or not.

The coach walked around each player in turn, shouting as he went around. "I wouldn't even be able to know what he was saying, if that was me" I thought laughing to myself.

He walked around Sammy, and honestly, I felt my whole body stiffen. The coach had stopped talking, at least I think he had. He looked Sammy up and down, and then moved onto the next person.

The guy standing next to him had blonde hair and was quite tall. I had seen him around the school, he was always followed by a group of girls, which didn't surprise me. He was a good looking guy.

The coach walked back over to the bench, and picked up two shirts. He handed them to Sammy and the blonde haired guy.

"Yes!! He made it!" Alice shook my shoulder, with a huge smile on her face.

Sammy looked up at me as soon as the coach had walked away; a smile plastered on his face. He fiat pumped the air and held the shirt above his head.

And that was not the end of the celebration. Throughout the remainder of lunch Sammy did not stop talking about the tryouts. Alice and I were being kind and letting him have his moment, but there's only so many times you can hear the same story over and over again! Especially when you witnessed it first hand too!

The rest of the day dragged, my afternoon classes went by so slowly that when the final bell went, an enormous wave of relief washed over me. I quickly packed up my books and the rest of my stuff and walked out into the corridor with Alice at my side. We met Sammy at the gates, waved goodbye to Alice and started the journey home.

On the walk home Sammy had told me all about when practices start and how the coach told him he was the most impressive player on the field today. He was so happy, and it made me even happier for him.

On the walk back, we passed streets and corners that I had never seen before. I realised that I hadn't really paid attention or explored around the area since we moved in.

When we got back home I dumped my stuff off in my room and I quickly told Mum that I was going out. Of course she told me to be careful, and packed me with a banana, a umbrella and a raincoat, 'for emergencies'.

Swinging the umbrella in my hand, I just walked around. I was happy to get some quiet away from everyone. I liked my own company. Over the years of not having many friends, I had got used to being on my own, and I liked it when I could just escape and watch the world go by.

Before I realised where I was going, my legs had taken me to a park not far away. I had walked through and come across a park bench. I looked at it, and read the plaque on the back.

"In memory of Daniel. A gentle soul unlike any other. A caring and loving friend, brother and son. We love you always. Mum and Dad and H."

I sat back and stared out in front of me. The park bench was shaded by huge oak trees. It was an intimate space; perfect for a memorial. I didn't know who this Daniel was, but I suddenly felt like I was intruding. So I climbed off the bench and sat under one of the big oak trees. It was a beautiful tree, a perfect place to come to be alone and think. Maybe this would be my spot?

I spent a couple of hours, just sitting under the tree, thinking about my life. My old life, my new life, my new friend, my brother in the tryouts. I watched as people walked past; joggers sped past, kids ran past chasing innocent birds, an old couple walked together holding hands.

I watched the old couple. The man held the woman as they walked, making sure she was okay. They way they smiled at each other made my heart melt. There was nothing but pure love. I wondered if I would ever have that at that age. Whether I would have someone to rely on wholeheartedly ; someone who would love me unconditionally, despite my flaws.

The next morning started the same as the others. Somehow I had made it home and crashed as soon as I hit my bed. I woke up the in the morning still in the clothes I wore the night before.

As we walked to school I told Sammy about my new spot. He seemed intrigued and wanted to come with my next time to 'scope out the place' whatever that means.

I didn't meet Alice at the gates, for some reason she wasn't waiting there for me like she had the previous days. Maybe she would meet me at my locker?

Sammy went off to his class, after a lot of resistance. He worried whether I would be okay without Alice. I gave him a look that meant 'I'll be fine, now go!' spun him around and pushed him in the opposite direction.

I walked to my locker, weaving around people as I went. When I got there, I didn't see Alice there either. I wondered whether she was okay, and made a mental note to text her to ask her. I placed my books in my locker and got out others that I needed. I shut my locker, and as I turned around to leave, somebody had bumped into me and my books went flying through the air and landed on the floor.

As I bent down to pick them up, somebody else had bent down to help me. As I looked up, I was greeted by a mop of black shaggy hair. He looked up at me and I was engulfed by a pair of green eyes.