"What?"said Mark. "No way. I had no idea other soccer players were gay!"
Jude laughed. "I thought it was obvious. After I came out about a year and a half ago, the commander put it on all of our social media pages. Apparently it makes him look more progressive."
The two boys laughed. "Seriously?"
"Yeah."
"How do you even put 'one of the members of my team is gay' on a social media page subtly?"Axel asked. "Did it not bother you being outed?"
"Well a little bit at first, but since most people I meet automatically know, I don't really need to come out anymore,"Jude shrugged. "I'm shocked you don't know. Especially you, Mark."
"Do you not, like experience homophobia at all?"Axel asked.
"Yeah. But I can just kick their asses on the field. It's not really fair though, I've been out for years and i've never even kissed a guy,"he laughed. "Look at you!"
Axel looked at the ground.
"I've been out for years too and it's taken me ages,"said Mark. "You should move to our school. Our entire team seems to be coming out one by one!"
"That's your influence, I think,"Jude said.
Suddenly a phone rang. Jude took an orange flip phone out of his pocket.
"Cool phone!"said Mark.
Jude smiled at him.
"Yes. Uh huh. Yeah. I'll come straight away,"he hung up the phone.
"Listen, I'd love to chat, but I have to run. I look forward to playing you guys in the final!"he smiled as he ran off.
"Wow,"Mark smiled. "He's such a nice guy."
Axel ruffled his hair. "Don't get any ideas."
Mark laughed as him and Axel walked back down to the pitch.
"It's a shame he can't play with us,"said Mark.
"I mean, he does have more important things to do. Find undercover gays."
Mark laughed. "At this point i'm convinced everyone is an undercover gay."
"How was it!"Nathan yelled.
"Fine!"Mark and Axel yelled together.
"He was a decent guy actually,"Mark sighed. "He's just on the wrong side."
Celia sighed. "He is."
"How do you know him?"
"Uh, I don't,"she said sadly.
Nobody questioned her as all of the boys went back to practice.
********
The next day, Sylvia, Mark and Nathan were sat in a circle, because none of them could concentrate on training.
"I don't know what to do,"Mark sighed.
"There's not even any point in practicing,"Nathan sighed.
"There's only 2 more days until the match. We have to think fast,"Sylvia said.
Mark flopped back onto the ground. "You know what, I should ask the noodle guy again."
"What? Didn't he say no last time?"Nathan asked.
"It never hurts trying a second time!"Mark exclaimed as he jumped up and ran off.
Nathan sighed. "Man, he has so much energy. I wish I was like that."
Sylvia was about to say something, but decided against it.