The day was finally here. The morning of the big game. Mark had not slept as much as he had liked, tossing and turning with anxiety over his move. Would he be able to pull it off?
He doubted it. He went downstairs, and ate breakfast. Before leaving the house, his mother presented him with a pair of worn gloves.
"There's no point in holding on to these any longer,"she sighed.
"Grandpas gloves?"Mark said in disbelief. "If anything will help be today, it will be these."
"Good luck today, Mark,"both his parents said in unison.
"Thank you,"Mark said, a massive smile on his face.
"Look in the crowd for us before you start, alright?"his dad said.
"I will!"Mark yelled before running out the door.
******
Nelly met the team on front of the place where the final was supposed to be held.
"I just got a phone call,"she sounded confused. "They changed the location to... the sky??"
Just then, a large shadow was cast across the pavement. All members of the team looked up to see a stone platform adorned with statues depicting gods, floating in the sky.
"Guys, it's not just me, right?"Kevin asked. "I'm not high right now, am I?"
"I've never been high in my life and I'm still seeing it,"Celia said. "How is it doing that?"
"The same way that Byron floats, I suppose,"Mark sighed.
Just then, a long staircase unfolded out of the building.
"Uh, do we climb up it?"Mark looked confused.
"I suppose,"Axel shrugged.
The team started climbing, and soon enough they were in the building.
"This looks more like a church than a soccer stadium,"Jude observed.
"They're taking this god thing really seriously,"Nathan said.
"They can't actually be gods,"Kevin rolled his eyes.
"Explain the floating then?!"Jack yelled. "They are gods!"
"Calm down, Jack,"Axel said. "They're just humans. Sooner or later we're going to figure out what makes them so strong."
"This is why I like you,"Mark smiled. "You're the voice of reason."
"Somebody has to be,"Axel rolled his eyes playfully.
Just then, Ray Dark appeared at the top of what looked like a temple.
"You slimy fuck!"Axel yelled. "Get back here!"
He took off sprinting towards the temple.
"Well, there goes the voice of reason,"Sylvia facepalmed.
"Oh man,"Nelly sighed.
"He'll never catch him,"Jude said. "Not unless he wants to be caught."
The coach was silent until now. He cleared his throat.
"Mark? There's something you need to know about Ray Dark, too."
"Hmm?"
"He was responsible for your grandfather's death,"the coach said. "I'm so sorry."
Mark's eyes bulged. "What?"
"I hate to drop this bombshell on you before the game, but you need to channel this hatred into soccer,"the coach said gruffly.
Mark felt like he had been punched in the gut. "He's such an asshole."
"More than an asshole,"Jude nodded. "That's why we have to win today. To avenge all of the people who have suffered because of him."
Mark suddenly collapsed with shock. Nelly and Nathan screamed,"Why would you tell him that now?!"
Axel reentered the room. "I couldn't find him, guys." He then looked over to see Mark. "Oh my! Mark!"
He ran to his boyfriend and held him. "What the fuck happened in the two minutes I was gone?!"
"Coach told him that Ray Dark was responsible for his grandfather's death!"Nelly yelled.
"Why? Do you want us to lose?!"Axel gritted his teeth.
"I have my reasons,"the coach said quietly.
Mark was breathing heavily on the ground. Axel sat down and hugged him, whispering,"you'll be ok,"over and over again in his ear.
Mark just buried his head into Axel's chest. Axel glared at the coach. Could this not have waited?
"We're all here for you, Mark,"Nathan said quietly.
"Same here,"Sylvia and Nelly said.
"Us too,"Celia, Jude and Kevin said.
The rest of the team joined in a cheer.
"Thank you,"Mark said quietly. "You're the best team a guy could ask for."
They all smiled.
"That's why I'm going to play soccer out of love for you guys. Not out of a hate for Ray Dark. It's not the kind of person I am,"Mark said. "Though I do hate him. Very much."
"I know I got better at soccer when I started playing because I loved Julia. Not because I hated Ray Dark, or the Kirkwood boys,"Axel said. He then laughed. "I know it's really cringe, but it's true."
Everyone smiled.
"Maybe that's what your grandpa meant in his notebook, Mark,"said Nathan. "You need to channel your love for the game, for your teammates."
Mark looked lost in thought. "Maybe."