The Trophy I Never Won

The beginning

All the students of 12th grade were asked to gather at our school multipurpose hall, some faces were with the joy of a small break of at least 45 min from the monotonous school timetable, some were excited to meet their friends, while the others were edgy to know the reason they had been gathered so early that morning. 'We are proud to announce that our school, after two years has finally won the football clusters against the Al Camino School!!'

A roar evoked from the audience, and the entire football team of our school was called on the stage, it was my team, the team that looked wholesome yet incomplete without me, while each player went on the stage in a line, each had a magnificent glow of pride on their faces; my thoughts trailed back to a week before the clusters:

"Nizar! Look at the time; its almost time for your math class, my mom said in anger, that always shielding the love and concern that her eyes showed."

"Mom, I am sorry I am late. "

"You known today the match was like JUST WOW!!!"

"It was a tie!"

"And in the last two minutes I hit the ball almost at the edge of the net and it was a goal! I screamed with both my hand raised, while my eyes glistened recalling the entire scene before my eyes!

After my short victory speech the only thing my mother commented was, Football, Football, Football! You are in the 12th grade Nizar, you need to focus on studies; not on this game which will only fetch you a certificate, she scolded at me while handing me a chicken sandwich with a big glass of orange juice.

I stared at her with a neutral expression, in response to her lack of affection for my game and dug into my sandwich. She wouldn't understand the affinity I had towards this game, it was my first love! This was the last year of my school life and I wanted to make this years football clusters memorable. I had been in the team for the past three years. The first year we had lost, the second year we had won, but even though I had skillfully shuffled the ball till the goal post, I had to let the other striker hit the goal, but this year would be my year, the year I would be glorified, the year every student would recognize me, the year all my prayers would finally be heard!

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There were just four days left for the football clusters, and I had to practice, I had informed my mom that I would be leaving at 4:30 in the morning, and she had prepared breakfast the night before.

I showered, had my breakfast and headed out at exactly 4:20 am; my sacrifice of my beloved sleep didn't matter anymore since I was just four days away from accomplishing my goal. I didn't have tuition that day so I stayed an extra half hour at the school ground to practice my spin move touchdown.

Eventually time had passed, I had reached home an hour later than what I had intended to reach at. I knew it was time to face my dads petulance. I was right, as soon as I entered the house and kept my bag on the chair, my dad came up to me and glared right into my eyes, Khadija, he yelled at my faultless mother, Tell your son that he hasn't touched his books from last month and he is just wasting time trying to kick a ball in a net.

I shot up a glance after listening to his failed attempt of indirect accusation. I quickly traversed to my room while each ounce of my exhausted body wanted to call out to him and say, Dad, I know, you will be proud of me when I win.