Dissolving

Chapter 2 - Blur

++ Jordan's POV++
(this is an exception!)

Lily's game is spectacular!

She lets her firecracker mentality out and plays as if there is no tomorrow. You can literally feel how the whole team is completely on board with their plan and the only focus is on winning. I have always known that a fighter is slumbering somewhere deep inside my little sister and now she is finally showing it to the rest of the world. Well, maybe not the whole world, but at least to the people who are at the game and – more importantly – to our family.

Most of my brothers still think of her as this fragile kid that cannot fend for herself and needs to be coddled constantly. I am aware that it is a bit difficult to reign in our natural instinct to protect her, seeing as she is just a tiny little thing, even more so compared to us guys. But she has shown me plenty of times that she can very well stand up for herself.

I am incredibly proud of her.

Sure, this is only a junior high soccer game and neither the pace nor the skill on display compare to other sporting events I have attended over the years. But if you take into consideration that these kids are only between twelve and fourteen years old, what they are showing us today is very impressive. Even Aidan looks plenty entertained, if his expression is anything to go by.

The only chink in the armour of an otherwise really enjoyable and exciting game is that highly irritating kid from the other team, who clearly seems to have it in for Lily. For reasons that completely escape me, too. More than once, he has tried to pull an illegal move with the sole purpose of antagonizing my sister.

She seems to have figured out that it is not simply by coincidence, but that he is literally stalking her on the field, waiting for any opportunity to mess with her. Judging by her reaction to his irrational behaviour, she is very close to losing her composure. It is a matter of time until she will resolve to using illegal moves on him as well. I can't say that I'd blame her if she did, because if I were in her position, I would have snapped half an hour ago already.

"I wonder what that asshole's problem is," Jack, who sits next to me, growls.

"You've noticed it, too?" I ask, glad to know that I am not imagining things.

"It's pretty damn obvious that the fucker's got some kind of issue with Lily," he sneers.

Luckily, my eldest brother is sitting all the way at the other end of the bench and cannot hear Jack's foul language. I don't really mind my younger siblings' cursing while we are amongst ourselves for as long as they are respectful towards other people.

"Yeah, I'm with you on that. Maybe he's just pissed off because this school actually has a couple of girls on their team that can easily hold their own against the guys on that field," I reply proudly.

"She is really good," Jack agrees. "I guess I'd be a bit annoyed, too, if I were him, since she's managed to get past him at least three times. But his moves are pretty illegal, if you ask me. Why he hasn't yet gotten a yellow card is a mystery to me."

"If he keeps it up, we're likely going to witness our precious little soccer star getting one, too. She's about to explode."

"And rightfully so. I wouldn't blame her."

Right at this moment, the devil kid bumps into Lily, causing her to stumble over her feet.

"Hey! What the hell!" I exclaim, jumping up.

Luckily, Lily manages to keep her balance and stays upright. The referee blows his whistle after having witnessed the near foul play. My sister glares at the boy and shoves him slightly with her shoulder as she walks past him to retake her position. This causes the referee to call the two of them over, cautioning them to either back off or risk being sent off the field.