Kamal remained in a funk throughout the weekend. He kept to himself, spending most of the time holed up in his bedroom. Rodrigo tried reaching out to him several times, but Kamal ignored his phone calls and text messages. He didn’t want to talk to Rodrigo. He didn’t see the point.

Monday afternoon the Panthers took the road to play a game against the Trout River Whitefish. As Kamal and Rodrigo got ready to take the field, Justin walked over. “Good luck, Rodrigo,” he said. “You too, Kamal.”

“Thanks,” said Rodrigo. Kamal ignored him.

“Let’s go, Panthers!” shouted Coach Hayes as the two teams got ready for the kickoff.

“Play hard, everyone!” shouted Rodrigo.

Justin started the game on the sideline. “Put the pressure on them right away!” he yelled from the bench.

Kamal remained quiet. He just wanted to play. He wanted to take all his frustration and pent-up energy and use it against the Whitefish. He would let his feet do the talking.

As soon as the game began, Kamal controlled the ball. He attempted a long run up the sideline. “Open!” shouted Rodrigo in the middle of the field. Kamal looked at him but kept the ball. A Trout River player tackled it away just seconds later.

On the Panthers’ next possession, Kamal received the pass from a teammate and again tried to take over the game by himself. “Left!” shouted a teammate. Instead of passing, Kamal dribbled up the middle of the field and tried to get past three Whitefish defenders. They closed on him and easily cleared the ball away.

“Teamwork!” shouted Coach Hayes. “Pass the ball!”

Finally, the Panthers had an opening. Some of Kamal’s teammates controlled the ball behind him at midfield. He and the other Panthers forwards jockeyed for position near the Whitefish goal.

Rodrigo got the ball along the right side and dribbled toward the corner. Kamal moved in that direction, setting up in the box to receive the pass. Rodrigo protected the ball as two defenders came over to stop him. He quickly moved to the end line as one of the Whitefish defenders dove in and tackled the ball out of bounds. Rodrigo had forced an early corner kick.

Kamal set up in the box. Rodrigo joined him. A Panthers’ forward set up for the corner. Normally on a corner kick, Kamal and Rodrigo would take charge, talking to each other and telling the other players where to go. But Kamal remained silent. He didn’t even look at Rodrigo as he walked to the opposite end of the box.

The kick came in. It sailed high and began bending tightly toward the net. Kamal wanted the goal. He eyed the ball and then went for it. He darted into the middle of the box and pushed off the ground for the header. Unfortunately, so did Rodrigo. Their legs got tangled up, and both of them went crashing to the turf. The ball flew through the box and was taken by a Whitefish defender.

Rodrigo got to his feet and extended a hand to Kamal. Kamal ignored it. He stood up on his own and jogged away to play defense.

“Talk to each other out there!” yelled Coach Hayes.

The Whitefish moved the ball in the other direction. Kamal and his teammates scrambled back to defend the counterattack. A pass went deep into the Panthers’ zone. A Whitefish player tracked it down and immediately made a pass to a teammate streaking toward the goal.

The Whitefish forward got the ball in stride, went around a Panthers’ defender, and was alone in front of the goal. The Panthers’ goalie slid along the grass, hoping to punch the ball out, but the Whitefish player was too quick. He danced around the diving tackle and waltzed in for the easy goal. The Whitefish had an early 1–0 lead.

“Let’s go, Panthers!” shouted Rodrigo as the teams lined up for the kickoff.

“No problem!” yelled Justin from the sideline. “There’s a lot of game left!”

The half continued with neither team mounting another major threat. Kamal tried to make several long solo runs with the ball and never looked to pass the ball to Rodrigo. He was stopped each time, making Coach Hayes more and more upset with Kamal’s lack of teamwork. “Cooperate out there!” he yelled. “Rodrigo’s getting open. Come on now!”

With just minutes left in the first half, Kamal waited on the right side as his teammates controlled the ball near midfield. The Panthers made short passes to keep the ball away from Whitefish defenders. Kamal began to grow impatient. He wanted the ball. “Open!” he yelled.

Suddenly one of the Panthers sliced through the defense with the ball near the middle of the field, luring a defender toward him. He then dumped the ball off to a teammate on the right. Rodrigo made a couple quick steps to get open. His teammate found him, delivering a pass on target. Rodrigo trapped it and kept his back to his defender, shielding him from the ball. He dribbled the ball away, trying to give himself a little room.

“Right!” shouted Kamal. He was wide open for a crossing pass.

Rodrigo turned with the ball and looked up. He saw Kamal but then immediately looked away. Instead he found a teammate at the top of the box. Rodrigo stepped to his right and delivered the pass.

Rodrigo moved without the ball, faking to the outside before cutting inside. His teammate found him in the box and delivered a pass. Rodrigo trapped the ball with his chest, keeping his back to the goal.

Kamal darted toward the box. “Open!” he screamed.

Instead of passing, Rodrigo took it himself. He quickly turned, found the space he needed, and fired a shot on goal. It rose high and to the left, narrowly missing the outstretched fingers of the goalie and sailing into the net. Rodrigo had tied the game.

The Panthers mobbed Rodrigo, but Kamal didn’t join the celebration. He was too upset that his so-called friend had refused to pass him the ball.

Seconds later, the referee blew his whistle, ending the first half.

The Panthers made their way to the sideline. Kamal ran up to Rodrigo. “I was open the whole time,” he said.

“Thanks for congratulating me on my goal,” said Rodrigo sarcastically.

“Why didn’t you pass it to me?”

“Are you serious?” asked Rodrigo. “You’re like a black hole out there. Once you get the ball you never give it back. You’re playing like a selfish child. Besides, I scored, didn’t I?”

Kamal didn’t want to hear any more. He turned his back and began to walk away.

“You’re not the team player you used to be,” said Rodrigo. “And I’m not the only one who thinks so. Lots of the guys have been saying the same thing.”

Kamal stopped and turned. “Is that right?”

“If this team has any shot of going to State, we need your leadership,” said Rodrigo.

“So now I’m not a leader, either? Is that what you’re saying?”

“I know this is about Justin,” said Rodrigo. “I know you don’t like the guy. But your jealousy for him is getting the better of you. It’s becoming ridiculous. It’s hurting the team.”

“I told you already,” said Kamal. “I’m not jealous.”

“And another thing,” said Rodrigo. “Just because you don’t like Justin doesn’t mean you have to be a jerk to me. I thought we were friends.”

“Me too,” said Kamal. “Before you started taking Justin’s side.”

“You know what? I’m done,” said Rodrigo. “I’m over this.” He walked toward the sideline, leaving Kamal standing alone.