Chapter Two

Alex and I leave the training center as the dome goes dark and the last car pulls away. The park is deserted this time of night. The lamp posts that line the path show us the way home.

“We’ve never lost to Port Peterson before.” Alex kicks a stone ahead of him. His voice is quiet. “We were unbeatable in the first half of the season. Top of the table. Now, four games into the spring season, we’re 1–1–2. Some captain I am.”

He always takes the blame, even at home. Oh, we win as a team. But if we lose, it’s all his fault. Part of being a keeper, I guess. Part of being the oldest, even if it’s only by ten months. Mom calls him Mr. Responsible.

Now he’s wearing the captain’s armband. But it’s not his fault Jonesy left. “Don’t beat yourself up, bro. You heard Coach. It’ll take us time to learn to play without Jonesy.”

Jonesy left just before spring season started. I heard about it first. I saw him leave Coach’s office with this goofy smile on his face. Like the prettiest girl in school had just grabbed him by the ears and kissed him.

“I just got the best news. I can’t believe it.” He blinked. “I’m going to Liverpool.”

“What are you talking about?” I said.

“Liverpool. They want to sign me. To play.” He laughed. “In England! I leave in a couple of weeks.”

Leaving? It felt like a soccer boot to the gut. Like when Mom and Dad split up.

“But—soccer! And—Liverpool? That’s…” That’s the Premier League. What every soccer player dreams about. I forced a smile. “That’s awesome, man. Congrats.”

We lost our captain, our top scorer and our best playmaker, all at once. Alex and I lost our best friend.

Hard to believe the world can turn on its head so fast.

I give Alex’s stone a kick. It clangs off a lamp post.

Alex takes everything so seriously. I wish he’d joke around like I do. Or get mad—that burns itself out.

Not Alex. He’d rather chew on it. So I look for a way to fill the silence. “When does our new striker arrive?”

“Late next week. He might make it to a practice. Definitely before our next game. Coach says he’s got a great shot.”

“See? He can be our secret weapon. When we meet Port Peterson again in June, we’ll crush them.”

“Deal.”

We seal it with a fist bump.

Good thing we’re almost home. My eye is throbbing.

“I’m going to pay that guy back for the elbow too. With interest.”

Alex looks over. “How is it?”

I touch the swelling with my fingertips and wince. “As big as a tennis ball. Probably twice as pretty.”

That makes him smile. “Better ice it again when we get in the door. So you don’t scare people.”

“Aye, Captain. But I’d rather get an eye patch. Go pirate. You know, in case the crew mutinies. Or the captain abandons ship.” I elbow him in the ribs. “‘Captain Jack’ has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?”

He laughs and elbows me back. “In your dreams. I’m not abandoning anyone.”

“Arr, matey. Ice it is then.”

I throw on a pot of pasta and flip open my laptop while it cooks. “So what do you know about the new guy?”

“Just his name—Gil Joseph.”

“That’s enough for Google.” I type it in pirate-style—holding a bag of frozen peas against my eye. “Check it out. He’s got his own YouTube channel.”

Alex leans over my shoulder, and I play the first video. It opens with a scrimmage.

“That must be him.” I point to a tall blond guy in a blue pinny. “He’s quick. Look at him deke their mids.”

When he crosses midfield, he chips the defender and races in on a breakaway. He sends the ball into the top corner. Goal!

“Ouch!” says Alex. “The keep didn’t have a chance.”

The video cuts to shot after shot. Alex and I put on phony Brit accents and pretend to be Premier League commentators.

“Here comes Joseph again. He’s charging down the wing.”

“He’s blazing hot tonight. Just looking for chances. Dangerous, giving him that much space.”

“The midfielder tries to keep him outside, but he can’t read him at all. A step-over, a lovely little touch and…”

“…he’s through! And a nice crisp pass to the middle. Then back to him.”

“He left-foots it and…”

The video ends with a beautiful penalty shot. We cheer like it’s Man U.

We grab our pasta, and Alex sits down across from me. He’s got a big grin on his face. “What a highlight reel!”

“He’s a one-man firing squad. Glad he’s on our side.”