Smash Soccer

Rivaldo could smell the fresh dew on the grass, the field itself untouched, as he and the other players took their first steps into the stadium. Using his hand as a visor to block the new day’s sun, he scanned the bleechers, and took in the roaring crowds. His fellow teammates were beaming, with large smiles on their face -- they were grateful to merely be there, to have this opportunity. Rivaldo did not yet share their joy.

He did not enjoy many opportunities in his life. His family was poor, and what education he had was barely sufficient to prepare him in the modern world. College was not an option. But the family was hungry, and Rivaldo eager to help, even if it meant unsavory means: as a young pre-teen, he caught red-handed, attempting to pickpocket a well-dressed man in a suit. Rivaldo still remembered feeling the thick textures of his pants as he reached in for a finely crafted leather wallet. But Rivaldo had no talent for thieving, and was caught by the would-be victim. He scolded Rivaldo, but ultimately let him go. The shame was enough to drive Rivaldo away from the crime-ridden path.

But after graduating from school, things were getting worse. Rivaldo’s sister had been diagnosed with a medical condition, one that their family couldn’t even afford to diagnose, much less treat. The paltry sums that Rivaldo could muster from a cashier job weren’t going to suffice. But Rivaldo was lucky in one sole respect: he had an unusual talent for soccer, and while dribbling a ball on his way home from the grocery store, a scout recruited him on the spot. This was his chance.

This game wasn’t a time for jovial antics, as far as Rivaldo was concerned. This was his chance to provide for his family, and not only that, but to get the care his sister dearly needed. Rivaldo took his position on the field, and braced himself: victory was coming. It had to.