I picked the far corner in the locker room and started changing my clothes. With changing clothes, I meant turning my actual clothes into sportswear. It went like this, I took off a piece of clothing and put it in my pocket, then I turned it into a suitable sports clothes inside my rucksack, then I pulled it out of my pocket and placed it on the bench next to it.

The whole thing went on several times until I had a complete set of sportswear. I started putting on the clothes when someone spoke to me from behind.

“Siana, what is this?”

It was Michelle’s voice. I felt something touch my neck.

“Wah!”

I winced and turned around.

“P-Please don’t touch it.”

I covered the dragon symbol on my neck with my hair.

“Was that a tattoo?”

“...Maybe, I guess it’s a symbol of my descent as Dra… Oh! Yes, it’s a tattoo.”

Oops! I was in SW mode...

“Huh? And what about your shoulder?”

It was one of the twins, Tina, who showed up next to me and pointed on the scar on my shoulder.

“A scar, I had a small accident years ago.”

Without waiting, I pulled the sport’s top over and covered the scar.

“Can we go?”

Nicole came to the second row and asked the three of us.

“Please!”

I fled to her and didn’t allow any further questions, whether about my scar or my dragon symbol. In the game, I couldn’t see my neck because of the hair, so I couldn’t tell if it was already there.

Michelle and Tina stayed behind because Nicole and I were on our way to the sports hall.

“I could also take a look at this scar, and I have to say that it is pretty bad for a small accident.”

Nicole had a worried tone of voice.

“You don’t have to worry. The wound has healed for several years, and there is no consequential damage or pain.”

“Then it’s good. Hehe.”

She grinned.

Our class gathered in the corner of the hall. The boys were already complete, and only three girls were missing.

“A new face.”

The teacher made big eyes because I stood there without a hood and stood out like a lighthouse on the sea.

“Yes, sir, my name is Siana.”

I introduced myself to the teacher, who was a relatively young teacher. I estimated him in his late twenties to early thirties.

“I am Simon Kram, so Herr Kram for you.”

He introduced himself briefly and turned back to the class since even the last ones had arrived.

“The sports teacher from the other school had asked me if we shouldn’t have a football tournament together. I told him that, in principle, I think the idea is great, but I would like to hear your opinion because not everyone is always keen to play football.”

With the last remark, he looked into the ranks of the girls. It was clear to me from the outset that this remark aimed at the girls, since we were in Germany, one of the craziest football countries in this world. If I were to summarize Germany in keywords, it would be cars and motorways, football, beer, and mediocre politics.

A couple of the girls made a sad face, but none of them said anything.

“Mr. Kram, I’m new, and personally have nothing against football, but wouldn’t it be possible for one-third of the hall to do something else for those who don’t want to play football? For example, volleyball or something?”

He nodded in agreement.

“You are right. I am changing my question, is there someone who would rather do something else?”

Aside from Tina, Michelle, Nicole, and me, the other girls raised their hands, while four of the fourteen boys did the same.

“All right, I’m going to talk to the other class teacher. I will oversee students who don’t want to play soccer.”

Our teacher went to the other side and spoke to the teacher.

“Hey, Siana, thanks!”

Sina, Tina’s twin, came to me and thanked me, unlike Tina, she looked somewhat awkward. The other girls also thanked, and even two of the four boys came and said thank you.

“Thank you very much, Siana. Oh, by the way, I’m Arne.”

“I’m Tom. Thanks.”

They both told me that they were athletes and were preparing for a tournament, and football is a contact sport, it would be far too risky to get injured.

Both teachers came over to us, with around ten students in tow, consisting of eight girls and two boys.

“So then, ladies and gentlemen who want to play football go with Mr. Sobiak.”

Mr. Kram pointed to the teacher next to him. He introduced himself again and led us to the other side of the hall. As we walked over, Mr. Kram started to release the partition from the ceiling.

*clap* *clap*

“Ok, everyone comes together.”

The teacher clapped his hands twice and let everyone together around.

“So we play in a tournament system, so we form 4 teams and to add the classes, we count from one to four and that until everyone has a number. Everyone with the same number is in the same team.”

Since the four of us stood together, we each had a different number. Nicole got the one, Michelle, the two and Tina the three. I came into team number four.

With my luck, the Sam-me also got number four.

“Ok, find yourself in the respective groups.”

There was a bustle before the groups got together. We were 29 students, so the team consisted of 7 people, except for Team 1, which had 8. In my team, whoever thought otherwise, was my other me.

I have bad karma, but it’s also my fault to have chosen football.

Besides me, there were two boys from my class on the team. From the other class, there were two boys and a girl, and the Sam-me.

“So, we meet again.”

My other me, Sam-me, came to me. He had tied his hair into a braid. His hoodie had to give way to a sports jersey and the frayed jeans to sports pants.

“I guess so.”

He nodded in satisfaction at my answer. I turned my head to the side and rolled my eyes.

“Ok, we should now decide how we position ourselves. Is there someone who wants to take the goalkeeper position?”

The constant question of “Who is going into the goal?”. I hated this question, and I hated having to go into the goal.

The group started to remain silent until one of the boys just put something in the room.

“Let one of the girls be the goalkeeper.”

I looked dark at the boy because I absolutely didn’t’ want to go into the goal and the girl next to me as well.

“I think for saying something like this, you should do the goalkeeper yourself.”

The Sam-me got involved and said what he thought. He gave me a quick look and grinned. The boy wanted to say something about it, but when he saw my gaze and that of the girl, he stopped and went silent.

“Ok, but only for one game!”

He gave in to some extent.

 

===

 

Our first game started.

*Pfft*

The teacher whistled, and the game started. The other team got the kickoff, the boys in the other group successfully managed to put Tina in the goal, she looked a bit lost and annoyed at the same time.

They played quick short passes with little pressure on the front. I take the chance to take the ball away when it jumped off one of the boys. My attack was successful, and I got the ball. I immediately played the football to a free teammate and made my way to the opposing goal.

Idiot!

I was standing in front of the goal, but the boy who had the ball didn’t’  t want to part with it and lost it to the opposing team. These made a quick counterattack and scored the 1-0.

The first time I thought, well, that’s what happens, but it happened over and over again. The boys in our team passed the ball between each other, but never to Saskia or me. I knew the girl’s name. After all, she had been my old classmate. I also knew that Saskia was in the handball club, which meant that she could handle the floor of the gym better than the boys who loved football.

The only person who passed us on from time to time was my Sam-me, but he played in the defense and therefore hadn’t’  t many chances to do so.

*Pfft*

The teacher ended the game.

The games so far have been as follows, Team 1 against Team 2, Team 2 won. Our match was Team 3 vs. Team 4, Team 3 won. The current game was Team 1 vs. Team 3, which meant we would face Team 2 next.

At least I could say that the first game had robbed me of any desire. I flexed onto one of the wooden benches and leaned back as I watched the play of Team 1 and 3.

“Boring, right?”

Saskia sat down next to me and spoke to me.

“Yep! If you’re not a team player, you shouldn’t play team sports.”

“So, true... So, true.”

She nodded as she said this. She turned to me.

“Saskia.”

She held her hand out to me. I took her hand and introduced myself.

“Siana.”

We both turned back to the game.

“You practice in a sports club, am I right?”

I already knew her answer.

“Yup, I ’m the captain of a handball team. How do you know that?”

I glanced at her, but she continued to look at the teams playing, so I looked back at the field as well.

“Your movement pattern. You have often chosen gaps or have fallen behind if necessary.”

She made a loud “Oh...” and then asked me something.

“If you are so knowledgeable, are you in a sports club as well?”

I shook my head.

“I just like to be calculating, and there is a lot more math in ball sports than it seems at first glance.”