As the night grows darker, Jayson leans back on the grass and gazes up at the dark sky. When he was younger, he believed that after death, people transform into stars and join the ocean of never-ending sky.

A tear fell down his cheek, and he smirked, “I hate it; the fucking science ruined my imagination. Dad, I can’t find you among these fucking twinkling stars. The first is scientific, and the second is how I would know which of these millions of gleaming diamonds you are.” He took his phone from his pocket and kissed the screen wallpaper, which was a photo of his family.

Jayson is so preoccupied with his sorrow that he fails to show up for tonight’s football game. On the other hand, his best friend, Blake Lama, is searching for him all over the place. Blake enters the house and inquires about Jayson. “Hello, Aunty, where is Jayson?” He immediately went upstairs to check on his room, but he was nowhere to be found.

“I think he is in the garden.” Mrs. Soni informs him as she walks out of the kitchen, carrying a bowl full of rice balls.

“Oh, okay.” Blake nods and steps out of the kitchen, holding a rice ball in his hand. He tried to contact Jayson again, but Jayson had already set his phone to flight mode. This isn’t anything new for Blake; Jayson does it all the time when he doesn’t want someone to contact him.

When he walks into the yard, his gaze is drawn to Jayson, who is lying on the lawn and staring up at the sky like a creep. When Blake approached Jayson, he saw the bottle of alcohol.

“I know you’re a jerk, but how could you have forgotten about this tournament?” Why the hell is your phone in flight mode, Jay?” Blake takes a drink from the bottle twice.

Jayson laughs as he looks at Blake. He considers it a blessing to have a friend like Blake in this selfish world. He notices Blake in a casual blue track pant and yellow T-shirt; his hair is damp with sweat, and his handsome face is looking pale from running, he thinks. While his body looks perfectly fit, his height is an inch shorter than Jayson’s.

Blake is Jayson’s best friend, from kindergarten to college, and he is the only one who is still there for him through thick and thin. Blake is in Jayson’s life in the same way as Aarav is. “Stop stealing my drinks, you fucker,” Jayson says as he snatches the bottle from his grasp as they both chuckle.

“What’s the matter with you?” Blake asks, leaning back on the lawn and inhaling the cool, fresh air.

“There is something missing...” Jayson almost whispers as he raises his puffy eyes to the stars.

“He is always with you, Jay,” Blake says, trying to comfort him like he always does.

“At the very least, for God’s sake, change your dialogues now,” Jayson stands, taking his hand as a support.

“How about some practice, man?” Tomorrow is our last match.” Blake stands behind him as they head out of the garden.

“Shut the fuck up; I need to sleep. So get your ass out of my house or go to your room. Just don’t eat my head.” Jayson enters his room with a middle finger and closes the door on Blake’s face with a devil’s smile.

The next morning, after completing his grooming regimen, Jayson finishes his workout routine, which he never skips. He has formulated his plans in such a way that he would keep the top 11 players on the field and the other 5 in reserve.

As captain, he does not want to overlook any specifics, so he has already settled on each of their positions after consulting with the team last week. Jayson enters the playground and then joins his squad for the first three rounds of racing, exchanging smiles as they pass each other, but Blake has yet to arrive. They finish one more walk after running and begin their simple workout from head to toe.

The opposing team has already arrived, so everyone is taking a 20-minute pause before the game starts. Finally, Blake steps onto the ground, and Jayson anticipates a very valid excuse for his tardiness.

“Wait! Because of you, I had a hangover the other night. Stop looking at me in that way.” Blake stretches his back and looks around.

“I’ll see you after the game...” Jayson runs to the other side of the street for a quick sprint.

When the game begins, three officials are already on the court. Jayson is on Team A. As captain, Jayson leads the way and takes a step into the queue, while the rest of the team forms a line behind him, and the audience cheers. Since it is a college competition, the stadium is packed, and everybody is cheering loudly for Jayson in the stands, particularly the girls.

Jayson, who is standing on the grass, looks at Blake, who is giving a thumbs up while staying off the field. Team B arrived at the same time and formed a circle. When the toss starts, team A wins, and Jayson opts for the field rather than the start.

It’s a 25-minute game that consists of 10 minutes of play, 5 minutes of rest, and 10 minutes of play. Team B has already scored one goal when the game begins. Jayson is now strategizing how to use the one extra goal to cover this mess. Time is running out and the match is in the passing process when one of team B’s players gets a hand in D and team A gets the penalty shot.

Jayson doesn’t want to take any chances at this moment, so he tries to play this one last shot by himself, so the opposing team can’t block his shot anymore. The goalkeeper misses his target when he kicks, and the match is now tied.

However, the game is not over when both teams’ goals are equal. The match will once again begin in the middle. They were given a 5-minute break after a few passing rounds.

The result is currently 1-1 for Team A and 1-1 for Team B.

Team A begins the match and the passing game begins, while Team B gives their all. Jayson is encouraging his player to keep defending well and to keep the momentum going. Team B passes the ball to each other and reaches out to the defender, but he protects it somehow and passes the ball straight to Jayson.

Jayson manages to play with his forward player and finally scores an impressive goal, to which the crowd applauds as the goal is completed and the timer runs out. Team A wins the match with a score of 2 to 1 against Team B. Jayson exclaims in delight as he stands in the middle of the playground, and both teams shake hands before leaving the playground.

Jayson removes his t-shirt and comes out of the ground, hugging Blake tightly. “You know, we fucking did it. I completed it.” Jayson cries, excitedly petting Blake’s shoulder.

“Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes! I knew it; we have the best players, you did an excellent job, and it was a fucking crazy game.” Blake says this while running his hands through Jayson’s damp hair.

The anchor declares Team A the champions and welcomes them to the scene. Jayson was named man of the match, and the fans applauded him. It was a happy moment for him as well. Team A hood in sync when holding the trophy, Blake photographs them and posts it on social media.

Hello Reader,

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