Time had flowed silently. In Paul's life, these past three weeks... were not just an ordinary stretch of time. Every day, the same cycle repeated itself. Waking up in the early hours of the morning... standing up before the body had fully rested... the muscles reminding him of their existence with a slight ache... Then the way to school... lessons... and at the end of the day, never-ending training sessions.
Paul was pushing himself. Every day, he pushed his limits a bit further. His muscles were now more defined than before. His endurance had increased. But this came with a price: fatigue. Not just physical... but a mental exhaustion as well.
It was lunch break. The classroom was crowded. Laughter rose from one corner, while groups of friends chatted elsewhere. Students moved between desks... the sound of bags opening and closing... the clatter of plastic containers... everything was lively.
But not for Paul. In the middle of all this crowd... he had withdrawn into himself. He sat at his desk, his head buried in his arms. His limbs hung loosely at his sides, his body completely relaxed. It was as if someone had switched him off. Just a few more minutes... if only I could sleep a little longer... But he didn't even have time for that.
Faint footsteps approached. Slow... hesitant... It was Violet. When she saw him in this state, she paused. A slight worry appeared on her face. She reached out and touched Paul's shoulder gently.
"You look exhausted." Her voice was soft. "Are you okay?"
Paul didn't react immediately. It was as if her voice were coming from far away. Then, he slowly raised his head. His eyes turned to Violet. There were faint dark circles under his eyes. His gaze was heavy.
"Exhausted is an understatement, Violet." There was a hint of burnout in his voice. "I almost fainted while walking to school."
Violet laughed involuntarily. But it wasn't mocking; it was more of a natural reaction to a familiar situation. Then she smiled.
"It's lunchtime." She tilted her head slightly. "Would you like to eat together?"
Paul thought for a few seconds. Then he slowly stood up. His body was still heavy, but he liked the offer. "That would be great."
After standing up, he looked around the classroom. The noise... the crowd... it all bothered him. "But let's eat somewhere quiet." His eyes returned to Violet. "I can't stand noisy environments while eating."
Violet giggled. "You talk like an old man."
Paul looked at her with a blank expression. I am partially an old man... The thought lingered in his mind for a brief moment but didn't show on the outside.
Violet turned around, and Paul followed her. They walked through the corridors. With every step, the noise stayed behind. The sounds faded... the crowd thinned... and finally, they stepped out into an open area.
The school's football field. But they didn't go directly onto the field; they went to a small grassy slope on the opposite side. It wasn't large, but the grass was smooth and well-maintained. And most importantly... it was quiet. The wind gently rippled through the grass.
Paul's eyes drifted toward the pitch. He paused for a moment, looking with surprise. "Does this school have a football field?"
Violet was watching his reaction with a small sense of pride. "Do you like my surprise?"
Paul was still staring at the pitch. Then he smiled. "What made you think of eating while looking at a football field?"
But this answer... wasn't the one Violet expected. Her face dropped instantly. "Is that what I asked you?" She narrowed her eyes. "Do you like it or not?"
Paul turned his head toward her. There was a hint of amusement in his eyes. He smirked. "You chose a great spot for a football fanatic. So, yes, I like it very much."
Violet's face flushed. She looked away. "I'm glad you like it."
Paul sat on the grass. The coolness of the ground could be felt. Then he looked at Violet. "Sit down so we can eat."
Violet hesitated for a moment. "You... you've become quite the flirt."
Paul frowned. "A flirt?"
"Forget it." Violet sat down as well.
Understanding girls is so difficult... Paul thought to himself.
They both opened their lunchboxes. There was silence, but it wasn't uncomfortable. It was peaceful. After a while, Paul spoke.
"Something just occurred to me. If there's a football field, does this school have a football team too?"
Violet smiled. "I was waiting for you to ask that. Yes, there is a football team." A short pause. "But they're supposedly very bad. The other high schools don't even take our team seriously."
Paul thought for a moment. So they're very bad.
Violet looked at him. "What's wrong? Are you thinking of joining?"
Paul laughed. "Joining? Absolutely not."
Violet leaned forward. "Whhyyy? It could be a good starting point for you."
Paul looked at her and smiled. "I'm glad you're thinking of me." A short pause. "But I've already made my decision."
He slowly turned his head in another direction. His gaze drifted away from the pitch, as if he were escaping the image before his eyes. Actually, it was a good idea, but I still don't want to deal with high school football... The thought echoed heavily in his mind.
The football field was still there. Likewise, the opportunity was there. But for Paul, it wasn't just about playing. His past... was stopping him at this point.
Violet smiled. "Fair enough, I won't push you. The suggestion just popped into my head anyway..." She turned her head.
"If you're not busy tomorrow, would you come shopping with me?"
Violet was suddenly surprised. Paul put his hand on the back of his neck. "I need to buy cleats, and I didn't want to go alone..."
The expression on Violet's face changed. "Of course, I'll accompany you..." But her voice... was a bit different. As if there were other things she wasn't saying.