Chapter 8

As the sun dipped low in the sky, the air buzzed with anticipation. Spectators quickly filled the stands, their voices blending into a steady hum of excitement. Bailey took her seat among the crowd, her eyes fixed on the field below. 

“I pity him,” one of the cheerleaders suddenly chimed in, her voice cutting through the buzz of the crowd. She beckoned to the rest of the squad, her tone laced with certainty. “Ash is definitely going to pound the new guy

Bailey ignored her mates, she remained silent, her gaze unwavering as she watched Archie with hopeful anticipation.

On the field, Archie and Ash stood facing each other, both cladded in uniform. Their eyes locked in a fierce rivalry. Tension crackled in the air as they waited for the next whistle.

As the referee’s whistle pierced the air, the match sprang into action. Ash wasted no time, swiftly grabbing the ball and darting across the field with lightning speed. His teammates rallied around him, creating a wall of defense that Archie struggled to penetrate.

In no time, Ash dominated the field, scoring a point with ease. The scoreboard was flipped to reveal the newly earned score, leaving Archie in his wake. Ash pumped his fists in the air and the audience roared with cheers.

Ash’s sneer returned to his position, in front of his opponent. “Walk away before you make a joke out of yourself.” Ash’s lips twisted into a cruel smile as he taunted. “You obviously don’t belong here.”

His words cut deep, but Archie struggled to shake off the emotional blow. He rallied his teammates to the side. “Hey, I have an idea.”

“And we should listen to you, why?” Zac, one of his teammates shot him a venomous glare. “Just get off the field already, you cost us our last win.”

A pang of disappointment welled up within Archie. Maybe they were right; he shouldn’t bite more than he could chew. He might not be as good on the field as he thought, but he definitely wouldn’t make a joke of himself, not with Bailey watching him.

“You’re right” Archie sighed, his arms crossed over his chest. “Let’s make a deal.”

His teammates exchanged skeptical glances, waiting for his proposition. 

“If my plan fails, then I’ll never set foot on this field ever again.” Archie declared, his voice steady despite the weight of his words.

“And if you win?” another teammate pressed, a hint of impatience in his tone.

Archie’s mind raced, searching for leverage. “Then one of you must pants Ash,” he proposed, a mischievous glint in his eye.

“And I’m suddenly interested.” Another teammate, with blue highlights, chuckled. “Come on guys, let's hear him out.”

Reluctantly, Zac and the others squatted down as Archie unveiled his plan. 

The match resumed, Archie’s hopes of turning the tide were quickly dashed. Ash and his teammates intensified their efforts to bully and intimidate Archie, resorting to underhanded tactics to keep him from making any headway on the field. They shoved him aside, tripped him up, and laughed cruelly as they watched him struggle to keep up.

But despite the relentless onslaught, Archie refused to back down. With determination, he pushed through the frustration, rallying his teammates and leading them in a counterattack against Ash and his mates.

As the tension mounted and the crowd held its breath, with a burst of speed and agility, he broke through Ash’s defenses and scored a point.

The roar of the crowd enveloped the stadium, a symphony of support echoing through the air. With a playful grin, she blew him a kiss, and Archie chuckled as he caught it.

As the final whistle blew, Ash’s anger flared, fuelled by jealousy and frustration. In a desperate bid to regain control of the match, he lunged at Archie with reckless abandon.

Archie crashed to the ground and roughly bruised his knee. Ash took the advantage of the situation and grabbed the ball. With his teammates defending him, he approached the end zone. Archie’s spirit felt bruised, his knee throbbing with pain as he struggled to stand.

Zac extended a helping hand, a smirk playing on his lips. “Come on, nerd. Let’s wrap this up so I can pants Ash.”

Archie laughed softly. With Zach’s encouragement, he rose to his feet. “Can’t wait.”

With a burst of adrenaline, the blue team launched a daring counterattack. As Ash closed in on the goal, one of Archie’s teammates tackled him, reclaiming the ball with a fierce determination. Passing the ball to Archie, they rallied around him as he charged towards the goal with single-minded focus. 

Ash lunged at him, aiming to knock him down. With remarkable agility and determination, Archie swiftly launched the ball into the air, sending it soaring over the end zone. Tension gripped the crowd, as the ball sailed through the air and landed beyond the goal line.

The crowd erupted into a deafening roar of cheers and applause. Voices blended together in a cacophony of excitement, with loud chants of Archie’s name echoing throughout the stadium. 

Bailey, overcome with joy, dashed down the stairs and leaped into Archie’s arms, wrapping him in a tight congratulatory hug. 

Archie, equally elated, returned her gaze with a bright smile, his eyes sparkling with joy. 

But before they could revel in the moment, Bailey pulled away from his embrace, giving him an awkward nudge. “Not bad, newbie,” she teased.

“Archie,” Coach Davis plastered a smile to his face, for the first time that afternoon. He extended his hand to congratulate him. “Welcome to the team.”