[HEY GUYS. IT'S BEEN A WHILE BUT I'M BACK. PLS HELP SUPPORT MY BOOK IF YOU LIKE THE NOVEL. DON'T FORGET TO CRITICIZE AND LET YOUR IDEAS KNOWN]
"He's through on goal if he can just escape the hauler!"
"He's going to sho—"
"No, he doesn't!"
"He cuts inside... fake shot... another fake shot... nutmeg... and GOAL!"
"Wonder Feet Samba has returned to the Elite Frontiership!"
The television clicked off.
Its viewer stood up, still wrapped in a towel, carrying an empty snack packet to the trash.
After throwing it away, he returned to his couch, surrounded by fashion magazines, and unlocked his phone.
"Wonder Feet is back..."
"I can't wait to meet you again."
The mysterious young man chuckled.
THREE DAYS LATER
Samba arrived at I.Land Stadium for training.
Kibb arrived shortly after.
"Feeling better now?" Samba asked.
"I guess so."
"You know," Samba smiled, "I used to be just like you."
"I'd beat myself up over every mistake."
"I'd get depressed after every loss."
"But eventually I realized something."
"You don't have to torture yourself."
"You just have to learn from your mistakes..."
"...and keep persevering."
"Wonder Feet!"
Alexis called out.
"Haven't heard that nickname in years."
"Wonder Feet?" Kibb asked.
"What's that?"
"Me," Samba answered, scratching the back of his head awkwardly.
"You?"
Kibb blinked in surprise.
"When Samba first broke into professional football," Alexis explained, "he was one of the youngest dribblers in the Elite Frontiership. People couldn't stop talking about him."
"That isn't exactly how it happened," Samba interrupted with a grin.
"It was the commentator who came up with it."
He pulled out his phone.
"Here."
The old match highlights began playing.
"It's a corner for I.Land."
"Gin clears the cross!"
"No... Lopez miscues the clearance!"
"It falls to Samba!"
"He's already under pressure."
"Can he get away?"
"Oh my goodness!"
"He's beaten his marker!"
"Another defender closes in!"
"Step-over!"
"He's through!"
"I.Land's left winger is leading the counterattack!"
Kibb watched in amazement.
"Wasn't he a defender back then?"
"He's still going!"
"About to be tackled..."
"No!"
"He chops past another!"
"It's Samba!"
"Still Samba!"
"Samba!"
"SAMBA!"
The young prodigy fired the ball into the back of the net.
"Truly magnificent!"
"A prodigy in our midst!"
"He truly is... Wonder Feet!"
"There."
Samba locked his phone.
"That's how the nickname started."
"And after yesterday's goal..."
"I guess people have started using it again."
"What year was that?" Kibb asked.
Samba paused.
"Hm..."
"About five years ago."
Kibb stared.
"Wait..."
"How old are you?"
"Twenty-three."
Samba smiled.
"What?"
Alexis laughed.
"Most of us are over twenty."
"Why are you so surprised?"
"It's just..."
"I'm only seventeen."
"Turning eighteen."
"Well," Alexis shrugged.
"That's usually when professional careers begin."
"Come to think of it..."
"You, Jolar, Dogo, and Riley are probably the youngest players on this team."
"How old is Riley?"
"Nineteen."
A sarcastic cough echoed nearby.
The security guard had been watching the whole time.
"Aren't you boys supposed to be training?"
"Oh!"
"Right!"
"The pitch!"
The group hurried away.
Training soon began.
Around three in the afternoon, Kibb walked over for a drink.
As he refreshed himself, his eyes drifted toward Samba.
Andol called for the ball.
Samba passed it.
Immediately, he burst forward.
Andol returned the ball with a lofted cross.
Samba killed it with his first touch.
Riley rushed him.
An elastico sent Riley the wrong way.
Jolar stepped up.
Samba shifted his body left before exploding to the right.
Jolar was beaten.
Shroder closed him down.
Another body feint.
Gone.
Michael sprinted back to help.
He lunged for the tackle.
Samba chopped the ball past him.
Jolar slid desperately.
Samba chipped the ball over him.
Only Dogo remained.
The goalkeeper charged.
Samba bounced the ball into space...
Rounded Dogo...
...and calmly rolled it into the empty net.
Silence.
Then...
Cheers erupted across the training ground.
"Man..."
"I think I understand why they call him Wonder Feet."
Kibb couldn't hide his admiration.
"This guy's incredible."
His smile slowly faded.
"I was once like you."
Samba's words echoed inside his mind.
"How could someone like him ever have been like me?"
"He's stronger."
"Faster."
"A better passer."
"A better dribbler."
"He earned a nickname at seventeen."
Kibb looked down at his own boots.
"I'm just a rookie defender..."
He smiled faintly.
"...who happened to score one bicycle kick."
SEVERAL DAYS LATER
MATCHDAY TWO
I.Land FC vs FC Comoa