The Ball Behind the Love of the Court
117. Meet Ana

We who walk for a while are tired and choose to rest in the room. What about those who are cool on vacation and play around with the rides there, must be very tiring.

"Ohh, so tired" I threw myself on the bed.

It feels really tired and crumpled. But fatigue has been paid for by some of the gifts I bought for my family and my best friend.

"Yes really tired" Ira also threw herself beside me.

"Where I am, I'm not tired"

"Because you're in a wheelchair" Ketusku with Ira who answered together.

Obviously Ani wasn't tired. Because we roamed around with our feet while he rode around in a wheelchair. One of my friends who did not corsa because he was riding in a wheelchair alone. We should ride in three to carry the burden together.

"Eh dally. It seems like there is something new" said Ani like seeing something that will be his chatter and rather I smell the gossip.

"Apaan" I asked while still laying down.

"Tuuu" The two of them looked at me with probing gazes.

I was confused by their eyes. I'm self-introspective afraid there's a mistake in dressing. Looking at my whole body from the tip of my foot to the tip of my head. But nothing seems strange, maybe their eyes are strange.

"The necklace of all who are" finally their head thrashed when they saw the necklace that binds to my neck.

"This, from my friend" I told you a little bit that this is a necklace from David as a sign of friendship.

But they didn't believe me and mocked me, saying that if a man had given me a sign like a necklace or a ring then he would declare his love seriously.

David declares love, but only by letter. I didn't know it was true love or a lie. Frightened that after returning to school, David would stay away from me again and come back with Adel.

"He gave this as a memory only. Krena he will do the selection of the national team" said I.

"Some of them liked you too. I thought you didn't do it" their tiger mouths now open again.

"Just son, the problem of behavior or no back business. Rather than you continue to speak dreadful words and the edges are cut off" the battle begins. Pillow wars are back. Fortunately Ani had her leg injured, otherwise she would have hit me first.

*Buk, buk*

"hahahah" Terikaan in our room that sounds clear to the outside.

This is what I like, there is no anger when each other is doing silly words. Each one of us would include that word as a joke. The word baper disappears because those who are with me will be ridiculous.

Tonight we have to sleep early to prepare for stamina tomorrow morning. Conducting training for the day after tomorrow's forthcoming semi-final match.

Whatever happens you have to find a place to sit on the final bench and win the championship. A pride desired by all players to get the victory cup.

The training ground

"Let's get excited, look it pay attention" a typical shout in our ears while doing the exercises. The shout did not make us hurt but rather made us more eager to train.

"Your kicks don't bounce too much, try to be on target at your friend's feet" he shouted on the sidelines. We learned from yesterday's mistake of taking too many sky kicks.

An unguided kick can be detrimental to the team and will be advantageous to the opponent. Moreover, faced opponents have a high posture, they will easily get the ball.

"You have to be brave to run without the ball. Not only in front, but also in the back line when receiving the ball and doing a sharper stab" the direction given every finished afternoon training.

"Each coach" we continue to listen to the instructions given. Great players are those who listen to the coach well, not against him. Unless the coach made a bad mistake.

Only a few coaches make bad mistakes. The rest of them are good fathers on the field or off the field. No father wants to kill his own son, although there are still 1 in 1000.

"Today's training is over. Hopefully tomorrow in the game you can play better"

"Every coach" today's training is done. This morning we learned how to play the opponent we will face, this afternoon we practiced tactics.

So there is no reason if we are not ready for tomorrow's game. Whatever path we must take with passion and prayer. May tomorrow be the day that brings a smile back.

Night

"Hmmm, it seems like the night wind is not good for you. Let's go in" I saw Ani who was looking at the moon. I'm afraid the night wind is seeping in her body that's gonna make her sick.

"I need calm" Ani refused to come in. I understand his current condition, he must be very sad because he cannot defend his team.

"You know the ball, right?" Ani nodded as I tried to comfort her.

"He will keep rolling, not always he will be below or above. Likewise with me, not always the foot is silent or kicking. He'll be spinning at the right time"

Ani smiled at me, I was happy to see her smile back then I added some parables to cheer her up. Indeed his heart was chaotic because he could not defend his favorite team in the final game.

"Try looking at the moon, she doesn't shine forever. Sometimes it is dim if a storm comes. Then he will shine again greeted by the stars that gush in the sky" I said again.

"True, the moon is not forever intact. At least the moon's still there and it's not disappearing completely, is it?" Ani nodded back with my words.

I hugged her tightly to give her spirit, that in this world nothing is impossible. And for today's thing isn't forever to be today. Because there's still tomorrow, the day after tomorrow and the enemy.

Never assume the world will stop when you are not okay. Because the world isn't exactly as cruel as you think. The world will revolve according to almighty commandments.

"Let's go in" I brought Ani into the room and helped her to sleep on the bed. This time it was my turn to sleep downstairs. It feels very calm here, because when I cry no one hears it.

I am great when I give encouragement to others. But the mystery is that I am a fool who sometimes is unable to encourage myself when the heart is in turmoil.

"Maybe it's life, but I'm sure that life is not always against my will" I muttered as I stared at the ceiling.

I was weak when my heart broke, losing the direction that once made me become unable to control my emotions. It doesn't even feel like it can get out of the gates of the cruelty of the world.

But know that a comfortable place to lean is to raise your hands pleading with the owner of nature. Asking accompanied complain to him that can give all the way out.

Match

"Let's pray that today's game goes well" a prayer must be made while we are in the dressing room and will be out for the match today.

"Done"

"Alhamdulillah "

"Yeeyyyy" shouts of spirit always came out as a sign that we were ready for anything this time.

Our team prepared to enter the field and compete. At first this match was normal, but my doubts this time were answered about the players I seemed to know while watching their match yesterday due to his lack of clear face in the monitor spectacle.

"Ana" I muttered as we made a friendly before the game started. He did a sneaky smile to me.

Right, she was Ana who had been a senior in one school. It turned out that after moving out of our school, he was at an out-of-town school by getting back into the football team.

"It turns out he was right son. My eyes were not wrong, and now all the questions in my brain were answered" I murmured inwardly as I looked at Ana who would be my opponent.

It seems that after dropping out of school, he moved to play outside the city. Or maybe he went to school out of town and moved here to cover up his crimes.

This time I have to play carefully. Because I know that kids will play hard. Moreover, he looked at me sharply as if his eyes were talking that he would avenge.

*prittt*a long whistle sounded as a sign the first round of play has begun. This time the captain is Rika. Coach Jaka also did a small shake-up in midfield. Because Ani who became our mainstay player is currently injured.

"Heyyy" Shouts coach Jaka always sounded out loud with the style of instruction through hand gestures.

I need to be able to run fast doing up and down to help the defense and attack the team. There are no tired words because we will not underestimate any opponent.

The match was very fierce, this time Ana occupied the attacking position. His position is different than before. When we were together on the school team, he was a defender just like me. But this time he changed everything.

"Focus, chase the number 3 key" Shouted Coach Jaka from the side of the field.

Number 3 is Ana. I continued to chase after him and would not let him into my defensive area and escape easily.

"You think you can catch up to me, it's not that easy as ferguso" Ana's arrogance came back out and continued to jerk with a never-changing style.

I'd better be quiet and I'll show you that there's no giving up or hard. There is only chasing and saying the ball.

*bluk* I managed to snatch the ball from Ana. I kept running towards the front and trying to aim for a teammate who was ready to receive the ball. This time they dare to run without the ball.

*bluk* seems to be on target. But it turned out that the finishing kick could not be done well so that caused the ball to miss next to the crossbar.

"It's just that your bait is sweet, but your partner is wry" Ana always provokes me.

It seems like he deliberately made me angry and was rewarded with a yellow card. This time I will hold back my emotions in order to do a good match. Will not make the mistake of rewarding a yellow card for nothing.

I run back and prepare to get the ball in place of defense or chase and take it running forward. The ball falls at the feet of the opponent.

Ana continued to curl and run towards me. I can't stop her this time because her trick is so pretty. Ana's game continues to grow rapidly, but I have to stay focused in order to block it.

*bluk*

"Gollll" Ana got past me. He performs excellent execution so as to produce goals. The current provisional score is 1-0. Temporary defeat for our team.

"Let's Key focus, you can" I muttered to encourage myself.

"Let's be excited, time is long" Coach Jaka shouted off the field to make the spirit inside me grow again. Let me fail this time to prevent Ana, but see later I'll keep on clutching her.

"You won't be able to prevent me, this time you're a dreg player" Ana kept mocking me with dirty words from her mouth. It turns out he hasn't changed in the past. His mouth kept on insinuating a very bad word.

I looked at Ani who was watching on the bench. I promised him that this team had to win and made Ani feel the victory as well. I won't let Ani watch with disappointment.

I admit their game is very beautiful and good, their attack is also disciplined with the tactics they have. The back player did his job well too. No one exited the arena too far from the white dot.

"I have to be able to read their style of play, and don't let me make mistakes again" I followed the game, and also followed the coach's instructions well.

Very tight defense makes us have to be satisfied with the results of the first round match with the score while 1-0. I am angry at myself for not being able to do my best in this round.

"Look, you lost, didn't you? Hence so that elite player don't be like trash" Ana again provoked me after the long whistle at the end of the round one match was blown.

"What does that mean" I clenched my hands in annoyance. My eyes are staring at him. My heart was ready to hit him hard in the face.

"Key" Ira came and soaked my anger that had soared because of Ana's insults earlier. .

We entered with faces bowed inside the dressing room. The lethargic face of swallowing defeat. They are too late in grief. So do I who still think about Ana's babble.

I must not give up and Ana's rant is a motivation so that I can rise from a terrible failure. His ridicule will soon be a round of applause.