Chapter 41: The Final Push

Monday brought another game, this time against the weakest team in their group. Linus felt a bit of extra pressure, not only because of the match itself but because it was scheduled on a school day. The timing made it harder to focus during classes, with a constant hum of nerves in the back of his mind. 

He hadn't expected to feel this way, but with the game so close, he found himself rushing through the day, barely able to think of much else. And, of course, he couldn't help but hope—just a little—that maybe today would be his chance to finally step up and play.

After the last bell rang, Linus rushed home, hastily changing into his uniform and barely managing to grab a quick snack. He checked the time repeatedly, calculating how fast he needed to move to make it on time. The whole process was a bit frantic, and as he jogged out the door, he felt the weight of both the game and the long day hanging over him.