Soccer System: All the Skills, One Player!

A teacher in a suit, black hair and glasses took a few steps forward, straightening his glasses and clearing his throat before speaking into the microphone.

"Good morning, everyone. Welcome to another school year at the Seyek Institution." His voice reverberated through the gymnasium, echoing off the high walls. "To those of you who are returning, how nice to have you back. To the new students, I hope you're ready for a year of brilliant discovery and learning."

Some students closest to the stage looked attentive, while others looked away, laughing discreetly.

"First, as usual, it is necessary to reiterate some of our rules and guidelines... It is essential that all students maintain respectful behavior towards both classmates and teachers. We are proud to say that the Seyek Institution stands out not only for its excellent academic results but also for the integrity of its students. This is an elite and respected institute throughout the UK, so remember that we expect collaboration, respect and maturity from every one of you."

At the mention of "respect and maturity", Lucas noticed the harsher tone, which made some students straighten their backs.

'That always works,' thought the teacher, smiling at the corner of his mouth and continuing. "Male students are strictly forbidden from entering the female changing rooms and dormitories, and vice versa. Any violation of these rules will be treated with due seriousness."

Lucas glanced at Raphael, who was holding back his laughter.

"In closing, I'd like to remind everyone that we will always keep our doors open for dialogue, and we are committed to providing the best possible school experience for each one of you. Now, without further ado, we have the honor of introducing one of our most talented students, a young woman who has already won several titles and who, with extraordinary effort, is on her way to representing England at the Olympics. Ladies and gentlemen, with you, Lucy Griffin!"

A wave of murmurs took over the crowd. Lucas raised his eyebrows in surprise, as he had messaged Lucy the day before and she had said nothing about making a speech.

As Lucy climbed the steps, she straightened the papers in her hands and glanced around the crowd, maintaining a secure and unflappable posture.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Good morning, everyone. For those of you who don't know me, I'm Lucy Griffin, a sophomore. I'm here today to share a little about the challenges of being ambitious in an idle world."

It was unusual to hear a fellow student speak so openly about something that required courage and self-confidence, so more people paid attention.

"We all have dreams, don't we? Maybe you want to be great professionals, top athletes or maybe even brilliant scientists to be in this great institute. But what prevents us from achieving these dreams? It's usually fear. Fear of failure. Fear of stepping out of the ordinary and standing out, because when you stand out, you become the target of criticism."

Lucy gave a discreet smile when she realized she had captured the attention of a good part of the audience.

"I want to tell you that fear is just a stage. We need to embrace the idea that it's not wrong to want more, to dream bigger and to seek something greater for our lives. Challenges are there to be overcome. And if I can be here today, one step away from representing our country, it's because I didn't let fear define me."

The murmurs among the students had ceased.

"The road to where I am now hasn't been easy," Lucy admitted with a serious look on her face. "I've faced suspicious looks, discouraging words, and even my insecurity. But, in the end, what matters is how we choose to respond to these challenges. So if I can leave you with one message today, it's this: don't let anyone dim the shine of your dreams. Remember that we are the ones who define what we want to be. And that even if the world chooses idleness, we choose action."

Lucy's sentences were short, but they dug deep into the chest of every teenager in that gymnasium. It was the kind of sentence that reminded them that dedication would pay off.

Lucas applauded along with the others, admiring Lucy's strength. As soon as the speech was over, the teacher in the suit returned to the microphone to thank them and end the brief ceremony. The students rose, forming a sea of excited voices and hurried footsteps. The gymnasium gradually emptied, and most headed towards the main building, where the first classes of the year awaited them.

Lucas and Raphael walked side by side, chatting. As they entered the main corridor of the building, they passed the huge mural displaying the institute's achievements: academic awards, sports prizes and even outstanding social projects.

Raphael stopped to admire the portraits of some of the soccer stars who studied there. As he was English, he knew everyone in the picture, but Lucas didn't know any of them.

"In a few years' time, we'll have a picture like that here," he muttered with an ambitious smile.

Lucas laughed and nodded, agreeing with his friend. Soon, they arrived at the designated classroom. The environment was unlike anything he had imagined: each desk was modern, with a small tablet embedded in the surface and ergonomic chairs, giving the room a futuristic feel. Interactive screens filled the walls, and there was a lighting system that adjusted the intensity according to the natural light from the windows. Unlike the large classes Lucas knew in Japan, the room held a maximum of twenty-five students.

Raphael and Lucas walked to the back of the room, where they chose two chairs. Raphael settled down, stretching out his legs.

Lucas observed the details of the place with admiration. Everything from the built-in tablet to the ceiling projector that almost disappeared into the room was impressive. However, while Lucas was still exploring the resources on the screen in front of him, he was interrupted when he noticed some girls whispering excitedly towards the opposite corner of the room.

Sitting at one desk near the window was a black-haired boy with a lock of red hair. Lucas, of course, recognized him as Hillebrand Graumans, one of the boys on the shortlist. Judging by the girls' whispers, his athletic build and mysterious expression made him seem almost magazine-like.

Lucas was amused by the fuss the boy was causing, while some girls tried to disguise their interest and Raphael was jealous that he was also a Brighton player and didn't get all the attention from the girls.

"Calm down, calm down, man. You've got Samantha, haven't you?" Lucas tried to comfort him.

"Samantha? Well, she didn't answer any of the messages I sent her after that day at the mall."

"Eh... how cruel."

Lucas, bored while waiting for the teacher, picked up his cell phone to take a quick look at the messages. Just then, a message arrived.

[L <3: Did you like the speech?]

Lucas lifted his gaze and looked at Lucy, who was a few desks ahead. They had coincidentally fallen into the same room. Lucy's head was slightly turned towards him and she had a discreet smile on her lips, knowing that he was reading the message.