Offside Goal

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Fellipe came from the school and he got his lunch in two minutes…Then, he got the soccer ball and ran in to the street, where they play soccer with his mates.  That’s how days are going for Felippe. He was just 18. He loved soccer more than his life.  All day long, he played & played without paying much attention to any other work.

She was a girl, named  Larissa who was in her late teens like him.  Every day she was passing the street where Fellipe played football. Most of the time, Larissa glanced at Fellipe, when she was going through. But, Fellipe never showed any interest on her because he got only a  “Soccer ball” in his mind!

One day, as usual Fellipe and his friends were playing football. They were practicing targets on the net. Each time before they kick the ball to the target, they bet on something, with each other. Fellipe kicked almost every time right to the targets and won the bets. They were enjoying this game very much. Suddenly…one of Fellipe’s friends saw that Larissa was going across the play ground. Then he shouted…

“Hey Fellipe…I bet this time you can’t hit the target number 3?"

“I always win dude…any bet?”

“Any bet? hahaha ....How about a kiss on the cheek of that girl…huh?....if you loose.. you should kiss the girl”

Felippe didn’t think twice…he didn’t care what his friend told, even he didn’t see the girl…he was pretty sure he was going to hit the target…then he said…

“Piece of cake....Friend...…I’ll kiss anyone ….and look at this…dude…right to the target”

And he kicked.

But…He missed the target…his friends were delighted…and shouted to kiss the girl.

Fellipe…Fellipe... Fellipe

He couldn't even think what was happening around him. He was blushing but he couldn’t refuse the bet in front his friends as a man and he got his pride with it. He didn’t think again…he ran directly to Larissa and kissed her lips.

Poor Larissa didn’t know anything about this, slapped his face angrily. All the friends laughed at Fellipe. He felt guilty and shame about what he did to this young girl, right on the middle of the street.

“Sorry…miss…I’m really sorry”  He said

“You retarded Soccer maniac…go away…idiot”

Again all his friends laughed at him…but Fellipe felt so guilty and embarassed. He went straight away to home. He didn’t come to play soccer for weeks. His friends thought that he might not come due to the shame. So, they thought it might take some time to get back Fellipe to play soccer. But Larissa kept walking across the street as usual.

But…Felippe’s world was turning up side down in his mind, since that incident. He couldn’t stop thinking about Larissa. Her Lips, the scent of her hair mixed with the sweat, her eyes, and her round face. He kept on thinking about her each and every passing minute. He didn't want the soccer ball anymore. 

Though, Larissa went across  the street for last few months, he never noticed her until that day. Because his entire world was soccer. He realized  what a girl can do for boy's life. He spent the days sadly without seeing her. Several times, he wanted to see her. But, he felt so guilty to face her again. Most of the time, he cursed himself, for not seeing her before this tragic incident. 

 

After thinking several days, one day he decided to go and meet her  to tell how much he suffered after the incident and that he truly wanted to apologize. He met her on the street accidently and apologized for what he did on the other day.

But she kept saying that…

“You know…Retarded moron...I know your type…you people  think that girls are objects........No ...no....rather…betting objects, huh? …go away from me”

Fellipe confessed :

“Look…Miss…its really a tragic incident…but I’m not the type of guy you think, I never wanted to do so... I just did what my friends asked me to do, I was fascinated by the game, but when I realize what I did, I regretted. I didn’t take you as a object…please try to understand what I’m saying here”

“You know Soccer maniac, I don't have time to waste here talking rubbish…please go away from me, I don’t need your excuses…you  go & play with your ball instead…now go..Idiot”

“I don’t know even your name… before I kiss you… I didn’t know really whether you existed. But about one thing..... you may be right…Yeah…I’m a maniac…but not anymore about the soccer….about you. Since the day that I kissed you…my world is you”

Fellipe looked in to Larissa's eyes with tearful eyes, then went away from her…. She couldn’t understand what she heard. She blushed.

Time passed by, after 3 months; Fellipe came to play again.  Larissa continued to walk passing the “Soccer Street” to her school. But Larissa never glanced at Fellipe. When she passed Fellipe stopped to play to look at her, until she disappeared from his eye sight. 

Ten months later, Fellipe got a scholarship to go to another school in Buenos Aires.

One last time, he thought to talk to Larissa. So, he met her by the road.

“Larissa…I know…you hate me alot. But its fine…because…totally …it’s my fault. On the other hand, I love it too. Without happening that, I never knew that I also had feelings of love, inside me. I knew only about soccer, until that day. Not only that, I met a girl who could inspire my whole life with feelings. Feelings are enough, to make me a different man. But…it’s so sad…that very same girl cannot forgive me, for my stupid work. Still I hope, you may forgive me one day”

Larisa was just listening to his words, then she uttered.

“You don’t have any idea, how a girl feels, when a strange guy kisses her in front of a bunch of people, right on the middle of a road…just for a crazy betting  And then…all the people laughed at me. Do you now how I feel it...huh?

“Larissa…I know it’s a painful for a girl’s dignity. I know it’s not ethical. That’s why, even after one year, still I’m after you.”

"After me?....after me for what?.... apologizing?"

"Not only that Larissa....I ...I'm in love with you"

“Ah…it’s mean you going to justify it, by loving me…even worse…how dare you?”

“No…Larissa…no way…I never justify that…I…apologize for what I did…but my love about you is… totally different than that."

She didn't tell anything...she just looked away..and Fellipe kept on talking...

 “Larissa…I leave for Buenos Aires next year for my Football scholarsip . We may never meet again like this. I don’t have any reason to stay here. But, it doesn’t mean I’m gonna say good bye to you… you will remain in my heart forever with all my love and the first kiss that I made upon my true love.”

She just sighed and then parted her lips to say something. He didn’t have more to say. He sadly moved away from her, to cross the road. He didn’t see a truck was coming on the road.
Larissa screamed 

Fellipe….

He just turned his head towards Larissa....

“Fellippe…I Love….”

He could listen to the rest…in a blink of an eye…He was under the truck…warm blood was flowing on the road!

Larissa ran up to him… crying  fell upon him embracing his body.  

By - Manu Fernando