Ngày đăng: 30/05/2024

 

 

Do you have any dreams that you want to make it happen? Follow Leon’s story and explore how his dream comes true.

 

 

***

“Clunk… clunk… clunk!” The irritating noise echoed as Leon kicked a can against a nearby wall. He was very angry but tried calming down by kicking something. Four times in one day, his classmates teased him because of his appearance and called him ‘Alien’. Poor Leon!

Leon was an 8-year-old kid born into a humble family. He was tall and slim with a dark complexion. His eyes were big and bright like the starry night sky. But his hunched posture and a big scar on his face made him stand out.

His scar was from a tragedy four years ago when a fire burned down his shabby house. His father tried his best until his last breath to save him from the fire. Despite a lasting scar on Leon’s face, he considered it a symbol of his father’s love. But sometimes, he was upset when this scary mark kept his classmates away.

He was not happy at school. But he loved his mother and never wanted her to know his negative feelings. His mother hoped that he could change his life by going to school. She worked very hard to earn a living. She took on many jobs, like waitressing in a restaurant, working at a gas station, and serving as a housemaid. Her days began at dawn and ended in the late hours of the night.

Today, she returned home exhausted as usual. But her face lighted up when she saw Leon studying. Leon was sitting at the kitchen table. It was the place for his family to have meals and gather together. Also, it was his studying corner.

Leon’s mom asked, “Why are you awake so late, my dear?”

When he saw his mom, he left his homework and ran toward her. His mom gave him a big, warm hug.

“Mom, you’re back!” He stopped for a while and said: “I’m sorry, Mom, I didn’t get the best score.” Leon showed his mom his test result; he got a B+.

“Wow, Leon, you did great! You studied really hard. I knew you could do it. I promise, next time, you’ll get an A+.” Mom praised him. But Leon knew that she just comforted him. He knew studying was not his strength, even if he tried his best. He wondered if there was another way to make his mom proud of him. Someday, he would figure it out.

 

**

In the classroom, a group of six kids was gathering and talking about their latest soccer match. They chatted and laughed. But their laughter stopped when a boy opened up to ask.

“How can we handle the next match without Harry? We need him to beat the other team in the competition next month,” the boy sadly said.

The other boys showed signs of worry. They kept whispering something seriously. These six kids were from Leon’s school soccer team. They were popular because they were energetic, strong, and skillful players. Because one of their members was injured, they had trouble finding a new one.

“Harry’s leg was broken. He needs at least two months to get better,” answered a large boy with a sharp haircut. His name was Dean. He was the team captain.

“Look, Dean,” a boy shifted his eyes toward Leon, sitting alone in the corner of the class. “What about Leon? I saw him kick stuff against the wall once. He aimed accurately. He has a good kick.”

“He’s as tall as Harry. Maybe he can replace Harry in the forward position,” another boy added.

“What are you talking about? Do you mean ‘Alien’? No way!” Dean replied. He was not interested in this idea at all.

The classroom size was not very large. Every student could hear the boys’ conversation, including Leon. Leon was sad to hear Dean’s answer. Leon often imagined himself standing in the middle of the field and playing soccer as a professional player. He could not ask his mother for a ball, so he often pretended to shoot a can as a ball. After school, Leon often sneaked to watch the team play soccer. He admired them greatly. Leon always wanted to play in Dean’s team. But Dean hated him. It was impossible. He even gave Leon the ugly nickname ‘Alien’.

 

**

“Quiet, class!”

Teacher Sean got in class along with Harry. It was a tall boy with blonde hair. Harry was the striker in Dean’s soccer team. What made him so special was his passion for soccer and his kindness.

Harry’s injury was quite serious; he fell off his bike on a slope. A local doctor treated his broken bones. But he needed time to heal. He begged his parents to go to class. They finally agreed, but they put Harry in a wheelchair.

Teacher Sean talked about Harry’s situation. He asked for other kids in class to support Harry. Because it was easier for Harry to move when he sat in the corner of the room, teacher Sam moved Harry’s seat next to Leon’s.

“Hi, Leon!” Harry smiled at Leon as he came. “Hi, Harry.” Leon was happy to have a friend at the same table for the first time. Harry was polite to Leon, which made Leon hope they could be close friends someday.

 

**

Leon was very helpful to Harry. He pushed Harry’s wheelchair around the school to anywhere Harry asked. With Leon’s support, Harry’s movement was more effortless. Harry felt grateful a lot.

“I wish I could get better soon. Two weeks in the wheelchair was awful,” Harry told Leon.

“You get better every day, Harry,” Leon comforted him.

“It’s nice of you to say so,” Harry continued, “I miss my team a lot, Leon.”

“Why don’t you come and watch them play, Harry? I can help you,” Leon suggested.

“Wow, that would be great. But how could I…”

Leon did not let Harry finish his words; he pushed Harry’s wheelchair toward the soccer playground.

On the green grass soccer field, there were six boys playing soccer. Leon could see from the far Dean showed off some cool moves. He was really good at dribbling the ball past the other team members. His pass was right on target.

The two boys stayed silent and observed the match for a while. Harry glanced at Leon and saw Leon’s eyes light up as he watched the other boys playing.

Suddenly, Harry asked, “Do you want to join them, Leon?”

“Are you kidding? I’ve wished to join them for a long time,” Leon smiled. Harry did not say anything. He was thinking something.

When it came to defending his goal, Dean used smart tricks to steal the ball from the other boy. Goal! He made a powerful shot. Leon couldn’t help but yell at Dean, “Awesome!” Dean was startled and turned around to see who had shouted.

“What are you guys doing here!” Dean yelled at Harry and Leon.

“Enjoy the soccer match!” Harry laughed and continued: “I also brought you a new member, Dean.”

Leon was shocked to hear when Dean looked at him. He thought for a while and smiled mysteriously.

“You can join my team if you can beat me and score one goal, Leon,” Dean yelled at Leon and winked at the other members. The other boys got Dean and smiled. That made Leon a bit worried.

Harry knew Dean well; he wasn’t that easy. Harry whispered to Leon, “You have a 50/50 chance of winning. Stay calm and focus on Dean’s weakness. Dean was overconfident.”

The two boys started their match. Dean was excellent. He played tricks on Leon many times. Leon could run fast, and he knew how to shoot accurately. But he was new to soccer and lacked techniques. Leon followed the ball and chased after Dean. Leon was in a desperate attempt to steal the ball. He became more and more exhausted.

“Give up, Leon. This isn’t your place,” Dean said, breathing heavily. His large body made him tired after two hours of running.

“You wish!” Leon yelled at Dean.

Dean knew Leon was not good at soccer skills. But he was amazed that Leon could prevent him from scoring. Dean hardly denied how strong and resilient Leon was.

 

 

As Dean was thinking, Leon stole the ball from him. Leon carried the ball as swiftly as the wind and ran toward Dean’s goalpost. Goal! A shot from Leon. 1-0 score in Leon’s favor.

Harry yelled in happiness, “Well done, Leon! I knew you could do it!”

The other boys witnessed the match and showed some respect for Leon. They came and grabbed Leon’s shoulders. “Welcome to our team!”

“Are you happy now, Harry? He embarrassed me!” Dean came over and said angrily to Harry.

“Dean, please listen to me. If you want our team to win the competition, accept him. You know he could be a part of us, don’t you,” Harry firmly said.

Dean didn’t say anything and left.

 

**

One and a half months left for Leon and his team to prepare for the competition. Teacher Sean and Harry became the coaches for the team. Though Dean did not like Leon with his team, he tried to play cool with Leon.

Leon knew exactly his weakness. He decided to practice hard. He learned how to control the ball and pass it to his teammates. Leon went to the field every day after school to practice with his team. He played soccer day and night.

He was always the last person who left the playground each day. His dedication inspired everyone, including Dean. Dean gradually accepted Leon as a teammate. The team then worked well together in many practice sessions.

 

**

The competition came on a Saturday morning. It was a beautiful day, and the soccer field was filled with excitement. Leon’s team and the rival clashed in a thrilling match.

When the referee blew the whistle and signaled the start of the game, Leon’s team rushed forward. They passed the ball skillfully between their players. The rival tried their best to defend their territory. What a fierce fight!

In the first half of the match, the game was intense. Leon weaved through the defense and fired a powerful shot at the goal. The rival’s goalkeeper leaped like a superhero to make a fantastic save. It was close!

Dean tried to steal the ball and controlled the midfield with precise passes. He sent a perfect through-ball to Leon. Leon then dribbled past the defenders and scored a fantastic goal. The crowd yelled joyfully as the score was 1-0 in favor of Leon’s team.

The second half started. Leon’s rival pressed forward relentlessly. The defender made a brilliant slide tackle to steal the ball. He passed the ball to the striker, who sent a curling cross into the penalty box. They scored!

The match was still burning in the final minutes. Both teams gave it their all, but the score remained tied at the end. It was a happy draw because each team had already showcased all their skills, teamwork, and determination.

Leon’s mother was so proud of him. She cried when she saw how her son made his dream come true. Though Leon and his team did not win the match, he caught a professional coach’s attention. When the coach knew about Leon’s humble life, he promised to sponsor him to study and play soccer in his team. Leon was so happy about it. From now on, he could be a professional soccer player as he had dreamed of for ages.

 

 

***

In life, some moments mark the beginning of a new chapter, offering us a chance to turn the page. Leon didn’t give up; his hard work earned him a spot on the soccer team. He inspired everyone to pursue their dreams. He showed us that if we persist, dreams can come true. So, what’s your dream? Let’s start following it today.

 

– The end –

 

Một số truyện ngắn khác trong dự án: Luyện viết cùng Moira

 

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