Blame Benjamin!

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• Everyone was getting their momentum.

• The excited soccer boys had a full adrenaline rush as the soccer practice progressed into a friendly match.

• We raced after the ball like a famished predator after its prey.

• The grassy patch was trampled all over as the thumping of shoes against the ground reverberated through the air.

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• The merciless rays of sun shone on us as we chased after the ball.

• Our jerseys were all soaked in perspiration

• We were playing soccer as our team captain, Joseph, wanted the team to practice for the upcoming National School Games

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• Just then, I, the weakest soccer player on the team, saw a chance to score.

• A sense of anxiety rushed through me.

• Everyone watched the spinning ball slice through the air, curve, and miss the goal by a hair’s breadth

• The rest of the players stifled their laughter and did not give me a second glance.

• George, the star striker of the team, mocked me, “Stop being a liability! I want the team to win the next match.”

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• The other players nodded in agreement.

• An inexplicable hot flush gushed through me.

• I was embarrassed, and a part of me felt disappointed by my team’s behaviour

• Just then, I received a firm pat on my back.

• “Good try,” Joseph said as he gave me words of encouragement.

• I shot a shy smile at my best friend as I nodded sheepishly

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• The soccer practice resumed.

• We raced around the field like galloping gazelles on a grassy patch

• George eyed the ball and ran as fast as he could towards it.

• Raising his leg, he aimed the ball at the goalpost.

• He delivered a powerful kick, and the impact sent it flying.

• Every second crawled by, and all eyes were fixated on the soccer ball that was sailing in the air.

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• The soccer ball arched at a perfect tangent as it flew towards the window of the science laboratory

• “Crash!” the sharp sounds heralded trouble as horror etched itself across our faces.

• The shock was like a tidal wave which crashed over us

• Our lips turned a deathly grey when an ear-piercing scream burst forth from the room right after the glass got smashed into smithereens.

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• Just then, the discipline mistress’ recognisable shadow crawled up from behind.

• When she first set her eyes on the boys, she sighed deeply in disappointment.

• Their audacious act of breaking the school window had let her down

• She was breathing deeply with fury as her face resembled a grotesque mask that had turned into the colour of molten lava.

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• She unleashed her fury on all of us while her steely glare bore holes into our faces.

• “Who broke the window?” the discipline mistress bellowed as her infuriated roar pierced our ears.

• She was fuming with rage as steam billowed from her ears.

• We cringed and cowered in her authoritative presence.

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• The other boys’ eyes darted around guiltily; their unspoken conspiracy coming to fruition once George made eye contact with the rest.

• “So?” the discipline mistress asked

• “It was… him,” George said as he pointed me out to the discipline mistress in his instinctive haste to escape responsibility.

• Dumbfounded and flabbergasted, I was caught off guard.

• I was made to be the scapegoat.

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• Horrified, I turned to Joseph for some support, but the latter lowered his head to stifle his laughter, pointing his finger at me too.

• I was utterly appalled by my friends’ cowardice.

• They were such a let down.

• All the boys were in cahoots as they pointed an accusing finger at me

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• I resigned to my fate and kept mum

• I felt my own heart cracking and crying in pain as I swallowed the indignation and injustice that was overwhelming my entire being.

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• As I trailed behind the discipline mistress, the peals of laughter behind me grew louder

• Unable to resist the temptation, I stole a glance over my shoulder. The sight that greeted me was gut-wrenching.

• The boys were doubled over with laughter, snickering at my humiliation.

• Joseph's laughter rang out above the rest, the loudest and most merciless of them all.

• I had never seen my friend laugh so much.

• “Finally, that burden is gone,” Joseph sneered. “At least he knew George was more valuable to us if we wanted to win the National School Games. Cheer up, everyone!”

• My heart shattered.

• Nothing could ever atone for their cruel disloyalty.