"Who do you think will pay for your college?"
Jerome's father asked him after laughing for minutes at the absurdity of his son's request.
The little Jerome, aged ten stood there in their rundown living room, wondering why his father was acting strange.
"My teacher said college is next after high school and I want to go."
"You are not even in high school yet, and I'm not sure I could afford it."
Johnny, his father replied, shaking his head pitifully.
"But my friend, Adam says his brother is in college and is not paying tuition."
"That's because his brother is on a football scholarship by the club he plays for."
"How can I get a scholarship then?"
"You have to be very brilliant to be eligible or pick a sport you like and be exceptionally good at it. If you are lucky, you will catch the fancy of a good agent from a reputable football club and you will be recruited to play for them. That way, they will place you on a scholarship and you would get paid."
He concluded, resting his back on the only sofa in the living room. It had seen better days and it was worn and tattered.
Jerome knew his father loved him and would do anything for him, but sadly, he was incapacitated. There was no money. Johnny had had an accident that ruined his hand at work, and his mother packed up her things and left soon after.
"I'm not cut out for this life, I'm off to seek greener pastures."
Sharon had said in the short note she left behind.
Ever since his conversation with his Father, Jerome had worked extra hard to be an exceptional football player, and he succeeded at it up till high school. He chose football because he liked it and he knew it was his father's favorite sport.
"You have to put in your best, the scouts must pick you."
Johnny said to him after he was informed by Jeremy that some big names from major football clubs were coming to his school to seek new talents.
"Sure, Daddy, I will."
"Darius must not shine better than you, understood?"
"Yes, he murmured."
That was just the problem, Jerome was good, really good at playing football cause his efforts at practicing were relentless, but Darius was better. The latter had the innate talent of a footballer, hardly anyone would see him play and not cheer his performance.
While Jerome had to work hard to shine, Darius didn't, he was born for it.
Darius was his biggest competitor and he knew the scouts were going to consider Darius before him.
He couldn't let that happen, so he devised a plan. On the day the scouts were supposed to come and observe them on the field. He put lots of laxatives into Darius's drinking water in the locker room and tiptoed out before the match started.
Darius ended up not playing and the scouts never got a chance to see him play.
In the end, they picked Jerome and he was elated. He felt bad later when he heard that the scouts could have picked more students if they had seen enough talent.
What does it matter? He had been given a scholarship and now, he could earn big money to take care of his father and get him out of the slums.
He wasn't going to let anyone or anything stand in the way of his success. He had to shine, and alone he would. He began to see everyone as a threat and when he got on the field, he always played like his team members were not there.
He wouldn't cooperate and work together as a team with them, he had to score the winning goal or winning goals.
"If you continue like this, Johnny, I might have to pull you out of the team. You are not indispensable if that's what you think. Football is teamwork, and all the players have to get the glory and bear the losses together, win or lose. I won't tolerate your selfish attitude anymore."
His high school football coach, Tony told him.
"I'm sorry, sir, I would do better."
"You better,"
Tony said softening
It was hard to stay mad at Jerome, he had angelic blue eyes and an innocent face that made one doubt he could be mischievous.
"That's okay, you can go back to practice."
Tony said, smiling and waving him away.
"It's a friendly match, I don't want any aggressive moves. You all know that this match was organized with the neighboring school as a send-forth for you all. Most of you will be leaving for college in a couple of months, hence this game. Are you with me?"
"Yes, sir."
The players all respond to Tony.
Jerome was there too but he wasn't listening. He had to win, no matter what. He had to be the one to score the goals no matter what.
The neighborhood school team ended up winning because Jerome didn't cooperate with his team members. Their opponents understood the assignment and worked in unity throughout. Jerome's school team was better, but since he didn't cooperate, they lost.
He intentionally stepped on the toes of some of their opposition when he realized the match had almost ended and his team didn't stand a chance anymore.
He was the only one who walked out when they were told to shake themselves. He was a sore loser.
"For real though, they cheated and the referee was on their side, it's not fair. We should have won."
Jerome complained to his couch in the latter's office after the match.
"I was there, and the match was fair. I have a feeling they would probably say the same thing if we had won. By the way, it was your actions that caused the loss. That's done with though, it was a friendly match, you should take the defeat gracefully. A good sportsman knows to put personal feelings aside. Today's match is over, don't dwell on it."
He was not satisfied and vowed within to carry out revenge. So, he snuck to the neighboring school and cut all the jerseys in the boy's locker room.
"GUESS WHO'S THE LOSER NOW?"
He had written and placed it at the entrance to the room.
Coach Tony strongly suspected Jerome was responsible when he heard the news, but some things are better left unsaid.
Jerome went on to college soon after and he did shine. He had all the girls frolicking around him, and it helped that he was handsome too. Most girls love dating a football player and he represented well, he played all of them. He played for his club and he made them a lot of money. They didn't care about his selfish methods as long as he delivered.
"You haven't seen the end of this, I promise you."
Jerome waved a finger threateningly at one of the team members of a football club his team was playing against.
The said club had won, and while they were jubilating on the field, one of them had mistakenly bumped into a sulking Jerome who was still smarting from his team's loss.
He had taken it to mean the guy did it on purpose to taunt him and he couldn't take it.
Before the guy could apologize, Jerome had thrown him a blow on his nose, and red blood flowed immediately.
Before anyone could intervene, they started fighting and had to be separated from their team members.
"I would be waiting for you, bring it on."
The guy had called after Jerome's departing form.
"We are sorry, Jerome, the board has concluded. It's high time we terminated your contract."
The club owner told him in his office
"Why's that? We signed a five-year contract and it's only been three years."
He asked in shock.
"I suggest you read your contract again, there's a clause that says we could terminate our appointment with you anytime if you are involved in any form of misconduct."
"I know, I saw it but I haven't been involved in any."
"Well, you fighting on the field is just one of many you have been involved in. There's hardly any month you don't fight with someone from another team on or off the field.
I'm sorry, you are bad for business, we have to let you go. You have made more newspaper headlines in three years than you have made money for this club. You haven't demonstrated good sportsmanship since you came on board. We don't represent violence at all.
He concluded, taking a drink of water from the glass cup on the table.
"So, what's going to happen to my scholarship?"
"It's still valid until you graduate from college. Kindly see yourself out."
All of Jerome's pleas to be reconsidered fell on deaf ears and he had no choice but to leave the team.
It could have been avoided if he had learned to be a good sportsman.