Chapter 1
A gust of wind blows through the field as my friends and I wrap up our soccer game. It rustles through the neat rows of sugarcane growing behind us and sweeps over the orange trees in the distance.
“That does it!” Fuad shouts. He kicks the soccer ball toward me. “I’m never playing with either of you again. I mean it this time.”
“Don’t be such a sore loser,” Zaki responds. “It was a fun game.”
“Only because you and Omar cheated,” Fuad says, pointing at me.
I tilt my head. “Why is it whenever you win, it’s a hard-earned victory, but if anyone else does, they’re cheating?”
“Admit it,” Zaki says. “Omar’s last goal was epic.” “Fine,” Fuad says grudgingly. “It wasn’t that bad.”
“I’ll take it.” I grin. Coming from Fuad, halfhearted praise is basically a standing ovation.
The soccer ball rolls until it settles next to my foot. As I kick it up to prop it under my arm, a wave of sadness washes over me. Fuad always vows never to play with us again, but this really is the last time I’ll be kicking the ball with him. There have been so many lasts lately. My last walk to the market yesterday. My last time feeding the chickens this morning. And tonight will be my last night sleeping in my own bed.
Tomorrow, everything will change. Tomorrow, I head to boarding school: the Ghalib Academy for Boys. Which means very soon my home, my village, and scrimmage games like these will no longer be part of my ordinary, everyday life.
A gust of wind blows through the field as my friends and I wrap up our soccer game. It rustles through the neat rows of sugarcane growing behind us and sweeps over the orange trees in the distance.
Tomorrow, everything will change. Tomorrow, I head to boarding school: the io games for Boys. Which means very soon my home, my village, and scrimmage games like these will no longer be part of my ordinary, everyday life.