The Boy Who Wanted Everything

Ninety thousand people were screaming his name. “ADRIAN! ADRIAN! ADRIAN!” The sound rolled through the enormous stadium like thunder. Thousands of hands rose into the air as the ball struck the back of the net. For one breathtaking second, the world seemed to stop. Then the stadium exploded. Adrian Vale ran towards the corner flag, sliding across the grass with his arms spread wide. His teammates rushed towards him as cameras flashed from every direction. The giant screens displayed his face, and commentators screamed his name. He was twenty-three years old. The captain of one of Europe's most successful football clubs, Adrian was a global superstar. Millions admired him, young footballers dreamed of becoming him, and his name appeared on billboards across the world. But he wasn't thinking about the winning goal he had just scored. He was thinking about the chance he had missed twenty minutes earlier. It had been an easy one. A perfect pass, an open goal, and nobody between him and the net. Yet somehow, he had sent the ball wide. His team had won, but Adrian couldn't stop thinking about his mistake. “You look like someone just told you your career is over.” Luca Moretti dropped onto the dressing-room bench beside him, pulling off his boots. Adrian didn't look up. “Go away, Luca.” “Such warmth. Such kindness. And people wonder why you're my favourite person in the world.” “I'm serious.” “So am I. You're my favourite miserable person in the world.” Adrian finally glanced at him, making Luca laugh. They had played together for years, and Luca was one of the few people who could tease Adrian without worrying about his reaction. “You scored the winning goal,” Luca reminded him. “We won. The manager is happy, and the fans are happy. What's the problem?” “The missed chance.” Luca stared at him. “Adrian Vale, the only man who can score a winning goal and still ruin his own evening.” “I should have scored it.” “But you didn't. Then you scored another one. That's football.” “It's not enough.” Luca's expression softened. “When will it finally be enough, Captain?” Adrian didn't answer. He had spent his entire life chasing the next goal, trophy, and record. Every achievement made him happy for a moment, but soon he was searching for something greater. “Next season, we win the Champions League,” he finally declared. Luca groaned. “There it is. Another impossible plan.” “And after that, the World Cup.” “Adrian, you're talking about the World Cup as if you're planning to buy milk from the supermarket.” Adrian leaned back against the wall. “I want to win it.” “For your club?” “No.” Luca already knew the answer. “For Aurevia,” Adrian whispered. And suddenly, the laughter between them disappeared. *** Aurevia was a small island country in the North Atlantic, blessed with green hills, mist-covered mountains, peaceful fishing villages, and a beautiful coastline. Yet, despite its natural beauty, it had never qualified for the FIFA World Cup. While the world celebrated footballing giants such as Brazil, France, and Argentina, Aurevia remained almost invisible on the international football stage. For most people, that was simply a fact. For Adrian Vale, it was a wound that had never healed. He remembered being eight years old, sitting beside his father while a World Cup match played on their old television. “Dad, why doesn't anybody talk about Aurevia?” His father turned towards him. “What do you mean?” “Everyone talks about Brazil and France and Argentina. They know their players and their flags. But nobody talks about us. Are we not important?” His father switched off the television and placed a hand on his shoulder. “If the world doesn't talk about our country, does that mean our country has no value?” Adrian shook his head. “Then remember this, son. A country's worth isn't decided by how many people know its name. But if you want the world to know Aurevia, you must give them a reason to look at us.” “How?” His father smiled. “That's for you to discover.” That night, Adrian went to bed with a dream far too large for an eight-year-old boy. He wanted to make the world look at Aurevia. Not because he wanted the world to admire him, but because he wanted everyone to know where he came from. *** Adrian's childhood hadn't been filled with expensive training facilities or personal coaches. His parents worked hard to give him opportunities they had never had themselves. His mother took extra shifts, while his father worked long hours and still found time to take him to football practice. Sometimes, they travelled for hours by bus because they couldn't afford to drive him everywhere. Adrian noticed everything. He noticed his mother's tired eyes and his father's worn-out shoes. He understood that his dream demanded sacrifices from the people he loved. And he made himself a promise. One day, he would give them a better life. At fourteen, he left home to join a prestigious football academy in Europe. His mother held him tightly at the airport, trying not to cry. His father hugged him and whispered, “Work hard, but don't forget who you are.” Adrian nodded, unaware of how difficult that second part would become. The academy was unforgiving. He trained until his muscles burned, studied his mistakes, and practised long after the other players had returned to their rooms. He learned to accept criticism, hide his pain, and keep working when others gave up. At nineteen, he became a professional footballer. At twenty-one, he was one of Europe's most promising forwards. At twenty-three, he became captain of his club. He also kept his promise to his parents, buying them a beautiful house with a garden and a spacious kitchen. His mother cried when she saw it. His father, however, simply walked around the house before turning to him. “You didn't have to do all this, son.” “Yes, I did.” “No. We supported you because we loved you, not because we expected you to repay us.” His father pulled him into a hug. “Don't spend your whole life trying to pay back love. Just make sure you have enough of it left to give.” Adrian never forgot those words, although he wouldn't fully understand their meaning until much later. *** Fame had changed Adrian's life in ways he had never imagined. A quiet lunch became a photograph shared by thousands. A walk through the city became an event. Even an ordinary expression could become a headline. People wanted his attention, photographs, autographs, and connections. Some genuinely admired him, while others seemed interested only in his fame. Sometimes, he wished he could go somewhere nobody knew his name. Somewhere he could make a mistake without thousands of people discussing it. He wanted to be Adrian. Not Adrian Vale, the superstar. Just Adrian. “You need a holiday,” Luca told him one morning. “I have one.” “You spend your holidays training.” “I like training.” “You also watch match footage until your eyes look like two dead fish.” Adrian threw a cushion at him. Luca caught it, laughing. “Seriously, go somewhere quiet. Eat something that doesn't come from a five-star restaurant. Talk to people who don't know what your left foot can do.” “Where would I find people like that?” “Somewhere without a football stadium, perhaps.” For the first time that morning, Adrian smiled. Two days later, his agent, Daniel Hayes, arrived at his apartment. “You have three to four weeks before preparations begin again,” Daniel explained. “No unnecessary appearances, no promotional events, and no surprise decisions that create international headlines.” Adrian walked towards the window. The city stretched beneath him, filled with traffic, towering buildings, and enormous advertisements displaying his face. He had almost everything he had once dreamed about. Almost everything. “I want to go home,” he said. Daniel looked up. “Aurevia?” “Yes.” “You haven't spent a proper holiday there in years.” “I know.” Daniel studied him before nodding. “Fine. I'll arrange everything. But you'll need a security team.” “I don't need an entire army.” “Four people. Discreet and professional.” Adrian sighed. “Fine. But I don't want them following me around like a parade.” “I'll see what I can do.” *** Three days later, Adrian's private flight landed at Aurevia's international airport. Green hills stretched towards the ocean, and clouds drifted above the distant mountains. Adrian watched through the window, feeling something inside him slowly settle. Home. The word felt unfamiliar and comforting at the same time. Outside the private terminal, two black SUVs were waiting. His head of security, Marcus Reed, greeted him alongside Daniel Cross, Ethan Cole, and Ryan Blake. “Welcome home, sir,” Marcus said. Adrian gave him a look. “Marcus, don't call me sir. Not here. I'm on holiday.” “Understood, Adrian.” “Better.” Soon, they left the airport behind and travelled towards the countryside. The city gradually disappeared, replaced by narrow roads, green hills, scattered houses, and glimpses of the ocean. Adrian switched off his phone notifications and placed it in his bag. For once, he didn't want to know what the world was saying about him. He only wanted to enjoy the place he had once called home. As the SUV followed the quiet coastal road, Adrian rested his head against the seat and watched the familiar landscape pass. He had returned to Aurevia searching for peace. He had no idea how much this journey would change his life. To be continued..❤️