Chapter 57

Dominik turned around feeling defeated. How could a couple plain words make him feel so miserable? It was beyond him how he was still standing, feeling as he was, like he was dying.

None the less, there were no tears. No wailing, no complaining. He swallowed his pain like a champion.

«It is over», he said to himself. «I lost her forever ».

“Dominik” Carlos' voice made him stop and turn back to him.

I need him to know I love him and what I am doing is for both our sakes. Can you hand it over to him?

Samanta's request replayed in Carlos' mind, almost like she was his consciousness.

«The letter». He thought of giving it to him.

“What is up?” Inquired Dom.

“Good luck on your next game” responded Carlos, deciding not to hand over the letter he got from Samanta.

Dominik turned around and walked away from that place that had given him so many memories, and it gave him such a strange feeling. It was almost as if somebody was putting their hand in his chest and squeezed his heart. However, tears refused to come out from his eyes.

He walked by inertia out of the airport and all the way to the bus expecting him and the team. He got in and sat at the back of the vehicle, in utter silence. There, all alone, he cried.

Some five minutes later, he noticed movement in the front of the bus. His mates had come. He took his ear buds and looked for a good song.

He could not help stopping on one specifically. When you came into my life by Scorpions. He huffed from the cruelty of destiny and he was about to slam the device against the floor of the bus, but the tear rolling down his cheek stopped him. He sunk into his seat, surrendering to his sadness.

*****

For the next days, Dominik focused on his team to stop thinking of Samanta. He felt cheated by a woman who had left so far away without even saying goodbye. He felt hurt by someone who made him think there was something special between them, but, at the slightest obstacle, decided to run away for good. He felt so stupid realizing he was the one who had contemplated the possibility of leaving it all behind to follow his heart.

It made no sense for him to waste any more time, treasuring the memory of somebody who did not care at all what he did to be with her.

His real and only passion was soccer, and his reason to have come to America was winning the World Cup, so he decided to focus on that.

During practice, Dominik seemed more irritable and stubborn than usual. Still, he kept playing like a god.

Without any distractions getting in his way, Weigand resumed his routine. Sleeping, waking up, drinking an energy shake, a strenuous session of jogging, soccer practice and more training.

Friedrich and Ewald were relieved to have the old Dominik, whose life was all about his team.

Everything went back to normal.

The thing was, Dominik did not express emotion. To the rest of the world, he seemed fine, but, in reality, he was dying inside.

The day of the semifinals came. Dominik's mother arrived in the morning of that day, to see and cheer for her son. But she didn't get to hang with him, he had a tight schedule to follow.

Germany had to face one of the most powerful teams of South America, Argentina. The first half was complicated for the European team, the South Americans had everything they needed to win. Not to mention, among their ranks there was one of the best players in  the history of soccer, and their club mate. It was ironic having to go against someone who, six months back, was trying his best to build a one of a kind complicity with him, hold magnificent plays and complement one another while scoring against the opponents. But in love and war, everything goes. Dominik felt like he was on a battle field the second he set foot on the grass.

The first half ended with a tie 1 to 1, and pretty even statistics.

During the second half, Dominik had to let go of some of Ewald's demands and apply his own strategy, which he shared with the head coach, but he did not even consider, making it obvious that his ideas were quite accurate.

Germany won 4 vs. 3, on penalties.

Press conferences, exhausting work out routines and meeting with the federation … Four days during which, Dominik had no time to think of anything else but how close he was to achieving his precious childhood dream.

*****

At 10 am on the 13th of July, the closing ceremony to the World Cup Championship had begun. Germany and Spain were in the finals. A majestic show, with the presence of outstanding figures of sports and famous artists. The Metlife stadium in New York was the stage for this colorful event.

Dominik, along with his team showed up a couple hours earlier, in order to prepare for the final.

Backstage, Dom had a nice encounter with his former girlfriend, Dihanna.

The worldwide Pop star was in charge of presenting her show for an audience of thousands, the opening to the last match. None of them could help but smile before the cameras and were very lovey-dovey the whole time.

Dominik did not understand whether he was doing this out of his own will or, because, somehow, he was expecting Samanta could see him and know he was fine. That her leaving caused him no pain at all. Causing pity was never his thing.

Hundreds of dancers, fireworks, tens of musicians, huge dolls that resembled the typical animals of the US at the rhythm of New York by Frank Sinatra, served as background for the parade of flags of all the countries that had been part of this championship. Followed by a performance of Surfin' USA by the Beach Boys, where some dancers dressed up in Grease style attires proved to the world why the United States were kings of the Show Industry.

Dihanna made her entrance, along with 32 couples of back up dancers, each of them representing one of the contesting teams, offering every attendant a visual delight of light effects and screens. The official song of the World Cup made the audience vibrate.

A couple minutes later, Germany walked into the field, along with the Spain team. 90 minutes were between them and victory, keeping them from the coveted feeling of holding the World Cup.

To Dominik it was great to see his mother and sister amongst the crowd. He could not help but wishing Samanta was also there. But he forced himself to stop thinking about her. More than never, he needed absolute concentration.

White jerseys with black stripes on the sides, to the left side of the field.

Red jerseys with yellow stripes on the sides, to the right.

The whistle blew and the final was on.