ten

It was Sunday morning. The sea mist rolled in over the town and crept its way up Penglais Hill. From its vantage point on the hilltop, Davies Bryan rose majestically above the clouds, most of the residents sleeping soundly.

But Dylan was wide-awake. He rummaged through his medicine box for some painkillers. He hadn't gone to bed until five o'clock Saturday morning and had slept through most of the day. He woke in time to catch the half time football scores and managed to review some of his lecture notes before getting ready to go out again Saturday night. He had a thunderous hangover and had no choice but to get up and try to combat it. The trials for the football team were that afternoon and he knew if he was to make any impression on the selectors, he would have to be on top form.

Mark was also trying out for the footy team, but he'd been sensible and sipped Cokes all night. At ten thirty, as they had agreed, Mark rapped on Dylan's door. Dylan opened it and they walked to the sports centre together. There they changed into football kit and walked out on to the university's Astroturf all-weather pitch with the other hopefuls.

"Welcome, Freshers," said the footy club captain. "I'm Mike, President and Captain of the footy club."

"And ever so slightly self important," Dylan whispered to Mark.

"For the trails today we are planning to have a nice gentle work out, some ball skills practice and full scale, if slightly short, practice match. We just want to get feel for your fitness and ability levels. We have three openings on the first team at present, but if any of you turn out to be outstanding, that may change. As always the 2nd and 3rd teams are open to whomever's available, and it has been known for people to work their way up."

A second man stepped forward. "I'm Nathan, Vice President. We need to split you up into four groups, two of you will be doing some fitness testing, the other two working on ball skills, then we'll swap around."

Mark and Dylan managed to stay in the same group and worked as partners on the exercises. The two groups of tests took quarter of an hour each. Nathan then took two of the groups to form one full size team and Mike took charge of the other two groups.

Dylan and Mark gravitated to their natural positions of centre-right midfield and striker. The game was much better than the one they had played the previous week with their hall-mates. The weekend's rain had had no effect on the all weather pitch. Despite Dylan's dislike of the surface, Dylan turned in a good performance.

All the participants were trying to impress Nathan and Mike.

Dylan created the first goal of the game. He tackled his opposite number as he tried to pass him. The ball ran free and Dylan quickly collected it. He glanced upwards to see where his teammates were and then lifted the ball over the advancing defence and into Mark's path.

Mark strode towards the keeper who came out to meet him. Mark feigned a chip over the keeper's head, causing the hapless goalie to tumble backwards. Mark side stepped the keeper then slotted the ball into the unguarded net.

The second goal was all down to Mark. He received a simple pass from Dylan ten yards from the area. He beat two defenders and then hammered the ball into the top right hand corner of the goal, leaving the poor keeper with absolutely no chance whatsoever.

After half-time the other side came back into the game. They nicked a goal back within seconds of the re-start, thanks to some lack lustre defending. For most of the half, they threatened an equaliser.

It was down to Dylan's hard work in front of the defence, and an excellent performance from a young man named Ashley in goal, that they kept their noses in front. Five minutes from the end, a third goal from Mark, and the goal of the game from Dylan settled the game.

Mark's goal was similar to his first, except that Dylan picked up the ball from just inside the opponents half on the right, and he fed it between two defenders on the ground instead of lifting it over them.

Dylan's goal was special. He picked up the ball on the right, but instead of looking for a pass, he skinned the left full-back, and rushed down the wing. One of the central defenders came out to meet him, but Dylan stepped over the ball, and then dragged it inside, leaving the defender sliding past him. As he approached the edge of the box, the keeper came rushing out. Dylan delicately chipped it over him into the empty net.

A short time later, the whistle blew and the game was over. Nathan and Mike asked to speak with Ashley, Mark and Dylan while the others headed for the changing rooms. They had been the three outstanding players on the pitch.

"I'll be honest with you. The three openings we have are for a reserve keeper, a striker, and someone who can play both on the right side of midfield and right full back if needed," said Nathan.

"I assume that's okay with you two." Mike nodded to Mark and Ashley. "But would you be alright with playing out on the right, Dylan?"

"I normally prefer to play through the middle, but to be honest I'd have played anywhere you asked me to, if it meant getting in the first team."

"That's settled then. Next training session is Wednesday at eight. Don't be late. First match is a week on Saturday. It's a friendly against a local pub team. They'll kick the living shit out of you if you try to show off, but it'll be good practice. After that the Welsh UniLeague starts. We finished second to Cardiff Institute last year and hope to go one better this season."

"We've got a good team then?" Mark asked.

"It's not bad, but that league is only against the other University of Wales teams, the national cup is the real test and we went out first round last year."

Mark and Dylan were in buoyant mood as they headed back to DB. The walk was mostly uphill, and took much longer than they expected. Halfway back the Aberystwyth weather once again turned and it started raining. By the time they got back to the hall, they were soaked to the skin.

"I hope the weather doesn't stay like this," Dylan said as they descended the steps that led from the hall entrance to their floor.

"Are you kidding?" asked Mark. "We're on the west coast. All this comes in from the Irish sea."

They returned to their rooms and changed out of their wet clothes. Dylan noticed that most people had wedged their doors open. He did the same, and then settled down on his bed to watch TV. Instantly bored with the Sunday afternoon offerings, he switched on his Nintendo. Mark, Ritchie and Andy soon joined him when they heard the sounds of the game from the adjoining rooms.

"Are any of you going down to the TV room later?" Andy asked as he waited for his turn.

"What for?" asked Dylan.

"They are showing some videos again."

"I think I might," Dylan said. "I missed them last week."

"Well you don't mind if we stay and..." Mark gestured towards the screen with his controller.

"Sure, as long as you stump up the cash if you bust it."

Dylan found the seats in the TV room arranged in concentric semi circles around the TV, which was by the far wall. The larger, more comfortable chairs were in the front rows, while the smaller, harder ones were behind. At the very front, some people had that Dylan recognised as living on the second floor, were lounging on large bean bags that he assumed they had brought down from their own rooms.

Most of the comfy chairs were occupied and Dylan didn't fancy sitting in one of the smaller ones to watch some films that he had already seen. He turned to leave but someone called out to him. Toni was on the left hand side of the room, at the front, sitting on the room's only double sofa. She patted the empty seat beside her.

Dylan shrugged his shoulders and said to himself, "Why not?"

He fought his way across the room until he reached her.

"I was saving this seat for Julie, but it looks like she's decided not to come down," said Toni. "Care to share it instead?"

"Thanks. But if she turns up and has a go at me for being in her seat, I'm blaming it all on you."

"Fair enough."

Phil wound the first video tape past the trailers then hit play. He turned up sound, and signalled to Jez at the back of the room to turn off the lights. Then he squatted down on an empty beanbag.

Dylan forgot all about Julie as he became engrossed in the film's opening sequences. But after the initial excitement had died down, he quickly became bored.

"I've seen this before," he whispered. "That was the best bit."

"I know," Toni whispered back. "I've seen it too."

A 'Shush' from behind silenced them momentarily, but Dylan was restless.

"I'm bored with this," he whispered, even quieter than before. "I think I might go and get a drink from the machine downstairs."