Free Hot Prospect by Cindy Jefferies

always but not giving it his all. After his recent trial with a big team he’s lost his passion for the game at this level and, to be fair, it’s not teaching him anything any more. It can only bea matter of time before a big club picks up the young star. It’ll be a sad day for his current team-mates, but Jones is surely destined for bigger things
.
    â€œSee you tomorrow?” said Bryn as they pulled off their boots.
    â€œYeah,” said Roddy with a sigh. He would never admit it to Bryn, but his Stadium School experience had shown him that football could be much more exciting with players of his own standard. “Liz wants to go shopping. We’ll have the house to ourselves so bring some computer games over.”
    â€œGreat!”
    â€œSee you about ten thirty?”
    Bryn nodded. “I’ll be there.”
    They lived at opposite sides of the recreation ground, so while Bryn headed off to the gate in the far side, Roddy went along the path and out into the street.
    He walked up the road and round the corner, where the parade of shops was. He hesitated by the newsagents and wondered whether to go in and buy a Lucky Bag. They were pretty naff by and large, and he’d grown out of them really, but he couldn’t help indulging in them occasionally. There was always the hope that you’d find something good inside. Once he’d got a mini Frisbee that had flown for miles.
    Roddy settled on a promising bag, checked it said BOY on it, paid and went back outside. He was tempted to open it straight away but decided it would keep until later.
    At home, he chucked his boot bag under the coat pegs and went upstairs. Then the front door slammed.
    â€œLiz! Liz, are you up there?”
    His sister threw open her bedroom door. “What is it?” she yelled.
    â€œI want to speak with you,” said Mum. “Can you come here, please?”
    Roddy listened as his sister stomped down the stairs and into the hall. He was just about to open the Lucky Bag when Mum called up again.
    He stood at the top of the landing, looking down at his mother and sister. “What do you want?” he asked.
    Mum was waving an envelope. “Look!” she said. “There’s a letter for you.”
    Roddy started slowly down the stairs, his heart pounding in his chest. “How can there be a letter?” he asked. “There wasn’t one this morning.”
    â€œIt was put through next-door’s letter box,” said Liz. “And they brought it round. I’ve already explained to Mum. It’s not my fault.”
    â€œI didn’t say it was,” said their mum patiently. “I just wondered about it, that’s all.”
    â€œSo can I go back upstairs now?” asked Liz.
    â€œDon’t you want to find out what Roddy’s letter says?” said Mum.
    Liz rolled her eyes, but Roddy wasn’t taking any notice of her. His legs had suddenly got a life of their own. He fizzed downstairs and took the letter. The large envelope was made of high-quality paper, and the unmistakable blue-and-green logo was in the top left-hand corner. This was the moment he’d been waiting for, but now it had arrived he didn’t dare open the envelope. His future was inside.
    â€œYou open it,” he said, offering it to his sister.
    â€œNo way!” said Liz. “You have to do it.”
    â€œOK.” Roddy steeled himself to rip open the envelope. He took out the sheet of paper and looked at it. The words blurred on the page and he couldn’t make out what they said. He took a deep breath and concentrated.
    Dear Mr Jones,
    We are delighted to inform you
    that you have been allocated
    a place at Stadium School,
    starting on September 2nd.
    If you would like to accept,
    please let us know by August
    25th. If we do not hear from
    you, your place will be
    offered to someone else.
    Roddy read the letter, and then he read it again. When he finally spoke, his voice