Lucas is sitting up in bed, leg still elevated, scrolling through his phone with a blank expression. The initial shock has worn off, replaced by a hollow numbness.
Rico is sitting in the chair beside him, reading through medical reports.
There's a knock at the door.
RICO: "Come in."
The door opens. Julien Marchand Léon FC's head of recruitment walks in, followed by the club's head physio, Dr. Pascal Moreau.
Lucas looks up, surprised.
LUCAS: "Julien?"
JULIEN: "Hello, Lucas. Rico."
Rico stands, shaking Julien's hand.
RICO: "We weren't expecting you."
JULIEN: "I know. But we needed to come."
He pulls up a chair, sitting across from Lucas. Dr. Moreau stands beside him, professional and composed.
JULIEN: "Lucas, we've reviewed your medical reports. Six to eight weeks recovery, possibly longer depending on rehabilitation."
Lucas nods, jaw tight.
LUCAS: "I know. I'm sorry. I know this messes up the loan"
JULIEN: "That's why we're here."
Lucas and Rico exchange confused glances.
JULIEN: "We're recalling you. Effective immediately."
Silence.
LUCAS: "What?"
JULIEN: "We're bringing you back to Léon. You'll finish your rehabilitation with us."
LUCAS: "But... I'm injured. I can't play for months."
JULIEN: "We know. But we don't care about the next two months, Lucas. We care about the next ten years."
Lucas stares at him, struggling to process this.
JULIEN: "You've proven yourself at Montclair. Nine goals, eight assists in seventeen games. You're exactly the player we thought you'd become. This injury doesn't change that."
- MOREAU:"We have the best medical facilities in France. State-of-the-art rehab equipment, specialized physiotherapists, sports psychologists. You'll recover faster with us, and you'll come back stronger."
LUCAS: "But the loan... I was supposed to stay the whole season."
JULIEN: "Plans change. You've already shown us what we needed to see. Now we want to invest in you properly. Full support. Full resources. And when you're fit again, you'll train with the first team."
LUCAS (voice shaking): "The first team?"
JULIEN: "Yes. You've earned it."
Lucas looks at Rico, who's watching him with quiet pride.
RICO: "What do you think, son?"
Lucas looks back at Julien, then at Dr. Moreau.
LUCAS: "You really believe I can come back from this?"
JULIEN: "Lucas, we wouldn't be here if we didn't. This injury is temporary. Your talent is permanent."
Lucas's eyes well up, but he fights it back.
LUCAS: "Okay. Yeah. Let's do it."
Julien smiles, standing and extending his hand.
JULIEN: "Welcome back to Léon, Lucas."
Lucas shakes it, still in disbelief.
Montclair SC training ground. One week later.
Lucas, on crutches, is saying goodbye to his teammates. Malik is the last one, pulling him into a tight hug.
MALIK: "You better come back strong, bro. "
LUCAS: "I will. I promise."
MALIK: "And when you're tearing it up for Léon, don't forget us little guys."
LUCAS (laughing): "Never."
Coach Dubois approaches, shaking Lucas's hand.
DUBOIS: "You gave us everything, Lucas. I'm proud of you. Léon is lucky to have you."
LUCAS: "Thank you, coach. For everything."
DUBOIS: "Go show them what you can do."
Lucas nods, hobbling toward the car where Rico is waiting.
He looks back at the training ground one last time the place where he proved himself.
Then he gets in the car.
Léon, France. The club's state-of-the-art training facility.
Lucas is being given a tour by Julien. The place is massive pristine pitches, high-tech gyms, recovery pools, medical suites.
JULIEN: "This will be your rehab center. Dr. Moreau will oversee everything. You'll have a personalized program physio twice a day, hydrotherapy, strength training, mental conditioning."
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LUCAS: "Mental conditioning?"
JULIEN: "Injuries aren't just physical, Lucas. They're psychological. We'll make sure you're strong in both."
They enter the first-team training ground. Lucas stops, staring.
Players he's only seen on TV are training world-class athletes, moving with precision and power.
JULIEN: "In three months, you'll be out there with them."
LUCAS (quietly): "You really think so?"
JULIEN: "I know so."
Social media explosion.
Léon FC Official: ??? OFFICIAL: Lucas Santos recalled from loan.
"Due to injury, Lucas will complete his rehabilitation at Léon FC and will integrate with the first team upon recovery. We believe in you, Lucas. ?? #LéonFC #Santos"
The post blows up immediately.
Comments:
- "They're recalling an injured player? That's commitment."
- "Léon really rates this kid."
- "Smart move. He was tearing up Ligue 2."
- "The Santos brothers are both on the rise."
Lucas reads the comments on his phone, still processing it all.
Rico sits beside him.
RICO: "How are you feeling?"
LUCAS: "Overwhelmed. Grateful. Scared."
RICO: "Scared of what?"
LUCAS: "What if I don't come back the same? What if I'm slower, weaker?"
RICO: "Then you adapt. But you won't be. Trust me."
LUCAS: "How do you know?"
RICO: "Because I've been through it. I had three major injuries in my career. Every time, I came back stronger. Not physically mentally."
Lucas looks at him.
RICO: "Injuries force you to slow down, to think, to rebuild yourself from the ground up. Most players waste that time feeling sorry for themselves. The smart ones use it to become better."
LUCAS: "I want to be one of the smart ones."
RICO: "Then you will be."
Klaus's apartment. Evening.
Klaus is scrolling through Instagram when he sees the post.
Léon FC recalls Lucas Santos.
He stops. Reads it again.
Recalled? Already?
He clicks on the post, reads the comments, sees the photos of Lucas at Léon's training facility.
He sits back, emotions swirling.
Pride. Jealousy. Concern. Distance.
His phone is in his hand. Lucas's contact is right there.
I should text him. Check if he's okay.
But his thumb hovers over the screen.
What would I even say?
"Congrats on being recalled while injured?"
"Hope you're okay?"
It feels... inadequate. Hollow.
And underneath it all, there's something else.
He's with Dad. He's at Léon. He's moving forward.
And I'm here. Alone. Again.
Klaus locks his phone and tosses it onto the couch.
He stares at the ceiling.
I should call him.
But he doesn't.
Lucas's new apartment in Léon. Night.
Lucas is lying in bed, leg propped up, staring at his phone.
Klaus's contact is on the screen.
He's typed and deleted three different messages:
- "Hey, just wanted to let you know I got recalled to Léon."? Too formal.
- "Bro, I'm back at Léon now. Injured but they still want me."? Sounds like bragging.
- "Hey. How are you?"? Too vague.
He locks his phone, frustrated.
Why is this so hard?
He's my brother. I should just tell him.
But something stops him.
Pride? Fear? The weight of years of rivalry?
He probably doesn't even care.
But deep down, Lucas knows that's not true.
He just doesn't know how to reach out.
So he doesn't.
Rico and Lucas's apartment in Léon. Next morning.
Rico is making breakfast when his phone rings.
Klaus.
He answers immediately.
RICO: "Klaus, hey."
KLAUS: "Hey, Dad."
RICO: "How are you? How's training?"
KLAUS: "Good. Really good. I scored again last week. Two goals."
RICO: "That's great, son. I'm proud of you."
KLAUS: "Thanks."
A pause.
KLAUS: "So... Lucas got recalled."
RICO: "Yeah. Léon wants him to rehab with them. It's a good opportunity."
KLAUS: "Yeah. That's... that's good."
Another pause.
RICO: "You should call him."
KLAUS: "I was thinking about it."
RICO: "Then do it. He'd want to hear from you."
KLAUS: "Would he?"
RICO: "Yes, Klaus. He would."
Silence.
KLAUS: "How long are you staying with him?"
RICO: "I don't know. A few months, maybe. Until he's back on his feet."
KLAUS: "Right."
Rico hears the disappointment in Klaus's voice, even though Klaus is trying to hide it.
RICO: "Klaus---"
KLAUS: "It's fine, Dad. I get it. Lucas needs you. I'm okay here."
RICO: "Are you?"
KLAUS: "Yeah. I'm fine. Really."
But Rico knows better.
RICO: "I'll come visit when I can. I promise."
KLAUS: "I know. Don't worry about me. Focus on Lucas."
RICO: "Klaus---"
KLAUS: "I gotta go, Dad. Training in an hour."
RICO: "Alright. Love you, son."
KLAUS: "Love you too."
Click.
Rico sits there, phone in hand, staring at nothing.
He feels torn in two.
Lucas needs him. But so does Klaus.
And no matter what he does, one of them will feel abandoned.
Léon training facility. Rico watching Lucas in the rehab pool.
Lucas is doing water exercises, guided by Dr. Moreau. His face is focused, determined.
Julien approaches Rico, standing beside him.
JULIEN: "He's a fighter."
RICO: "Always has been."
JULIEN: "You've done well with him. Both of them, actually."
RICO: "Have I?"
Julien looks at him.
JULIEN: "You're doubting yourself?"
RICO: "I'm with Lucas now. But Klaus is in England. Alone. Again. And I can feel the distance growing between them. Between me and Klaus."
JULIEN: "You can't be in two places at once, Rico."
RICO: "I know. But it doesn't make it easier."
JULIEN: "For what it's worth, you're doing the right thing. Lucas needs you right now."
RICO: "And Klaus doesn't?"
JULIEN: "Klaus is surviving. Lucas is rebuilding. There's a difference."
Rico nods, but the guilt doesn't fade.
Klaus's apartment. Late night.
Klaus sits on his couch, TV on but muted. His phone is beside him.
He picks it up. Opens his messages with Rico.
The last message is from three days ago.
Rico: "Proud of you, son. Keep it up."
Klaus: "Thanks, Dad."
Nothing since.
Klaus types: "Miss you."
Then deletes it.
Types: "When are you coming back?"
Deletes it.
Types: "How's Lucas?"
Deletes it.
He locks his phone and tosses it aside.
He looks around the apartment. Empty. Quiet.
This is what I wanted, right? Independence. To prove I don't need anyone.
But sitting here, in the silence, he realizes something.
I'm lonely.
And the worst part?
I don't know how to fix it.
END OF CHAPTER 8