G3+Group+5

Plot Characterization Setting, Theme, Introductory Hook, Title  A Long Lived Fear The white and black ball flew through the air to land at his feet. He dribbled past the defense until all he could hear was the ragged sound of his own breathing. He shut out everything else. It was him and the goalie. One on one. His feet moved on instinct. The goalie’s mouth curved into a smile as the ball hit his hands. Defeated, the player sank to his knees as the goalie was congratulated by his teammates. The goalie and he had never liked each other, even though they were on the same team. It was only a practice, but it felt like he lost the championship game of the season.  The coach blew his whistle after the play had ended, and Terrell and the rest of his team huddled up in a circle around their coach. "Boys, I have something very important to tell you," said coach Dillspurg, "We have been invited to the Invitación de Argentina soccer tournament. It is a very prestigious opportunity and very few teams are honored to be invited. Tonight, get your parents to read over the fees and precautions of the tournament, and then have them e-mail me 3 weeks fromFriday.” As Terrell drove home in his Toyota Prius, he thought to himself how much this tournament would help his chance of receiving a scholarship to Maryland University. The more he thought about the trip, the more excited he got. He could actually start his career in soccer. He could be a professional! That would be so amazing. "Hey TP what's up?" the faint shout came out of nowhere. He looked to the left and rolled down his window as he saw someone gesturing wildly at him. "Hey Ken!" TP replied. "Aren't you excited for the Tournament? I can't wait. I'm positive my parents will let me go! It's a huge chance for us to become well known to college coaches." They rolled up their windows as the light turned green and continued their drive home. "Is anyone home?" yelled TP as he let himself in through the front door. The house was silent as he made his way up the stairs. "I guess not" he said to himself. He walked to his quiet bedroom and lobbed his backpack over to the wall by his desk. He turned on his IBM and started his mountainous pile of homework while IMing his friends.  shotstopper269:  hey tp wassup? shotscorer370: hey ken, nm u? shotstopper269: same, my parents said i could go on the soccer tournament. shotscorer370: cool my parents aren't home yet but im sure theyll say yes. shotstopper269: cool, hey could you help me with the math hw? shotscorer370: sure what problems? shotscorer370: oh sorry i cant my parents just got home and i have to go ask them if i can go shotstopper269: k thts fine ill ask my mom doris TP raced downstairs once he heard the sound of his mother and father walk in the door. "Hey mom and dad, I have something very important to tell you guys," said TP while panting from jumping down every other step. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">"Sorry, Terell, but I've had a long day, and I have to get dinner started quickly," said his mom. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">"Fine...but remind me to tell you at dinner, ok?" replied TP. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">"Ok, fine," she replied. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">TP went upstairs just a little bit disappointed with his mother’s procrastination, but he was excited none less. He went back to finishing his homework and IMing with Ken until he heard his mom yell, “Dinner’s ready!” from downstairs. Once TP had gone downstairs he started to smell the delicious aroma of a beef cut coming right out of the oven. Immediately, once all of his family had been seated and served, he asked the question. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">"Mom, Dad my whole school team has been invited to a special soccer tournament in Argentina. The school will pay for almost all the fees and will get us ready for the trip. This tournament is very important, and we were one of the only teams to be selected in America. This would be a great way for college coaches to hear about my success and put me on their list of possible scholarships," said TP while catching his breath after the mouthful he had just said. There was a very long pause which included many glances between his parents, but after about two minutes of nothing his dad finally opened his mouth and said, <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">"No". TP's jaw dropped. He was stunned. He couldn't comprehend what his dad had just said. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">"W-w-why not" said TP desperately. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">"Umm… because your grades are too low and we need you to focus on those instead of soccer for now.” TP ended up eating about two spoonful’s of dinner before retreating to his room. He sat down on his bed feeling sorry for himself for about 20 minutes before he realized he could get his grades up and he would be able to go to that tournament. He thought to himself, "I can do this. All I have to do is get all As and one B and I am going to Argentina!”

After about two weeks of staying up late studying and waking up early to make sure he remembered to bring every single homework assignment to class, his grades were at an acceptable level. He came home that day and went straight to his parents in the living room. His parents looked surprised as he raced in, <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">“Mom, Dad, I got my grades up to all A’s and B’s. Can you fill out the paper for me to go to the tournament?” His parents looked at each other in disbelief. They thought he would never get them up in time. After a long pause his father again said, <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">“No.” <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">TP was infuriated, “What! Why? I did what you told me to and you’re still saying no?” <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">His dad again just said, “No,” so TP raced up the stairs and threw his backpack against the wall with rage. He stayed in his room for three hours until his mother came up and said “TP, if you’re hungry I made a snack.” Thirty minutes later TP heard his stomach growl and got up to go eat. <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">He silently walked down the stairs and headed towards the kitchen. He heard lowered voices and whispering, so he slowed down and listened by the door. <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">“Should we tell him?” Doug, my father, whispered. <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">“No, he doesn’t need to know.” <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">“But what if he asks us to explain ourselves” <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">“We don’t need to tell him everything” <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">“I don’t want him thinking that we’re unreasonable…do you remember what happened?” <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">“How could I forget?” TP heard his mother sigh as she remembered that awful day. //<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">The full moon lit the way on the dark streets. We were walking to the store late at night. I wanted to buy clothes for the little baby inside my womb. Doug, my husband, thought that the baby would be a girl, but deep inside I knew he was a boy. My baby boy would be the best baby alive, and I intended to spoil him to death. Baby Gap was only three blocks away from our apartment, so we decided to walk. As we passed a dark alleyway, figures emerged from the darkness. They were all wearing dark suits, and I thought they all looked Hispanic. As my heart started racing, we hurried along trying to pass the group of foreigners. // //<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">“Hold up. Where do you think you’re going?” A tall man came out of the group and spoke to us with a thick accent. We were silent as we tried to find a way around the group of people now surrounding us. My husband stepped in front of me and backed up into the wall that was next to us. Now I couldn’t see anything because his back was in my face, but I could hear. I could hear the sarcastic tone in the leader’s voice as he said, // //<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">“I think we should play with them a little bit. Don’t you think so, boys? Let’s give them a little Argentinean welcome? Yes?” // //<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif""> “Sí!” replied the gang. I still couldn’t see anything, but I could hear the groans of pain coming from Doug, who stood in front of me. I felt so helpless; I wanted to help him. The time passed, and with every groan of pain, I felt a pain of my own. Finally, I heard the sound of feet retreating into the alley. Doug staggered a couple feet in front of me. He was a mass of bruises and blood. There was no way I was letting him walk home, even if it was only a couple blocks away. “Taxi” I yelled as I saw two pass. The first taxi sped on, but the second one stopped for us. After we got off the elevator, Doug dragged himself into the apartment. I helped him onto our couch as I put ice into bags for him. // <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif""> After overhearing this, TP was speechless. He couldn’t believe that this had happened to his parents and that they hadn’t told him. While he was standing there, stunned, he remembered that he did a project in the 9th grade about Argentinean immigrants. He remembered that when they first got here that many people made fun of them because of their looks. There were very many Argentineans that got so mad they killed everyone they saw. Through the years people realized that they were very athletic and smart and they stopped making fun of their skin and started accepting them. In the present he learned there are very few gangs and violent groups of Argentineans. <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">He went into the living room where his parents were and they whirled around and said “What are you doing?” <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">“I came down to eat and overheard you guys talking about what happened. Why didn’t you guys tell me?” asked TP. “We didn’t think it would ever affect anything that you did, so we didn’t see the need.” said his mom. <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">“Well, I remember in 9th grade I did a project about Argentineans immigrants. And that almost all of the Argentineans don’t act like that anymore it was just that people mistreated them so they fought back in anger.” TP said. His parents looked at each other they wanted the best for their son but they really didn't like Argentineans. They realized how much TP wanted to go on this trip and how much it could do for him. They knew that this opportunity that has been given to TP could allow him to become known to many college coaches that could get him a scholarship to Maryland University. With his parents realizing all of the opportunity in front of TP and knowing that this has been his dream ever since he was a boy, they put aside what had happened to them long ago thinking that it was probably just a freak accident in the first place and decided to let TP go on the trip. <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">