It happened to be that Erickson and Jordan knew each other by joining the same soccer team at the Golden Junior Soccer League, which his uncle coached.
It was a prestigious club that only the wealthiest could join, but because of his personal connection, Jordan could participate—albeit only for training and never in any competitions.
One day, when Jordan arrived at the club, he saw a young Erickson being cornered by his fellow teammates: Carl, Jun, and Andy.
"They were our fastest runners, and they worked well with each other, with everyone else, and they knew it," Jordan explained to Celeste, who was sipping her second cup.
"So naturally, they were cocky, and they thought they had free reign over everyone else. Bullies, the three of them."
Initially, Jordan just wanted to walk past Erickson and mind his own business.
After all, he was a poor nobody, and if he got into any trouble—with anyone, for whatever reason—he could possibly lose his opportunity to play in the GJSL.
