Lead With Your Heart

Different Opinions

At school, Sierra and Maritza meet up with Violeta and their soccer captain, Ainsley Marks, sporting her favorite Barcelona jersey. The four walk into current-events class together, where Raheem is already seated. Mr. Bernstein assigns an article about DREAMers, people brought to the United States as children. Some of them never even realize they lack citizenship until, like the medical student profiled today, a college application exposes the truth.

Most of the class agrees the man deserves full citizenship. But Josh argues the law is the law, and Peyton insists immigrants should get in line like everyone else. Raheem pushes back, describing how his own family, from Ethiopia and Honduras, worked hard and built businesses from nothing. He reminds everyone that plenty of their own classmates are children of immigrants. Do they not deserve to live in the United States? Mr. Bernstein adds that most DREAMers have never set foot in their country of origin and would be devastated to be sent there.

Violeta shrinks lower in her seat as the debate continues, visibly rattled. Josh and Peyton start to soften their viewpoints, admitting immigrants contribute plenty to society and they’re important, too. When Sierra mentions that Maritza actually donated her prize money to a family whose father has been detained, the class breaks into applause. Violeta manages a small, grateful smile. Still, the second the bell rings, she darts out without waiting for anybody else.

At practice, Ainsley reminds everyone that attendance counts toward the upcoming Soccer Showcase, where scouts will offer only a handful of club-team spots. Nearly every hand, including Violeta’s, shoots up to confirm interest in signing up. Ainsley dismisses the team to head to warm-ups.

Maritza starts to follow the rest of her team, but she notices Violeta hanging back with a serious look on her face. Violeta explains that Ainsley is worried about the school team. Ainsley says that other school teams fall apart after the Soccer Showcase. She admits the Jaguars look weak this year without Sierra, their best defender, who’s traded cleats for folklórico dancing. The Jaguars can’t afford to lose anyone else.

Maritza says she doesn’t plan to quit the Jaguars if she’s chosen for a club. Violeta agrees. Playing for two teams would be awesome. Ainsley says they say that now, but the club schedule is demanding.

To cheer Ainsley and Violeta up, Maritza digs out the journal Tía Mari filled with quotes before she passed. Maritza reads aloud a line from tennis champion Serena Williams about fear never outmatching the desire to win. Ainsley brightens at once. Violeta grabs the journal’s pen to copy the quote onto a fresh page as a keepsake, signing it, “By Maritza Ochoa, soccer player, and—”

“Amiga,” Ainsley finishes, pulling them both into a hug.