Jasper Zammit Soccer Legend 1

by Deborah Abela

  And kids? What kids? What was his dad talking about? Jasper was an only child. At least as far as he knew. Was this the moment in his life where his parents would tell him he has a long-lost sister or brother he never knew about?

  ‘What about your family?’ Nannu demanded. ‘You’ve got a responsibility to provide for them, but how’s that going to happen now you’ve thrown away a perfectly good job?’

  Jasper’s dad’s confidence faltered a little. He turned to face his wife.

  ‘Angela. What do you think?’

  Jasper watched his mum as she sat quietly for a long moment.

  Then she smiled.

  ‘It’ll be nice to have you around again.’ She folded her arms around Jasper’s dad and kissed him. ‘It’ll be tight for a while, but we can handle it until you find something else.’

  ‘And you, son?’

  Jasper shifted in his seat as Ronaldinho tried to disappear inside the leg of his pants. He wasn’t sure what to think. What his mum had said was right, but Nannu had made sense too. But then he thought of something else.

  ‘Does it mean you can come to the game on Saturday?’

  His dad laughed. ‘You try and keep me away.’

  An excited tingle shot through Jasper’s body. His dad had figured out a way to come to his soccer matches, just like he said he would. Ronaldinho barked, happy that someone was finally making sense.

  Jasper looked at his beaming parents with their arms happily wrapped around each other. He was proud of them and knew that they should be teaching Good Parenting classes, not taking them.

  ‘Well, Pop?’ asked Jasper’s dad.

  They all looked up, just in time to see the screen door slam shut.

  Nannu had left without saying a word.

  There was a heavy silence, then Jasper’s mum spoke up.

  ‘If having an easy life means living against what you feel is right, then it’s not for us.’ She hugged Jasper’s dad even tighter. Even though what his mum said made his dad smile, Jasper saw his face fall as he looked towards the door again.

  For the second time that day, Jasper felt that iron ball feeling in his stomach and he knew this wasn’t the last his grandad would have to say on the matter.

  JOHNNY SAYS:

  Sometimes players have been known to get into a tight spot and they decide to kick the ball out of the field. In many countries this is considered cowardly play, and you’d get booed off the field. Soccer is ‘the beautiful game’ – it’s always better to find a way to play your way out.

  Jasper didn’t know what to do.

  He lay in his hammock with a piece of cold toast in his hand, waiting for some kind of answer. It was here that he often came up with his best plans and he hoped this morning would be no different.

  But it was.

  Nothing came to him.

  Ronaldinho lay across his stomach, but not curled up asleep like he’d usually be. He knew Jasper was upset and he had one eye half open beneath his furry fringe, trying to think of a way to make him feel better.

  ‘What should I do, Ronaldinho? I like Lil, I really do, but can we still be friends after what’s happened between our dads?’

  Ronaldinho’s shaggy eyebrows knotted together like he was trying to work out what to say.

  ‘Would Dad like me being friends with the daughter of the man who made him quit his job? What if he can’t find another one? What if we can’t buy food or pay off the house? Are we going to end up living in a park or on the street and be forced to look through garbage bins for food just to keep alive?’

  Ronaldinho gave a small moan.

  ‘Mum earns a little bit of money with her magazine articles, but mostly she’s busy with university. Maybe she won’t be able to do that anymore?’

  Ronaldinho whined. It was a tough situation. And one that might mean he’d have to do without his favourite dog biscuits.

  Jasper’s mum and dad had snuck into his room after he’d gone to sleep the night before. Jasper had sat up in bed, blinking into the lamp they’d turned on, wondering how he’d gone from being given soccer tips by David Beckham to facing his parents in their lairy pink and striped PJs.

  They each took one of his hands and, like Good Parenting students, told him that everything was going to be okay. That all families had their difficult times and theirs would only make them stronger and, finally, the most important thing. As the child in the family he was not to worry about anything.

  They kissed him on the forehead before tucking him in and closing the door.

  It took hours before Jasper could stop worrying and get back to sleep.

  Then there was Nannu. Jasper looked across at his flat. Its door and curtains were closed. They hadn’t seen him since he walked out last night and went to his flat. Jasper had never seen his dad and nannu argue like that. It felt weird and only added to the stomach-churning he hadn’t been able to shake off since it happened.

  He looked down at Ronaldinho.

  ‘Nannu says loyalty is one of the most important rules of life. Loyalty first to your family, then your friends, and finally, your soccer mates.’ Jasper sighed. ‘So does that mean I shouldn’t see Lil anymore?’

  Ronaldinho whined. He liked Lil and he knew Jasper liked her too.

  ‘Dad is family, but Lil is a soccer mate. How can I be loyal to both?’

  As Jasper tried to shake off his sleep deprivation, an idea came to him.

  ‘But Nannu also says life is like a game of soccer.’

  He patted Ronaldinho, who opened his eyes wider, hoping Jasper was about to fix everything.

  It became clearer the more Jasper thought about it. ‘You have your good times and your bad times, but you know what, Ronaldinho?’

  The small Maltese terrier sat up as if Jasper was about to make a brilliant discovery. ‘Like Nannu says, even when things look really bad, if you keep your focus and stay positive, they have a way of working themselves out.’

  Ronaldinho gave a yelp. Maybe he wouldn’t have to go without his biscuits after all.

  ‘It’s working out already,’ Jasper perked up. ‘At least now Dad can come to the games.’

  He sank back further into the hammock.

  ‘Ronaldinho, we’re going to be just fine.’

  Ronaldinho barked and licked Jasper’s face. Jasper laughed and felt better for the first time since last night.

  Until he heard his mum’s voice.

  ‘Jasper? Lil’s here.’

  ‘Lil?’

  Jasper sat up so quickly he overbalanced in his hammock, sending Ronaldinho into the air and himself onto the ground with a pounding thump.

  ‘Ooooph!’

  ‘Jasper!’

  His mum and Lil ran down the yard, fussing and asking him if he was okay.

  ‘I’m okay,’ Jasper gasped through his winded chest.

  Okay apart from a giant case of embarrassment and the feeling that a jackhammer was digging into the back of his head.

  His mum felt his forehead and held up several fingers, asking how many Jasper could see. When he wheezed out the correct answer, she made sure Jasper knew he was the most loved child in the world and waved them both off to school.

  Jasper and Lil walked in dead silence. Every step felt like it took an hour. Jasper wondered if they’d ever get to school and if he’d ever think of anything to say to Lil again.

  ‘You look tired,’ she said.

  ‘Didn’t get much sleep.’

  ‘Why?’

  What was he supposed to say to that? Because your dad worked my dad so hard that now he’s quit his job and we’re all on the brink of ruin and starvation?

  ‘No reason.’

  They walked on again in silence.

  Until Lil remembered something.

  ‘Oh. I have some good news.’

  Jasper looked up. With his weird feelings towards Lil and the now painful bump forming on the back of his head, he was in need of some good news.

  ‘Dad’s coming to the game
this weekend.’

  Jasper’s shock at what Lil had said was only just overtaken by the pain of having tripped over a tree root and fallen on his face in the grass.

  ‘Jasper? Are you okay?’

  Jasper spat out a lump of earth and winced through the taste of dirt and freshly chewed grass. ‘Yeah.’ Spit. ‘Fine.’

  ‘Should we get you home? Maybe you’ve really hurt yourself.’

  Jasper couldn’t tell what hurt more. His pride at having fallen over twice in front of Lil in the space of ten minutes or the pain of knowing her father was going to turn up at the game where his dad would be.

  ‘So your dad’s coming to the match?’ He tried to sound calm as he sat up and pulled a clump of grass from his hair.

  ‘Yeah. Mum and I have finally convinced him to take the whole weekend off, which hasn’t happened for years. Are you sure we shouldn’t get you home? Your face has gone really white.’

  It was true. Jasper had turned a washed-out grey.

  ‘I’ll be fine.’ He clutched at his shirt collar, feeling anything but fine. ‘There’s no chance he might change his mind?’

  ‘I made him promise,’ Lil said firmly. ‘And if there’s one thing about my dad, he never breaks a promise.’

  ‘Really,’ Jasper answered sceptically. ‘Maybe this time he will.’

  Lil frowned. ‘Don’t you want my dad to come to soccer?’

  ‘No. I mean, yeah. Sure.’ Jasper realised his mouth just wasn’t going to stop saying stupid things, with or without the dirt. So he decided to do the only thing he could.

  Run away.

  ‘I’ve got to go. I’ve just remembered I have to be at school early for … something.’

  Jasper ran ahead, frustrated that his brain couldn’t come up with a better excuse and that his life had suddenly become very messy and very complicated.

  JOHNNY SAYS:

  When the Aussie team played a tournament in Vietnam during the Vietnam War, we knew before we started that it would be tough. We managed to ignore the yelling crowds while we were playing, but when we won, there was a riot in the stands. People started throwing things onto the field and we were trapped. The only way we could get back to the dressing sheds was to be surrounded by security, and we had to get the police to help us into our bus!

  ‘Will you please make welcome the hero of today’s ceremony, Jasper Zammit.’

  Jasper stepped up to the podium as the click and flash of hundreds of cameras flooded the stage in a blinding white light. There was a deafening roar of applause, clapping and cries of Jasper’s name.

  He blinked into the glare and waved to the adoring audience. He walked carefully to the centre of the stage and the moment he had waited for his whole life.

  He was being awarded soccer’s most prestigious award, the Golden Ball for Most Outstanding Player in the FIFA World Cup. Many soccer greats before him had been given this honour, including Zinedine Zidane and Diego Maradona. Both soccer legends. Both world-class players.

  And now it was Jasper’s turn.

  The audience went deathly quiet.

  Jasper stood before the bright, gold trophy. He was about to experience the most noble and important moment of his life.

  With both hands he reached out and clutched the trophy, hugging it proudly to his chest, but just as he was about to open his mouth to give his acceptance speech, a voice cried from the audience.

  ‘Jasper!’

  Maybe it was one of the paparazzi trying to make him face their camera.

  ‘Jasper! Up here!’

  He looked up and saw Lil. She was sitting in a box seat, waving to him and laughing like she always did.

  Then something strange happened.

  His legs felt weak and began to wobble, as if they’d been replaced with jelly. His arms shook and when he tried to say something he stuttered.

  ‘I … I … I …’

  He had no idea what to say.

  ‘I … I … I …’

  His throat tightened, his palms and fingers began to sweat and, before he knew what was happening, the Golden Ball slipped out of his hands.

  Jasper watched as it fell towards his feet. Shocked gasps hissed around him. His whole soccer career flashed before his eyes.

  ‘Noooooo!’

  But it was too late. The trophy had hit the floor and smashed into a million golden pieces.

  Jasper was seized with a crushing panic. He couldn’t breathe.

  He started gasping.

  ‘Jasper, darling, are you okay?’

  Jasper looked up from his computer screen and out of his daydream to see the worried faces of his mother and father staring back at him.

  ‘The Golden Ball. Lil. Smashed.’ He knew by the expressions on their faces that he wasn’t making any sense.

  Jasper’s mum said carefully, ‘Are you okay, sweetheart? You look a little pale.’

  Jasper stared at them. He realised he hadn’t received the Golden Ball, which was bad, but he hadn’t smashed it either, which was good, but the worst part was what he remembered next.

  Today was Saturday and Lil’s dad was coming to soccer.

  ‘Just a few pre-match nerves, I guess,’ he said.

  Which was true, but Jasper wasn’t nervous because of the game.

  What if his dad and Lil’s dad got into a fight? Not that Jasper’s dad was a violent man. Jasper had never even heard him raise his voice, but with the strange way he’d been acting lately, anything could happen. Maybe he’d just lose it and be arrested and thrown in jail?

  Jasper could see it now. Every bleak minute of it.

  His dad would be forced to share his cell with a guy called Killer and, on visiting days, Jasper would have to walk past hardened criminals and watch as his dad wasted away because he was eating prison food wriggling with maggots and not getting enough sleep because of the screaming nightmares of the other inmates.

  It was horrible.

  Jasper couldn’t let his dad go to the game, so he did the only thing he could think of to stop it from happening.

  ‘Aowwww!’ He clutched his stomach and leant forward.

  ‘Jasper, darling, what is it?’

  ‘I don’t feel well. I think it’s my stomach.’

  His mum raced to the bathroom, grabbed the thermometer and took his reading. ‘Your temperature’s normal.’

  ‘Where does it hurt?’ asked his dad.

  Jasper thought quickly and pointed to his side. ‘Here.’

  ‘His appendix.’ His mum’s eyes flew open but her voice stayed calm. ‘We better get him to the h-o-s-p-i-t-a-l.’

  Hospital! Jasper couldn’t go to hospital. The nurses would know in a second that he was lying.

  ‘I mean, here.’ He pointed to his chest.

  ‘His heart.’ His mum looked even more worried.

  Jasper was making a mess of being ill and decided it was best to back out of his plan before he ended up in surgery.

  ‘Actually, I’m starting to feel better.’

  His parents gave him a look that said they wanted to take him to hospital to be sure.

  ‘Really, look.’ Jasper jumped up and did some star jumps. ‘It must have been a passing bug. Better get in the shower …’

  He raced to the bathroom, locked the door and wondered why he’d been given such a dud brain.

  After he’d showered, eaten, and prepared all his gear, they climbed into Bessie, who croaked and rumbled to the soccer fields and the possible ruin of Jasper’s family.

  Jasper sank down low in his seat as they pulled into the car park. He kept his eyes level with the bottom of the window, scouring the grounds for Lil and her dad.

  And for any police. If there was going to be trouble, it’d be better if there were none of them around. Then he and his family could make a quick getaway before they arrived.

  The soccer fields spread out over a large distance. Lots of teams played there, which meant there were kids, players, supporters, coaches and managers everywhere. If Jaspe
r was lucky, his parents could blend into the crowd and not be noticed.

  Which would have been a good plan if it wasn’t for what he saw next.

  Jasper’s mum put on a bright orange hat with sunflowers.

  ‘Hopefully this will stand out so we’ll sell lots of cakes at the stall today. Have a great game, Jasper. You’re my hero! You’re the wind beneath my wings,’ she sang.

  Jasper watched in horror as his mum and her multicoloured and very noticeable hat and voice moved off.

  He couldn’t worry about his mum now, he had to do something to hide his dad.

  ‘Dad? Why don’t you watch the game from over there?’ He pointed to the far side of the field.

  ‘No way, son. This is your day and I’m going to sit front and centre. People from miles around are going to know I’m here to cheer for my son.’

  Jasper silently cursed the Good Parenting classes.

  ‘Great.’

  He pictured his dad in jail, looking thin and weak and picking nits out of his hair as he was bullied by fellow prisoners who looked like gorillas and had names like No-nose and Knuckles.

  Coach Wallace, meanwhile, had begun the warm-ups in the centre of the field and Jasper knew he had no choice.

  ‘Better go.’

  ‘Good luck, son!’

  Jasper cringed and ran out to the middle of the field. His dad might as well have yelled it into a loudspeaker.

  ‘Good of you to join us.’ Coach Wallace had known Jasper was behind him without looking. ‘Thought you must’ve just wanted to be a spectator today.’

  ‘Yes, Coach. I mean, no, Coach.’

  There was nothing more Jasper could do except warm up and try to concentrate on the game ahead.

  ‘Hi.’

  Jasper flinched. Lil appeared next to him as if from nowhere.

  Don’t freak out, he told himself. Try to act calm and collected. Talk to Lil like she’s your friend. Like everything’s fine.

  ‘Is your dad here?’ he spat out.

  ‘Yeah.’ Lil’s smile filled her face. ‘He’s over there by the red car.’

  Jasper looked over his shoulder into the gathering crowd to see if anyone looked like a grown-up, male version of Lil.

  There he was. A tall, hulking man who, next to Jasper’s below-average-sized dad, would have looked like a human skyscraper.