There was a time when he had looked forward to soccer like it was the one thing in life that really mattered but, as he stared down at his boots, he knew now that it was all the other parts of his life being good that made soccer so special.
‘No. We’re ready to play, Coach!’ Lil jumped up.
‘Good. We’ll see you for the warm-ups then.’
Coach Wallace moved off to the other players.
‘He’s right.’ Lil held out her hand to Jasper. ‘We’re not going to win sitting here all day.’
Jasper appreciated Lil’s enthusiasm, but winning a game of soccer just didn’t seem important. He looked across at his dad, who gave him his usual proud smile. Jasper warmed inside. His dad could do that – make everything seem okay with just a smile or a few words – but right at the end of his dad’s smile Jasper saw it sag a little.
That was when he realised.
He’d been so worried about himself, he hadn’t even thought how his dad might be feeling. Jasper imagined him laying awake at night worrying about getting another job, about paying the bills and about the fight he’d had with Nannu.
Jasper knew it would be a little thing, but if he could help the Rovers to victory, maybe his dad would forget about everything, even if it was only for a while.
Suddenly, Jasper did want to play.
And what he heard next made him want it even more.
‘The Rovers will be a pushover. Let’s finish off these losers quickly so we can go for a ride in Dad’s new car.’
Jasper knew that voice.
He turned and watched Badger Mackenzie walking away, wearing his brand new TV station sponsored shirt over his broad chest and his big, fat opinion of himself.
Something shifted in the pit of Jasper’s stomach and he wanted to play harder and better than he ever had.
‘Jasper?’ Lil still had her hand out to help him up.
Jasper grabbed it and hoisted himself to his feet. ‘Let’s win this game.’
He warmed up with the rest of the team, running, stretching and jumping as if he was training for the Olympics.
Nippy partnered him for sit-ups and was getting tired just watching his stomach crunching.
Coach Wallace threw him a shirt, which landed on his head. ‘Easy, Jasper. Don’t go wearing yourself out before the game starts.’
Jasper stopped his sit-ups as the others laughed and were handed their shirts. They tugged and strained to pull them over their heads while the coach announced their positions and gave his usual pre-game boost.
‘Play fair, play well and play as a team. Enjoy yourselves! And Jasper?’
Jasper wasn’t listening. He’d begun practising air-kicks and imagining precision goals scored with expert skill.
‘Jasper?’
Jasper stopped the air-kicking, knowing the goals he’d just scored looked much better in his head. ‘Yes?’
‘No daydreaming.’
‘You betcha, Coach.’
The line-up for the pre-match handshake began. Jasper shook every one as if he was accepting the greatest challenge of his life. He took his position on the field and steeled himself when he found he was next to Badger and his smug grin. Jasper turned away, ready to focus on the game.
Badger whispered, ‘Ready to be beaten, are you?’
Jasper concentrated his attention on the centre of the field. Badger could harass him all he liked, but he was here to win.
Nippy started the game in her usual form, tackling the ball and quickly sweeping it down the field. Jasper tried to break free of Badger’s defence to create an opportunity for a pass but Badger stuck closely to him, breathing down his neck and marking his every move. The Eastville Kings had a killer defensive strategy, and from the opening minutes it was obvious they weren’t going to let the Rovers get away with anything.
Nippy drove a quick pass to Mugger, who chipped it to Nutmeg. Tricky bounded into a sudden open space and took possession of the ball but within seconds his usual fancy moves were stomped on as an Eastville player outsmarted him, took possession of the ball and drove it towards their goal.
‘Come on, Rovers!’ Lil cried.
Annoyed at being so easily played, Tricky sped into position, doing some of his best work to regain possession, but the Eastville player wrong-footed the usually sure-footed Tricky and sent him sprawling to the ground.
He looked up just in time to see the ball fly past the safe hands, and head, of Noggin and into the back of the net.
All in under four minutes.
‘What happened?’ Tricky lay on the ground, stunned and nursing a dented ego.
Diego stepped up and offered his hand. ‘You were well and truly beaten. Don’t worry, the next goals are all ours.’
The Eastville Kings went into their victory celebrations as if each of them had just won a million dollars, slapping high fives, pulling their shirts over their heads and falling on their knees in gratitude as if they’d just saved the world.
Jasper’s face fell but Lil gave him a wink that told him it would be okay.
The wink didn’t escape Badger.
‘Is that your girlfriend?’
Jasper didn’t answer. He felt weird enough about his feelings for Lil without anyone else knowing about them. But Badger wasn’t going to let a little silence get in the way of his ultimate plan.
‘She’s all right. A bit skinny for me though.’
The thought of Badger anywhere near Lil made Jasper’s skin prickle. He wanted to defend Lil but he knew it would only be playing straight into Badger’s hands.
Besides, Nannu’s words sailed into his head. ‘Don’t let anyone put you off your game.’
Jasper smiled and felt better. No matter what Badger said, he wasn’t going to bite.
Tricky walked back to his position on the field, inspecting the tear in his shirt where he’d slid into the ground.
Badger tried again.
‘And where’d you get your shirts from? The last century? Maybe if you made them out of toilet paper they’d be stronger.’
Jasper leant into a few hamstring stretches and said nothing.
As the players moved into their positions and the ref got ready to blow the whistle to restart play, Badger looked for another avenue to tease Jasper.
Which he soon found.
Jasper shot a quick look at his dad, who gave him another wide smile and a double thumbs up. He was standing at the cake stall with Jasper’s mum, but he was the one wearing the bright pink apron with rainbows.
‘That your dad, is it?’
Jasper’s head shot round to Badger, which he instantly regretted.
Don’t let him get to you, Jasper reminded himself and looked back at the field.
But Badger knew he was onto something.
‘The pink apron suits him. Enjoy making cakes, does he? My mum likes making cakes too.’
Jasper clenched both hands.
The ref blew his whistle and Badger immediately ran beside Jasper, marking him as if they’d been stuck together with glue.
‘Is that what he does for a job?’
Jasper tried to ignore him but with each badgering question, he felt a ripple of anger in his stomach.
Lil had the ball and was looking for a pass, but again the Eastville Kings had them covered. She was forced to dribble forward and only just managed to get it to Diego, who neatly trapped it under his boot. Wasting no time, he turned his back on his marker and drove the ball away from him.
It was a good play and looked like the Rovers were finally breaking the Eastville Kings’ strong defence.
‘Jasper!’
Diego had taken the ball into free space and a chance to score opened out in front of them. It was perfect. Diego had positioned himself so that Badger was between him and Jasper. All he had to do was get a pass to Jasper, make a quick run around Badger and, hopefully, perform a quick one-two for a shot at goal.
But as he was about to make his move, Badger let fly with one more jab.
That was it.
Jasper looked away from the ball. ‘My dad’s just as smart as yours!’
He turned to face a smiling Badger, who knew he’d done it.
Badger had seen the one-two set-up. He leapt forward at the ball that was meant for Jasper and dribbled it expertly away from him. Jasper turned and ran so fast his lungs hurt from the great gulps of air he took trying to stop him. Badger was just out of reach and Jasper knew his only chance to stop him was a sliding tackle, which was risky and could cost him a penalty. But by the time he’d considered it, Jasper was too late.
Badger had drawn his leg back and, with a strong and steady foot, belted the ball into the net.
The noise of the celebrations circled Jasper’s head like he’d been dumped in a cement mixer.
Jasper stopped running, gasping deep wheezing breaths. He looked up and saw the ball wobble in the back of the net before it fell to the ground and came to a slow, rolling stop near his feet.
He slumped against the goal post. He couldn’t face his team or the victorious jumping and back slapping that was happening behind him.
And there was something else he couldn’t face. He’d known what Badger was up to and he still fell for it. He was an easy target and Badger had enjoyed every minute of making Jasper blow the game.
JOHNNY SAYS:
The first game I ever lost – after quite a few wins – I was devastated. But when I look back I can see it as a learning experience. You can’t always play brilliantly. As soon as you think you know about soccer or you start to get a big head, something happens to bring you back to earth!
‘You let him get to you.’ It was the fourth time Nannu had said it. ‘I can’t believe you let him get to you.’
Fifth.
Jasper sat deadly still on Nannu’s bed, his hands between his knees, his feet cradled by a fluffy Ronaldinho.
Nannu had been pacing around his flat, shaking his head from side to side and scratching his fingers along his bristly chin.
‘It’s the oldest trick in the book and you let him get away with it.’
Ronaldinho looked up at Nannu as if to say it was a good time to talk about something else.
But Nannu was on a roll.
‘How did it happen?’
Jasper shrugged. He really didn’t know. One minute he was standing firm, concentrating on the game, about to play his part in scoring a goal, the next he was standing by while Badger took a pass that was meant for him.
Just thinking about it made him sink even further into the bed.
‘You must know, you were there.’
Ronaldinho let out a muffled growl and eyed Nannu off beneath his fringe.
Jasper said nothing. He felt awful about the game, but that wasn’t the only thing making him feel bad.
He couldn’t get Badger’s words out of his head. He knew that Badger had only said those things to make him throw the game, but Jasper kept hearing him make fun of his dad over and over again.
‘Well?’
Nannu was looking at him as if he’d asked a question and was expecting an answer.
‘Sorry?’
His grandad scowled and repeated his question. ‘What’s one of the first rules of being out on the field?’
Jasper mumbled guiltily. ‘Don’t ever let anyone put you off your game.’
‘And did you?’
‘Yes.’
Nannu sighed and slowly sank down on the bed beside him.
‘Jasper.’ His voice was softer now. ‘We all get riled up at times, but it’s important not to show any of it on the field. Even if you’re burning up with anger, you’ve got to hold your tongue and concentrate on playing the game.’ Jasper was silent. He was thinking about the argument between his dad and nannu. He knew Nannu wouldn’t like it, but now was his chance to try and patch things up between them.
‘But what about what happened between you and Dad?’
Nannu shifted uneasily on the bed. ‘That’s different.’
He stood up and walked over to put the kettle on.
Jasper tried again. ‘Why?’
‘Because … because …’ He struggled for the right words. ‘Because it is.’
‘But you said life was like a game of soccer and we should treat them both in the same way.’
Nannu had filled the kettle and was putting it on his gas stove. Apart from the sound of the water and the clanging of the kettle, there was a strained and uncomfortable silence.
‘You better go and get cleaned up.’ Nannu’s tone made Jasper realise he’d said enough. He stood up from the bed and walked to the door.
Ronaldinho jumped off the bed and followed closely behind. He’d hoped the conversation would end, but not like this.
‘See ya, Nannu,’ Jasper said.
‘See ya.’
Nannu didn’t turn around. He just stood with his back hunched over the stove, watching the kettle.
The two walked out of the flat and Jasper quietly closed the door. His shoulders sank as a cool afternoon wind swirled around him. Coach Wallace said every player has bad days, but this was one of his worst.
JOHNNY SAYS:
Every game is different. As a team, you need to keep asking yourselves, ‘Are we playing the best game?’, then revise your game plan if it’s not working. Base next week’s training on what went wrong last week. And you should also train based on who you’re playing next week – what are their strengths and weaknesses? Who are their key players to watch?
‘Well, Higsy, here we are again in the front row of the greatest game of all.’
‘Yes, Richo. The greatest and the most beautiful.’
‘It’s the game of champions, Higsy.’
‘And none more so than the great Jasper Zammit.’
‘Yes, Higsy. He’s had a rough time of it lately, but if there’s anything we’ve learnt about Jasper, he’s a fighter who never gives up.’
‘You’re a hundred per cent on the money there, Richo. He’s been out of form lately and some people have even said his best days are behind him, and of course there was that incident last week where he let that chance at goal pass him by, but I am willing to bet that his best is yet to come.’
‘Let’s hope you’re right, Higsy. That’s all from us for now, viewers, join us after the break and we’ll be back to talk more about champions and the beautiful game of soccer.’
(Fast paced music. Soccer highlights footage. Station logo. Out.)
‘Well done, everyone. Two minutes until we’re back on air.’
‘What do you reckon, Higsy? Do you think Jasper’ll come good?’
‘Not sure, Richo. It’ll be a crying shame if he doesn’t. I guess we’ll have to wait and see. Or we could just ask him. Jasper? How do you think you’re going to go? Do you think you’ll sort things out with your grandad? Do you think he and your dad will start speaking again? Jasper? Jasper?’
‘Jasper?’
Jasper flinched and toppled off the low stone fence he was sitting on, landing bottom-first on the ground with a thud.
‘Ow.’ He looked up at Lil, who was standing over him. ‘Why do I seem to be spending more time on the ground since I met you?’
‘Not sure,’ she laughed. ‘But you better get over it before you do yourself some real damage.’
Jasper hauled himself up. ‘And if I don’t get over it?’
‘I’d be thinking about insurance.’
Jasper and Lil had met early for their walk to school to decide on their next plan of action: how to get their dads talking.
But Jasper was having doubts. ‘Maybe we should just let them sort it out by themselves.’
‘Let the adults do it?’ Lil threw her hands in the air. ‘Are you crazy? If we leave it to them it’ll never happen. Adults might be clever but sometimes they have no idea about life and it’s up to us to help them sort it out.’
‘It didn’t work last night.’ J
asper told Lil what happened between him and Nannu. ‘This morning he didn’t come out to say goodbye.’ Jasper’s whole body sagged. ‘He always says goodbye.’
‘He’ll come around,’ Lil said softly. ‘He just needs some time.’
Jasper wasn’t sure about that. His grandad could be really stubborn when he wanted.
‘Now, to convince my dad to give your dad his old job back.’
Jasper wasn’t overly excited about this new plan, but his dad was getting sadder each day at not being able to find a job. He’d been looking in the paper and had even been for a couple of interviews, but he hadn’t found anything.
Jasper straightened up and was ready to do whatever he could to bring back his dad’s smile.
Besides, Lil wasn’t taking no for an answer, so the plan was going ahead whether he liked it or not.
‘What are we going to do?’ Jasper asked.
‘We aren’t going to do anything. You are.’
‘Me?’ Jasper cried in a high-pitched voice he immediately changed. ‘How?’
‘My dad’s coming to the game again this Saturday.’
‘He is?’ Jasper tried not to look worried but there was something about the mention of Lil’s dad and the memory of how big he was that had this habit of freaking him out.
‘Yeah, as a kind of apology for what happened last time. This time, he’s promised he’ll stay for the whole game.’
‘The whole game?’ Suddenly Jasper’s shirt collar felt tight around his neck.
‘Yep, which gives you heaps of time to tell my dad how great your dad is and convince him to give your dad his old job back.’
Jasper stopped breathing due to the panic rising in his chest. ‘Me?’ he wheezed.
‘Yes, you. My dad wants the same thing but he’s too proud to say it. I love my dad, but sometimes he’s not very good at admitting he’s wrong. With a little buttering up from you and a good wrap about your dad, they’ll be working together again by Monday.’
‘Me?’ Jasper was still coming to terms with his role in Lil’s plan.
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