T.J. and the Penalty (9 page)

‘TJ,’ yelled Rafi. ‘Wake up!’

TJ realized he’d let Rafi’s pass slide past him into touch. He shook himself and held up a hand to say sorry. He raced after the Wasps player who had the ball and tackled him, winning it back. As he moved away, he
could
hear that the player he’d tackled was breathing hard. He played it back to Rafi, who passed it on to Tommy. TJ could see that all the Wasps players were struggling. Maybe it was the food and drink they’d had at half time, or maybe Mr Wood’s fitness training was paying off. We’re going to get a draw, he thought – and then he saw the ref look at his watch.

Suddenly he knew that he could beat the flagging Wasps defenders. He ran into the centre circle, calling for the ball, and Tommy passed it. A defender had followed him, but TJ touched the ball into space with the outside of his boot and left the defender stranded as he tore after it. He felt exhilarated, as if he could run all day. He saw another defender approaching, swayed one way, and moved the opposite way, all at top speed.

And now he could see the goal, and the
keeper
coming out towards him. He picked his spot, right inside the far post. His world seemed to focus down to that tiny point where he wanted the ball to go, and he struck it as hard as he knew how.

He knew it was right from the moment it left his boot. There was nothing the goalkeeper could do to stop it – and it was the last kick of the match. They had drawn with Wasps!

It was only when the celebrations had died down that TJ remembered the scout. He looked around for him, but he’d gone. TJ shrugged to himself. He’d been stupid, anyway, to get worked up about that. It had been a great game, and it looked as if they had found a brilliant goalkeeper. Although Jamie didn’t seem so sure.

‘I like tackling people,’ he said, when the tenth person had told him what a terrific keeper he was. ‘I like shooting.’

‘Yeah, but you’re better at being a goalie,’ said Rob. ‘You’re a good tackler, but you’re an excellent keeper.’

‘Maybe,’ said Jamie. ‘But it would have been better if Danny hadn’t lost his temper. I’d rather be a defender.’

‘Where is Danny anyway?’ asked TJ. He felt guilty about his back pass. That was what had started the trouble after all. ‘I’ll be back,’ he said, and he ran over to the dressing room.

Danny was changed and sitting in the corner with his eyes closed. He didn’t look angry any more, just a bit sad. ‘Hey, Danny,’ TJ said. ‘I’m sorry about the back pass. It was tough luck getting sent off like that.’

Danny looked up. ‘I suppose you’re all pleased now,’ he said. ‘None of you wanted me in the team in the first place.’

‘That’s not true . . .’

‘Of course it is. You’re new, so you don’t
know
anything. Why don’t you go away and leave me alone.’

TJ turned to go out of the door. He paused. ‘We drew,’ he said. ‘Three all.’

But Danny didn’t reply.

Out on the field an excited knot of players and parents were walking towards the dressing rooms. Mr Burrows’ face was flushed. ‘A magnificent fight back,’ he was saying. ‘It really gives me hope. If you can take on the mighty Meadow Green Wasps, then I really think there’s no reason we can’t see off those terrible inspectors.’

Mr Burrows’ excitement was infectious, but TJ still didn’t feel right. While they were changing he couldn’t help noticing Danny sitting alone in the corner. No one said a word to him. And TJ realized that Jamie didn’t look too happy either.

‘What’s up?’ asked his dad when TJ came out of the dressing room and walked over to
his
family. ‘You should be over the moon. You just scored two brilliant goals.’

‘I know,’ said TJ. ‘But not everyone’s happy. Look at Jamie. Look at Danny.’

‘Well,’ said TJ’s dad, ‘Jamie looks like a natural-born keeper to me, so I guess he’ll just have to get used to it. And as for Danny, it was a nasty challenge. The ref didn’t have any choice, you know.’

‘It’s not that,’ TJ replied. ‘It’s just, I know Danny can be a bit of a bully, but no one seems to like him, and I feel sorry for him.’

Mr Wilson looked at TJ, then he ruffled his hair in a way that made TJ feel embarrassed and pleased at the same time. ‘If you feel like that, son, then I think you’ll find a way to work things out,’ his dad said. ‘We can talk about it later if you like. But right now I reckon we should celebrate. You were out for the count and you came back against the mighty Wasps. It was fantastic!’

C
HAPTER
15

ON MONDAY MORNING
when they filed into assembly, TJ saw that Mrs Hubbard, the school cook, was sitting on a chair beside Mr Burrows.

‘From today,’ Mr Burrows announced, ‘we are going to have new, healthy school meals. Mrs Hubbard is going to tell you all about it.’

Mrs Hubbard stood up. Everyone clapped and cheered and her face went very red. ‘It’s all because of that World Food Day,’ she said, once Mr Burrows had made them all be quiet. ‘I collected lots of recipes, and me
and
my ladies in the kitchen have been trying them out. So today all of you can try them out too.’

There was loud clapping and quite a lot of yelling from the little ones. When they filed out of the hall TJ could already smell the lunch being cooked. Jamie groaned. ‘How will I keep fit if we have even more delicious lunches?’ he said.

‘They’re going to be healthy,’ Tulsi told him. ‘Weren’t you listening?’

And when they went into the dining hall at lunch time, there were lots of salads and delicious-looking vegetables and curry, and no chips or burgers at all.

‘Brilliant, Mrs Hubbard,’ Rafi said. ‘Can I have that tropical fruit for afters, please?’

‘Of course,’ Mrs Hubbard said proudly. ‘And where’s my friend, Jamie? Oh, there you are, love. Look what I’ve got for you.’

She reached under the shiny metal
counter
and pulled out a steaming pot of shepherd’s pie. ‘Just a little something extra,’ she said. ‘You look like you need building up so I reckon you need a bit more than these others.’

‘Mrs Hubbard, you can’t!’ exclaimed Tulsi. ‘You’ll spoil everything!’

Mrs Hubbard’s face fell. ‘It’s all very well, all this healthy food,’ she said. ‘I do like it, but people like me and my husband, and young Jamie, we need a little more. We’re big-boned, you see.’

‘Thanks, Mrs Hubbard,’ said Jamie, and for an awful moment TJ thought he was going to take the pie. ‘But I really want to be in the team. I have to eat the right food. Can I just have the spicy chicken and rice, please? And some of that salad.’

‘Hey, well done, Jamie,’ Tulsi said, high-fiving him.

‘I want to get my old place back,’ Jamie replied, as they made their way to a table.
‘I’m
going to be so fit that Mr Wood will
have
to make me a defender again.’

That night, at training, Jamie worked harder than anyone. When they ran round the field to warm up, he kept up with Mr Wood easily. Then when they did sprints Jamie powered his way backwards and forwards until the sweat was rolling down his face and soaking his shirt. They went on to do some simple pass and control exercises, and TJ worked with Jamie as usual.

‘Do you think Mr Wood has noticed?’ asked Jamie. ‘He can’t say I’m not fit now.’

‘No,’ agreed TJ, as they moved the ball backwards and forwards in one of the ten-metre squares that had been marked out on the field. ‘But you’ll have to pass better than that,’ he added, laughing, as he raced after yet another one of Jamie’s random passes.

‘I’m a destroyer,’ Jamie grinned. ‘Some one else can take care of the fancy passes. I tackle them and belt it clear.’

TJ glanced around the field. Everyone was working just as hard as they were. He saw Rob working with Leila. Rob had kept up with them easily on their runs, and now he was passing and controlling the ball very well. Better than a lot of the others, in fact.

‘Right,’ said Mr Wood, ‘I’d like one of you to throw the ball to your partner, and the other one to play the ball back first time. You can use your head, or your feet, or your chest. Just try to get the ball accurately back to your partner first time, OK?’

‘Why don’t I throw to you?’ Jamie said to TJ. ‘You’ll be good at this.’

Jamie was right about that. TJ had no problem getting the ball back to Jamie and it didn’t matter how high or fast Jamie threw it.

‘Nice work, TJ,’ Mr Wood said, as he passed by. ‘Swap over now, boys, and
let’s
see what Jamie can do.’

TJ took the ball and threw it to Jamie. He tried to make sure it reached Jamie at a perfect height. He aimed to make it easy, but when Jamie swung his foot at the ball it flew off and hit Tulsi on the back of the head, two squares away.

‘Hey!’ she yelled, then she turned and saw Jamie and laughed. ‘I might have guessed,’ she said.

‘I’ll never get it right,’ muttered Jamie.

‘You should practise like I do,’ TJ said. ‘I bang it against the wall and try to hit it back. I try to surprise myself.’

‘But I do practise,’ Jamie said. ‘It doesn’t matter what I do, I can’t get better. I’ve broken four windows and three flowerpots too. I won’t have any pocket money for years.’

‘Just keep your eye on the ball,’ TJ said, chucking it to him again. ‘See? That’s better.’

‘You’re right,’ Jamie said, brightening.
‘Throw
me another one.’

TJ threw, and Jamie swung his leg. The ball flew way up into the air and came down in the street on the other side of the fence.

‘You know what?’ TJ told him. ‘You really are a dodgy defender. You have to admit it. But you’re a great goalie.’

‘TJ’s right,’ said Mr Wood, who had been watching. ‘You can tackle, Jamie, and you’ve got yourself very fit. But I think goalie is your best position, and I think you’re easily the best goalie we have. So how about it? Will you be our goalkeeper?’

They all waited. ‘Go on, Jamie,’ pleaded Tulsi. ‘You really are a brilliant keeper.’

‘And we need you,’ said Rafi.

‘Please,’ said Rodrigo.

Jamie shook his head and grinned. ‘OK, then,’ he said. ‘But I’m going to keep practising my passing. I still think I’ll be a defender one day.’

C
HAPTER
16

ON THE MORNING
of the District Tournament a big convoy of cars assembled at the school, ready to follow the Parkview team in their minibus to the nearby town, where the tournament was taking place.

‘Look,’ said Rafi to TJ, as they were waiting to get on the minibus, ‘Mrs Hubbard and the cooks have joined up with Janice and the dinner ladies.’

‘And they’ve got new pom-poms too!’ said Tulsi. ‘In our colours!’

‘It’s not just us who’ve got new stuff,’ Janice said. ‘Look, here comes Mr B.’

Mr Burrows was carrying two enormous sports bags. He unzipped one and pulled out a football shirt. ‘We have shirts, shorts, socks, shin pads and even some of these.’ He opened the second holdall and took out a bundle of waterproof jackets. He held one up. On the back it said:

ORCHARDS GARDEN CENTRE
.

‘You can thank our new Parents and Friends Association for organizing these,’ Mr Burrows said. ‘It was their idea to look for a sponsor for the team. And the Garden Centre helped us fix our pitch so they were very keen.’