‘OK, what’s wrong?’ I ask, stopping in front of them and looking between Sophie and Asha.
‘Nothing,’ Sophie says, not quite looking at me, but I can see the unshed tears in her eyes.
‘Come on, I know something’s up. You guys have been down since you got to practice. Did you guys have a fight or something or—’
‘We ran into another team on the other side of the park. The Westbrook team,’ Jade interrupts from a few paces away. I’ve realised that being an Instagram influencer means more than Jade always being on her phone – it means that she’s weirdly attuned to everything that’s going on all the time, and seems to know everybody’s business.
‘And?’ I prompt. By now, all of the girls have stopped playing, and are watching our conversation unfold instead.
‘They were just saying that they’ve seen us practise, and that we’re rubbish.’ Jade shrugs.
A strangely fierce defensiveness rises through me.Westbrook used to be my old team, but these girls are my team now. We may not be winning any championships, but building a team, and skills in football, takes time.
‘You shouldn’t listen to them,’ I say, trying to sound casual, even though inside I’m burning up with rage. ‘I mean, who cares what they say? You don’t even know them, do you?’
‘No …’ Sophie is the one who answers this time, though she doesn’t look like she’s buying my defence. ‘But they’re a proper team. They have matching kit, and they’re really good.’
‘They’ve even played matches against other teams … and won,’ Asha says, sounding dejected. ‘But we don’t even have a team name, and you said we’re not ready to play anyone yet. So they’re right, aren’t they? Wearerubbish. We’re not a proper team.’
I’m not sure who I should be angrier at – myself, for not having enough faith in the team, or this other group of girls who have clearly been antagonising my team without any thought.
‘Look, don’t listen to them, they don’t know us or our team,’ I say, but it’s clear from the fallen faces of the girls that they’re unconvinced. ‘Besides, if the name and kit are what’s keeping us from being a “proper” team, that’s easy to fix. You guys come up with a name, and I’ll sort out the kit.’
‘Really?’ Jade asks, clearly not believing that it can be that easy. And I’m not really sure what my plan is to figure out kit – I’m not exactly rolling in money since I quit my job – but I will have to figure something out.
‘Yes. Let’s do that now, come up with a name.Notthe Lionesses. We can be more imaginative than that,’ I say. ‘And I’ll be … right back.’
I turn away from the girls as they gather in a group, some of their enthusiasm back now as they excitedly discuss ideas for team names. I’m more interested in this other team, and why they’ve been badmouthing my girls. It reminds me of being back in school, having to deal with the mean girls, who would whisper about me and Deen, how our uniforms weren’t right and how our books were second-hand. They didn’t think we belonged in school with them, they thought we were less than them. And there is no way that I am going to let anyone make my team feel the way I used to when I was younger.
I march over to the other side of the park, my face set into a glare and my mind running through everything that I want to say to this team. I’ll give them a rundown of what my girls said and demand an apology for their terrible behaviour. I won’t leave until I have one – it’s the least that my team deserve. And it’s as I’m running through all of these thoughts that I see her: Maya Alam.
Chapter 13
Maya
‘Maya.’ The familiar sound of Dina’s voice, loud and commanding, is not what I expect to hear during football practice. I half expect to wake up from some kind of dream. Not that I dream often about Dina (only sometimes). But I turn around, and there she is. Dina Chowdhury, in the flesh, glaring at me as if we’re back in school and I’m back to being her worst enemy.
‘Dina,’ I say, noting her tracksuit, the whistle around her neck, the clipboard that she’s carrying in her arms. I remember what Jen said when I ran into her and Dina in that cafe around the corner: Dina is helping Jen with coaching a football club. That must be why she’s here. ‘How … are you?’ I’m at a loss for words, unsure of what to say or what to do.
‘How am I?’ Dina asks, like that’s the stupidest question she’s ever been asked.
‘Well, it’s been a while since—’
‘Are you aware that your team have been harassing mine?’ Dina interrupts.
I frown, glancing at my team, who have now stopped their game to look at us. ‘What are you talking about?’
‘I’m talking about the fact that I was trying to run a practice session with my team, but they’re too demoralisedto play, thanks to the crap that your team has been saying to them.’
I look at my team once more. Their usually happy and enthusiastic expressions have shifted into something resembling discomfort and nervousness. Of course, they would feel uncomfortable with a random woman marching up to me and accusing them of harassment.
I try to square up my shoulders as I turn back to Dina, meeting her eyes with a glare. ‘My team wouldn’t do that. They’re a little too busy practising for their upcoming match to worry about some other team.’
‘You must not know them very well then, because the girls from my team told me what happened.’
‘Well, maybe the girls from your team were making it up.’
Dina’s eyes never leave mine, and her glare intensifies. ‘Or maybe the girls from your team are not the perfect little princesses that you think they are. They’ve been bullying my girls and …’ At that, Dina takes a step back, looking me up and down like she’s evaluating me. The action sends a flush of heat through me. ‘I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, considering who their coach is. They’ve clearly learned from the best.’
