I flip the camera around and point it at Raymond as he walks over to talk with Natalie and the referee.
After another moment, the ref makes the announcement. “Ospreys forfeit.”
The opposing team cheers, happy with a free win, and Breakwater’s parents walk down from the bleachers.
Ainsley sighs, her shoulders slumped forward. “I can’t believe this.”
“I can.” I smile at my beautiful girlfriend. “You have made an impact on these kids, and they want justice. I don’t blame them.”
She offers me a sly smile. “Come over after you clean up there?”
“See you soon.”
There’s no point in a post-game huddle, so the kids leave with their parents.
Quinn hands me the clipboard, filled with two pages of signatures. “Wanna bring this to Harrison before you head out?”
I nod. “Thanks for thinking of this. It was a great idea.”
“I hope it helps.” She glances across the field to the boys’ lacrosse game about to begin on the turf. “It sucks to say this, but I don’t think this would be happening on the boys’ team.”
Something flickers in my mind, and I tilt my head. “You don’t think so?”
Quinn lets out a humorless laugh. “Parents wouldn’t dare to speak up against Coach Cole.”
Evan is one of Ainsley’s best friends...
“Thanks, Quinn.”
Then I take off running toward the turf.
By the time I reach Evan on the next field, I’m gasping for air.
Evan does a double-take when he spots me, his eyebrows collapsing in the center. “Landon, what’s wrong?”
“Forfeit the game.” I hunch over, bracing my hands on my knees. “For Ainsley.”
“What?” His head jerks back. “Slow down, take a second.”
I shake my head. “Don’t have a second. The game’s about to start.” I gesture to the kids on the field, about to take the draw. “Both JV and varsity girls just refused to play. They’re taking a stand for Ainsley, and won’t play until she’s reinstated. I don’t know if it’ll work, but I think it’ll make a bigger statement if the boys’ team does the same.”
Evan lifts his hands and signals for a timeout before the ref blows his whistle. “You’re asking these boys to throw a playoff game.”
“No, I’m askingyouto stand with your friend.” I gesture to the turf below our sneakers. “You know there have been inequities since we were kids. Those girls are still playing on shitty grass after all this time. Ainsley’s been fighting for recognition for years, and this is how they repay her. She could lose her job, Evan.”
Evan’s eyes drift to the field, and I can see the wheels turning in his head.
He cups his hands over his mouth and shouts, “Bring it in, boys.”
His team jogs over, pulling off their helmets as they huddle around us and take a knee.
“What’s going on, Coach?” one of them asks.
“I need to ask you all something, and I want you to think before you answer.” He plants his hands on his hips. “I know you’ve all been hearing about what happened with the girls’ lacrosse team these past couple of weeks. Coach Ainsley hastaught some of you for the last four years. She’s been asked to step down from her job for an unfair reason, and her team just refused to play in their playoff game without her.”
Shock ripples through the group as their mouths drop open.
“Well, good for them,” says a boy with a C embroidered onto his jersey. “I wouldn’t want to play without my coach.”
