Page 86 of Take Her On

“I’m just saying relax a bit. You’ve been so stressed about the game.”

“Of course I have!”

“Maya, don’t be like that.”

“Me? It’s you that’s suddenly acting like you don’t give a shit. Like you’ve woken up and suddenly don’t care—”

“I do care.”

“Do you?” Maya looked her dead in the eyes, heart hammering in her chest. “You’ve been acting strange for weeks. Have you even hurt your ankle? Or is that just an excuse?”

The pain in Jamie’s gaze made something shrivel inside. “You think I’d lie about that?” Jamie’s jaw hardened. “I hate liars, Maya. I don’t lie. I’ve never lied to you. Not once.”

Maya blew out a breath, trying to hold her resolve. “Maybe not. But you’ve withheld information. You’re secretive. Admit it.” Everything swarmed her brain. All the Harriers’ social media posts, the warnings from the Hornets at the tournament, Jamie’s reluctance to talk about her time with the team. She suddenly felt very stupid.

Was this Carly all over again? Was she being naïve? Giving her heart to someone who was ultimately going to tear it into tiny little pieces?

“What are you being so secretive about?” she pushed, anger spilling over and making her take a step forward. “Why did you leave the Harriers in the first place? Finished all your conquests and needed someone new? Is that what I am? A challenge to see if you could win over someone who despised you, and I was stupid enough to go and fall for it?”

Jamie scrunched her eyes shut, her nostrils flaring. “I can’t believe you. Is that all you think of me?” When her eyes opened again, something was different. Cold. “I’m a flirt, I’ll admit that, but do you even know me, Maya? Hell, even if I did sleep with the whole team, why would it matter?” She looked away. “This is why I don’t tell people. They all assume. They judge me. They make stuff up.” Maya’s eyes watered as they flicked to her, Jamie’s pain flowing right into her own. “But the last person I thought would judge me was you.”

Jamie turned and limped away, the door swinging shut behind her with a clap.

“Fuck!” Maya kicked her bag against the wall just as Coach walked in.

“Thomas? What the hell is going on?” She eyed the bag now lying on the other side of the room, and the shin-pad that had fallen out of it. “Where is Mellor going?”

“Coach, I…” Maya paced the floor, struggling to bring her breathing under control. There was too much flying around her head. It happened so fast. The hurt on Jamie’s face flashed behind her eyelids, and she groaned. She shouldn’t have let her mum get under her skin, or the pressure of the game. She shouldn’t have said those things to Jamie.

She shouldn’t have done many things.

Right now, she’d give anything to run straight into the freezing sea and numb it all. Even the memory of that made her curse. Jamie had pushed Maya and encouraged her in so many ways, and she’d thrown it back in her face. What was she thinking?

“Thomas. Is everything alright?”

She stopped pacing and looked at Coach. The charismatic smile was nowhere to be seen on her permanently rosy face. Coach stepped closer and put her hand on Maya’s shoulder. The physical touch made her snap out of her head. She couldn’t crumble. Not today. She had a job to do, Jamie or no Jamie. The team were relying on her. She wouldn’t let them down.

“I’m fine, Coach. Just feeling…the pressure, I guess.”

Coach’s dark eyes twitched as she studied her a little longer. “Take five minutes,” she said. “I’m going to find Mellor, and then it’s show time.”

* * *

The first half went as well as the rest of the day had. The second was even worse. With Jamie sidelined, the team was off balance. The Harriers were physical and loud, taking any opportunity they could to get under their skin. Maya was marking their new captain, a tall brown-haired striker called Robyn.

And Robyn loved to talk. “Be aggressive, Harriers!” And shout. “Fucking move it!”

The ball pinged from team to team, both of them struggling to keep possession, but at least it was still 0-0. Maya found her attention drawing to where Jamie stood on the touchline and not on the game.

Did I really accuse her of fucking this whole team? What a dick move, Maya. Seriously.

Robyn jabbed her in the back with her elbow—typically a Jamie move—and she lost her footing, falling onto the grass. The ball flew over her head, and she scrambled up to sprint after it.

Robyn brought the ball down by her feet, dribbling up the field. Maya caught up with her, ignoring the stinging in her lungs, and jockeyed, blocking her path into the box. When Robyn attempted to sidestep her, she lunged, cutting the ball out from under her feet and slotting a pass to Noodle.

Robyn grunted in frustration and scowled at her. “Watch your back, Captain.”

“I think I’ll be fine. Thanks for your concern, though.”