Vee Caught Offside

by Andrea Montalbano

  “Oh, get this one. Poor Tabitha is stuck right in the middle. Olivia finally fessed up that she is like, dying to ask Mark. She was supposed to do it after practice today. When I left, she looked so nervous, I thought she was going to throw up. She thinks he knows and is avoiding her.”

  “Mark Gordon?” Vee asked.

  “Yeah, Mark. Mr. Cool. Tabitha’s brother.”

  “Olivia is going to the dance with Mark Gordon?” Vee asked. Her voice was louder and more urgent. Suddenly she did care. A lot.

  Lily answered, “I dunno. She said she was going ask him today after practice.”

  A wave of jealousy flooded her body. Vee tried to hide her shock. Olivia and Mark Gordon.

  “LJ, there’s something you should know,” Vee said. She took a deep breath, “Olivia is the real reason I didn’t come to practice today.”

  Lily looked confused. “I thought you were hurt?”

  “No, I am…” Vee said. “I …was. But now I’m not. I’m fine.”

  “Wait. What?” This wasn’t going well. Vee could tell Lily was getting upset.

  Lily asked, “I don’t get it. Didn’t you tell Chris you hurt your knee?”

  “No, no, no, I can play,” Vee tried to explain. She didn’t want to make Lily worried about the Championship. “See, look, I’m fine. I’m going to play tomorrow after school with El Fuego. I just needed a break today.”

  “El Fuego? What? What are you talking about, Vee?” Lily asked, her voice getting louder. “We have the biggest game of the indoor season coming up and you skipped practice today? All because of Olivia?”

  Vee shook her head. “I’ve been trying to talk to you about this, LJ. It’s bad. Olivia has been super-harsh to me lately.”

  “About what?” Lily was nonplussed. “She’s been weird to everyone lately. She’s sucking up to Tabitha to get to Mark, which of course, totally backfired. She’s just totally out of control about this dumb dance. We’re all sick of it.”

  Vee could tell Lily wasn’t getting it. “But, LJ, it’s not about the dance. After the last game, she said that I didn’t belong on the Bombers anymore. She said because I live in a different town and go to a different school I shouldn’t be on the team.”

  Lily scrunched up her face. Vee continued, “She said that you and Tabitha believe that too, but just don’t want to hurt my feelings.”

  Lily narrowed her eyebrows. She stared at Vee. Her mouth hung open.

  Vee waited for her to say something. The two girls stared at one another for what felt like forever.

  Finally, Lily spoke, “Well, that is the dumbest thing I have ever heard in my life.”

  Vee was surprised to hear anger in her voice. Lily had more to say. “How could you believe THAT? Vee, you are my best friend in the whole world. You always have been.”

  “I know,” Vee said.

  “Do you really need me to tell you that? How could you believe I don’t want you on our team? This is crazy.” Lily’s temper was as lost as a sunken treasure. She was talking with her hands and pacing around the small office. Vee was desperate for her to understand. “Well, you went to the mall with Olivia and Tabitha!”

  “So what!” Lily yelled. “What does that have to do with anything?”

  “You didn’t tell me,” Vee said. Suddenly, something about Lily’s demeanor changed. She looked at the ground. She fiddled with her fingers.

  “Why didn’t you tell me?” Vee asked again.

  “Well, I …” Lily stammered. “We just went right before practice on Saturday. It’s not a big deal. I still don’t see what this has to do with the Bombers.”

  “Hold on a second. You went on Saturday? Saturday morning?”

  Lily bit her lip.

  Tears welled up in Vee’s eyes. She knew there had been more to this. She got it now. Saturday morning had been the Man U/Chelsea match. Lily had said she couldn’t come watch because she had to do her chores. She had lied to Vee.

  Vee looked at her friend. Lily looked back down at the floor.

  “Vee … “ she said finally. “I’m sorry … I just ……”

  “Just what?” Vee asked in a small voice.

  “I don’t know. I guess I didn’t want to make it worse that you weren’t going to the dance. It sucks that we can’t go to the same school. Plus, I know money is tight sometimes, too.”

  “So you lied to me?” Vee asked, crushed. She couldn’t even manage a ‘dude.’

  “Look, I’m sorry,” Lily apologized. “I didn’t want to hurt your feelings.”

  There it was. Those terrible words again. Vee snapped.

  “Let me get this right. You lied to me about shopping, because you didn’t want to ‘hurt my feelings’? So now, I’m supposed to believe that part, but not that you don’t want me on the team. Maybe you don’t want to hurt my feelings about that either? Don’t you get it, Lily? That’s exactly what Olivia said. Why can’t you understand!!?”

  “Because it’s not true!” Lily shouted.

  “Well, guess what? You can’t just pick and choose what I believe!” Vee said, her own anger boiling over. She got up to leave. She felt like her world was crumbling.

  “You lied to me! I cannot believe you of all people would do that!” Vee gathered up her books and shoved them into her bag.

  Lily tried to stop her, “Vee … Don’t go!”

  Vee paused for a moment at the door and looked sadly back at her friend, “You know, maybe Olivia is right. Maybe I don’t belong anymore.”

  Chapter 11.

  Game time was at 11am on Saturday. Vee turned on the television hoping to be distracted by Chicharito and Manchester United. She watched the last few minutes of the game. Manchester United was up by three goals, so Chicharito was on the bench. Sleet was falling. He looked cold. She wondered if he ever felt like the odd man out living in dreary, wet England. They probably didn’t even have any good hot dogs.

  “Vámonos, m’ija,” Tomas called from the hallway. They were headed to breakfast. It was almost 10am.

  Vee was in limbo. She’d talked it over with her coach and her father and explained to Chris she wasn’t sure she was going to play in the game today. Tomas filled him in on what had been going on with Olivia. Chris said he was going to have a talk with Olivia and hoped Vee would change her mind and come to the game. Vee knew her father also wanted her to play.

  Vee walked slowly to the car. Her knee felt fine, but her insides felt tortured and twisted. She’d never been so confused. She waited for her father to unlock the door. The outside of the car was caked with winter mud. Taking her index finger she wrote, “Bombers,” on the door.

  “Papi, why don’t you get a new car?” Vee asked. “We can’t afford it?”

  Tomas smirked as he got behind the wheel.

  “I love this car,” he said. “I will never give up this car.”

  Vee sighed, “It’s a piece of junk.”

  Tomas started the engine, his smile spreading. He backed up, looking in the rear view mirror to make sure traffic was clear.

  Finally, he said to Vee, “To you it is junk, to me, it is un tesoro. A treasure!”

  Vee shook her head in disgust. She was pensive and quiet during the drive to breakfast. Images from her kick-around with El Fuego flashed in her mind. She had no idea what to expect when she showed up to the school field the previous afternoon. There were about eight girls there, some from school, but most from El Fuego.

  “Ya llegamos,” Tomas said, as he pulled into the small diner, their usual breakfast spot. Vee didn’t hear him.

  “M’ija?” Tomas asked again. Vee was lost remembering the warm welcome she had received from Gabriela.

  “I’m so happy you are here!” Gabriela had said, even giving Vee a little hug. Vee couldn’t help but notice it was a much nicer reception than she’d gotten from the Bombers lately.

  “Oh, sorry, Papi,” she said, getting out of the car morosely.

  “Let me tell you about my piece of junk,” Tomas said a
s they entered the diner. His accent made it sound more like “peeeas o yunk,” than “piece of junk” and it caused Vee to snicker. Tomas scowled and lowered his voice.

  He continuet in Spanish, “When I came to this country, I had nothing. Only you, my precocious daughter. I didn’t have many skills. I didn’t speak much English.”

  “Uh, you really still don’t,” Vee interrupted.

  “Quiet child,” Tomas scolded with a smile. “I had to find a way to take care of you and to survive. I worked in the restaurants because they would hire me. But I had a plan. I watched. I studied how to be a great chef. It wasn’t easy, but I was determined to succeed. I had no choice.”

  The host showed them to their favorite booth. The waiter arrived with coffee for Tomas, juice for Vee, and a smile for his favorite customers. His name was Johnny and he knew there were no menus required.

  “The regular?” he asked. Tomas and Vee nodded. Tomas always got the vegetarian omelets with a side of ham, and Vee, the blueberry pancakes with a dollop of whipped cream.

  Tomas took a sip of his coffee and then continued his story.

  “Y lo logré! I did it,” Tomas said with pride, puffing up his chest. He continued in Spanish, “When I became the manager at Katerina’s, many years ago, I finally had enough money to buy a car. No longer did I have to take the bus, or walk in the cold winter.” Tomas took another sip and kept talking. “I went with the money my hard work had earned me and I bought this car. It was used. It wasn’t perfect. But it was mine. I had earned it. I love it for what it stands for, m’ija, not for what it looks like.”

  The food arrived quickly, and Vee started to take a bite. Then, she put down her fork and said, “I’m sorry, Papi, for making fun of your car. I never knew that.”

  “Do not be sorry,” Tomas replied, wiping his chin. “It is a terrible car. But sometimes, you just have to change the way you see something. When you see my car, you are embarrassed. When I drive my car, I am proud. You understand?”

  Vee nodded. She did understand now. Vee thought again about Gabriela. She couldn’t help but notice that they had the same exact hair color. The same color eyes. The same warm brown skin. They started with just a warm up game of keep away and Vee could see why they were such great passers. She met another girl named Ariella and a great dribbler named Nicole. Vee felt a little uncomfortable at first, but once they started playing, she just let the ball lead her and soon fit right in. They were a team full of joy, and friendship, just like the Bombers. She felt at home, like she belonged.

  Tomas got up to pay the check. Vee fiddled with the straw in her orange juice. She knew her father was happy she had gone to play with El Fuego. She wasn’t sure if he wanted her to play in the Bombers game today. To miss a Championship would make quite a statement, even if it was during the optional indoor season. Vee didn’t doubt her love for the Bombers, or her bond with Lily and the rest of the team. Except, Olivia. Yet she had come to realize none of this would have gotten to her if she hadn’t already had some serious doubts of her own.

  Her father returned and together they walked outside. Vee knew the moment was coming. The teams were probably starting to warm up right now. She walked over to the clunker. The car she had been so embarrassed by. It was still old. It was still dirty. It really was still a piece of junk. But she could see now why he loved it. She loved it too now. She walked around to the back.

  “We can never sell it,” Vee said with a smile. Then she made a face and added, “But we can wash it.”

  Tomas nodded with a grin. “There is one more special thing about my car I want to show you,” he said.

  Vee was interested in hearing this one. Tomas pointed to the trunk. “It’s in there.”

  “Open it!” Vee said, trying not to look at her watch, knowing it must be close to game time.

  Tomas pressed the button to open the trunk. At first, Vee didn’t see anything special. Then, she did. Her Bombers soccer bag. The Blue and yellow one with the awesome “Soccer Sisters” tag. She looked at her father.

  “Now, you open it,” he said. Vee obeyed. She felt the familiar joy of looking inside. There was her Bombers uniform. Her indoor shoes. Her shin guards. Her ball. A brand new bottle of water, and, of course, clean, beautiful new socks.

  Vee sighed and asked her dad, “You think I should play today?”

  “That is totally up to you. But I have never seen a longer or sadder face on my child. I think you should listen to Lily, not to that other girl, and I think you should listen to your heart.”

  He was right. Vee knew it the minute she saw her bag. While she was excited to get to know the El Fuego girls better and hoped they started a school team, in her heart Vee was a Bomber.

  She smiled at her father. “Gracias, Papi,” she said. She had had no idea he packed her bag.

  They got in the car. Tomas turned to his daughter. He was beaming and had funny look on his face, a sort of know-it-all half-grin.

  “Why are you looking at me like that?” Vee asked.

  Tomas shook his head and raised his shoulders. “Oh, no reason. I just love you, m’ija.”

  Chapter 12.

  Vee slipped into Total Sport unnoticed. She headed toward the locker room to get changed. She could see the Show Offs and the Bombers warming up on the far field. The sidelines were packed with spectators. She saw Tomas heading over to the field and wondered if LJ or any of the Bombers had spied him.

  She slipped on her jersey, relishing the coolness of her number as it slid down her back, her protective soccer shield back in place. She sat on the bench and laced up her shoes, going through her special pre-game ritual. She could hear Lily’s voice in her head, urging her to hurry up already.

  Vee took a deep breath. She was ready. Ready to face Olivia and ready to face the truth. And the truth was that Olivia was a bully, and a good one. Her lies hurt so much because they had hit too close to home. Vee did often feel left out, she did feel vulnerable, and different, and she knew now this was an insecurity she would have to accept and overcome.

  Vee checked her headband in the mirror, put her street clothes in her bag, and took a deep breath.

  “Game on,” she said to herself.

  She slung her bag on her back, grabbed her ball and headed toward the field. LJ was the first to see her. She grabbed Tabitha by the shirt and pointed. Tabitha smiled and poked Avery. One by one the Bombers looked her way. Chris beamed as she approached.

  As she got closer, she saw Lily hold up her fingers and heard her count…1,2,3. Then all the girls on the field screamed in unison, “DUDE!”

  Lily ran over to hug Vee. Vee held her friend tight and at exactly the same time, they both whispered, “I’m sorry.”

  Lily pulled her back and said, “No sorries. You’re here. That’s what matters. I’m lost without you, Vee. I should have told you about my dress, and everything …I should have known you would have just been excited for me.”

  Vee nodded and then spied Olivia on the bench. She was openly glaring at them both.

  Lily turned to look. “I’m pretty sure she’s benched. When she got here today, Chris gave her a really long and special ‘Think Time’.”

  “Oh brother, now she’s going to hate me more,” Vee said.

  “Never mind her,” Lily said. “She’s got her own problems. Don’t let her get to you anymore.”

  “I won’t,” Vee said firmly. Tabitha ran over to join them.

  “Check this out,” she said, lifting her leg all the way up to her head.

  “You are freakishly flexible, Tabitha,” Lily said with a shake of her head. “Like it hurts me to see you do that.”

  “Ballerina!” Tabitha replied with a giggle, and then pointed to her ankle. “We’ve all got them on. Here’s yours.”

  Tabitha handed Vee a blue and yellow bandana that matched their uniform colors. “We got one for everyone and made Olivia wear one too. Ha!”

  Vee looked at all her teammates and beamed. Each one had a bandana o
n her ankle. Any lingering doubts evaporated.

  “Is the ref going to let us wear them?” Vee asked. Just then the whistle blew.

  “We’ll find out,” Tabitha said with a smile. “Let’s go!”

  The Bombers took the field. Vee and Tabitha were up front. Lily took her spot in the midfield. Avery and Reese were on defense, and Beth was in the goal. Olivia was looking glum on the bench.

  Vee sized up the Show Offs. Sure enough, Molly Barrelton, the Castle Creek superstar, was starting with the ball.

  “Oh this is going to be fun,” Vee said to herself. She made eye contact with Lily. Lily nodded. Vee the Bee was ready to fly.

  The referee blew the whistle, and from the first moment of the game the Bombers were on fire. They were attacking from all angles, making incredible passes, and had so many chances to score. But by halftime, the game was still 0-0. They couldn’t get the ball in the net. During the brief halftime, the girls only had a few minutes to grab a sip of water and switch sides. Vee grabbed her water bottle and took a long satisfying gulp.

  “Why’d you even come back?” a voice asked. She knew it was Olivia.

  Vee finished her sip. Took a deep breath and said, “I never left. This is my team, Olivia. I’m a Bomber.”

  “No one wants you here,” Olivia tried again, a sneer on her face.

  Vee replied with confidence. “Give it up, Olivia. I know you lied to me, so just save it. Lily knows. Tabitha knows. Everyone knows.”

  Vee felt a presence come up behind her. Lily James. Vee looked over her shoulder and went on, “I’m pretty sure the only one they aren’t going to want around here is you. If you can’t be a Soccer Sister, then you should leave. You don’t have to like me. But I belong here and nothing you say will ever change that.”

  Lily put her arm around Vee.

  “It’s Team First, Olivia,” Lily said firmly. “If you don’t get that, then Vee’s right. You’re the one who doesn’t belong.”

  Vee and Lily walked together back onto the field. Lily looked back behind her. “We’ll see about her,” Lily said. “We wanted Chris to kick her off the team, but he said she deserves another chance.”