Only Charlie was waiting for Ellyse outside Callinan the next morning.

‘Have you heard from Jazz?’ Ellyse asked.

Charlie shook her head. ‘I found out she’s not been at rehearsals like she told me. The chorus aren’t even rehearsing yet. Is she hiding from us? Or does she just hate us?’

‘I think she hates me,’ Ellyse said miserably. ‘I wish I’d never opened my mouth.’

‘But did you really see her shoplifting?’ Charlie asked.

Ellyse had thought about it so many times, going over what she remembered again and again, and always it was the same answer. ‘Yes, I’m pretty sure. But I just wanted to help her. It’s not like I was going to dob her in.’

‘Of course not,’ Charlie said, giving her a sympathetic smile. The bell was about to ring, so they walked to their classrooms. ‘Listen, she’s got to turn up for our soccer semifinal today. Let’s talk to her then.’

Ellyse nodded and went into her homeroom, but as she sat down, a thought struck her. If Jazz didn’t have rehearsal yesterday, then she must have fibbed to Ms Beattie about not being at training. What if Ms Beattie finds out? She won’t let Jazz play.

The thought bugged her all morning, and when she arrived to debating class, it was still buzzing in her head. They’d been doing impromptu speeches for a few weeks now, which Ellyse had considered a relief – it meant no homework. For impromptu, the teacher offered a hat and each student picked out a topic, had five minutes to make notes and then had to talk for three minutes. It was nerve-racking but fun. In the last class, Hu had had to talk about the pros and cons of a board game and she’d told a hilarious story about fighting over the chess board with her brothers until one of them had eaten a pawn!

Jazz was still nowhere to be found at lunchtime. ‘Maybe she isn’t at school,’ Charlie said.

But that means she won’t be here for the soccer semi either. Who will be goalie? ‘Please tell me she’s not staying away from school because of me,’ Ellyse said. That would be the most awful thing.

‘No, her mum wouldn’t let her wag,’ Charlie said. ‘I’m sure this isn’t about you. Something else is going on – something with her family, I bet.’

Sure enough, Jazz didn’t turn up to their game, but Ms Beattie was able to tell them why. ‘Jazz has a week off school,’ she said. ‘They’ve gone away on a family retreat for intensive counselling. She didn’t tell you?’

They shook their heads. ‘I sure hope it helps,’ Charlie said.

It meant Ms Beattie had to replace Jazz in goal, and even though Hu put her hand up again, Ms Beattie chose Amy, one of the backs. ‘Don’t worry, girls,’ Ms Beattie said. ‘We’re not playing for the FA Cup here. Enjoy the game and play your hearts out. Roaar!’

‘Roooaaarrrr!’ the team yelled, and ran onto the field.

It was true, Amy wasn’t nearly as good as Jazz in the goal, but she tried her hardest. The opposing team were more experienced – this was their second season – and their strikers were fast and aggressive. Hu stood up to them, and Ellyse and Charlie defended non-stop. After her game against Naji, Ellyse felt a million times more confident about her tackling, and she beat the other strikers and regained the ball for her team over and over.

In the end, though, Callinan lost 2–3. Amy was visibly upset, but Ms Beattie said, ‘You were terrific, Amy, really gung-ho. Jazz might have to fight for her position!’ That made Amy smile again, and she joined in the Callinan roar the loudest of all.

With Jazz away, Ellyse was able to relax a bit and stop worrying about her. It didn’t mean the problem had disappeared, but it was a relief to think about other things for a while – like the touch footy Country Cup!

The selectors called in the Northern Sydney Mets regional team for special training sessions, which meant a rush to get to the ground on Saturday after playing soccer for the Hawks. Rocky had also been selected; the three Devils stood together looking around at the other excited players. The training session didn’t turn out to be as tough as they’d expected. The coach, Martin, focused on drills that got them to know each other and work as a team, and then quickly moved into a practice game. He ran around the field with them, calling out advice and directing play, gradually speeding up their moves and passes. It got to the point that as soon as he opened his mouth, they knew he’d be shouting, ‘Faster! Try that faster!’

Afterwards he told them to keep training all week with their friends and club team. ‘Stay focused on the rhythm and flow,’ he said. ‘I want you to pass both ways, even if you lean to your right. Ellyse, you’re good at that. Keep it up. We’ll have another training session on Wednesday afternoon. Bus for Goulburn leaves here at six o’clock on Saturday morning.’

The permission forms had been signed, the shirts organised, expenses paid. All they had to do now was get on the bus! It was a full week, with the usual training and games, although there was no school soccer since they’d lost the semi. Vinnie wasn’t happy that Ellyse would miss the Hawks’ Saturday game, but he understood.

The problem with Jazz, however, hadn’t been resolved. Jazz came back to school on Monday, but she was quiet and withdrawn and barely spoke. At least she was sitting with them at recess and lunch again, but she wouldn’t go to soccer training. When Charlie asked if she was okay, Jazz shrugged and said, ‘Sure, why wouldn’t I be?’

Ellyse wanted to suggest they go out, or play ping-pong again, or go to the movies, but there was absolutely not a spare hour in her week. It helped her feel a little less guilty when Charlie said she’d asked Jazz to go shopping and she’d said no.

‘But she wouldn’t say why not,’ Charlie added. ‘Said she didn’t feel like it. You know Jazz – for her to say she doesn’t feel like shopping …’

On Friday night, Charlie texted Ellyse: Mum’s making me go to bed at 8 pm!!!

Ellyse laughed. She texted back: Beat u – in bed already. C u at the bus.

It was still dark when they gathered around on the footpath next to the team bus at 5.45 am. Excited chatter filled the air as the grown-ups loaded bags in the luggage compartments. Rocky’s and Charlie’s parents were driving down behind the bus. Dad had agreed to come along as one of the parent helpers. ‘Wouldn’t miss this for anything,’ he told Ellyse.

Ellyse was disappointed that Mum wasn’t coming, but being a doctor meant she couldn’t always take time off when she wanted. Charlie and Ellyse sat together and talked as the bus clattered along the freeway south of Sydney. Out in the country, the green paddocks stretched forever, and cows wandered back from milking. The sun rose in a pink haze, but Charlie and Ellyse were both asleep by then, the hum of the motor lulling them.

Finally, they arrived at the grounds, which were filled with kids and their parents. There were six regional teams in two age categories, and the Under 14s were playing first. In the draw, they had two games in a row against two country teams, and the play was fast on the harder field. The first game against the Northern Ravens was tough, with the Mets not totally feeling like a team yet. The game ended in a 2–2 draw, and the Mets sighed with relief.

In the next game, against the South Coast Suns, the Mets started to gel, calling out to each other, passing better and feeling more confident. It showed in the result: a 6–2 win. Ellyse and Charlie high-fived each other.

‘We did it,’ Charlie said.

After the Under 17s played, they had lunch and time to relax, then the finals were announced. Northern Sydney Mets were to play the Hunter Hornets. Mets had made the final by one touchdown.

‘Omigod,’ Charlie said. ‘I think I’m going to be sick.’

‘You know what Ms Beattie would say,’ Ellyse said. ‘We’re not playing the FA Cup final here!’

‘It feels like it, though,’ said Charlie.

‘And to think you weren’t going to even try out.’ Ellyse hugged her. ‘Told you it’d be great. Let’s get out there and blast them out of the park.’