Offside! Read online

  * * *

  Sunday Alecia woke up to a white world. She knelt on her bed and leaned her elbows on the windowsill, grinning out at the altered landscape that was their backyard.

  Everything looked different, unfamiliar. Her favourite tree, a red maple that offered wonderful cool shade in the summer, looked like a bony old skeleton doing some kind of macabre dance. In the lane some of the neighbourhood children were already constructing a snowman, their voices reaching Alecia over the stillness.

  They had managed to get out to the movies last night, barely. It had been a bit of a fight with Jeremy to get him to drive her to the theatres, but in the end he had agreed. It wasn’t far and the roads were all flat. Plus the snowplows had cleared most of the main roads. Alecia was glad they had gone. She hated cancelling plans, hated things to not happen when she had been looking forward to them.

  “Leesh? You up?” a voice called from the hall and Alecia pulled her attention from the window. She crawled off the bed and went to the door. Her mother was standing at the bottom of the stairs, dressed to go out.

  “What’s up?” Alecia asked, yawning.

  “Jeremy and I are going for a walk. We’ll be back in an hour or so.”

  “It’s cold out there,” Alecia reminded her, cheekily. Her mother stuck out her tongue.

  “I’ve got my sweetie to keep me warm,” Mrs. Parker told her.

  “Have fun,” Alecia said, turning back to her room.

  She had a quick shower, dressed, and tidied her room, then wandered downstairs. She found herself some breakfast and took it to the living room to eat in front of the TV. Feet braced against the coffee table she slurped cereal into her mouth, staring blankly at the cartoons she found. She had a ton of homework to do, she remembered, and a test in French on Tuesday. Plus, she hadn’t practised her clarinet in days.

  But Alecia wasn’t quite ready to tackle those things just yet. Instead she leaned forward to put her bowl on the table. Sitting where she had left them yesterday were the photographs her mother had shown her. She picked them up and began flipping through them again.

  She had hidden the grad photo in her room, wanting, for some reason, to keep it for herself. She knew her mother wouldn’t mind, but still, she didn’t want her to know. Who had her father been? Had he been nice? Quick tempered? Had he resisted change as much as Alecia did? Maybe he had been adventurous and eager for new things. Alecia hated anything new.

  An ad came on the TV, breaking into her thoughts. The woman was so excited about her product that Alecia found herself listening despite herself. The woman held a kit for making scrapbooks called a Memory Maker. She positively buzzed with the thrill of it.

  “Only $49.95 plus shipping and handling!” she cried. “What a great deal! Get yours while they last! Operators are standing by!”

  Alecia sat forward, a plan forming in her head as the woman showed all the miracles of her product.

  Could she do one of those? About her dad? Construct herself some memories of her father? Alecia wondered. She picked up a couple of the photos lying in her lap and stared at them. Why not? What would be wrong with that? she wondered.

  Forgetting all about the homework waiting for her, Alecia went off in search of a photo album. Her mother kept a supply on hand to put photos in as soon as they arrived in the house. It was utterly amazing that the little pile she had found yesterday had not been put in one already. Alecia found a nice manly looking one she liked and took it to her room.

  On the inside cover, using pencil, she wrote:

  The Life And Times Of Peter Sheffield: My Father

  Then she went over the letters carefully in black felt pen. She smiled, happy with the effect, then stopped, frowning. Now what? she wondered. She didn’t have anything to put in an album — her father had been dead for nine years. What was she thinking? Silly fool. All she had were some old photos her mother had given her. There were no little mementos from outings, no pieces of clothing, nothing.

  Alecia lay flat on the bed, holding the scrapbook in her arms. Well, she would just have to start hunting. Surely there were things around the house, stored away safely. Her mother never threw anything away. She still had all of Alecia’s baby clothes and most of her toys. She claimed they were for when Alecia had children of her own one day but Alecia was pretty sure it was more because her mother couldn’t bear to part with things. There must be stuff of her father’s.

  And maybe Alecia could casually call her grandparents. Grandma Ellie was just as bad as Mom — you’d think they were mother and daughter. She would have kept something of her son’s. Alecia was pretty sure that if she asked, her grandmother would let her have something. She began to feel a bit better and sat up. She just needed to be patient, that was all. She couldn’t expect everything to fall into place just like that. It would take planning and a little detective work.

  3

  “It’s Lexi”

  “And you wouldn’t believe how much I ate! I was such a pig. But you know how Chinese food is, you can eat and eat. Everything is so good and there is so much of it! Plus it was a buffet, which is even worse,” Monica said and then paused to wave to someone. She flipped her long, brown hair over her shoulder and frowned slightly at Anne and Alecia.

  “What was I saying?” she asked. “Oh, right, dinner. There was this guy at our table, I don’t know, someone’s third cousin once removed or whatever, and he was so cute. I mean, I could hardly talk all night from looking at him. He was too far away for me to really say anything to him, but I did smile lots and stuff, you know. You have to flirt a little, right? Isn’t that a girl’s prerogative or something?”

  “I thought it was to change your mind,” Alecia said, since Monica had stopped to catch her breath.

  “A girl’s prerogative is to change her mind?” Monica repeated, thinking about it. “I don’t know if I’ve ever heard that before.”

  “I’ve heard it,” Anne said, coming out of her thoughts to join the conversation. “My mother says it all the time to Dad. He figures she uses it on a ‘needs be’ basis. They’re always talking like that. Half the time I can’t understand a word they say,” she finished, laughing.

  Alecia moved her clarinet case to her left hand and winced slightly. A check she’d taken during the game on Saturday had bruised her right shoulder and it was still sore today. She wondered if it was a good enough excuse to get out of gym class that day. Alecia pulled open the door to the school and the three friends went inside.

  “Did I tell you about Jeremy’s news?” Alecia asked as she and Anne headed for their lockers. “A new girl is starting on the team. Her name is Alexandra Thomas. She’s supposed to be pretty good.”

  “Really? That would help, wouldn’t it?” Anne asked.

  “I guess. I think we’re doing okay by ourselves, though.”

  “Well, it never hurts to have extra players. You know, in case someone gets hurt or something.” Anne was always optimistic, always accepting of anything new. She never saw anything as negative. Sometimes it drove Alecia nuts.

  “You could come back,” she said. Anne smiled and shook her head.

  “Not until September, Leesh,” she reminded her. Alecia scowled and shoved her clarinet into her locker. She didn’t think they needed any new players. But no one else seemed to agree with her.

  * * *

  Alexandra Thomas had already arrived and was waiting outside when Jeremy and Alecia got to the school Tuesday night. She was dressed in ratty jeans and an old jersey and was leaning against the gym door, her arms folded across her chest. Alecia stole a quick glance at the girl as she helped Jeremy unload the car. Her hair, cut short to her chin, was dark and straight. She was taller than Alecia, but not by much, and heavier. She watched as Jeremy and Alecia unloaded the mesh bag of balls and the stack of orange cones and carried them to the door. She didn’t offer to
help.

  Alecia cleared her throat, determined to start off being friendly and welcoming. “Hi. You must be Alexandra,” she said with a smile. “I’m Alecia, and that’s Jeremy, our coach, over there.”

  “It’s Lexi,” the girl said. Alecia glanced at her, but said nothing as they got the equipment inside. In another minute the others arrived and there wasn’t another chance to say anything to Lexi.

  No one had known a new girl was starting that night, and they eyed her curiously while waiting for Jeremy to begin practice. Lexi stood near the stage, her arms still crossed, a slight frown on her face. When Jeremy called them all together, she came and stood behind them.

  “We have a new player tonight,” Jeremy said. “This is Alexandra Thomas, and she’ll be playing forward for us. Welcome to the Burrards, Alexandra.” He smiled at her and a couple of the girls turned and said hi. Lexi ignored them. She glared at Jeremy.

  “It’s Lexi,” she said in the same tone she’d used on Alecia. Alecia glanced at Jeremy and caught his smile slip ever so slightly.

  “All right, Lexi. Let’s start off with three laps around the gym. And no cutting corners this time.”

  Jeremy told the girls to pair off after their warm-up and they spread out around the gym to practise dribbling. Everyone quickly found a partner, leaving Lexi standing by herself. Alecia felt slightly guilty, but ignored it. It wasn’t her responsibility to babysit the new girl. Let Laurie do it; she was captain. She turned her attention to her own partner, Rianne, and the drill they had been told to work on.

  In another second Laurie had grabbed Lexi by the arm and pulled her off to work with her and Nancy. Rianne stopped the ball with her foot and watched as the other girls worked their drill. A small frown formed on her forehead. “You know, I think I recognize her,” she said when Alecia came up beside her. “I think she used to play with my cousin.”

  “Oh yeah? Is she any good?” Alecia asked.

  “She thought so,” Rianne said. She watched Lexi for another second then turned back to Alecia and shrugged. Alecia glanced at Lexi again, curious. Was she any good or had they just added dead wood to their team? she wondered.

  They worked on their drill for a while, then Jeremy divided them into two groups and they worked at each end of the gym with the goalkeepers, Stacie and Karen. Alecia found herself on Lexi’s team with Laurie and Stacie and a few other girls. They lined up and Laurie started them off by kicking a shot at Stacie. Stacie blocked it easily and sent it back to the next girl in line. Finally Alecia took her turn, kicking high over Stacie’s right shoulder. She almost cheered, knowing it was a good shot, then she watched in amazement as Stacie dove backwards and caught the ball, grinning cheekily at Alecia as she sent it back out.

  Lexi raised her eyebrows, frowning slightly. “Pretty confident, isn’t she?” she asked.

  “Yes, and we like her that way,” Laurie replied politely.

  Lexi didn’t say anything as she moved forward in the line. She caught the ball as Stacie passed it to her. Carefully she set herself up, taking her time before kicking the ball at the net. It came at Stacie on an angle, heading toward the far post of the goal. Stacie lunged for it, but missed and the ball rolled past her. Lexi looked around smugly at the other girls.

  “Nice shot, Lexi,” Laurie said, but the other girls just turned away.

  * * *

  Practice finished at seven-thirty and the girls quickly disappeared as parents arrived to drive them home. Alecia and Jeremy loaded the car and Alecia scrambled in while Jeremy checked the gym one last time.

  “All set?” he asked as he climbed in behind the wheel a second later.

  “Hey,” Alecia said, not answering his question, “who is that?” She pointed to the school where a dark shape could just be seen walking along the building.

  Jeremy frowned then climbed out of the car again. “Excuse me?” he called. “Did you need a ride somewhere?”

  The figure turned and in the light coming from a classroom, Alecia realized it was the new girl. It was a cold January night and there was still snow on the ground from the storm over the weekend, but Lexi was wearing only the jersey they had seen her in earlier.

  “No. I’m fine,” she called, her voice as cool as the night air.

  “I don’t like my players walking home alone,” Jeremy told her. “Especially dressed the way you are. Did someone forget to come get you?”

  “No, I’m fine, I told you.”

  “Hold on a sec, Leesh,” Jeremy said, then closed the car door and walked toward the girl. Alecia watched as he approached Lexi. She couldn’t hear what they were saying, but she could hear Lexi’s voice in her head, slightly scornful, slightly rude. She hadn’t exactly made a good first impression on the Burrards. It was quite a change from Anne’s sunny smile and cheerful optimism, that was for sure.

  Jeremy came back alone and climbed into the car without saying a word. Lexi had disappeared. “That is one interesting girl,” he said, shaking his head. “She insisted that she was fine. That her ride would be along any second and to just leave her alone. I tried telling her that as her coach I was responsible for her until someone showed up. I could see she was going to keep arguing with me but then she turned, waved at a car coming along the street and dashed off.” Jeremy shrugged as he turned on the ignition. “Takes all kinds I guess.”

  “Aren’t you friends with her dad?” Alecia asked as Jeremy drove up their driveway and into the garage. They pulled the gear out of the trunk and tossed it in the corner, then made their way into the house.

  “We were never friends,” Jeremy said. “More acquaintances than anything. I certainly don’t know anything about his family or home life.”

  “Oh well, maybe they’re one of those families that insists on lots of independence,” Alecia said slyly. “You know, give the teenager lots of space and let her do what she wants.”

  “Yeah, maybe. Not like around here, huh?” Jeremy tossed back, grinning at her.

  4

  New Ideas

  After school on Wednesday Alecia found Anne and Connor waiting beneath one of the leafless oaks in the schoolyard. She looked in surprise at Connor. He almost always walked home from school with Laurie, who lived in the opposite direction to Alecia and her friends.

  “Where’s Laurie today?” she asked.

  “Getting some extra help with some work,” Connor told her.

  “So we get honoured with your presence then, do we?” she asked, dodging the hand that whipped out to hit her. She dropped her bag on the grass and sighed heavily. “I am so beat!” she cried. “That quiz in English nearly killed me.”

  “Helps if you study,” Connor reminded her. Alecia ignored him as she looked through her bag. As she stood up again she spotted Lexi coming through the doors. She buried her head in her pack, hoping the other girl wouldn’t notice her.

  “Hi Alecia,” Lexi said, noticing Alecia and her friends, despite Alecia’s attempt to hide. She approached slowly, hesitantly.

  “Oh, hi Lexi,” Alecia said coolly, glancing at the other girl. “How are things going?”

  “Not bad. I only got lost once today.”

  “Happens to everyone,” Connor told her, laughing.

  “Are you the Lexi who joined the Burrards?” Anne asked, introducing herself since Alecia obviously wasn’t going to. “I’m Anne. And this is Connor.”

  “Nice to meet you,” Lexi said, smiling shyly at Anne and Connor. She glanced once more at Alecia, who was very busy studying the toe of her shoe.

  “Well, I guess I should get going home,” she said finally. “See you around.”

  “Yeah, see you later, Lexi,” Alecia called after her retreating back.

  “She seems okay, Leesh,” Anne commented as they headed out of the school grounds.

  Alecia shrugged. “She’s kind o
f full of herself. She scored on Stacie last night and positively gloated about it the rest of the night.”

  “Maybe she was just nervous, her first night,” Anne suggested, ever the peacemaker. Alecia shrugged again and Anne dropped the subject.

  “This is kind of nice,” Anne said after a while. “Just the three of us. Not that I don’t like Laurie or Monica,” she said quickly, anxious not to be misunderstood.

  “We know how much you hate Laurie,” Connor said.

  “I don’t —” Anne began, then caught sight of Connor’s grin and stopped. “She’s really such a pain, Connor. I don’t know what you see in her.”

  “I know what you mean,” Alecia broke in, “about just the three of us. Everything is so different now than it was in September.”

  “Yeah, but different in good ways, I think,” Connor said. “Things can’t stay the same forever.”

  Alecia would have argued that life would be much simpler if they did stay the same. For years it had just been the three of them — Alecia, Anne, and Connor. Now there were boyfriends and girlfriends, new players on the team, and a Valentine’s dance that Monica was all excited about.

  But it wasn’t just new people and things, Alecia realized. The three friends themselves were all changing so much as well. Annie was more outspoken and confident; Connor was taller and his voice had deepened. And Alecia, too, had changed. She had grown and her clothes didn’t fit the same anymore.

  “You off, Annie?” Connor asked as they paused at the end of Anne’s driveway.

  “Yeah. I’ll see you both tomorrow,” she said and gave a little wave as she headed for the house.

  “You’re awfully quiet today, Leesh,” Connor said after a while. “Something wrong?”