“The Silver City Rockets look like a good soccer team,” said Violet.
“Good. They will be fun to play against,” said Jessie cheerfully. “And look. There’s even a locker room where we can change into our new shirts.”
All the soccer teams had gotten new shirts in their team colors, with the name of the team and a number on each shirt. The Panthers’ colors were purple and white.
Jessie, Violet, and Soo Lee went into the locker room. They each put their packs into a locker. They took off their sneakers and put on their soccer cleats and their new shirts. Then they hurried out to join the other Panthers on the soccer field.
The two teams lined up on opposite ends of the field. Then the referee blew her whistle and the game began!
“Go, Panthers!” shouted Grandfather.
Not everybody could play at once. Only eleven players from each team were allowed on the field at any one time. Benny didn’t start out playing the game. He stood on the sidelines with Jessie.
They cheered loudly whenever the Panthers got the ball. Gillian clapped and cheered, too. Then suddenly Elena got the ball. She ran as fast as she could with it, dodged around one of the Rockets, and kicked it into the goal!
“Yeah, Elena!” shouted Benny. He looked up at Dr. and Mr. Perez, who were also standing on the sidelines. “She’s a great player,” he told them. “I’m going to be a soccer player like Elena someday.”
Dr. Perez laughed. “I know you will, Benny,” she said.
Just then, Gillian came over. “Benny, I’m taking Violet out of the game so she can rest. I want you to go in and play in her place.”
Benny ran out onto the field. Someone kicked the ball toward him. He raced toward it and kicked the ball as hard as he could — and tripped. The ball skidded away. A Rocket team member fell over Benny and the referee blew her whistle.
“Tripping,” she said, pointing at Benny. “The other team gets to kick the ball.”
“I didn’t mean to trip her,” said Benny. But he got on his feet and backed up while the Rocket player kicked the ball.
Benny hurried up and down the field as fast as his legs would carry him. Soon he was very tired. He was glad when Gillian took him out and put someone else in his place.
At halftime, the score was tied, 1–1. “We have ten minutes to rest,” Gillian told the Panthers. “Everybody get a drink of water from our cooler.”
Elena said, “Coach, I’ve broken one of my shoelaces. I have an extra one in my pack in the locker room.”
“You can go get it,” Gillian told her. “But hurry. We don’t have much time.”
Elena trotted toward the locker room.
Soon the referee blew her whistle. “Time for the second half,” she called.
Gillian looked around. “Elena’s not back,” she said.
“Time,” said the referee again as the eleven Rocket players went out onto the field.
“Jessie, you go in for Elena,” Gillian said.
The second half began. Now Henry was playing at the goal. The Rockets kicked the ball toward him, trying to get it past him. But he caught every one.
On the sidelines, Gillian looked around with a worried frown. “Elena’s still not back,” she said.
“I’ll go look for her,” Violet volunteered.
“Thank you,” said Gillian.
Violet ran toward the locker room. She pushed the door, but it wouldn’t move.
Violet pushed again. The door wouldn’t budge. “Elena!” Violet called. “Elena!”
“I’m in here,” called a muffled voice from the other side of the door. “Someone locked the door behind me and I couldn’t get out. I’ve been calling and calling.”
Violet heard people cheering from the soccer field. She glanced over her shoulder. The Rockets had scored.
Oh, no, she thought. I have to get Elena out to help the team. “Don’t worry!” Violet said loudly. “I’ll get you out.”
She looked up and saw that a bolt high up on the door had been locked. She tried to reach it, but couldn’t.
Quickly Violet looked around. She saw an empty metal trash can nearby. She hurried over to it, picked it up, and carried it back to the locker room door. Turning the trash can over, she stepped up onto the bottom of it.
Now she could reach the bolt. She pushed the bolt back, jumped off the trash can, and called, “It’s unlocked!”
Elena burst out of the locker room so fast that she knocked the trash can over. “Thanks,” she gasped to Violet, and ran toward the soccer field.
After setting the trash can upright again, Violet followed Elena. As she reached the sidelines, she heard Elena explaining to Gillian what had happened.
Gillian’s eyebrows drew together, but she didn’t say anything. She just sent Elena into the game to play in someone else’s place.
The Panthers played hard. So did the Rockets. In the end, the Rockets won, 2–1.
When the game was over, Gillian told the Panthers to go shake hands with the Rockets. The two teams shook hands and then went off the field.
“I should have caught that last ball,” Henry said. “Then we would have at least tied.”
“You couldn’t help it,” said Benny. “You slipped, just like I did.”
Gillian held up her hands. “Everybody played very well today. I’m proud of you. But we have a problem. Somebody locked Elena in the locker room at halftime. Does anybody know anything about this?”
All the Panther players were silent. Then someone said, “Maybe the janitor or someone else locked her in by mistake.”
Shaking her head, Gillian said, “No. The janitor would know to leave the locker room unlocked during a game.
“Well, if this is somebody’s idea of a joke, it is not funny,” Gillian said. Then she said, “See you at practice, Panthers.”
Grandfather Alden came up to join them. “All of you are doing very well,” he said.
“Thank you,” said Benny.
“Go get your things out of the locker room,” Grandfather said, “and we’ll go home for lunch. I think Mrs. McGregor is cooking a special lunch to celebrate your first soccer game.”
“We didn’t win,” Jessie pointed out.
“Did you play your best?” asked Grandfather.
They all nodded.
“Then it’s worth celebrating,” he told them.
The Aldens headed for the locker rooms. Players from all the teams were going in and out of the doors of the two locker rooms as they finished their games and got ready to leave.
Robert brushed by them as they reached the community center. “Out of my way,” he snapped. “I’m in a hurry. We’re about to start our game.”
Then he stopped. “Too bad you lost your game,” he said to Henry and Soo Lee. “I told you that the Panthers were a losing team.”
“How did you know we lost our game?” asked Soo Lee.
“I got here early and watched. I watched the Hawks, too,” said Robert. “They got lucky and won. But they’re still losers, too.”
Jessie could feel herself getting angry at Robert, so she said, “Aren’t you in a hurry? I think I heard the referee blow the whistle to start the game.” Robert spun around and sprinted toward the soccer field.
“Oh, Jessie. Did you really hear the referee blow her whistle?” asked Violet.
Jessie grinned. “Yes,” she said. “But I think it was a whistle to start another game, not the one the Bears are in. I just didn’t want to talk to Robert anymore, though, did you?”
“No!” declared Benny.
“Someone locked Elena in the locker room at halftime and someone let all the air out of our soccer balls,” said Soo Lee. “Do you think the Panthers are a bad luck team?”
“No,” said Jessie firmly. “We’re not a bad luck team. But I think someone wants us to think we are.”
Just then Violet grabbed Henry’s arm. “Look,” she whispered.
Henry and everyone else turned to look toward the front of the building. “What is it, Violet?” asked Henry in a puzzled voice. “I don’t see anything.”
“It’s him,” she said. “It’s the man in the blue van!” |