Toby returns the ball to centre with a massive kick to Cooper, who snaps it across to Ky. Ky kicks the ball to me and I run with it for a bit before I feel a Vipers player bearing down on me. Chelsea is open and calling for the ball, so I slice a pass to her. She runs straight down the middle of the pitch towards the goal, controlling the ball with her feet the whole time. One of the Vipers players tries to intercept but Noah blocks him, giving Chelsea the chance to sprint free. She keeps her eyes on the net, and I watch as she pulls her foot back and kicks. The Vipers goalie reaches for it, but the ball shoots past him and straight into the left corner of the net.

  GOAL!

  I don’t believe it!

  We all run towards her, and Chelsea beams with pride and happiness as we slap her back and high-five each other.

  ‘Great work, Chelsea!’ Ted yells, taking off his cap and waving it in the air.

  The ref blows his whistle to signal the end of the game. We’ve won, 2–3!

  Without thinking, I run down the middle of the pitch, throw my body into a cartwheel, flip over backwards in the air and land squarely on my feet.

  ‘Woooo-hoooooo!’ A huge cheer goes up from the crowd.

  ‘Fantastic work, team,’ Ted says as we all jog off the pitch after shaking hands with our opposition. ‘You totally deserved that win. You were focused and stayed in formation.’

  ‘Sorry about before,’ I say quietly to Ted as everyone walks over to collect their water bottles.

  ‘No worries,’ Ted grins. ‘Just make sure you bring your full attention to the game next week. It’s even more important than today’s match.’

  ‘I will,’ I nod. ‘Promise.’

  And that’s when it hits me. Next week is going to be huge! School Sports Day, Mum and Dad’s surprise party and my big game with the Knights are all within three days of each other.

  I’m excited and exhausted just thinking about it!

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  MY SCHOOL

  THURSDAY

  9.05 am

  Indi, Dylan and I rock up to school on Thursday morning to find the whole place buzzing with excitement. Banners and balloons in our school colours of green and yellow hang off the main building, someone has wrapped green and yellow streamers around the basketball and netball goal posts and pop music blares from a speaker in front of the grass steps. A bunch of preppies are dancing to the music.

  Sports Day is finally here!

  First, Miss McLeish makes a speech to kick things off and officially open the day, while the rest of the teachers walk around with megaphones, making sure everyone knows where they need to be at certain times.

  The soccer match is the last event of the day, so Dylan, Indi and I are free to roam all over the school watching the other games and events. A lot of parents have come to watch their kids and my mum and dad have said they’ll be here to watch us play soccer later.

  First up are the netball games. Dylan, Indi and I stand on the sidelines with the rest of the kids who aren’t playing, and wave our yellow and green banners, clapping and cheering every time someone gets a goal. Chelsea and Nikita are both playing, and when Chelsea scores three goals in a row, I shout, ‘ONYA CHELSEA!’ She looks over and rolls her eyes, but I can tell she’s chuffed.

  The sack races are hilarious, especially when Aalia Dhruv accidentally bumps Charlie Mackavitch out of the way at the last turn and hops her way to victory in front of a roaring crowd. I’m pretty sure I catch Mr Morton smiling, too.

  Finally, it’s time for the soccer match. I can almost feel the excitement zapping around me as teachers, parents and students gather behind the music room to watch our school’s newest addition to Sports Day.

  Indi loves her yellow goalie gear and I can’t help but giggle every time she smashes her huge goalie gloves together and jumps up and down on the spot. Indi has been so busy with Peter Pan rehearsals that she’s only made it to a couple of our lunchtime training sessions, but she reckons she’s watched Dylan and I play enough times to know what to do.

  ‘Who knows,’ she laughs as we walk out to play the first half, ‘I might even join the Knights next season!’

  Turns out that playing soccer with a school team where half the kids have never played before is TOTALLY different to playing with the Knights. A lot of them have no idea what they’re doing, and that includes the referee, who is Miss McLeish. When Max, one of Dylan’s players, goes offside three times in a row and Miss McLeish doesn’t pick him up on it, I can feel my temper starting to rise.

  What’s the point in playing at all if people aren’t going to learn the rules properly, I think to myself when Max scores an easy goal.

  I’m just about to walk over and say something to Miss McLeish when I catch myself and stop. What is wrong with me? This isn’t a serious competition. It’s Sports Day. It’s supposed to be fun! Who cares if Max goes offside and scores a goal, or if Josh accidentally picks up the ball with his hands? I wanted soccer to be included in Sports Day so everyone could see how much fun it is, not so I could prove to everyone what a soccer expert I am. Right then and there I decide that I’m going to enjoy myself and not worry so much about the rules, or who wins or loses. It’s okay that not everybody feels the same way about soccer as I do. I’m going to have a good time.

  And you know what? It’s the BEST decision I could have made.

  I start having so much fun that at one point I have to stop running because I’m laughing so hard at the sight of Indi practising her handstands in front of the goal because the ball is so far down the other end.

  Lily Hallington is a total natural (no surprises there!) and I make a mental note to try and talk her into joining the Knights next season. Even Chelsea has a hard time getting the ball out from under her as Lily bolts down the pitch, easily controlling it with her feet and dodging around anyone who comes at her. She spots me running alongside her, about twenty metres away, and does an impressive side kick, slicing the ball straight towards me. I trap it under my foot and take it straight down to our goal where I shoot and score our team’s first goal.

  My whole team and everyone watching goes crazy, and Indi does three cartwheels in a row to celebrate. Even Mr Morton gets swept up in the excitement, waving his yellow and green pom poms around and doing the loudest finger whistle I’ve ever heard.

  As promised, Ted has come along to watch and cheer us on. I can see him standing with mine and Dylan’s mums, and they all seem to be having just as much fun off the pitch as we’re having on it.

  At one point, two girls who have never played before are trying to get the ball off each other and end up falling on the ground, laughing like maniacs. It’s so funny that I can’t help laughing, too. But Chelsea is furious.

  ‘Get up!’ she shouts at them. ‘This isn’t a joke!’

  But when Indi blocks Chelsea’s shot at goal, it’s hands down the best moment of the whole day. Everyone goes wild and I immediately launch into a backflip before running towards my best friend, jumping in her arms and knocking her to the ground.

  Chelsea gets her own back when she manages to get the ball past Indi and into the net just as Miss McLeish blows the whistle to end the game. Dylan’s team have won 2–1 and I’m so happy for him that I’m not even that upset about losing. The most important thing is knowing that this soccer match has been a winner. Everyone has had so much fun and knowing that we made this happen is the best feeling in the world.

  Half an hour later, the whole school is gathered in front of the main school building as Miss McLeish hands out the awards and ribbons for the day.

  When she gets to soccer, I cheer louder than anyone as she calls Dylan’s team up to receive their ribbons. But I get the shock of my life when I suddenly hear my name booming through the speaker beside her.

  ‘Sam Kerr, can you come up here please?’ Miss McLeish says into the microphone.

  Many hands clap me on the back as I walk up to the lectern in a daze. All I can think is, Why is she calling me up? We didn’t win.

  When I make it to the front, Miss McLeish holds out a small gold trophy to me.

  ‘This is for you, Sam,’ Miss McLeish says, and I look down to see the words ‘Outstanding Team Player and Organiser’ engraved on the front. I’m blushing so hard that I must look like a traffic light in my yellow and green uniform.

  ‘As it says on here, this award is for being an “Outstanding Team Player and Organiser”,’ Miss McLeish says into the microphone. ‘You have shown exemplary school spirit over the past few weeks, which is exactly what a day like this is all about. Congratulations, Sam!’

  The whole school goes crazy, including Dylan and Indi who are jumping up and down and screaming their lungs out. Mum and Dad are right up the back, cheering too, and I’m pretty sure I even see Mum wipe away a tear.

  ‘Thank you,’ I say shyly.

  ‘Okay, everyone, that’s it for this year’s Sports Day!’ Miss McLeish says into the microphone. ‘Thank you all for such a fabulous effort!’

  Miss McLeish switches the microphone off and turns to me with a sheepish grin.

  ‘I loved refereeing today,’ she says, ‘but I’m sorry if I got a few things wrong!’

  ‘No problem!’ I say. ‘Thanks so much again for letting us play. It was the best!’

  ‘Thank YOU, Sam,’ Miss McLeish says warmly. ‘I think soccer might have more than a few new fans after today.’

  Just then, I spot Indi, still in her goalie gear, throwing the soccer ball up in the air and trying to head it to a giggling Dylan.

  ‘You know what?’ I grin up at Miss McLeish. ‘I think you might be right.’

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  MY HOUSE

  FRIDAY

  6.30 pm

  ‘HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!’ everyone shouts as Mum and Dad walk through the front door, a beaming Daniel following behind them.

  ‘Oh, my goodness!’ Mum cries, her eyes already filling with tears.

  My parents look so stunned at the sight of fifty of their closest family and friends standing in their lounge room that I worry for a second that they might both pass out right there in the doorway.

  ‘Well, this is… I mean… what the…?’ Dad stammers, looking like there are a few tears pooling in his own eyes.

  Maddi, Levi and I run over and throw our arms around them.

  ‘Were you surprised?’ Maddi asks.

  ‘You should have seen your faces!’ Levi laughs.

  ‘Do you like the balloon arch?’ I ask.

  Mum and Dad both laugh and pull us all in for a group family hug.

  ‘I can’t believe you organised all this!’ Mum says, kissing me on the head. ‘Thank you so much!’

  ‘Best kids ever,’ Dad says, ruffling each of our heads in turn then smiling at their guests who are watching us all with huge smiles on their faces. ‘G’day everyone! What a fantastic surprise!’

  As Mum and Dad move away to greet their friends, the four of us stay huddled together, feeling pretty chuffed with ourselves.

  The Kerr lounge room is almost unrecognisable. It’s completely decked out in red and gold streamers; there’s a red, silver and gold balloon arch in the corner and we’ve hung a huge banner along the wall that reads, ‘HAPPY ANNIVERSARY ROXANNE AND ROGER!’

  Footy-shaped lights are strung across the roof and windows (it took AGES to hang them up there!) and we’ve put up a large photo board showing images from Mum and Dad’s lives over the past twenty-five years.

  Everyone from Dad’s football club is here, as well as Mum’s friends from work. My Aunt Sandra and cousin, Lily, her new husband, Richard, and so many other cousins, uncles and aunties, are here too, all to celebrate my awesome Mum and Dad.

  ‘Come on,’ says Maddi, ‘let’s put some music on and get the food out!’

  ‘I’ll heat up the sausage rolls!’ Levi says, dashing off to the kitchen.

  ‘Don’t you dare eat any!’ Maddi says, running after him.

  ‘I’ll see if anyone needs a drink,’ Daniel says. ‘You want a Coke, Sam?’

  ‘Yes, please,’ I say.

  ‘Hey, Sammy!’

  I turn to see my Aunt Sandra beaming at me, a cocktail in her hand. ‘Maddi says the decorations were your idea!’ she says. ‘They look fabulous! With talent like this, you could end up being Fremantle’s biggest Party Planner!’

  The idea is so ridiculous that I almost choke on the massive salt and vinegar chip I’ve just shoved in my mouth.

  ‘Yeah-nah,’ I say, once I’ve recovered. ‘Reckon I’ll stick with sport instead.’

  I’m still buzzing from the thrill of Sports Day yesterday, and now I have tomorrow’s big match to look forward to as well. We beat the All-Stars last time we played them, so now we just have to do it again so we can get into the finals.

  My mind begins to wander to tomorrow’s game, but I quickly bring it back to the present. This party is too special, and we’ve worked too hard for me not to enjoy it. I put the Knights match out of my mind and head into the kitchen to hang out with my family.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  THE KNIGHTS’ HOME GROUND

  SATURDAY

  2.05 pm

  ‘This isn’t going to be an easy game,’ Ted says during warm-up the next day. ‘They’ve got three new players,’ he continues, ‘and they’re all fast and tall so I need everyone to bring their A game today. It’s going to be a tough match.’

  He’s not wrong.

  When the All-Stars score a goal two minutes in, it’s a shock to everyone, including the All-Stars themselves. They look a bit dazed even as they shout and high-five one another.

  I’ve never seen so many supporters as there are here today. Every single one of our families have come to watch us play on the Bruce Lee Oval today. Even Chelsea’s family is here. But everyone is a bit on edge, too. We know that this is our last shot at the finals. If we lose today, there will be no more soccer for the Knights this season. The stakes are high and there’s a nervous buzz in the air.

  And that All-Stars goal was exactly what I needed to spur me on.

  I am NOT going to let us miss out on making those finals, I think as we jog back to our positions. The rest of my team must feel the same sense of determination because from the moment the ref blows her whistle, everyone is fired up and raring to go.

  Toby takes possession from the kick-off. He slices a pass to Liam, who takes it and easily weaves around his opponent to bolt away down the pitch, before passing to Dylan. Ky is in an open space and calls for the ball. Dylan boots it to Ky, just before an All-Stars player can intercept.

  ‘KY!’ I’m totally open so I call for the ball, then pass it to Archie straight away. My hopes start to rise as I watch us all playing as a team, but when Chelsea calls for the ball, I can’t help but worry. She is definitely too far out to have a shot at goal. Is she going to take a chance on losing possession, or will she pass it to someone with a better shot?

  ‘CHELSEA!’ James calls. He’s right near goal and has the best chance at scoring. I hold my breath as Chelsea hesitates for a second, then dodges around an All-Stars player to get the ball to James.

  Just before the ball is swept out from under his foot, James kicks it straight into the back corner of the net and…

  GOAL!

  We all run over to slap James on the back, and as Chelsea runs up to the group, I turn and give her a grin and a thumbs up.

  ‘Nice passing!’ I say excitedly. ‘Great work, Chels.’

  She looks taken aback for a second, then shrugs it off and gives me a half-grin. ‘Thanks,’ she says gruffly.

  At half-time, the score is still 1–1 and Ted is the most nervous I’ve ever seen him. Beads of sweat drip down the side of his face and he keeps taking off his cap and wiping his brow with the back of his hand.

  ‘Keep talking to each other,’ he says. ‘You need to take control of this game as a team, got it?’

  ‘Yes coach!’ we all chime.

  ‘You guys know what you’re doing out there, so you just need to play towards your strengths,’ he continues. ‘Keep putting pressure on the opposition. It forces them to work harder. We want to tire them out. And when they have the ball, I want every single one of you to play defence.’

  A few months ago, I would have had no idea what Ted was talking about, but now it’s all crystal clear to me what he needs us to do.

  ‘Ky, I think you can afford to be a bit more aggressive when you’re playing defence,’ he says, turning to address each of us in turn. ‘Cooper, open up the space, don’t crowd in on the action. Dylan, remember to use your options on the wings. Sam, if you’re open, I want you to run straight for a shot at goal instead of passing, okay?’

  ‘Yep, got it,’ I say.

  I sprint out onto the pitch, itching to get back out there and win this game!

  The second half is even tougher than the first, and way more stressful. The All-Stars have three different shots at goal, but Liam is on fire and knocks away every attempt. It’s so nerve wracking because as much as we try to keep the ball down our end, it spends way more time down the All-Stars’ end of the pitch. I can almost feel the tension and nerves coming off our supporters on the sidelines.

  After yet another missed goal by the All-Stars, and with only a few minutes left in the game, Dylan throws the ball in to Archie who is immediately swamped by All-Stars players. Ky does exactly what Ted told him to and gets right in there, somehow emerging from the pack with the ball at his feet. He slices a quick short pass to Chelsea, who runs down the pitch, looking around for someone to pass it to. I’m in an open space, so I call out to her as she heads straight down the middle. ‘CHELSEA!’

  I see her hesitate for just a millisecond before passing to me, and I trap it under my foot to control it. Out of nowhere, the tall girl is on me like she’s my new bestie and sweeps the ball out from under my foot with a quick scissor step.

  Oh no you don’t, I think, chasing after her.

  ‘That’s it!’ Ted shouts. ‘Get after her, Sam!’